Are you really able to comprehend all of the automatic car gear functions? Many drivers ask the question of what P, R, N, D, S, B in an automatic car mean. This article is a comprehensive guide that explains what is P, R, N, D, S and B in an automatic car.
A couple of days ago a friend of mine came to my place in his Toyota Prius. He can’t drive himself so he keeps a paid driver around. My friend got out of the car and complained that the car is continuously stalling and shutting down.
I sat in the driving seat and asked the driver to explain to me what was going on. What he said to me made me wince for a second. He said,
“Sir main woh neechay clutch dabata hun to car ruk jata hai aur pedal bhi phir oper nahi aata”
He was pressing the parking brake of the car that is located in the footrest area next to brake pedal, thinking it is the clutch pedal. The driver had no clue what was going on there. I explained it to my friend and his driver that it is NOT a clutch but a ‘handbrake’, and quite probably the parking brake may have had fried by then. The photo above is of a generic left hand drive car’s foot brake.
When I sat in the driving seat of an automatic car for the first time after driving manual all my life, I had no clue what to do. I was told just to shift the car gear in D position, and the car will start moving. Later, when Japanese cars begun to appear on our roads with CVT gearboxes, we saw S and B gears in automatic carsinstead of usual D1, D2 and D3. The previous shape of Honda City with CVT (Vario) also had same automatic car symbols on its gear lever as well. I am not sure about the 1.5 litre steermatic Honda City, though.
Many already know about the conventional auto cars, but CVT is still getting some traction. Here is what the gear lever of CVT looks like. Keep in mind different automakers have different letters on their gear lever.
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P Gear in Automatic Car
The PARK function in an automatic transmission is indicated by the letter “P“. The transmission gears are locked when the gear shifter is in park, preventing the wheels from spinning forward or backward. The park or P mode physically locks the transmission, preventing the car from moving in any direction. Put the car in P when leaving to make sure it won’t crawl into a lamp post when parked.
R Gear in Automatic Car
The “R” stands for REVERSE, which is the gear used to make the vehicle go backwards. On the gear lever, the symbol R stands for reverse gear. Depending on the model of the vehicle you’re driving, it may be at a different place. The automatic transmission’s reverse gear is engaged when you shift the gear lever from P to R. It reverses the rotation of the drive shaft, allowing the drive wheels to rotate in the opposite direction.
N Gear in Automatic Car
The letter “N” stands for NEUTRAL. In some cars, to acquire an accurate reading of the fluid level in the transmission, you may need to change to neutral mode as the engine gets warmed up. Another application for N is to put the vehicle in neutral if it won’t start in park to test if the problem is with the park/neutral safety switch.
D Gear in Automatic Car
The “D” symbol stands for DRIVE. D signifies that the automatic transmission would shift through all of the forward gears based on speed, load, and other factors. The driver should shift the gear into D to set the car in motion in the most fuel economical way possible.
S Gear in Automatic Car
And now “S“. To put it simply; S stands for Sport. Since CVT gearbox has virtually infinite ratios, in S mode, the ECM of the car adjusts the transmission to provide the best acceleration when the throttle is pressed hard. The car holds the gears longer than what it does in D position for more power. If you are feeling little sportier, put your car in S and see how the car responds to throttle and gear changes. You will hurt your fuel economy, though.
B Gear in Automatic Car
Whereas, the “B” stands for Brake or engine braking. When you are doing downhill, it is advised to shift the car in B mode. B engages the engine braking, and your car won’t free-fall down the slopes. This increases the engine drag. Secondly, it also prevents your car brakes from overworking since it takes a major load off of them by helping the car to reduce the speed with gear ratios. Also, B is useful when climbing uphill roads. It makes sure the car doesn’t start to crawl back when going upwards. Whenever you feel it’s going to be either continuous incline or decline, shift your car to B position. Some times it says L instead of B. B is mostly written in Toyota cars.
And to finish it off, that third lever on the left is NOT A CLUTCH!
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