How do you use first and second gear in an automatic car? So, driving your automatic car in 2nd gear shouldn’t be a problem at all. This is there to prevent your vehicle’s tires from slipping or spinning on a slick winter pavement. Most automatic cars come with a Winter mode (W) that is supposed to start off from 2nd gear. No, it isn’t bad to drive automatic transmission in 2nd gear. FAQs Is it bad to drive an automatic in 2nd gear? It will also help you brake downhill and keep the tires from spinning on slippery pavements. Gear 2 is the best choice on a slippery street where you need to lower the speed so that the tires get a better grip on the slippery surface. But it is recommended that you enter gear 2 only after you find that gear 1 isn’t serving the purpose. You must be wondering that the second and first gears are so alike and perform the same functions, then when do you pick one over the other? Well, the second gear works the same way as the first one. Note: Do not use low gears like 1 or 2 if your vehicle’s speed is above 30mph otherwise you’ll burn out the transmission because using low gears causes engine braking. Note! Do not use low gears like 1 or 2 if your vehicle’s speed is above 30mph otherwise you’ll burn out the transmission because using low gears causes engine braking. And you won’t have to hit the brake every now and then which reduces the risk of the vehicle slipping and losing traction.

Similarly, switch to gear 1 or 2 when you encounter muddy road conditions to keep your vehicle running at a safe speed. The extra torque and low speed will allow you to control the vehicle better. You will also need to shift to low gears while driving on ice since you need to go slowly on slippery surfaces. The low gear keeps the engine torque even and consistent to deliver the power you need to tow something. Since the low gears like 1 and 2 provide higher engine power, it becomes ideal for towing another car, boat, or trailer. This is very helpful because riding the brakes while climbing down a steep surface can overheat the brakes which can lead to brake failure. As a result, this reduces the amount of braking you would have had to do. This is more beneficial when you need to descend a hill as it helps to slow down the vehicle and maintains a slow and steady speed. Climbing steep surfaces becomes easier and you don’t need to put in any extra effort. Manually shifting the vehicle to low gear delivers more power to help you drive on hilly terrain. However, in the situations listed below, shifting to gear 1 or 2 manually can help you a lot: Driving In Hilly Areas: Modern cars come with automatic transmissions and it really takes the burden off your shoulders by shifting gears automatically. Using low gears like gear 1 and 2 is a good idea when you plan to venture on some off-road driving or climb/descend a winding mountainous highway. When To Use Gear 1 And 2 In Automatic Transmission? So, your brakes don’t need to do as much work to fight the gravity and keep the vehicle moving at a slow speed. This, in turn, helps in boosting the torque and decreasing the engine speeds.īasically, putting your vehicle in a low gear means that its speed is lower as compared to the speed of the engine. What happens internally is that when the transmission lever is placed at low gears, the amount of fuel injected into the engine gets restricted. These two gears will prevent the automatic transmission from shifting to any higher gear and also prevent the engine from starting.

This is helpful when you drive on slippery surfaces or for initiating engine braking while you are driving downwards on a steep hill. On the other hand, if you select the second gear, the transmission will start in 2nd gear and stay locked there. This is to prevent further damage to the transmission or engine or even cut power to the engine. In the case of some automatic transmissions, the gear will shift out of gear 1 after you reach a specific speed like 30 mph.

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