What does the plus and minus in D gear mean?
2 Answers
D gear's plus and minus refers to being able to push the gearshift lever from D gear to the plus/minus side while driving, which simulates a manual transmission, preventing the transmission from automatically upshifting; when pushed to the plus side, the gear will increase, and when pushed to the minus side, the gear will decrease. The D gear of a car, also known as the drive gear, when the gearshift lever is in this position, the hydraulic system control unit will automatically engage the corresponding forward gear oil circuit based on throttle opening signal and vehicle speed signal; the D gear of automatic transmission models does not have engine braking function, and will continuously shift to higher gears as downhill speed increases, making the vehicle go faster and faster, requiring constant use of the foot brake to control speed.
I've been driving for over ten years, and the plus/minus signs on the D gear are actually the manual shift function. These small buttons or paddles designed on automatic transmissions allow you to manually intervene with the gear selection. Pressing the plus sign upshifts, increasing the gear number to lower the engine RPM and save some fuel; pressing the minus sign downshifts, decreasing the gear to make the engine rev faster, providing more torque, which is suitable for climbing steep hills or accelerating for overtaking. I like using this feature on mountain roads—downshifting when climbing gives more power, and downshifting downhill allows engine braking, reducing the need to use the brakes and protecting the system. However, avoid using low gears for long distances as it may increase fuel consumption or even damage the transmission. Overall, it adds to the driving fun and sense of control, but beginners don’t need to force themselves to use it—automatic transmissions are smart enough on their own.
