What Do the Plus and Minus Signs on an Automatic Transmission Mean?
3 Answers
Automatic transmission cars with plus and minus signs refer to the manual mode of the automatic transmission. The plus sign is for manually upshifting, and the minus sign is for downshifting. Below are the specific details: Specific operations for upshifting and downshifting with the plus and minus signs: Regardless of the current gear, pushing the gear lever toward the plus sign direction once will upshift by one gear. After pushing, the gear lever will automatically return to its original position, allowing repeated pushes to upshift further. Pulling the gear lever toward the minus sign direction once will downshift by one gear, and continuous pulls will result in continuous downshifting. Automatic transmissions with plus and minus signs indicate that the transmission is a manual-automatic (Tiptronic) transmission with manual functionality: While driving, shifting the gear lever from the D (Drive) position to the plus/minus side will simulate a manual transmission, preventing the transmission from automatically upshifting. Usage of the plus and minus signs in D mode: With the gear lever in the D position, moving it to the right will engage the manual mode. Pushing the lever upward once will upshift by one gear, while pulling it downward once will downshift by one gear. Note that upshifting may require certain speed and engine RPM conditions, whereas downshifting does not have such requirements.
I used to be quite puzzled by those plus and minus signs on automatic transmissions. They're actually for manual gear control. When the car is in Drive (D), pushing the gear lever left or right (or using paddle shifters on some models) engages manual mode - the plus sign upshifts while the minus sign downshifts. This feature shines on weekend mountain drives: manually downshifting on steep climbs gives the engine more torque, while using lower gears during long descents employs engine braking to prevent overheated brakes. For quick overtakes, instant downshifts deliver faster rev buildup. The computer safeguards against improper operation by automatically adjusting if gear/rpm mismatches occur, so even beginners won't damage the transmission.
Last week, I accompanied a friend for a test drive and taught him how to use the manual shift mode. Simply put, it adds some manual control to the automatic transmission. Shift the gear lever to the position marked with plus and minus signs: push the plus sign to upshift, making the car more fuel-efficient but slower to accelerate; push the minus sign to downshift, increasing engine speed for quicker acceleration. It’s especially useful when preparing to overtake on the highway—downshifting twice in advance makes the throttle response much sharper. It’s also practical for climbing hills in rainy weather, as lower gears help prevent wheel slip. Just remember not to fiddle with it too much on regular flat roads—the automatic mode is already quite smart.
