How to use manual gear shifting on an automatic car - essential knowledge for Vietnamese drivers.

Manual or sport mode can be used to overtake other vehicles, brake when going downhill, or simply to enhance the driving experience.

Most modern cars use automatic transmissions due to their ease of operation. In the US, only about 10% of cars use manual transmissions, while in Vietnam, many manufacturers have discontinued manual versions of their models. However, the simplicity of automatic transmissions makes many drivers lazy about learning and using all the functions, including manual or sport modes.

Essentially, a manual or sport mode is a type of gear shifting that is done manually at the driver's discretion, rather than automatically by the vehicle. Gear changes can be made via the gear lever or paddle shifters on the steering wheel. There are three basic types of manual transmissions: limited gears, gear changes via the +/- lever, and changes via the steering wheel.

1. Change the +/- position on the gear lever.

This is the most common type of manual transmission today, also known as a sport mode or manual transmission. The gear lever has an additional space for pushing the lever, along with two symbols +/- to increase or decrease the gear. This mode may be indicated by the letter M (Manual), S (Sport), or nothing at all.

With this type of gear selector, the driver can change gears at will, just like with a manual transmission. To shift up, push the gear lever to (+); to shift down, push the gear lever to (-). If you no longer want to drive in manual mode, simply push the lever back to the D position and the car will automatically adjust to the previous position. The driver can switch from D to M (S) at any time, whether the car is stationary or moving.

On some vehicles, such as Toyota, the S (+/-) function doesn't actually mean the current gear is being shifted, but rather refers to limiting the gear.

For example, if the car is in 3rd gear in D mode, and the driver switches to S mode, then shifts to 4th, 5th, or 6th, these gears will still appear on the dashboard. However, without further acceleration, the actual gear the car is in will remain 3rd. Shifting the gear lever to 5th gear is pointless; no matter how hard you accelerate, the gear will only automatically shift to a maximum of 5th gear, not 6th.

On many vehicles with electronic gear selectors, such as Mercedes, if the driver shifts to M (manual) mode but does not change gears according to speed for a long time, the car will automatically intervene and return to normal D (drive) mode.

2. Paddle shifters on the steering wheel

Paddle shifters on the steering wheel are a common feature on sports cars, luxury cars, and even some mainstream vehicles. These paddle shifters function similarly to the +/- buttons on a gear lever, with a typical design where the paddle on the right shifts up and the paddle on the left shifts down.

Some cars only have paddle shifters on the steering wheel, while others have both +/- on the gear lever, allowing the driver to shift gears using either the lever or the paddle shifters. This design is generally preferred by drivers who enjoy driving.

On vehicles equipped with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), to enhance driving enjoyment, manufacturers may add paddle shifters on the steering wheel, which essentially represent virtual gears. With this type of vehicle, the gear lever remains in normal D (Drive) mode without M, S (Slow Drive), or +/-. The driver can manually shift gears using the paddle shifters while driving, but after a period of inactivity, the vehicle automatically reverts to normal CVT mode.

3. Limit to a few numbers

Most older cars and some modern cars still use this design. Besides the normal D gear, the car also has gears like 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, L, etc., depending on the manufacturer, where L represents Low (low gear), equivalent to gear 1.

With this type of configuration, the main function of a manual transmission is to overtake or use engine braking, not to shift to higher gears. For example, if driving in 4th gear and wanting to overtake the car in front, the driver can shift down to 3rd gear to increase torque and accelerate faster.

Another scenario is when descending a steep slope, where the vehicle often rolls rapidly due to inertia, forcing the driver to apply the brakes to slow it down to a safe level. Prolonged braking with strong force can cause brake fluid to lose its effectiveness, leading to brake pad seizure or overheating and slippage. In this situation, the driver should shift to a lower gear such as 3, 2, 1, or L to use engine braking; the vehicle will slow down automatically without needing to apply the brakes.

According to VNE