Why Downshift When Turning a Car?
1 Answers
When making a turn while driving, factors such as terrain, road conditions, traffic situations, and driving resistance typically necessitate reducing the vehicle's speed. At this point, the driver operates the gear lever of the manual transmission to select an appropriate gear based on the engine's power and the required speed during the turn. Additional information is as follows: 1. Downshifting Before the Turn: This is generally used in complex road conditions with heavy pedestrian or vehicle traffic, or on roads that are wide and straight but encounter unexpected situations before the turn, as well as scenarios where road conditions during the turn are unclear. As the vehicle speed gradually decreases and driving resistance increases, the car may lose power. To increase torque, it becomes necessary to shift to a lower gear. 2. Downshifting During the Turn: Downshifting during the turn is typically employed on wide roads with good conditions and clear visibility. Before the turn, the vehicle speed has already been reduced. When the car reaches the midpoint of the turn (the 1/2 angle point), the steering wheel has been turned to an appropriate degree. At this moment, as driving resistance increases and the vehicle loses power, the driver can utilize the brief interval before straightening the steering wheel to shift gears. 3. Downshifting After the Turn: Downshifting after the turn is also generally used on wide roads with good visibility. When passing through the turn, if the vehicle encounters a situation that requires light braking, it may lose power but does not downshift immediately. Instead, after completing the turn, the driver shifts to a lower gear and quickly accelerates. If downshifting was performed before or during the turn, the driver should promptly accelerate and shift to a higher gear after the turn to continue driving.
