OhaiOh

So I've noticed that there is a setting on the 2000 RL for each gear (1, 2, D3, D4) and I was wondering if it was safe to shift through them manually and or down shift manually (using them for engine braking). My biggest concern is transmission wear and I know that's not what the different settings are intended for, but its just something I've been curious about.

Fabvsix

Leave it in D4 or you will have worse gas mileage as this is NOT a sport car! Will it hurt the transmission? Probably not ....but replacing Brakes are a lot less than a transmission......if you want to manually shift, buy a TL as the RL is not for spirited driving......

kid spartan

This is my opinion and speculation:

It's fine to drop it into D3 to grab 3rd gear, I think this because how is it any different than flooring the throttle and getting a kickdown. I would NOT however drop into the 2 or 1. This is where the transmission "locks" and where you can feel a lot of engine braking like its a manual. It's probably not meant to do this while in motion. If you do this a lot of times it might start hurting something. Like I said, this is my opinion. These transmissions are pretty good though unlike the TL auto.

The 1 and 2 are probably there for 1)steep slopes and 2)snow driving.

But if you want to be safe I would just never bother with shifting around. Brakes are cheap in comparison. Just recently I ended up on a fun backroad and used the selector to go to D3 a few times. Within a few minutes there was a noticeable smell that I feared was transmission. I pulled over and could swear there was faint wisps of smoke from the wheel wells. No issues from that point, ATF looked fine and full. Needless to say I babied it home haha. 186k miles.

I think driving my dad's old 5 speed e30 is getting to me

pmendoza502

ive tried this a few times and i would not recommend going lower than d3 unless you know what your doing, or know when the car is in what gear already. shifting below d3 requires you to be at an extremely low rpm if you want to downshift smoothly, otherwise it feels like slamming on your brakes, not a good feeling.

sometimes i mess around at stop signs and lights and start at d3, then when the car shifts up from first, i shift it down to 2 to hold the gear a lil bit longer and then shift back up to d3 when im at around 3k rpm or 3500 rpm, or i will start out at 1 and then up to 2, but i notice i get a better start off the line in d3...

shifting to 2 requires you to be damn near idle rpm... i just wouldnt...