Manual transmission operate according to the shift pattern printed on the handle of its lever. In the neutral position, the lever is automatically set in the direction of engagement of III or IV gear, from which it can be moved forward or backward, respectively. To engage I or II gear, move the lever to the left as far as it will go and then move it forward or backward, respectively. To engage V gear, move the lever to the right as far as it will go and forward.
To engage reverse gear, move the lever all the way to the right and then back.
Attention! Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is completely stopped.
Robotic gearbox Durashift EST (Fig. 1.11) is an advanced five-speed manual transmission with an automatic mode that allows gear shifting without using the clutch pedal. Compared to an automatic transmission, the Durashift EST transmission provides more dynamic acceleration and significant fuel savings when driving in traffic jams.
Fig. 1.11. The selector lever of the Durashift EST robotic gearbox
The following markings are applied to the selector lever of the robotic gearbox:
- "N" - neutral. The engine can only be started if the selector lever is in the "N" position;
- "D" - forward movement. Press the brake pedal and move the lever from the "N" position to the "D" position. In this position, the gearbox switches to automatic mode. After releasing the brake pedal, the car starts moving at a low speed. To start moving, press the accelerator pedal.
When using the "+" or "-" position in automatic mode, the manual gear shift mode will be selected and the currently selected gear will be displayed on the LCD display;
- "R" - reverse. Move the lever to this position only after the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
Automatic transmission has four forward gears and one reverse gear. Each gear is engaged automatically depending on the position of the gear selector lever, the vehicle speed and the position of the accelerator pedal.
Note: During the break-in period of a new vehicle or immediately after reconnecting the battery (after disconnecting or replacing it), gear shifting may not be as smooth as usual. This does not indicate a malfunction: after a few automatic gear shifts, the shifting process will become smooth.
In addition to the automatic control mode, there is also a manual mode, in which the driver can quickly change gears by moving the selector lever forward or backward.
Note: Unlike a manual transmission, an automatic transmission, when in manual control mode, allows the driver to change gears without releasing the accelerator pedal.
Fig. 1.12. Automatic transmission selector lever: 1 – OVERDRIVE mode on/off button; 2 – gear lock button; 3 – lever handle; 4 – plug; 5 – automatic control mode slot; 6 – Automatic control mode scale
The selector lever is located on the floor tunnel in the same place as the manual gearbox control lever. The floor tunnel trim has scales for manual and automatic control modes. The handle 3 (Fig. 1.12) of the lever contains the gear lock button 2.
The following symbols are applied to scale 6 of the automatic control mode:
- "P" - parking. In this position, the gearbox is locked to prevent the parked vehicle from moving. If the selector lever is in this position, the engine can be started;
- "R" - reverse. Move the lever to this position only after the car has come to a complete stop;
Warning! Never move the selector lever to the "P" (park) or "R" (reverse) position while the vehicle is moving! This will damage the gearbox.
- "N" - neutral. In this position of the lever, no gear is engaged in the gearbox. This position is used during long stops, such as in traffic jams;
Warning! Never move the selector lever to the "N" (neutral) position while driving! This may cause you to accidentally move the lever to the "P" (park) or "R" (reverse) position, which will damage the gearbox. In addition, engine braking will become impossible.
Note: To avoid losing control of the vehicle, always keep your foot on the brake pedal when the lever is in the "N" (neutral) position and when moving the lever into this position.
Note: If the vehicle is on a slope, the selector lever must be in the "P" (park) position, not the "N" (neutral) position, when starting the engine.
- "D" - forward movement. This is the main position of the selector lever, in which it is located most of the time while driving. In this case, the automatic transmission selects the gear that is optimal for the given speed and acceleration of the car. When driving on a steep descent, a lower gear may be automatically engaged to provide more effective engine braking.
To move the selector lever from position "P" (park) to position "R" (reverse), press the lock button 2 while simultaneously pressing the brake pedal.
Note: A special locking device will not allow the selector lever to be moved from the "P" (Park) position to any other position unless the brake pedal is held down.
To move the lever further to the "N" (neutral) and "D" (forward) positions, you do not need to press the lock button. To move the lever back from the "D" (forward) position to the "N" (neutral) position, you do not need to press the lock button, and to move the lever further to the "R" (reverse) and "P" (parking) positions, you must press the button.
Warning! Do not press the lock button each time you move the selector lever from one position to another. This will become a habit and you may move the lever to the "P" (park) or "R" (reverse) position while the car is moving, which will cause damage to the gearbox.
Warning! When starting to move, do not press the accelerator pedal when moving the selector lever from the "P" (park) or "N" (neutral) position to any other position. This is dangerous, as the car may suddenly move forward or backward.
When the ignition is on, the instrument cluster display shows the selector position (automatic shift mode) or the number of the engaged gear (manual shift mode).
Whether the vehicle is moving or stationary, to select manual shift mode, move the selector lever from the "D" (drive) position to the manual shift slot. In manual transmission mode, you can quickly change gears by moving the selector lever forward or backward without releasing the accelerator pedal.
To engage a higher gear, move the selector lever forward towards the "+" sign and release the lever. To engage a lower gear, move the lever back towards the "–" sign and release.
Attention! In manual transmission control mode, upshifting does not occur automatically. The driver must independently determine the moment to engage a higher gear in accordance with road conditions. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the engine crankshaft speed does not exceed the maximum permissible value (the tachometer needle does not enter the red zone of the scale).
Caution! Quickly moving the selector lever back twice in the direction of the "–" sign allows you to skip one gear when downshifting. For example, to shift from III gear to I or from IV gear to II. Since in this case, sharp engine braking can lead to loss of traction of the wheels with the road surface, you should shift to lower gears carefully, taking into account the speed of the car.
Note: In manual transmission mode, only one of the four forward gears can be selected. To reverse or park, move the selector lever to slot 5 (see Fig. 1.12) of the automatic mode and then to position "R" (reverse) or "P" (park), respectively.
Note: To ensure the necessary traction and dynamic characteristics and vehicle safety, the automatic transmission may not shift to a higher gear when the vehicle speed is insufficient, even if the driver moves the selector lever forward in the direction of the "+" sign. Similarly, the transmission may not shift to a lower gear when the vehicle speed is high, even if the driver moves the selector lever backward in the direction of the "-" sign, to prevent excessive increase in engine speed.
Note: In manual transmission control mode, when the vehicle speed decreases, downshifting occurs automatically. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear is automatically engaged.
Note: To make it easier to start off on a slippery surface, move the selector lever forward in the direction of the "+" sign. This will immediately engage the 2nd gear in the transmission, which will ensure a smooth start on a slippery road. Then, to re-engage the 1st gear, move the selector lever back in the direction of the "-" sign.
Note: Move the selector lever smoothly and without excessive force in the manual mode slots and when switching from manual to automatic mode. Sharp and forceful movements can damage the lever.
If the battery is discharged or the electrical equipment is faulty, perform the following operations to unlock the automatic transmission (move the selector lever from the "P" position).
1. Use a screwdriver to pry up and remove plug 4 (see Fig. 1.12) next to the selector lever.
2. Press the locking lever located under the plug and move the selector lever from the "P" position.
3. Replace the plug.
OVERDRIVE mode. The OVERDRIVE mode off button is located on the automatic transmission selector lever handle and allows the driver to exclude the automatic transmission from shifting to the fourth gear, which allows the car to become more dynamic when driving at high speed or in situations where frequent gear shifting from III to IV is required. In addition, the automatic transmission selector lever can be set to position "1" or "2" to ensure safe driving on slopes and snow-covered roads.
This article is a copy from the website (FordBook.ru)