Automatic Gear Shift Letters and Numbers Explained

What does the “L” mean on a gear shift? Though they usually follow a common format, some automatic gear shifts have different letters and numbers. Many of these letters and numbers are intuitive, and you’ve likely gotten used to what each one does. However, if you’ve ever wanted to know exactly what they mean and when to use them, you’ve come to the right place.

What Do the Letters on an Automatic Car Gear Shift Mean?

Letters are seen on automatic gear shifts more than numbers. However, different vehicles can use different letters on their gear shifts, leading to some confusion. Here are the common letters that most models use:

Common Car Gear Shift Letters: P R N D L

Some younger drivers fondly refer to the automatic gear shift as a car’s “prindle,” stringing together these common gear shift letters into a word:

• P: Park – The “P” setting locks the transmission, which prevents the car from moving. It’s ideal for parking, especially on steep inclines.
• R: Reverse – The “R” position shifts the car into reverse, which lets you back the car up into a parking space or driveway.
• N: Neutral – The “N” setting disconnects the wheels from the car’s engine, but doesn’t lock the car in place like park does. It’s often used for coasting, or when the car needs to be towed.
• D: Drive – “D” is the gear shift letter with the most familiar meaning. With automatic transmission, the drive setting lets you cruise along without worrying about shifting gears while on the move.
• L: Low – The “L” in an automatic gear shift stands for “Low.” It limits the car to only the lower and slower but more powerful gears.

Uncommon Car Gear Shift Letters: S E M B

A few more uncommon gear shift letters include the following:

• S: Sport – The “S” setting keeps the car in lower gear settings for longer periods of time. This allows for increased throttle sensitivity and quicker acceleration. You can expect your vehicle to have tighter steering and increased power output as well.
• M: Manual – “M” is a rare one to find on an automatic gear shift as it lets you switch to manual transmission. This mode gives you full control of the gears.
• E: Economy – The “E” setting makes use of frequent engine breaks and earlier shifts to conserve fuel. It also keeps the car on lower gears.
• B: Brake – The “B” setting does the same thing as “L” and “E” by braking the engine and keeping the car from using the higher gears, ensuring a more steady, controlled drive.
• +/- – Plus and minus signs let you know whether you should shift up or down a gear. For example, if the minus sign appears in front of the plus sign, this means you should shift to the next lower gear.

When Do I Use L or B in an Automatic Car?

When your vehicle is in the “Low” or “Brake” setting, it means you have more power but less speed. It’s great for climbing steep inclines, towing, or navigating through bad weather and difficult terrain.

How To Shift Into Low Gear in Automatic

In a manual vehicle, you have to manually shift to a lower gear when you’re towing heavy cargo, driving in bad weather, or going down a steep hill. In an automatic vehicle, however, the transmission will automatically shift into low gear whenever you slow down.

What Do the Numbers on an Automatic Car Gear Shift Mean?

What the numbers on an automatic gear shift mean often depends on the vehicle. The basic rule is that the numbers indicate the level of gear ratio your car is running. Gear ratios control the speed of the car. The higher the number, the higher the gear ratio, and the faster your car. Higher gears let you go faster, but don’t have as much power behind them.

Keeping your vehicle set to a low gear ratio can be helpful in situations where you need extra torque, like when traversing a high gradient, carrying heavy loads, or going over mud or snow.

The transmission in older vehicles might not automatically set the vehicle in the appropriate gear. Luckily, the “L” or low gear is the transmission’s manual override, which means the transmission will prevent the transmission from shifting to a higher gear.

On some vehicles, you’ll find gears that are labeled “L3”, “L2”, or “L1” gears. These same gears can also be labeled “3”, “2”, or “1.”

Generally, “1” keeps your car in the first gear and functions much like the “L” or “B” setting. Many modern vehicles have a single “L” gear, and it should function like several numbered other gears.

If the driver requires a lower gear for a specific load, they simply need to depress the throttle pedal further and the transmission will switch to a lower and more powerful gear. This is typically used for climbing steep gradients, carrying heavy loads, or going off-road.

The numbered gears will maintain the automatic transmission’s function of automatically shifting gears, but the transmission will only shift between the lesser gears.

Beyond that is where vehicles differ. In some setups, “2” forces your car to start in second gear, giving it a burst of speed from the get-go. This is useful in snowy conditions. The transmission will then refuse to drop down below second gear while in this setting.

In other vehicles though, the numbers indicate the upper limit. This means, for instance, that the car won’t go past second gear if it’s on “2.” So, if you’ve ever wondered, “What does 2 mean on my car’s automatic gear shift?,” now you know that it depends on the vehicle.

The Meaning and Purpose of Automatic Transmission

The basic meaning of an automatic transmission is part of its name–it automatically handles gear shifting for you. Manual transmission requires more of your attention when shifting the gears of your vehicle. Automatic transmission only needs you to set basic parameters, such as if you want to limit your use of the upper or lower gears, reverse, or stay in neutral or park.

The main purpose of automatic transmission is to let you drive conveniently. It removes a lot of the smaller decision-making connected to driving with a manual transmission. Learning about your gear shift letters’ and numbers’ meaning is a step towards making it even easier to drive automatic.

Why You Should Know the Automatic Gear Shift Letters

As a responsible driver, you should know what all the symbols and numbers on your car mean. This includes the warning lights on your dashboard, the buttons on your control panel, and the letters on your gear shift. 

Being familiar with the different gears of your vehicle can help you drive much more confidently and efficiently. It’s also the first step to knowing when to shift gears. 

Is It Bad To Drive in Low Gear?

In certain cases, it’s actually much better to drive in low gear than high gear. When you’re going up or down an incline, driving in low gear can reduce strain on your engine, transmission, and brakes.

Driving in low gear isn’t necessarily bad, but there are specific instances when it can damage your engine. For example, driving in low gear at a fast speed means you’re over-revving the engine, which can in turn damage the clutch, pistons, and other parts of the transmission.

Thankfully, you can easily avoid this dilemma by paying close attention to your tachometer or indicator light. It should tell you when to shift gears, so you don’t end up damaging your vehicle by unnecessarily driving in low gear.