How to Drive a Manual Transmission Car

How do you drive a manual transmission car (or a car with a manual gearbox)? How do you start off and come to a stop?

It’s true that automatic transmission cars are easier to drive, and even if we’re planning to drive an automatic in the future, some of us are still inclined to learn how to drive a manual, thinking “I might need it someday” — since not every car on the road today is automatic. Others prefer manual transmission cars simply because they feel more in control.

Getting to Know the Manual Transmission System

Driving a manual transmission car has a set of rules that can seem complicated to new drivers, but for experienced drivers become almost automatic — done without conscious effort or thought — the more you practice.

Important: if this is your first time, pick an empty, flat area with no traffic or pedestrians. It can also help to roll the windows down the first time you drive — that way you can hear the engine better. Being able to pick up on changes in engine sound will come in handy.

First, Let’s Look at How the Clutch Pedal Works

Pedals: from left to right, clutch, brake, gas. This is the same in every manual transmission car.

The left foot always handles the clutch. The right foot handles the brake and gas pedals.

Put simply, the clutch is the component that disconnects the link carrying power from the engine to the wheels. When we press it all the way down, the engine is disconnected from the wheels. When we want to transmit the engine’s power to the wheels, we release it slowly, and at a certain point, we let the gears engage with each other without grinding.

Starting Off for the First Time in a Manual Car

1- Make sure the parking brake is engaged. Press the clutch and shift into neutral.
2- Push the clutch pedal all the way down with your left foot and hold it there.
3- Start the car.
4- Shift into first gear, and release the parking brake

5- Release the clutch slowly. (If you release it suddenly, your car will jerk and the engine will stall.) Keep going until you hear the engine RPM start to drop. You’ll feel the car vibrate slightly and hear the engine sound change. This is the biting point.

6- While gently pressing the gas pedal, keep releasing the clutch. Do this gradually and you’ll see the car start to move.
About 4-5 seconds after the car starts moving, you should have released the clutch completely.
This way, you won’t experience the car jerking or the engine stalling when starting off.

Starting Off on a Hill in a Manual Car

If your car can stay still on a hill without rolling, the parking brake is engaged. That’s why, when we release the parking brake, we need to already be pressing the brake pedal so the car doesn’t roll down the hill.

Since we’re starting off from a car parked on a hill, we’re assuming the parking brake is engaged and the car is in neutral.

1- Push the clutch pedal all the way down with your left foot and hold it there.
2- Press the brake pedal
3- Start the car.
4- Shift into first gear and release the parking brake
5- Release the clutch slowly.
While doing this (releasing the clutch), the moment you feel the engine sound change, move your right foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal and press down gently.
The car will start to move. Don’t release the clutch suddenly and completely. Even after the car starts moving, keep some pressure on the clutch. Release it completely over about 4-5 seconds.

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How Do I Come to a Stop in a Manual Car?

When you need to stop, press the clutch all the way down. Shift into neutral and brake gently. If you don’t press the clutch, the engine will stall.

At a stop like a red light, you have two options.
1-) Keep it in first gear and press the clutch all the way down to disconnect the engine from the drivetrain, keeping your foot on the clutch until you start off again. This way, your car won’t move even if you give it gas, because the power produced by the engine isn’t reaching the wheels.

2-) Press the clutch and shift into neutral. After that, you can take your foot off the clutch. This lets you rest your left foot.

Once you’re moving, you can always slow down by shifting into a lower gear. This preserves the life of your brakes.

Shifting Gears

We always start off in 1st gear. But after a while, we need to shift up.

When shifting gears: you need to push the clutch all the way down and hold it there while you shift. Then you can release the clutch slowly.

How Do I Know When I Need to Shift Gears?

You can tell from the change in engine sound, or by looking at the tachometer on the dashboard. When engine RPM reaches 2500-3000 RPM, it’s time to shift up.

Avoid resting your foot on the clutch pedal — doing so puts unconscious pressure on the clutch mechanism and wears out the clutch plate prematurely. You should avoid this.

Practice shifting gears without looking at the gear lever. This way, you won’t dangerously take your eyes off the road. At first, you may find yourself unconsciously wanting to glance at the gear lever, but with enough practice, you’ll get past that too.

Downshifting

You should downshift when slowing down. If you’re going too slow for the gear you’re in, the engine will start to hesitate and feel like it’s about to stall.

To downshift, press the clutch, release the gas pedal, shift down. Then release the clutch while pressing the gas pedal.

Note: you don’t need to release the clutch as slowly when shifting gears as you do when starting off.

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