What do the plus and minus signs on an automatic transmission car mean?
3 Answers
Automatic transmission car plus and minus signs refer to the manual mode of the automatic transmission. The plus sign is for manually shifting up, and the minus sign is for shifting down. The method of using the manual mode is: 1. Shift the gear to D, then push the gear lever to the right, and the transmission will enter sport mode; 2. Use the method of pushing the gear lever forward and backward to shift gears. Pushing forward is for upshifting, and pushing backward is for downshifting; 3. To switch back to automatic mode, simply push the gear lever to the left to the D position. The gears of an automatic transmission car are: 1. P is the parking gear and starting gear; 2. R is the reverse gear; 3. N is the neutral gear; 4. D is the drive gear, also known as the forward gear; 5. L is the low gear; 6. S is the sport mode; 7. OD is the overdrive gear.
The plus and minus signs on the automatic transmission actually represent the manual shift mode. I particularly enjoy using this function during traffic jams or when going downhill - just a flick of the finger can lock the gear. When needing to accelerate for overtaking, pulling the minus sign backward to downshift makes the RPM soar instantly, delivering power rapidly. However, using the plus sign to upshift during long climbs might cause the car to roll back, as maintaining lower gears provides stronger engine braking. Remember to switch back to D mode after use, otherwise the transmission will stay locked in that gear. Beginners should be cautious with this feature - last time I forgot to return to D mode and nearly redlined the engine.
The plus and minus signs are the entry to the manual mode of the transmission, which I use as a semi-automatic. The minus sign represents downshifting to accelerate, for example, when you want to overtake on the highway, lightly flick the minus sign to drop two gears, and the push-back feeling comes immediately. The plus sign is for upshifting to save fuel, especially smooth when manually shifting to the highest gear on good suburban roads. But remember not to skip gears, I once tried shifting directly from 5th to 2nd gear, the car jerked violently and it's particularly harmful to the transmission. It's best not to use this function in rain or snow, as the transmission's automatic protection mode is safer when the tires slip.
