What practical use are positions 1 & 2 in an automatic car?

Question

I know what they do but when might you use them in practice?

Answer 1

On a steep boat ramp taking your boat out of the water, or up hill with a heavy trailer, or down hill when you're gathering too much speed and the you don't want to overheat the brakes.

Answer 2

Positons in an automatic car (gear shift)
Basically there are three. Some cars the more expensive ones could have four shifts.
The reason that most drivers, just about all, start with the highest position is that the car is able to function normally at that starting point and continue with it. However with a heavy load
in your car (or older car in poor condition) you may have to work your way up, using low, second and high.
Starting in high with a heavy load can damage your transmision, or gear box. Use #1 and #2.
Compare it to climbing a flght of stairs. One at a time will get you up, two will a bit faster. Three the fastest if you are young and in good condition. If loaded with heavy groceries, it likely will be one step at a time. Low gear.

Answer 3

When you are in need of lots of pulling power, that's when you use the 1 and 2 settings. For instance if you have a full load of people and trunk or pulling trailers, then you would start with one and then after rev the engine high to get it moving, change to 2. Or you have similar situation and you need to climb a steep hill.

You will find that automatic transmission will try and shift to next gear if left in D (drive). So you are actually forcing the transmission to stay in lower gear. It is not good for the engine to try and pull too much weight in low gear.

But no matter what they are meant for going slow. You cannot get to HWY cruise speed on 1 or 2.
===
Don't use it to downshift (or going down hill) as the person above said. You should only do that in case of emergency. As I read one race pro said, it is cheaper to replace to brakes than to rebuild an engine. The pro-racers do it all the time because they plan to rebuild the engine after one or two races anyway.

Answer 4

From personal experience I can tell you that when going down a steep grade with my 27000 lb. vehicle, if I go over 15mph and use any gear other than 1, my brakes would overheat and become useless in short order.

With my car, I use 2 and light touches of the brakes when descending mountain roads.

Answer 5

Different gears positions for different road terrain, e.g. on a steep hill climb you would put it into position 1 for a low gear with lots of power to pull you up the hill slowly and steadily.

Chrizo.

Answer 6

If it snows & the roads are very icy, you need to keep car in low gear.

Answer 7

Going down a steep grade.
That way you don't burn up your brakes.
Just watch (listen to) your engine RPM's.