Have you ever though what those letters on an automatic transmission gear shifter actually mean? Well then, you’re not alone. There are more than 10 million automatic-transmission operated cars in the United States alone sold each year. The automatic transmission is a more reliable, hydraulically-operated system that applies the power coming through from the engine to your drive wheels. Each letter or number listed on the transmission gear shift stands for a unique setting or task for the transmission. Let’s go into the automatic gear shift meaning so you would understand what each letter or number indicate.

Introducing the PRINDLE

On most US and imported vehicles featuring an automatic transmission are a series of letters that spell out P – R – N – D – L. When you sound them out, it is phonetically called “Prindle.” In fact, that’s what most engineers refer the automatic gear shifter configuration to, so it’s a technical term. Each letter represents an individual setting within the automatic transmission. Depending on the type of car you own, it’s equally possible that you might see an “M” or a series of numbers — likely 1 through 3. To simplify things for you, we will break down each letter listed on most automatic transmissions.



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What does the P imply on an Automatic Transmission?

The letters on an automatic transmission are often described as an individual “gear” setting, but that is kind of misleading. It’s actually an activation setting. The gears inside an automatic transmission are hydraulically shifted and can start from three to nine speeds while in a forward ‘gear’.

The “P” on an automatic transmission represents the PARK setting. When the gear shifter is in park, the transmission ‘gears’ are locked, which prevents the wheels from being able to move forward or backward. Many people use the park setting as a brake, which is a primary purpose for this transmission setting. However, most cars also require the vehicle to be started while the transmission is in the “PARK” setting for safety purposes.
Read More:https://automobileglobe.com/what-the-automatic-gear-shift-letters-numbers-mean/