Which gear to use for long downhill slopes?
1 Answers
Automatic transmission vehicles can use the D gear for downhill driving, and those equipped with an L gear can use the L gear. Below are the relevant details about downhill gears: Reason for using the L gear: When descending a mountain or a long slope, shifting into the L gear restricts the car's gear to the lowest gear (equivalent to first gear in a manual transmission car), allowing the vehicle to use engine braking during the descent. This prevents the driver from having to continuously apply the brakes, which could lead to overheating of the brake pads and potential hazards. Important notes: When driving an automatic transmission, remember not to shift into neutral before a red light or during downhill driving. Instead, keep the transmission in drive and control the speed using the gear and brakes to avoid accidents.