Which gear is used for climbing hills?
2 Answers
Climbing hills is done in D gear. The following is an explanation about car gears: 1. Meaning: When the car is moving, shifting gears allows the engine to operate at its optimal performance state. All driving conditions have corresponding shift points, with the ultimate goal of reducing fuel consumption. 2. Method: After starting the engine, wait a few seconds before moving the gear to the correct position, such as shifting to D gear for forward movement and R gear for reversing. Next, release the handbrake first, then smoothly release the foot brake. 3. Principle: Utilize the creep phenomenon (referring to the phenomenon where a car with an automatic transmission, when the gear selector is in D or R gear and the engine is idling, if the brake pedal is released, the vehicle tends to move or has a slight creeping sensation, which is a unique phenomenon of automatic transmission cars) to allow the vehicle to start slowly.
As a mom of two kids who drives them to and from school every day, I have to climb the ramp of the elevated highway. Those who drive automatic transmissions know to switch to S or L gear in such situations. If you keep it in D gear while climbing, the engine will struggle and consume more fuel, and the transmission can easily overheat. Last month, my friend's Nissan Sylphy switched to manual mode and locked in 2nd gear while climbing a steep slope—just a light press on the accelerator, and it went right up. Downhill driving requires even more attention—never shift to N gear to coast! Last time in the residential garage, I saw a car roll back and crack its rear bumper. Nowadays, the hill-start assist function is quite practical—it keeps the car from rolling back for two seconds after releasing the brake.
