Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your car’s engine cuts out, and your car begins to roll backward downhill?
Most of those people who have experienced this were trying to go up a hill while in the wrong gear; consequently, the car’s engine did not have enough power to go uphill.
Auto or manual transmission vehicles have been assigned differently numbered gears to help users enjoy the best driving experience possible at all times.
But you may not always have a nice experience if you do not decide well on the different gear positions. The L gear is suitable when driving uphill or on steep hills. You might be wondering, “What does L mean on a car?”
What does L mean on a Car?
You must have noticed the alphabet in your automatic car gearshift. PRNDL and the likes.
The regular car drivers are familiar with the P – Park, R – Reverse, N – Neutral, and D – Drive. Some do not even know what L means on a car! And do not know when to use the L gear in an automatic car.
If you are wondering “what does L mean on a car?” then it means “low gear”. It is the gear position the transmission is on, gear 1 or 2, and it reduces the amount of gas that is delivered into the car’s engine, also increasing torque.
The low gear is the portion that supplies your vehicle’s engine with not speed but more force to enable the engine’s drive to overcome specific conditions, such as the slippery nature of the road when driving uphill or movement on a steep hill.
Regardless of driving an automatic transmission vehicle, it may interest you to know that you should not always concentrate on being already accustomed to driving on D throughout the entire driving experience. Some situations require you shift the gear over to the low gear.
The amount of force to make it climb is not the same as driving a panty drive on a plain, leveled road.
That is where the Low gear comes in, adequate for your car’s engine to grope its way up or down the steep hill with less hazard. If you are asking, “What is the L in PRNDL, the information above has already answered your question.
You must know where and when to shift your vehicle’s gear in accordance with the situation arising for your optimum driving satisfaction without doing harm to your vehicle’s components.
FAQs.
Q: When should you drive in low gear?
You should drive in low gear approaching a steep hill and about to drive down it, because low gear restricts the quantity of fuel injected into a car’s engine, boosting the torque as the speed of the engine is reduced.
As you drive, there are tendencies that you may likely go through a bad spot on your journey; a low gear lets your vehicle’s engine power up and over even difficult, tough driving circumstances or bad road conditions.
Q: Should I drive in low gear in the snow?
As earlier touched on, it is difficult to drive in snow compared to a regular season with less snow; thus, you should drive in low gear if you have to drive your car in the snow.
Low gear helps your vehicle to accelerate gently with the extra torque, and lets you keep the vehicle in control.
It would help if you had enough control over your car as you drive in the snow so as to avoid an unforeseen incident and maintain a good distance between your car and another car in front, avoiding an accident.
Q: What is the purpose of the low gear in a car?
Low gear is responsible for reducing your car’s engine consumption level of fuel, thereby reducing the vehicle speed and increasing its torque.
It is designed to help you over an obstacle, such as a poor road condition, an obstacle such as a steep hill, or a long downgrade that you are approaching, and which, with good balance, you want to attain with a minimum speed or level.
Q: When should I use L gear?
Anytime you come to a steep hill or a rough stretch of road and want to drive at a lower speed and more carefully, the L gear is the best choice. It helps to consume less fuel by your engine as you drive, and helps to increase the torque.
You need to drive in L gear if you have to drive down a steep hill or on a bad road instead of your normal D – Drive position or any other gear. You may also want to find out what S means on the gear shift and when to use the S gear in your automatic car.
Q: Which gear is best for driving uphill?
Low gear is best for driving uphill. The reason is that while driving uphill, your car requires more thrust and at least a good measure of balancing to get you up the hill, and the low gear is designed to provide the level of power and balancing for that purpose.
If you try to drive uphill on D, for instance, your car will stop its engine and all on the way, and you may have a case where your car rolls back down the hill.
So the low gear allows your engine brake capability and balance in movement for you as you drive uphill.
You could drive up with only D3 on if your vehicle is of D3’s specification, which implies low gear functionality. If you are asking what D3 considers “What does 3 mean on a car?” It is simply the third gear that carries out the functionalities of first gear, second gear, and, of course, 3rd.
Q: What happens if you shift from 5th gear to 1st?
Shifting at a go from 5th gear to 1st is dangerous. If you actually get to shift from 5th gear to 1st (that is, if you even try), you would do severe damage to your car’s transmission, the clutch, and the engine.
The shift could also lock the vehicle’s wheels, and you find it hard to control, and it could just end up being your last.
It is better to go down from high till you get almost to where it catches the lower gear, and then go down to the lowest, than to plunge from high.
Your shifting your car’s gear from the highest to the lowest in one go would be a drastic downward move on the handle.
Q: Can you shift from L to D while driving?
Yes, you can. However, changing from L to D while driving at a high speed can damage your car’s transmission.
It is better to change from L to D when proceeding at a low speed. For example, if you had just moved down a steep hill to a plain leveled road, you would naturally slow down a bit and shift the gears from L to D without any hitches.
Also, the O/D button helps your car to move from “overdrive,” and anytime you want to come back from overdrive, you simply turn the O/D off.
Final Words
You may be putting your car and yourself in danger if you are driving on a particular gear all through on a plain, leveled road, on a steep hill, and so on. There are different gear levels for different driving experiences.
You likely wouldn’t be asking, “What does L mean on a car?” having read this information.
You must always ensure you are shifting your car’s gear(s) to the necessary position suitable for every situation of that drive. You will then enjoy your vehicle throughout its life span and avoid unexpected breakdowns and repairs.