What letters represent the forward and reverse gears in a car?

[McLane]

The forward gear in a car is the D (Drive) gear, and the reverse gear is the R (Reverse) gear. Almost all automatic transmission vehicles have P (Park), R (Reverse), N (Neutral), and D (Drive) gears. Additional information about P and N gears is as follows: 1. P and N gears: P stands for Park, and N stands for Neutral. Manual transmission vehicles also have an N gear. Both P and N gears can be used when parking, but they are not the same. 2. Locking mechanism: The N gear does not have a locking mechanism. If the handbrake is not engaged when shifting into N, the vehicle can move. The P gear has an internal locking mechanism; once shifted into P, the vehicle cannot move unless the handbrake is released. When driving an automatic transmission vehicle, shifting into N to coast can damage the transmission. Coasting in N gear reduces the transmission's oil pressure, affecting lubrication and cooling. Before shifting into P, it is essential to ensure the vehicle is completely stationary to avoid damaging the transmission's locking mechanism.