What does the 'N' on an automatic transmission mean?
2 Answers
Automatic transmission's 'N' stands for Neutral, which can be used during startup, when parking without leaving the vehicle, or when towing. When the gear lever is in this position, the transmission idles, and the engine power cannot be transmitted to the drive wheels, having no driving or restraining effect on the wheels. The 'R' on a car is the Reverse gear, and the 'P' is generally called the Parking gear, also known as the Stop gear by some. The 'D' is called the Drive gear, which is the most commonly used gear when driving an automatic transmission car. However, it should be noted that sometimes when driving an automatic transmission car uphill in 'D' gear, you may feel that the power is somewhat insufficient. In this case, the 'S' gear can be used, which is called the Sport gear. When the car is in this gear, the power will be more robust.
That "N" stands for Neutral in English. When I first started driving, I was curious about it too—it felt like a mysterious button. Later, I learned that in automatic transmissions, it mainly keeps the engine running without transferring power to the wheels, such as when washing the car or towing. I often see some friends thinking that shifting to N saves fuel, but that’s wrong—it actually causes the engine to idle and consume more fuel, and may even lead to transmission overheating. Don’t randomly shift to N during normal driving; if you do it on a slope or at high speed, the car could lose control, and braking effectiveness weakens—it’s extremely dangerous. A classmate of mine once tried it and nearly caused an accident. Now, I remind everyone to only use it when stopped at a red light or during professional towing.
