Planetary GEARTRAIN/ Output Shaft: Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2003 Dodge Dakota. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

With any given planetary gearset, several conditions must be met for power to be able to flow:

One member must be held.
Another member must be driven or used as an input.
The third member may be used as an output for power flow.
For direct drive to occur, two gear members in the front planetary gearset must be driven.

NOTE: Gear ratios are dependent on the number of teeth on the annulus and sun gears.