What do the plus and minus signs on the gear shift of an automatic car mean?
2 Answers
The plus and minus signs on the gear shift of an automatic car indicate the manual mode. In manual mode, the driver can manually shift up or down, similar to driving a manual transmission car. Typically, only cars with a manual-automatic transmission (often referred to as "tiptronic" or "manumatic") will have these symbols. The plus and minus signs are usually located around the letter "M," with the minus sign below and the plus sign above. Pushing the gear lever toward the minus sign will downshift by one gear, while pushing it toward the plus sign will upshift by one gear. To switch to manual mode, if the plus and minus signs are on the left side of the letter "D," move the gear lever to the left. If they are on the right side of "D," move it to the right. The manual mode can be engaged at any time without restrictions such as speed or RPM, as the transmission will automatically match the appropriate gear based on the current speed. Manual mode is commonly used in situations like uphill or downhill driving, overtaking, starting on icy or snowy roads, or in heavy traffic. When switched to manual mode, the car's display will show the current gear, such as D1 for first gear, D2 for second gear, and so on.
When I first started driving an automatic transmission car, I was also curious about the plus and minus signs on the gear shift. The plus and minus gears are actually part of the manual mode. When you move the gear lever to the manual area, such as the S gear or M gear, pushing the '+' sign will upshift, and pushing the '-' sign will downshift, allowing you to manually control the gear changes like driving a manual transmission car. This is mainly to increase driving fun and a sense of control. For example, on the highway, I feel that upshifting can make the car run more smoothly and save some fuel; when going downhill, downshifting can use engine braking to slow down and reduce the burden on the brakes. As a beginner, I suggest familiarizing yourself with the vehicle manual first. Some cars can also be operated with steering wheel paddles. Remember not to use them randomly in unfamiliar road conditions—safety first. Although the manual mode is good, don’t ignore the original intention of the automatic mode.
