Expeditions: How to Use Manual Gears and Customize Gear Controls

Use the independent manual gearbox mode

Season 4 overhauls the semi-automatic gearbox. Manual mode is fully independent from High Gear and has five speeds. Treat those as separate gearbox functions rather than assuming the manual selection is simply a new name for High Gear. [1]

Steps

1. Select the manual gearbox mode when you want manual gear control, rather than using High Gear as a substitute. [1]

Account for manual mode’s own ratios and fuel consumption

The manual gears have their own ratios and fuel consumption. That means the choice affects the truck’s gearing and fuel use; the announcement does not provide a single universal gear that is best on every slope or for every vehicle. Judge the selected gear against the terrain and the truck instead of relying on a claimed fixed optimum. [1]

Choose sequential or discrete gear changes on mouse and keyboard

Mouse and keyboard support custom bindings for both sequential and discrete gear changes. Choose the binding approach you intend to use: the source confirms both options, but does not mandate a particular key layout. If another setup uses different keys, use your configured bindings rather than assuming that layout is the default. [1]

Steps

1. Configure the manual mode’s sequential or discrete gear-change bindings for mouse and keyboard. [1]

Use the preset sequential bindings on a gamepad

Gamepad control schemes have preset bindings for sequential gear changes. The release note specifically describes sequential support for those presets; it does not claim a separate directly bound button for each of the five gears on every controller scheme. [1]

Steps

1. When playing with a gamepad, use the sequential gear-change bindings for the selected control scheme. [1]

Recognise the later automatic engine shutoff when flying a drone

The final update later makes the engine turn off automatically when switching to flying Drone control. That engine-state change is intentional and separate from which manual gear was selected. It should not by itself be treated as proof that the manual gearbox stopped working. [2]