Hi guys,

I was involved in an argument with friends yesterday, over the use of the Driving gears of an automatic gearing car.

Different car products have different automatic gearing system. Mine is a Honda Accord 2006 (Discussion continues) model,and the gear system is pictured below.

It has a 'P-park', 'R-reverse', 'N-neutral' 'D-drive' 'D3', 'D2' and 'D1' gears.

The argument relates to the functions of the 'D', 'D3', 'D2', and 'D1' driving gears respectively, and under what circumstances should each one be used?.

So tech guys in the house, it's time to show off your knowledge.

Merci!!!

I been wan know too. Waiting for answers

Don't like keeping 1000 naira note in view, try and keep change in case the policeman no get change

I remember reading in my car's manual that the d1 to 3 has to do with the stiffness of the car's ABS or so. I'll check it out again and update

Hello guys. Will make this short. Kinda busy at the moment. The D1, D2 and D3 inscriptions on your gear lever mean that you can engage any one of these three (4 forward gears inclusive of D). The function of this is to enable traction at low speeds. In sandy or very muddy areas, engaging any of the D1, D2 or D3 will restrict the gear from exceeding the respective gearing. Take for instance you select D1, no matter how hard you rev your car engine, your vehicle will never exceed gear 1. This ensures low end traction for sandy terrain or when low end power is needed for towing. If on the othe hand, you select D2, the gear will never exceed second gear no matter how hard you rev the engine. Same applies to D3. If however, D is selected, it allows the gear choose between the 5 available forward gears depending on how hard you rev and the road inclination and conditions. The ECU considers many factors simultaneously and decides the best gear in this case to choose in order to deliver best fuel economy under the prevailing circumstances. Hope this helps. Cheers.

SuperSuave:
I been wan know too. Waiting for answers

You been wan know abi?

So why you no ask since?

helpful

ITbomb:
Don't like keeping 1000 naira note in view, try and keep change in case the policeman no get change

Lol

Thanks Boss, I didn't notice it in time.

But me no dey give any Policemen any kobo. I'm not owing them anything cos all my papers are in order!

blackfm:
I remember reading in my car's manual that the d1 to 3 has to do with the stiffness of the car's ABS or so. I'll check it out again and update

Please do.

I never bothered to open those big books that came with my car, in the name of 'manuals'. I may have to start referring to them now though.

emekan:
Hello guys. Will make this short. Kinda busy at the moment. The D1, D2 and D3 inscriptions on your gear lever mean that you can engage any one of these three (4 forward gears inclusive of D). The function of this is to enable traction at low speeds. In sandy or very muddy areas, engaging any of the D1, D2 or D3 will restrict the gear from exceeding the respective gearing. Take for instance you select D1, no matter how hard you rev your car engine, your vehicle will never exceed gear 1. This ensures low end traction for sandy terrain or when low end power is needed for towing. If on the othe hand, you select D2, the gear will never exceed second gear no matter how hard you rev the engine. Same applies to D3. If however, D is selected, it allows the gear choose between the 5 available forward gears depending on how hard you rev and the road inclination and conditions. The ECU considers many factors simultaneously and decides the best gear in this case to choose in order to deliver best fuel economy under the prevailing circumstances. Hope this helps. Cheers.

Wow! Thanks Boss.

You've been quite helpful, but here's a quick one:

Are you saying the 'D1', 'D2' and 'D3' of my car functions just like the gears 1, 2 and 3 or a manual gearing system car?

If Yes, how about those automatic cars that have only 'D' or 'D' and 'D1' or 'D2'?

TheRainmaker1:



Wow! Thanks Boss.

You've been quite helpful, but here's a quick one:

Are you saying the 'D1', 'D2' and 'D3' of my car functions just like the gears 1, 2 and 3 or a manual gearing system car?

If Yes, how about those automatic cars that have only 'D' or 'D' and 'D1' or 'D2'?

What I understood there is that when you put it in D3, the automatic gear will alternate between gear 1 to 3 but will never go beyond normal gear 3. Useful if you find yourself in a condition you may need to rev your engine without the auto gear mistakenly taking you to gear 4 where you may need to lift your feet off the padel to return the gear.

ITbomb:

What I understood there is that when you put it in D3, the automatic gear will alternate between gear 1 to 3 but will never go beyond normal gear 3. Useful if you find yourself in a condition you may need to rev your engine without the auto gear mistakenly taking you to gear 4 where you may need to lift your feet off the padel to return the gear.

Okay, Thanks.
I get the picture now.

I'll conduct more research on this, when I'm less busy, and present my findings here, so other peeps will learn.

Thanks Boss

To add to the points already made by emekan, the d1, d2, d3 can also be used for engine braking. That is u can use it to downshift when u are going down the hill or nearing a red light and u don't won't to use ur brakes, just like in manual. If u are moving say in gear 4 and u shift to d2, ur car will downshift to gear 2, likewise ur car will downshift to gear 1 if u shift to d1. This is useful in slowing down the car in case of brake failure.

Also professional drivers use this to control when they want their cars to shift to lower or higher gears at the right rpm. A professional driver who knows how to handle auto gears will outrun an ordinary driver even when they are both driving the same cars with the same auto tranny. If u watch fast and furious 6, most of the cars they used are automatic but the drivers controlled when they want the cars to shift.

abatically:
To add to the points already made by emekan, the d1, d2, d3 can also be used for engine braking. That is u can use it to downshift when u are going down the hill or nearing a red light and u don't won't to use ur brakes, just like in manual. If u are moving say in gear 4 and u shift to d2, ur car will downshift to gear 2, likewise ur car will downshift to gear 1 if u shift to d1. This is useful in slowing down the car in case of brake failure.

Also professional drivers use this to control when they want their cars to shift to lower or higher gears at the right rpm. A professional driver who knows how to handle auto gears will outrun an ordinary driver even when they are both driving the same cars with the same auto tranny. If u watch fast and furious 6, most of the cars they used are automatic but the drivers controlled when they want the cars to shift.

That means you can change gears while the car is in motion, right?

I'm asking, cos you know for Manual cars, you have to 'clutch down' before changing gears.

So for automatic, if I'm moving at, say 120km/hr on 'D', I can just change to, say 'D2' without stepping on the brakes, and the car will slow down automatically?

TheRainmaker1:

That means you can change gears while the car is in motion, right?
I'm asking, cos you know for Manual cars, you have to 'clutch down' before changing gears.
So for automatic, if I'm moving at, say 120km/hr on 'D', I can just change to, say 'D2' without stepping on the brakes, and the car will slow down automatically?

Yes you can change the gear whilst in motion. That's the idea, but even you know you would not downshift in a manual car from say 4th or 5th or even 6th gear to 2nd gear when going at such speeds of 120Km/h! You're asking for trouble when you do that.....

TheRainmaker1:


That means you can change gears while the car is in motion, right?

I'm asking, cos you know for Manual cars, you have to 'clutch down' before changing gears.

So for automatic, if I'm moving at, say 120km/hr on 'D', I can just change to, say 'D2' without stepping on the brakes, and the car will slow down automatically?

Yes u can. U don't need brakes to shift from d- n- d1 - d3. The only time u need to push the brake is while shifting in or out of park or reverse.

proo212:


Yes you can change the gear whilst in motion. That's the idea, but even you know you would not downshift in a manual car from say 4th or 5th or even 6th gear to 2nd gear when going at such speeds of 120Km/h! You're asking for trouble when you do that.....

Lol

It's alright.

Before now, I only maintain one gear level 'D' from start to finish

abatically:

Yes u can. U don't need brakes to shift from d- n- d1 - d3. The only time u need to push the brake is while shifting in or out of park or reverse.

Thanks Boss.

Time to go experiment what I've just learnt

TheRainmaker1:



Wow! Thanks Boss.

You've been quite helpful, but here's a quick one:

Are you saying the 'D1', 'D2' and 'D3' of my car functions just like the gears 1, 2 and 3 or a manual gearing system car?

If Yes, how about those automatic cars that have only 'D' or 'D' and 'D1' or 'D2'?

the ones with 'D' or added 'D2' has what is called OD = over drive, switching it off makes the mob function like in low gears or power gears for steep and towing,

I stand to be corrected though.

abatically:

Also professional drivers use this to control when they want their cars to shift to lower or higher gears at the right rpm. A professional driver who knows how to handle auto gears will outrun an ordinary driver even when they are both driving the same cars with the same auto tranny. If u watch fast and furious 6, most of the cars they used are automatic but the drivers controlled when they want the cars to shift.

Those such cars dont have such d1, d2, rather they have +/- .The plus shifts up while minus down shifts the gear. Some like mercedes have it also behind the steerin like paddles. In my experience with my Mercedes C-class, ML and volks passat cars, they never upshift or downshift except in extreme cases of engine rev above or below safety limit. It makes the experience similar to driving a manual car without the third pedal

The important info's has been said
....
Read and utilise it responsibly

we no want new threads on tranny issues tomorrow
....Some fit put from d4 to R in motion

proo212:


Yes you can change the gear whilst in motion. That's the idea, but even you know you would not downshift in a manual car from say 4th or 5th or even 6th gear to 2nd gear when going at such speeds of 120Km/h! You're asking for trouble when you do that.....

I beg to differ on this, engine braking is safer than using the normal brake I tried this on a 1992 honda accord popularly called HALA, at 100km/h, in 5th gear, I down shifted to gear 2 depressed the accelerator and the car slowed down without any jerk or loss of control, done at abk, NNPC road to iyana mortuary express.

TheRainmaker1:


That means you can change gears while the car is in motion, right?

I'm asking, cos you know for Manual cars, you have to 'clutch down' before changing gears.

So for automatic, if I'm moving at, say 120km/hr on 'D', I can just change to, say 'D2' without stepping on the brakes, and the car will slow down automatically?

Yes you can change gears as asserted without having to hit on your brake pedals at such extremes of speeding by suppressing the knob on the head of the gear shift selector handle to pick on the specified gear you wish to be on.......
My VW Vento has the spindle on the knob of the gear shift selector....
However PLEASE DO NOT HIT ON YOUR BRAKE PEDALS WHILST DOING THIS AT HIGHER SPEEDS.....IF YOU DO....OTHERS WOULD HAVE TO TELL YOUR TALE.....

gogodaye:

Yes you can change gears as asserted without having to hit on your brake pedals at such extremes of speeding by suppressing the knob on the head of the gear shift selector handle to pick on the specified gear you wish to be on.......
My VW Vento has the spindle on the knob of the gear shift selector....
However PLEASE DO NOT HIT ON YOUR BRAKE PEDALS WHILST DOING THIS AT HIGHER SPEEDS.....IF YOU DO....OTHERS WOULD HAVE TO TELL YOUR TALE.....

Lol

Thanks Buddy!

abatically:
To add to the points already made by emekan, the d1, d2, d3 can also be used for engine braking. That is u can use it to downshift when u are going down the hill or nearing a red light and u don't won't to use ur brakes, just like in manual. If u are moving say in gear 4 and u shift to d2, ur car will downshift to gear 2, likewise ur car will downshift to gear 1 if u shift to d1. This is useful in slowing down the car in case of brake failure.

Also professional drivers use this to control when they want their cars to shift to lower or higher gears at the right rpm. A professional driver who knows how to handle auto gears will outrun an ordinary driver even when they are both driving the same cars with the same auto tranny. If u watch fast and furious 6, most of the cars they used are automatic but the drivers controlled when they want the cars to shift.

Very educative thread mine has D 2 L, I believe d L stands for D1. I hope I am correct

Brings to mind how I coast downhill on a windy road or on a long strip of road.

No brakes

Only downshifts

TheRainmaker1:


Thanks Boss.

Time to go experiment what I've just learnt

U asked about circumstances u can use them.

For D1, when u're stucked in sand or mud and u need to maintain gear 1 power to get ur car out.
For D2, when u're ascending a hilly road and ur engine is loosing power. To gain instant engine power, u need drop to D2( just like in manual trans)
For D3 (if a car does not have it, OD button does the function), when u're trying to overtake in low rev say 2500 rpm and need to rev up to say 5500 rpm to gain more engine power to overtake successfully.

vanndubi:


U asked about circumstances u can use them.

For D1, when u're stucked in sand or mud and u need to maintain gear 1 power to get ur car out.
For D2, when u're ascending a hilly road and ur engine is loosing power. To gain instant engine power, u need drop to D2( just like in manual trans)
For D3 (if a car does not have it, OD button does the function), when u're trying to overtake in low rev say 2500 rpm and need to rev up to say 5500 rpm to gain more engine power to overtake successfully.

I actually tried using D1, D2 and D3 today, and they worked just like you guys said they would. Before now, I only used 'D', no matter the driving conditions.

Thanks guys

TheRainmaker1:


I actually tried using D1, D2 and D3 today, and they worked just like you guys said they would. Before now, I only used 'D', no matter the driving conditions.

Thanks guys

No nwa , as u apply over drive technique, don't stay in the RED zone of the rpm meter (above 7000 rpm) for a long period of time. It can FRY ur engine

ogawisdom:


Very educative thread mine has D 2 L, I believe d L stands for D1. I hope I am correct

mine also is D 2 L
pls, help us out

DGD1:


mine also is D 2 L
pls, help us out

L stands for lowest gear which is the same ad d1

abatically:


L stands for lowest gear which is the same ad d1

thanks boss