Why do some automatic cars have gears?

To be used when you require more power but less speed and to prevent the transmission from shifting to a higher gear. These gears may be used when going up or down hills and on road conditions like slush, loose gravel, snow, sand or ice, where you need more power but less speed.

Why do automatic cars have 1st and 2nd gear?

Some automatic transmissions will shift out of 1st once you reach a certain speed, such as 30 mph, to prevent damage to the transmission or engine, or cut power to the engine. And with others, if you select 2, the transmission starts in 2nd gear and is locked in that gear.

What does S mean in an automatic car?

sport
“S” is for sport. If you’re driving on twisty country roads and want to keep the RPM up as you wind through corners, the “S” position is where you want to be. In “S”, the transmission holds lower gears longer for more power as you come out of the curves.

What does l mean in an automatic car?

low
L stands for “low” gear, which translates to a gear setting of 1 or 2 (if you know how to drive a manual transmission) in most vehicles. Instead, your transmission will stay in the low gear, causing less fuel to enter the engine and lowering your overall motor power.

What does D mean on cars?

The “D” stands for DRIVE. As the vehicle begins to slow down, the automatic drive gear will down-shift to lower gears. The “D” is also commonly referred to as ‘overdrive.

What does the L mean in a car?

L stands for “low” gear, which translates to a gear setting of 1 or 2 (if you know how to drive a manual transmission) in most vehicles. Instead, your transmission will stay in the low gear, causing less fuel to enter the engine and lowering your overall motor power. In exchange, you’ll get additional engine torque.

What does N mean car?

The “N” is an indicator that your automatic transmission is in NEUTRAL or a free spinning mode. This setting releases the gear(s) (forward and reverse) and allows the tires to spin freely. Most people do not use the N setting unless their car engine will not start and they need to push it or have the vehicle towed.