[suvshopper]

Ok so another question...what is the plus and minus button on the gear shift for?

Can you tell the guy at the dealership didn't even tell us anything...lol.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

Ok so another question...what is the plus and minus button on the gear shift for?

Can you tell the guy at the dealership didn't even tell us anything...lol.

Move the gear selector to "L", then you are able to upshift or downshift with the + and - on the rocker switch. I use it all the time, a nice feature for those who want to stay busy and do something behind the wheel. LOL :happy:

Bob

 

[suvshopper]

Thanks for letting me know! Probably won't ever use it, but at least I know what its for now...lol. Thanks

 

[andylibby]

If you pull the shifter down into low (try it at low speed first) the transmission will become shiftable by that +/- button. Somewhere in the instrument panel near the spot for outside temperature, there'll appear a number 1 thru 6 to indicate the curent gear.

Near as I can tell, that's how it works, but I wasn't given instruction at delivery nor did I locate anything in the owner's manual that explained this operation. But, that's how it works on my truck.

Let me know if the same is true on yours.

 

[bigbluetraverse]

It will be very handy when towing. Sometimes the transmission just picks the wrong gear to use when going up hills.

 

[rbarrios]

Thanks for letting me know! Probably won't ever use it, but at least I know what its for now...lol. Thanks

Ohhhh Youll use it.......

next time youre on the freeway-- and youre in 'overdrive'--- well 6th... and you need to make a quick lane change--- youre going to step on the gas-- and youre going to notice that its going to take a little long to speed up- and respond apropriately....and youd probably have come on here telling us how you almost wrecked because youre traverse didnt speed up fast enough....

The solution is when you see yourself getting ready to make such a maneuver--- you shift to L- this puts the trans into 4... youll see the 4 appear on the dash- youll see your RPM's go up- and youll have a much more responsive engine-- with the revvs higher- youll also have more 'power' (vs the engine being at 1600 rpm or so at about 60)....
these higher rpms will let you have a more pep- to do the maneuver you need to do...

you can thenuse the + or - to take it to 3 and get higher RPM's as you slow down or shift to 5 or 6...
While in L--- the number you select-- is the gear that you specify as the highest geat the trans will go to...
if you select 3- it will get to 3.. and will not go to 4,5 ,6.... same with the other gears...
try it....
get on the freeway- get to lets say 60- and let the engine settle to overdrive- youll see the tach settle at about 1600 rpms... now step on the gas-- youll notice its slow to respond...

then do 60 again- let it settle....
then when ready- shift to L-- and step on the gas---- youll see

 

[Toddzilla67]

O.K., I haven't read this part of the manual, but I think this is a good feature on this vehicle. We're used to a supercharged car that immediately responds to just a touch of the throttle. I've noticed the Traverse is slow to respond to even major changes in throttle position.

The other thing I've considered is whether or not I can shift into L at any speed without damaging the powertrain. I'll give it a shot at low speed first to test it out.

Thanks for the description.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

O.K., I haven't read this part of the manual, but I think this is a good feature on this vehicle. We're used to a supercharged car that immediately responds to just a touch of the throttle. I've noticed the Traverse is slow to respond to even major changes in throttle position.

The other thing I've considered is whether or not I can shift into L at any speed without damaging the powertrain. I'll give it a shot at low speed first to test it out.

Thanks for the description.

I guess the key here is what you consider "any speed". I have moved mine to "L" as high as 70 MPH, and the trans will go no lower than 4th gear, making the downshift very safe.

Bob

 

[rbarrios]

Im sure at a point the software says----- hey- this guy wants me to go into 2nd/1st gear- and im doing 85 MPH---- NO WAY...
and only allows 4th...

 

[bobg1951chevy]

Im sure at a point the software says----- hey- this guy wants me to go into 2nd/1st gear- and im doing 85 MPH---- NO WAY...
and only allows 4th...

Let's say I have put the lever into "L" and now I move the rocker switch to 2nd. If the speed and the RPM are too high, mine will not downshift until "IT", the Traverse, says it's OK to use 2nd.

Bob

 

[quantum]

Straight from the 2010 owner's manual:

While in L (Low), the transmission
will prevent shifting to a lower gear
range if the engine speed is too
high. You have a brief period of time
to slow the vehicle. If vehicle speed
is not reduced within the time
allowed, the lower gear range shift
will not be completed. You must
further slow the vehicle, then press
the − (Minus) button to the desired
lower gear range.

 

[Toddzilla67]

I just tried this. If I was going 45 MPH and shifted into L the car would only go as low as 4th gear. At 15 MPH it would only go as low as 2nd gear. Handy feature for sure and nice to know the computer is keeping tabs to prevent catastrophic damage.

 

[Penforhire]

I found it a useful feature for engine break-in. Automatics are hard to rev under load. It really wants to shift! Manually dropping a gear or two let me hit and hold RPM as desired.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

I found it a useful feature for engine break-in. Automatics are hard to rev under load. It really wants to shift! Manually dropping a gear or two let me hit and hold RPM as desired.

For engine break in ????? Have no idea how manually shifting the trans relates to engine break in.

Bob

 

[Penforhire]

Everyone has different ideas about the right way to break in an engine. I agree with those that call for gradually increasing maximum RPM over the first 1,000 miles or so (and varying RPM under that limit as much as possible). But I do want to exercise the upper registers of RPM by the end of that period. Difficult to do in auto mode. You can floor it and get near-max RPM shifts (and speeding tickets) or else use the L mode to hit and hold any RPM you want at sane traffic speeds.

Most of the time our auto trannies hold RPM quite low. But the time will come when you want maximum power, say for passing. I believe an engine needs to be broken in for best performance, including reasonable ring sealing at maximum piston travel (max RPM).

Does that make it clearer?

 

[rbarrios]

Ive read others say- to drive the car of the lot- like you plan on driving it....
Or drive it like you stole it...
these people will claim to drive it off the lot and essentially peel out.....
But to me-- Ive had good results by breaking in the vehicle as the manual recommends.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

Ive read others say- to drive the car of the lot- like you plan on driving it....
Or drive it like you stole it...
these people will claim to drive it off the lot and essentially peel out.....
But to me-- Ive had good results by breaking in the vehicle as the manual recommends.

There you go, Roberto, I agree with your thoughts and do the same.

Bob