Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Starting the Engine
• Part 2 of 4: Driving in First Gear
• Part 3 of 4: Shifting Gears While Moving and Stopping
• Part 4 of 4: Practice and Problem Solving
• Tips
• Warnings

Everyone can figure out how to start a car with a manual transmission and how to change gears. To do this, you need to become familiar with the clutch, learn how to use the gear lever, and then practice getting under way, stopping and shifting gears at different speeds.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Starting the Engine

1. 1 Start studying on a level surface with the engine off. If this is your first time driving a car with a manual transmission, take your time. Fasten your seat belt as soon as you get into the car. It is best to keep the windows down while you are learning. This will allow you to hear the engine sound better and change gears accordingly.
   • In a car with a manual transmission, the clutch pedal is on the left, the brake is in the middle, and the gas is on the right (C-T-G, as in the word "haystack" or "one hundred grams"). The position of the pedals is the same for both left-hand drive vehicles and right-hand drive vehicles.
2. 2 Understand the purpose of the clutch. Before you step on an unfamiliar pedal to the left, familiarize yourself with its functions.
   • The clutch decouples the running engine from the wheels and allows you to change gears without the teeth grinding of individual gears.
   • Depress the clutch before changing gears.
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   When learning to drive a car with a manual transmission, the most common mistake is releasing the clutch too quickly, causing the engine to stall.

   
   

   

   Ibrahim Onerli

   Driving instructor Ibrahim Onerli is a partner and manager at Revolution Driving School, a New York-based driving school whose main goal is to make the world a better place by teaching people to drive safely. He trains, leads a team of eight driving instructors, specializes in emergency response training and driving cars with a manual transmission.

   Ibrahim Onerli
   Driving instructor

3. 3 Adjust the seat so that you can easily reach the clutch pedal. You should be able to freely depress the clutch pedal (left, next to the brake pedal) all the way to the floor with your left foot.
4. 4 Depress the clutch pedal and hold it in this position. This is a good time to get a feel for the difference between the clutch pedal and the accelerator and brake pedals, and learn to slowly release the clutch.
   • If you've only ridden with an automatic transmission before, it may be uncomfortable for you to press the pedal with your left foot, but over time you will get used to it.
5. 5 Place the gear shift lever in neutral. This is the middle position in which the lever can move freely from side to side. The vehicle is not in gear when:
   • the gear lever is in neutral and / or
   • clutch pedal fully depressed.
   • Do not try to change gears without squeezing the clutch - you simply will not succeed.
6. 6 Start the engine with the ignition key with the clutch pedal fully depressed. Make sure the gear lever is in neutral. For safety reasons, put the handbrake on the handbrake before starting the engine, especially if you are still a beginner.
   • Some cars start in "neutral" without the clutch depressed, but this is a rare case.
7. 7 Remove your foot from the clutch (assuming the gear lever is in neutral). If you are on a level surface, the car will remain stationary, if on a slope, it will go down. If you're ready to jump straight into driving, don't forget to release the handbrake.

Part 2 of 4: Driving in First Gear

1. 1 Fully depress the clutch and place the gear lever in first gear. It should be in the upper left corner. There is usually a gear pattern on the top of the lever.
   • Gears can be located in different ways, so be sure to check their locations in your vehicle beforehand. You can practice shifting gears with the engine off.
2. 2 Slowly lift your foot off the clutch until you hear the engine speed decrease, then depress the pedal again. Repeat this several times until you can recognize the sound of transmission friction.
   • When you change gears to start the engine or while driving, at this point the gas pedal should only be depressed enough to provide enough power to shift.
3. 3 To start the vehicle, lift your foot off the clutch slightly until you feel a slight decrease in engine speed. Simultaneously press the gas lightly with your right foot. Find a balance between gas pressure and clutch pressure reduction. You will most likely have to do this several times until you find the right combination.
   • You can also release the clutch until the engine speed is reduced and only then step on the gas. At this moment, the car will start moving.The engine must have enough RPM, just enough so that it does not stall when the clutch pedal is released. It may be a little tricky in the beginning, as you need to get used to the fact that the car has three pedals.
   • When you start to move forward in first gear, release the clutch completely (take your left foot off the pedal).
4. 4 Expect the engine to stall repeatedly during training. If you release the clutch pedal too quickly, the engine will stall. If the engine makes a sound like it’s about to stall, hold the clutch in the same position or even press it lightly. If it does stall, depress the clutch, brake, shift the lever to neutral and start the engine again. Do not panic!
   • High engine speed with the clutch pedal in an intermediate position (not fully depressed, but not released) causes the clutch parts to spin or smoke. This should be avoided.

Part 3 of 4: Shifting Gears While Moving and Stopping

1. 1 Determine when to shift into a higher gear. When the number of revolutions of the engine reaches 2500-3000 while driving, it is time to change to the next gear - for example, the second, if you were driving the first. This figure is approximate as it depends on the type of vehicle you have. The engine will start to run louder and faster, and you should learn to recognize this sound.
   • Depress the clutch pedal and move the shift lever to the lower left position (in most vehicles, this is in second gear).
   • Some vehicles have a special light or a pointer on the speedometer to tell you when to change gears.
2. 2 Apply light pressure on the throttle and slowly release the clutch. Gear shifting in motion is the same as when starting to move. The main thing is to hear, see and feel what signals the engine is giving, and to press and release the pedals in time. Keep practicing and in time you will learn everything.
   • Once the gear has shifted and your right foot is pressing on the gas, take your foot off the clutch pedal. Keeping your foot on the pedal is a bad habit as it puts extra pressure on the clutch, which can cause premature wear on the mechanism.
3. 3 Reduce the speed and shift to a lower gear. If you drive too slow for the current gear, the car will vibrate as if it is about to stall. To downshift while driving, proceed in the same way as when upshifting: press the clutch, release the throttle, shift the lever (say, from third gear to second) and release the clutch while applying the throttle.
4. 4 Stop. To keep the stop under control, change gears as you decrease until you get to first. When you need to come to a complete stop, shift your right foot from the gas to the brake and depress. As soon as you slow down to about 15 km / h, you will feel the vibration. Depress the clutch pedal all the way and put the gear lever in neutral. Use the brake pedal to stop completely.
   • You can stop at any gear. To do this, you need to fully depress the clutch and apply the brake, while simultaneously shifting to neutral. Use this method only if you need to stop quickly, as it will give you less control over the vehicle.

Part 4 of 4: Practice and Problem Solving

1. 1 Take some easy lessons from an experienced driver. If you already have a driver's license, you can practice on your own on any road, but an experienced instructor or companion can help you master gear changes faster. Start on a flat, empty area (such as an empty parking lot), then head out onto quiet streets.Practice on the same route until you start mastering all the necessary skills.
2. 2 Avoid stopping and driving on steep hills at first. When you are just learning to drive with a manual transmission, take routes that do not involve stops (say, traffic lights) at the top of the hill. You will need very good reaction and coordination to keep the shift lever, clutch, brake and gas under control, otherwise you can roll back when shifting into first gear.
   • You need to learn how to quickly (but smoothly) shift your right foot from the brake to the gas while releasing the clutch with your left. In order not to roll back, you can use the hand brake, but do not forget to remove the car from it to move forward.
3. 3 Learn to park, especially on a hill. Unlike the automatic transmission, there is no parking transmission in the manual transmission. If you simply shift to "neutral", the car may roll forward or backward, especially if the road where it is parked is on a slope. Always put the handbrake on the car, but remember that it alone is not enough to keep it in place.
   • If you are parking uphill (car looking up), stop the engine in neutral, then shift to first and apply the handbrake. If you are parking on a downhill (car is looking down), do the same, but switch to reverse. This will prevent the vehicle from rolling off the hill.
   • On particularly steep slopes or as an extra precaution, you can secure the wheels with wheel chocks.
4. 4 Stop completely before shifting from forward to reverse (and vice versa). A complete stop when changing direction will help avoid serious damage and costly gear repairs.
   • It is strongly recommended to stop completely before shifting from reverse to forward. In most manual transmission vehicles, it is possible to shift into first or second gear during slow reverse travel, but this is not recommended to avoid overloading the clutch.
   • Some vehicles have a reverse lock so you don't accidentally engage it. Before using reverse gear, you need to know about this mechanism and how to disable it.

Tips

• If the car stalls, release the clutch as slowly as possible. Stop at the moment of friction (when the car starts to move) and continue to release the clutch very slowly.
• During frosty weather, it is not recommended to leave the car on the hand brake for a long time. The moisture will freeze and you will not be able to release the handbrake. If the car is parked on a level surface, leave it in first gear. Remember to apply the handbrake when squeezing the clutch, otherwise the machine will start moving.
• Do not confuse the brake and clutch pedals.
• With a manual gearbox, you can easily spin the wheels.
• Cars with manual transmission are standard equipment.
• Learn to recognize the sounds of your engine, you should eventually be able to figure out when to change gears without relying on the tachometer.
• If you think the car will stall or the engine is not running smoothly, press the clutch and wait for the engine to stabilize.
• Remember to depress the clutch all the way before changing gear.
• If the gear lever does not indicate the location of the gears, seek the advice of someone who is well versed in this. You don't want to drive backwards into anything or anyone while you think you are in first gear.
• If you know you will have to park on a steep slope, take a stone or brick with you, which must be carefully placed under the wheel.This is not a bad idea, as the brakes, like all parts, wear out and may not keep your car on a slope.

Warnings

• Before engaging reverse gear, you must fully stop regardless of which direction the vehicle is rolling. Shifting into reverse gear while driving can damage the transmission.
• It is highly recommended to stop completely before shifting from reverse to any other. And although it is possible to shift reverse gear into first or even second during slow movement of the car, this is not recommended, as it contributes to the rapid wear of the clutch.
• Until you get used to the manual transmission, keep an eye on the tachometer. A manual transmission requires a lot more responsibility than an automatic one. Engine speed too high can ruin it.
• Be careful when climbing. The car can roll backward if you do not hold the brake and clutch.
• If you stalled several times and want to start the car again, wait 5-10 minutes so that the starter does not overheat and does not completely discharge the battery.