Automatic Gear

Automatic Gear (Pikmin)
This ship part is required for the S.S. Dolphin to escape the planet.
Weight	15
Max. carriers	25 Pikmin
Location	The Forest Navel

Automatic Gear (Pikmin 4)
Weight	15
Max. carriers	30 Pikmin
Location	Sun-Speckled Terrace, Blossoming Arcadia, Serene Shores, Hero's Hideaway

The Automatic Gear (オートマチック・ギア^?, lit.: "Automatic Gear") is a ship part in Pikmin. It chugs along at its own pace and it makes piloting easier, giving Captain Olimar time to concentrate on finer points of space travel. When collected, this part does not change the S.S. Dolphin's appearance.

In Pikmin 4, 6 Automatic Gears must be collected across the four areas of Olimar's Shipwreck Tale.

Collecting the part

The following article or section contains guides. The strategies shown are just suggestions.

In Pikmin

File:FN texture.png

The location of the Automatic Gear in The Forest Navel.

The Automatic Gear is found in The Forest Navel, on a high ledge near the landing site, where a climbing stick must be built to get to it. Due to the height of the ledge, no Pikmin are able to reach it without abuse of the quite slow Longer throw trick in the GameCube version, or by abusing the bigger throwing arc in the Nintendo Switch version.

As it is in a high place, Pikmin can lose their flowers when they and the part they're carrying hit the ground after moving off of the ledge. The tilted ship part glitch can also occur due to the long drop. To avoid your Pikmin getting deflowered, you can call them back just as they are walking off the edge. Another useful method is to simply walk away. If the Pikmin are out of the view of the camera, they will not get deflowered. This technique is also useful for getting other ship parts in the game.

Due to several Shearwigs being close by the area where the Pikmin fall when carrying the part, it is advisable to keep Captain Olimar away from them, as in this game mandiblards only emerge from the ground when Olimar draws near.Fiery Blowhogs can also wander near the drop point of the part if given enough time, so it may be a good idea to use Red Pikmin one has entered the area; either to dispatch it, or to carry the part with little issue.

If if attempting to to complete the game quickly, leaving Pikmin to work on the climbing stick while growing your first few Blue Pikmin is an effective way to multitask during an otherwise very time and attention consuming process.

In Pikmin 4

Sun-Speckled Terrace

File:Sun-Speckled Terrace OST map.png

The location of the Automatic Gear in the Sun-Speckled Terrace.

The Automatic Gear is in the north of the area, inside an Arachnode web. You can reach the Arachnode from either direction, but before you kill it, make sure to also dispatch a nearby Puffy Blowhog.

The carrying path for this part depends greatly on which structures you have built or destroyed so far in the Sun-Speckled Terrace. Predict the path carefully and kill any enemies that might threaten your Pikmin along the way.

Blossoming Arcadia

File:Blossoming Arcadia OST map.png

The location of the Automatic Gear in the Blossoming Arcadia.

The Automatic Gear is in a niche south of the Misshapen Pond landing site. From the opposite edge of the nearby mud pit, go along the blue pipe and you will find the part inside a stack of toy blocks. Throw 15 Pikmin to dig it up. It is easiest to retrieve the part using Yellow Pikmin, but any type can reach it if you position Olimar or Moss on top of the mound near the toy blocks.

Serene Shores

File:Serene Shores OST high tide map.png

The location of the Automatic Gears in the Serene Shores.

Bug-Eyed Crawmad

See also: Bug-Eyed Crawmad#Strategy.

Go northeast from the Water's Edge base into a flooded passage. This corridor leads to a Bug-Eyed Crawmad which has an Automatic Gear in its stomach. To ensure the Pikmin's safety as they carry the part back, it is recommended to kill the Aristocrab Offsprings on the previously mentioned beach.

Masterhop

See also: Masterhop#Strategy.

Go west into an open space where a Yellow Wollyhop and a Masterhop reside. Kill these enemies and proceed until you find a buried Automatic Gear in the right corner.

The Sand Keep

Go to The Sand Keep base and kill the Sovereign Bulblax. Once the boss is dead, build the climbing wall shortly to the east. It is recommended to move your base to The Sand Keep for two reasons: doing so creates a much shorter path for your Pikmin to retrieve necessary raw material from the S.S. Dolphin, and also eases retrieval of the Secret Safe which the Bulblax drops upon death. Beyond the climbing wall, an Automatic Gear lies amid a few bubble blowers and Aristocrab Offsprings. Destroy the geysers and kill the enemies with any Pikmin type before you let them carry the part.

Hero's Hideaway

File:Hero's Hideaway OST map.png

The location of the Automatic Gear in the Hero's Hideaway.

After you have defeated the area's Gildemander, push down the two cardboard boxes leading northward. Kill the Tusked Blowhog between said boxes and the Feasting Center, and move your base there.

Having completed these tasks, take out at least 30 Pikmin for Olimar. Leave Moss behind and go through a hole in the wall next to the landing site mentioned previously. The tunnel leads to a moving platform that takes Olimar down to a raised desk. On the far end of this desk, an Automatic Gear lies near a Miniature Snootwhacker. Moss cannot go through the hole with Olimar, so the best option here is to stun the enemy with an item such as a Bomb Rock or Ice Blast. If no such items are available, distract the enemy with Olimar while your Pikmin carry the part.

Notes

Olimar's monologs

“I've found the Automatic Gear!

This thing chugs right along at its own pace. It makes piloting much easier, giving me time to concentrate on the finer points of space travel.

---

It has thin cracks running through it. I tried to fill them with dirt... I hope it will be all right.”

Gallery

• 

  The Automatic Gear on the high ledge it is found on.

• 

  The part being retrieved to the S.S. Dolphin.

Trivia

The icon.

• A very early Treasure Hoard icon for the Omega Flywheel resembles a gold colored Automatic Gear.
  • Interestingly, the Automatic Gear in Pikmin 4 is colored gold and silver, making it moreso resemble the early Omega Flywheel than the original ship part it's named after.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	オートマチック・ギア? Ōtomachikku Gia	Automatic Gear
Chinese (traditional)	自動式齒輪 Zìdòng-shì Chǐlún	Automatic-Type Gear
Chinese (simplified)	自动式齿轮 Zìdòng-shì Chǐlún	Automatic-Type Gear
Dutch	Turbotandwiel	Turbo gear
French (NoA)	Engrenage de vitesses automatique (in-game) Engrenage (final results screen)	Automatic speed gears Gear
French (NoE)	Boîte Automatique	Automatic Box
German	Autom. Getriebe	Automatic Gear
Italian	Autonavigatore	Automatic navigator
Korean	오토매틱 기어 Otomaetik Gieo	Automatic Gear
Portuguese	Transmissão automática	Automatic transmission
Spanish	Transmisión	Transmission