How to Use a Car's Auto Transmission
There are many different automatic transmissions in the automotive world now. All of these transmissions have one thing in common--they all are simply operated by selecting a gear and pressing the gas. Though they have the same basic concept, a novice driver may still need instruction in operating a new type of transmission.
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Instructions
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Basic Overdrive Transmission
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1
Press the brake pedal, unlocking the brake safety lock.
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2
Press the button on the gear shifter head. This button can be on the top, side or front of the shifter, depending on the vehicle.
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3
Select the gear you would like depending on the direction and speed you will be going. The gear options are typically park, reverse, neutral, overdrive, drive, second and first.
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4
Release your foot from the brake pedal.
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5
Depress the gas to make the vehicle move in the direction you want to go.
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6
Push gear shifter all the way forward to put it in park when you are parking the vehicle unattended.
Auto-Stick Transmission
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7
Depress the brake, unlocking the brake safety switch.
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8
Pull the shifter into the gear you desire: park, reverse, neutral, overdrive, drive, second and first. This depends on the direction and speed you intend to go.
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9
Push the gear shifter to the right to engage the "manual" shifting mode while in drive.
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10
Press the stick forward to shift down one gear and backwards to go up one gear.
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11
Push the gear shifter all the way forward to put it in park when you are parking the vehicle unattended.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If the brake safety switch will not engage, refer to your manual for the override procedure.
Never force the gear shifter into a gear that it will not go into easily.
- Photo Credit shift stick image by BaSSaBaS from Fotolia.com
