[Randytj]

On my 2010 Town & Country Van with a 6 speed transmission I could manually select 4th or 5th gear when towing in a hills.


On the 2017 Pacifica with the rotary knob, is there a way to downshift an select a lower gear, for example if I wanted to tow in 6th or 7th gear?

 

[Pappa60]

I read this in a review, can't find it now... But here's what it said:

There are only 2 settings "D" and "L".
"D" uses all 9 gears.
"L" avoids the overdrive gears, it uses 1-6th gear.

i.e. not much control.

 

[Pappa60]

Hmm, the Wiki for the tranny says there are 4 OD gears, so maybe the article was wrong on what gears "L" position uses.

Gear Ratios[edit]
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R
4.713 2.842 1.909 1.382 1.000 0.808 0.699 0.58 0.48 3.80

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZF_9HP_transmission

 

[markinmad]

I've played with the "L" setting and it holds a lower gear nicely when going down long hills so you don't have to ride the breaks, and contrary to what I initially feared it does upshift, just at much higher rpms.

 

[Randytj]

I've played with the "L" setting and it holds a lower gear nicely when going down long hills so you don't have to ride the breaks, and contrary to what I initially feared it does upshift, just at much higher rpms.

So.......I can be drive 65 and safely shift to L and it will just drop a gear or two ??

 

[cue003]

The manual states that when going down hills and steep grades to utilize L for increased engine braking.

 

[danfost]

The manual states that when going down hills and steep grades to utilize L for increased engine braking.

What page in the user manual does it state this? All I could find was on page 73 it states "push down on the gear selector and then rotate to access the L position"

 

[danfost]

Nevermind, I found it on the Owner's Information CD under the following topics:

-Starting and Operating...Automatic Transmission...Gear Ranges...LOW (L):

Use this range for engine braking when descending very steep grades. In this range, the transmission will downshift for increased engine braking. To access the LOW position, push down on the gear selector and rotate it fully clockwise.