Where is the Reverse Gear?
3 Answers
Automatic transmission vehicles have the reverse gear labeled as: R. There are six gear positions on an automatic transmission car, listed from top to bottom as: P, R, N, D, S, L. Below is an introduction to the gear positions of an automatic transmission vehicle: 1. P-Parking, Parking Gear, Start Gear: When the vehicle is parked and not in use, the gear is in this position, where the wheels are mechanically locked to prevent rolling. 2. R-Reverse, Reverse Gear: Used when reversing. 3. N-Neutral, Neutral Gear: Used for temporary stops (e.g., at a red light). Note that this gear position indicates neutral, and to prevent the vehicle from rolling on a slope, the brake must be engaged. 4. D-Drive, Forward Gear, also known as Drive Gear: Used when moving forward.
I remember when driving a manual transmission car, the reverse gear is usually located at the bottom left or top left corner of the gear diagram. To engage it, you need to press the top or side of the gear lever and push it in forcefully. This design is to prevent accidental operation. Automatic transmission cars are much simpler—just select R directly in the gear shift sequence to enter reverse, with its position between P, R, N, and D. Before reversing, you must fully depress the brake pedal and ensure the car is completely stationary, otherwise, the transmission gears may grind. Keep the reversing speed slow, ideally no more than 5-10 km/h, and frequently check the rearview mirrors. Nowadays, many cars come with reversing camera assistance. When I was a beginner learning to drive, I often confused the gears, but with more practice and referring to the user manual diagrams, I eventually mastered it. Safety comes first—stay focused while reversing and avoid distractions like phone calls.
I usually drive automatic transmission cars more often, and the reverse gear position is at the R gear on the gear shift lever. Generally, you can just shift directly from Park. I've driven a friend's manual transmission car before, where the reverse gear is on the left side of the 5-speed transmission. You need to press the gear lever down first and then push it to the top left corner, which feels like solving a puzzle. Before reversing, make sure the car is stationary and your foot is on the brake, otherwise you won't be able to engage the gear. When reversing, try to go as slow as possible, use the three rearview mirrors or the rearview camera to scan blind spots, and avoid scraping or hitting anything. I recommend everyone to check the gear labels inside the car or refer to the App guide more often to develop good habits. The design of the reverse gear position takes safety isolation into account to prevent accidental forward movement.
