Gearbox control (Renault Sandero 1)

Renault/Dacia Sandero cars are equipped with five-speed manual gearboxes JH1 (only with K7J engine) and JH3 (with K7M and K4M engines) or a four-speed automatic DP2 (only with K4M engine).



Operate the manual gearbox according to the shift pattern printed on the handle of its lever. In the neutral position, the lever is automatically set to the position for engaging 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 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.

Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is completely stopped. To avoid transmission damage, avoid shifting when the wheels are slipping.

The 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 connecting the battery (after it is disconnected or replaced) gear shifting may not be as smooth as usual. This does not indicate a malfunction: after several 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 shift 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.

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 lever handle has a button for blocking the wrong gear.

The floor tunnel trim has two slots for moving the selector lever: a slot for automatic control mode and a slot for manual mode.

The following symbols are applied to the automatic control mode scale:

• 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;

[The text is available on this website: renaultbook]

Warning: Never move the selector lever to the "P" (Park) or "R" position (reverse) while the car is moving - this will lead to gearbox failure!

• N - neutral. In this position of the lever, none of the gears are engaged in the gearbox. This position is used during long stops (for example, in traffic jams);

Warning: Never move the selector lever to the "N" (neutral) position while driving! This could accidentally move the lever to the "P" (park) or "R" position (reverse) while the car is moving, which will lead to gearbox failure. In addition, engine braking will become impossible.

Helpful tips:

• To avoid losing control of the vehicle, always keep your foot on the brake pedal when the lever is in the "N" position and when moving the lever to this position.
• If the vehicle is on a slope, when starting the engine, the selector lever must be set to the "P" position, and not to the "N" position.

• 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.

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 from the "P" position to the "R" position, press the lock button while simultaneously pressing the brake pedal.

To move the lever further to the "N" and "D" positions, you do not need to press the lock button. To move the lever back from the "D" position to the "N" position, you also do not need to press the lock button, and to move the lever further to the "R" and "P" positions, you should press the button.

Warnings:

• Do not press the lock button every time you move the selector lever from one position to another. You will get used to doing this all the time and you can move the lever to the "P" or "R" position while the car is moving, which will lead to damage to the gearbox.
• When starting to move, do not press the accelerator pedal when moving the selector lever from the "P" or "N" position to any other position. This is dangerous, as the car may suddenly move forward or backward.
• Whether the vehicle is moving or stationary, to select manual gear shifting mode, move the selector lever from the "D" position to slot 2 (see fig. 1.14) gear shift mode. In manual transmission control 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 toward the "+" sign and release the lever. To engage a lower gear, move the lever backward toward the "-" sign and release the lever.

Warnings:

• In manual transmission mode, upshifting does not occur automatically. The driver must independently determine the moment of upshifting in accordance with road conditions. It is necessary to ensure that the engine speed does not exceed the maximum permissible value (the tachometer needle should not enter the red zone of the scale).
• A quick double movement of the selector lever backwards in the direction of the "-" sign allows you to skip one gear when downshifting, for example, from III to I or from IV 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 down carefully, taking into account the speed of the car.

Notes:

• In manual transmission mode, only one of the four forward gears can be selected. To reverse or park, move the selector lever to slot 1 (see fig. 1.14) automatic mode and then to the "R" or "P" position, respectively.
• In order to ensure the necessary traction and dynamic characteristics and driving safety of the vehicle, 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. Accordingly, 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, in order to prevent excessive increase in the engine crankshaft speed. In manual transmission control mode, when the vehicle speed decreases, shifting to lower gears occurs automatically. When the vehicle stops, 1st gear is automatically engaged. In order to facilitate starting off on a slippery surface, move the selector lever forward in the direction of the "+" sign. In this case, 2nd gear will immediately be engaged in the transmission, which will ensure a smooth start on a slippery road. Then, to re-engage 1st gear, move the selector lever backward in the direction of the "-" sign.
• Move the selector lever into the manual mode slots and when switching from manual to automatic mode smoothly, without excessive force, as sudden and strong movements can damage the lever.