Here Are the Meanings of Letters and Numbers on Auto Transmission Cars

Auto transmission cars come with various letters and numbers printed on their gear shifters. While most people know what the "P" or "D" designation means, fewer people are aware of the other letters and numbers present on their shifter. Here's a guide by Nissan of Cape Coral to help you understand each letter and number. Knowing this information may be handy when buying or selling a car. 

Let's Discuss the Letters & their functions First!

Trust us; it won't be as dull as it sounds.

• P: Park- This is the safest position for your car when parked and should only be used when the vehicle is stopped. The park position locks the transmission so the car cannot move.
• R: Reverse- As you may have guessed, this position is used when you want to back up your vehicle.
• N: Neutral- The neutral position disengages the drivetrain and allows the car to coast. You will use this position if you need to start rolling the car down a hill or if you need to push it. 
• D: Drive- You will most often use the drive position when driving as it engages the gears and allows the car to move forward.
• M: Manual- This feature has recently become popular in newer vehicles. The manual position is similar to the drive position but allows you to shift through the gears manually. This is mainly used by experienced drivers who know how to handle a car's power.
• +/-: These signs are used in the manual position to indicate when you should shift up or down. A plus sign (+) means to shift up, and a minus sign (-) means to shift down.

Oh, And There Are Numbers Too!

The numbers on the shifter indicate the different gears your car can shift into. The higher the number, the higher the gear. For example, if you are in first gear and want to go faster, you would shift up into second gear. If you want to go even faster, keep shifting the gears until you reach the fifth or sixth gear.

There are also reverse gears indicated by the letter "R." Most cars will have the highest gear of D3 or D4, with R right next to it. 

So, there you have it! Wasn't so hard, was it? The next time you're driving, look at your shifter and see if you can figure out what all the letters and numbers mean.

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