What does the 3 mean on automatic transmission ?

Question

I drive the car around i know the basic about cars but why does my gear shift have a 3 instead of a 2 like most cars my gears are like this
P
R
N
D
3
L
what do i use the 3 for going uphill ? gives car more power ? i always use drive have never really shift gears while driving my car 2000 dodge intrepid 2.7L V6

Answer 1

Listen, its an "automatic" transmission! The key word is automatic! 3 means you have limited the transmission from going past the 3rd gear. It does not mean you have "locked" it into 3rd. It will transition thru 1st, and 2nd, then into 3rd, as normal. Automatic transmissions downshift and upshift on their own, just fine. If your towing something and your in Drive(with Overdrive) it will downshift out of it and put you in third if you need to be there, all by itself, and do it rather well. Some say if you are towing something, which I doubt your doing, you should get out of Overdrive since the transmission will be popping in and out all the time while towing. So to keep this at a minimum, operate the vehicle in drive but out of overdrive. Forget trying to brake with your tranmission, you aren't using a jake brake rig or anything and the torque converter is as sloppy pushing as pulling. Here, do this. Go someplace where you can do this safely. Get in the car and put it on L. and press the gas. You'll get one shift. Roll and into second, then it will wind up put no shift. You can put it on 3 and you'll get the same thing but 2 shifts. here's another test, do you have a tach? If you do, put in on Drive with Overdrive and take it on the highway. You should be kicking 2000 rpm on your tach at about 60 mph. Now take it out in 3 and you'll see to get to 60mph, you'll have to run it at 2700 rpm. same speed but more power and more gas guzzling!

Answer 2

Yes, your car is electronically shifted, meaning it has a solenoid that senses hydraulic pressure before it shifts. It has overdrive, which means there are 3 actual gear sets in your transmission, and the "4th" is your overdrive, or "D" on your gear shift, which is an electronic enabler. "L" would likely be 2nd gear, as there would be little need to use 1st gear in a car like yours.
Downshifting helps your transmission in a lot of ways. Keeping it in overdrive "D" all the time can actually hurt, as you may drive in situations where you don't have speed faster than when the sensor is set, or if your speed is lower than what is required to be in overdrive.
Plus, downshifting can aid in braking - using pressure to slow you down rather than brakes. If you are towing with your car, and you are climbing a hill, you will want to be OUT of overdrive in situations like that.
For newer cars, though, much of this is old technology, as trip-tronic type transmissions have even more sensors to do that for you.
Safe driving!

Answer 3

"3" is third gear, which on a 3 speed automatic transmission is actually a direct drive from the input shaft to the output shaft. When in "3" it wont let it go into over-drive. (Forth gear) The first two gears lower the ratio so the engine spins faster than the output shaft to add power, third is direct, and “D” allows it to go into over-drive where the engine turns slower than the output shaft, which gives good speed, high mpg, but not much power.

Answer 4

It gives the car more power by not allowing it to go into any gear higher than 3rd. Good for going uphill, or in slippery situations.

Lower-Gear = Higher Torque = More Power/Less Speed

Answer 5

p=park R=reverse N=neatural D=drive 3=thrid L=1st gear Hay your car has no second gear. And by the way 3 is for heavy loads or steep hills

Answer 6

Use this gear for going up hills when wet. It is used to help pull and will not damage your transmission when you need the power and you are trying to stay in drive. Gives more traction.

Answer 7

it means the car will shift up to 3rd gear ,but not into 4th.gives you more power on hills.

Answer 8

third gear, if you shift into 3, than you cannot go any faster than 3rd

Answer 9

4 forward, 1 reverse. Some MBs actually start from second gear, first is only used if you select it.

Answer 10

Or downhill to take pressure off the brakes