Car Question

[WinNut]

I've noticed on a lot of cars, there's some weird positions on the gear shifter, such as this for example:

 

P-R-N-D-3-2-1-L-B

 

What exactly are the last 5 for? I know what P-R-N-D is and why they are in that order, but I don't get the rest, especially the L and B. What are they for?

[Trik'Stari]

1 is first gear

2 is second gear

3 is 3rd gear

 

No idea what L or B are, never heard of those. On an automatic the gearings can be useful for saving your breaks when you go down hill. D or Drive is simply 1 through 3, but controlled by the car (and how hard and fast you hit the gas pedal)

[Aniallation]

I've noticed on a lot of cars, there's some weird positions on the gear shifter, such as this for example:

 

P-R-N-D-3-2-1-L-B

 

What exactly are the last 5 for? I know what P-R-N-D is and why they are in that order, but I don't get the rest, especially the L and B. What are they for?

These aren't all present on one shifter. 1, L, and B won't be found on one shifter

 

3-2-1 mean that that number is the highest gear the tranny will shift to. So if you don't want the car to shift higher then 3rd you put it into 3. The car will still use first and second gear when in 3 though, it just won't go into fourth. 1 locks it into first gear

 

L is the same thing as 1 on regular transmission vehicles, on a gasoline CVT it puts it into a lower gear-state, to make more effective use of engine braking or crawling. On a Hybrid, in L, the electric motor is used to create resistance to slow down the car without using the actual brake pads

 

B the same thing as L but on Toyota hybrid vehicles

[Oshino Shinobu]

3 2 and 1 are just manual gears. 

 

L (Low) 

I know S is normally sport, but not sure about B. 

[antoainb]

Maybe it's some wierd form of automatic?

 

P is Park

R is Rear

N is Neutral

D is Drive

1/2/3 is probably 1st, 2nd and 3rd

L may be low (at least on my mom's car), wich is used for going up/down hills

No idea what B means.

[WinNut]

Thanks for all the replies, on my dad's two cars it goes something like this:

 

Mercedes ML-500 (2004)         Acura TSX (2010)

    P                                                        P

    R                                                        R

    N                                                        N

   -D+                                                      D

                                                               S

 

Does anyone have any experience using Sports mode on an automatic to manually shift? How does it work?

[helping]

Thanks for all the replies, on my dad's two cars it goes something like this:

 

Mercedes ML-500 (2004)         Acura TSX (2010)

    P                                                        P

    R                                                        R

    N                                                        N

   -D+                                                      D

                                                               S

 

Does anyone have any experience using Sports mode on an automatic to manually shift? How does it work?

it's tiptronic drive, it bypasses the ECU automatic shifting (to a degree, it will still downshift at low speeds or deny upshifting at very slow speeds)

In some cars it may modify performance and throttle response (feels like it does on mine, and I know for sure the throttle reacts differently), but the main benefit is allowing you to choose when to shift.

 

it's also very useful for driving in hilly areas.

[WinNut]

-snip-

I've never heard of the R gear as "Rear", is that a thing in Portugal? Here in 'Murica it's called "Reverse".

[Real_PhillBert]

Both of my cars look like this:

 

1 3 5

   N 

2 4 R

 

Lol, It looks like your question has been answered so I thought I'd have a bit of fun

[WinNut]

Both of my cars look like this:

 

1 3 5

   N 

2 4 R

 

Lol, It looks like your question has been answered so I thought I'd have a bit of fun

manual master race

 

I'd drive manual (I was talking about this w/ @TheSLSAMG) but since I live in NYC of all places manual driving in traffic would probably cause me to go and smash somebody's monitor to bits, so I'm kind of forced to drive automatic. 

[Real_PhillBert]

manual master race

 

I'd drive manual (I was talking about this w/ @TheSLSAMG) but since I live in NYC of all places manual driving in traffic would probably cause me to go and smash somebody's monitor to bits, so I'm kind of forced to drive automatic. 

Yeah I hear you. Manual's really suck in traffic. I still really like them, but in Fargo there isn't a lot of traffic, so I can get away with it. The next car I plan to buy is also a manual, I'm not ready to give it up.

[Kyuubixchidori]

time to shed some light, B is for regenerative  braking, toyota prius have these. 

 

my friend drives a baby blue prius.I didnt learn about that until about a week ago

[Aniallation]

Thanks for all the replies, on my dad's two cars it goes something like this:

 

Mercedes ML-500 (2004)         Acura TSX (2010)

    P                                                        P

    R                                                        R

    N                                                        N

   -D+                                                      D

                                                               S

 

Does anyone have any experience using Sports mode on an automatic to manually shift? How does it work?

 

Depends on transmission.

 

In the -D+ it means that you can move the shift lever left and right to "manually" shift gears, by telling the tranny when to shift up/down when you want it to rather then the computer. On some cars this means that when you move the lever to + the car WILL upshift when you do so (my Nissan Maxima did this), however on some cars, the - + shift gate is just an extension of the 3-2-1, like on my current Camry. If you're in 3 and press + to go to 4, the car won't do it right away, it will just unlock 4th gear and shift to it when the computer feels like it. All depends on the car

 

If you have paddle shifters then S will activate them. If you don't, then it will likely just put the tranny into "Sport" mode which just makes the car rev higher before automatically upshifting

[Aniallation]

time to shed some light, B is for regenerative  braking, toyota prius have these. 

 

my friend drives a baby blue prius.I didnt learn about that until about a week ago

Like I said, it's been in all Toyota hybrids ever since they started. My Camry HV has it, brother's Highlander HV has it, dad's Prius has it

[antoainb]

I've never heard of the R gear as "Rear", is that a thing in Portugal? Here in 'Murica it's called "Reverse".

 

Yeah, it's reverse, brain is kinda tired.

[WinNut]

-snip-

My dad told me about the -D+ and said he wouldn't do it to protect the transmission, and he likes driving full automatic even though he can drive a manual.

 

OT: I love how on trains the shifter is literally inserting a fucking wrench with three positions F-N-R (R can get ops in trouble w/ RTO) and on the latest & *cough*not the*cough* greatest trains it's a keyhole with OFF, RUN, and SP CHG with a knob below that says FWD-NEU-REV.

[Aniallation]

My dad told me about the -D+ and said he wouldn't do it to protect the transmission, and he likes driving full automatic even though he can drive a manual.

 

OT: I love how on trains the shifter is literally inserting a fucking wrench with three positions F-N-R (R can get ops in trouble w/ RTO) and on the latest & *cough*not the*cough* greatest trains it's a keyhole with OFF, RUN, and SP CHG with a knob below that says FWD-NEU-REV.

It won't damage the transmission. The computer prevents you from doing anything stupid. And it's not like you're forcing the gears with a clutch like on a manual, you're basically telling the computer when you want it to shift. It's still an automatic, since really all you're doing is pressing buttons.

[juretrn]

This is the only automatic I will accept:

Audi Tiptronic.

[Sintezza]

i have driven both automatics and manual cars, i realy prefer manual.

 

L - i think this is for low gearing, "probably" for in the mountains with caravan.

B - maybe Bad weather for snow or something idk.

[Aniallation]

This is the only automatic I will accept:

Audi Tiptronic.

22012009382.jpg

No paddles?

[Aniallation]

i have driven both automatics and manual cars, i realy prefer manual.

 

L - i think this is for low gearing, "probably" for in the mountains with caravan.

B - maybe Bad weather for snow or something idk.

B is the same thing as L but in Toyota hybrids. For increased engine braking (in this case electric motor braking)

[juretrn]

No paddles?

Nope, no paddles.

[AlwaysFSX]

So on automatic transmitions, if you're towing a load, like in my truck, you'll want to manually select the gear to keep the motor in the power band longer than the transmition normally would if you were to be driving down the road, especially going up or down a hill. The transmition in question seems to be a 4 speed auto, so 3 is third, 2 is second, 1st is first, L is for low, and it seems that B would be a sort of parking brake if I had to guess.

Only if your vehicle sucks at keeping it shifted in to the power band. I know our old Silverado kept switching between third and fourth gear when we were towing because the gearing sucked and so did the shift times on the computer.

[rentaspoon]

I've noticed on a lot of cars, there's some weird positions on the gear shifter, such as this for example:

P-R-N-D-3-2-1-L-B

What exactly are the last 5 for? I know what P-R-N-D is and why they are in that order, but I don't get the rest, especially the L and B. What are they for?

Google is your friend

http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/showthread.php?99310-What-does-the-B-mean

[shiftberry]

but manual cars are more efficient than automatic's!