Demystifying 'S' A Comprehensive Guide to Gear Shift Symbols

"S" does NOT stand for "second". The original poster had it correct and did not need correcting. Yes, L basically is just for descending long ... L is for Low. This gear is similar to drive, but it's for slower speeds. You might see this on a steep hill or when towing something heavy. The s gear in the ford escape will stand for sport mode setting in the vehicle which will allow you to manually shift the gears via the toggle on the shifter ... S mode is when you can manual shift gears from 1-6. It does not help fuel economy. I usually use it when driving in slippery weather conditions. Looking at your gear shifter in your car, you may have noticed an "S" on there. Here's what that means, and when you should (and shouldn't) use it. Some vehicles utilize the “S” on the gear shift as an indicator for optimal shift scheduling. In this context, it's not necessarily about sport ... ... shifting gears. It's so simple that all the gears have been broken down into functions marked by P, R, N, D, L, or S, but what do they mean? The numbers and letters on your auto shifter indicate the different gears you can shift your transmission. Read the breakdown of what each one means. Now many guys. will choose to buy automatic transmission cars, but many people. don't know what the plus and minus signs are. That plus/minus sign on your gear shift can help your snow driving Subscribe to WLWT on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1ipUX3c Get more ...