By now everybody is familiar with the standard PRNDL shift gate on most automatic transmissions. It’s been around for years, and is pretty easy to understand. Except, what does the L stand for, and how do you use it? Let’s find out!
What Transmission Do I Have?
What is L on your shifter?
Quite simply, L stands for low. Depending on how many gears the transmission has, low could stand for first gear, or the lowest range of gears. This setting is primarily designed to do two things:
Provide maximum engine torque when needed – If you are towing a heavy load, or trying to get through some thick sand/mud, shifting into low will lock out the higher gears so you can get the benefit of your engine’s full torque capacity.
Provide engine braking – If you are coming down a steep grade, shifting into L will allow the engine RPMs remain high while using the transmission to slow the vehicle instead of the brakes. This is especially useful in mountainous terrains, where constantly using the brakes can cause them to overheat and leave you without any brakes at all.
What Transmission Do I Have?
So there you have it, the L position on your automatic shifter can come in very handy in certain situations. And don’t worry, most modern automatic transmissions won’t actually allow you to shift into low gear until the vehicle speed is reduced to a certain point. This prevents transmission damage and a very expensive transmission repair bill.
