when to use l gear in automatic car Page 11

Use L (low) when you need big engine braking and slow, steady grunt — think steep descents, towing a trailer, creeping off-road, or inching through muck you really should’ve avoided. It locks the gearbox in the lowest gears so the engine does the braking, saving your pads and giving you control under about 40 km/h. Don’t knock it into L at freeway speeds unless you enjoy mechanical sympathy as a spectator sport; slow down first. In the wet or on gravel, L helps minimise wheelspin by keeping revs sensible. For day-to-day driving, leave it in D, or use S/manual mode for brisk overtakes. Check your owner’s manual, because some modern autos simulate “L” with a low-gear hold or descent control.