What Is "B" in Automatic Transmission in Mirage? How to Use It?

In short, the B mode in the transmission of the Mitsubishi Mirage means "Braking" and it actually helps you brake with the engine and help your braking system. This is especially useful when you drive on mountain roads or on hills and also it helps you save your brake pads from being worn quickly on highways.

Proper use of transmission highlights

• Level of importance:High
• Time interval:Always
• Needed expertise:Basic
• Needed tools:No tools
• Time taken:No time needed
• Possible issues:Transmission failing, parking pawl damage, overheating of the gearbox, issues with torque converter, problems with overloading.

What kind of transmission is in the Mirage?

So, the Mitsubishi Mirage now has only one transmission choice - the CVT. When it started in the US, it offered also the 5-speed manual but that transmission didn't have any B mode so we aren't talking about it in this article.

The continuously variable transmission under the hood of this car is actually Jatco JF015E. The same type of CVT was used in the Chevy Spark up to 2015, also lots of Renault, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Suzuki models used exactly this transmission.

It's actually the 2-speed CVT, so it's a certain hybrid of a simple automatic transmission and the continuously variable mechanism. But while it should have taken the best of both worlds, it took the worst.

I can't say that this transmission is the worst I know, but it's not durable at all. The transmission can barely live 100,000 miles without causing some problems. I won't focus today on the durability of this transmission but will tell you more about its functions. Just remember that the unit is far from being really durable and reliable.

What's "B" in the Mirage transmission?

When you are in the Mirage for the first time, you can wonder what's the B letter among the modes of transmission. In most other vehicles, you will not have the B mode and you may have itchy hands to try and turn it on. What's this? Ballistic, Bullet, Bulldozer, Boring, Bentley? No, this is just "Braking".

In some automatic transmissions, you will have the additional mode B that will enhance the functions of the transmission. You will also have P - Parking, R - Reverse, N - Neutral, and D - Drive. The B mode will be the last mode in this line - it's located lower than D. I should say now that not all Mirage vehicles will have the B mode. I suppose it depends on the year and maybe even on the market of the car.

What does B mode do in the Mirage?

So, here's what happens when you turn on the B mode in your Mitsubishi Mirage:

• you can't accelerate anymore because the engine will not supply the car with power in this mode, the engine will not react on the gas pedal;
• the transmission will turn to the braking mode, so it will use the resistance of the engine to help you brake or maintain the speed on the hill when you go down;
• the transmission may actually slowly stop the vehicle in this mode;
• the braking is very gentle, so it may take quite a lot of time to brake from a certain speed to almost zero MPH;
• this mode helps you get a little more control when going down the hills.

Actually, this is the imitation of simple engine braking in a manual transmission. If your manual is in gear and you just release the gas pedal, you get the engine braking effect, so your car slows down. The lower the gear, the more intensive the braking.

If you just release the brake pedal in a CVT transmission, you will not feel any braking effect, the car will go just like it's in Neutral. But if you turn to B mode when you are driving at a certain speed, you will immediately feel that the vehicle started losing speed and slowing down significantly.

When may you need the B mode in your Mirage?

Well, the B mode may not be really helpful in city driving. You will just not have time to switch between D and B and I don't think it's a good idea. Why do you need an automatic transmission that you would switch every two minutes?

I don't actually recommend using the B mode in the city because it may distract you from the road and cause some accidents. It's always important to keep your eyes and full attention on the city roads when you are driving.

But here are some situations when the B mode in your transmission may be really helpful:

• Mountain roads. In this case, you will be driving downhill sometimes and the B mode will just save your brakes from being destroyed. If you don't use B mode in this situation, the brake pads will be worn out very quickly and you will just lose your brakes.
• Driving on high hills. When driving down the hills on highways or even in cities, you may need to use B mode sometimes to help you maintain the speed. This is especially useful on high and steep hills.
• Driving on slippery hills. When you go downhill and the road is slippery, it's highly recommended to use the B mode in your Mirage (or whatever another car with the available B mode you have). This helps you get more controlled driving.
• Driving on highways. When you need to stop on a highway, you will intensively use brakes. Braking at high speed is pretty harmful to the pads and rotors, so using the B mode is a very clever idea that will prolong the life of the brakes.
• When brakes aren't working. If suddenly you realize that your Mirage doesn't brake at all, you may use the B mode to slow down more effectively than just in D.

So, I wouldn't say this mode is useless. It's a really good thing to have in your vehicle even though you will not use it very often. The main task of the B mode is to give you more confidence when driving in the mountains. That's why this B mode was introduced mainly for Mirage cars made for markets with hilly areas like some islands. But some American Mirage cars also have this feature and drivers can have all the benefits of it.

Is it harmful to your CVT to use the B mode?

Yes, it may be harmful to your transmission, so I don't recommend using it every time you go down the hill. But sometimes, not using the B mode can compromise the safety, so when it comes to slippery hills or very steep hills, I would still recommend you use the B mode at all times and not think about some minor harm to your CVT.

When it comes to engine braking, your CVT will have to work in an unusual mode and take the torque and power of the wheels and literally calm it down using the resistance of the engine. It's not what most CVT transmissions can do easily. While this doesn't cause any immediate effect, this can make the wear and tear of the CVT more intense.

But if you use it once or twice a month when you really need it, you most likely won't feel any negative effects. But if you start using it too often, the CVT may suffer. Also, try not applying the B mode when the car is going very slowly.

Final thoughts

Although the B mode is not going to be used really often in your vehicle, you should know what it means in the Mitsubishi Mirage. This is actually engine braking that will largely help you on mountain roads and will most likely assist you at times when there are problems with brakes. Also, you will have more control when driving downhill on slippery roads. Please don't overuse the technology because it's not really harmless for your CVT.