What do the plus and minus signs on an automatic transmission mean?
1 Answers
Automatic transmission plus and minus signs indicate manual mode. In manual mode, the driver can manually upshift or downshift, similar to driving a manual transmission vehicle where the car won't automatically shift gears. Typically, only automatic transmissions with manual mode (often called "manumatic" or "Tiptronic" transmissions) feature these symbols, with the letter "M" usually appearing between the plus and minus signs. The vehicle can be switched to manual mode at any time without restrictions like speed or RPM - the transmission will automatically match the appropriate gear based on real-time vehicle speed. Manual mode is commonly used for situations like uphill/downhill driving, overtaking, starting on icy/snowy roads, or in heavy traffic. When switched to manual mode, the car's display will show the current gear (e.g., D1 for 1st gear, D2 for 2nd gear, and so on).