Question: what is gear 1 and 2 in an automatic for?
Answer: Most automatic transmissions also allow you to manually select one or more lower gears, such as Low (L), 1st (1) and 2nd (2). In the case of L and 1, the transmission will stay in the lowest gear and not shift on its own. ... And with others, if you select 2, the transmission starts in 2nd gear and is locked in that gear.