Most vehicles sold in the U.S. today feature automatic transmissions, which adjust the gears for drivers as they change speeds. Still, learning how to drive manually is a valuable skill that will teach you more about your car’s operation, help you stay focused when driving, and prove especially useful if you want to take a European road trip. Learning a stick shift is challenging, but you’ll succeed with the right knowledge and lots of practice. Here are some suggestions to help you get started. 

A Guide to Learning to Drive a Car With Manual Transmission

1. Familiarize Yourself With the Clutch, Parking Brake & Gear Stick

Along with the gas and brake pedals, manual cars also feature a clutch pedal on the far left, which you’ll depress anytime you need to shift gears. The gear stick features numbers for each gear and “R” for reverse instead of letters to indicate drive, neutral, and park. Manual transmission cars also have a parking brake that must be set every time you park to prevent the vehicle from rolling.

2. Learn the Gears

You must depress the clutch pedal all the way down whenever you want to move the gear shift, and it must be pushed to neutral before you turn the engine on. The first gear moves left and up and is used to get you going up to 15 miles per hour. The second moves left and down and increases speed up to 20 or 25 mph. The third goes straight up and the fourth straight down, both increasing speeds progressively. The fifth gear goes right and up and the sixth gear shifts right and down. The higher the gear, the more fuel efficient your vehicle is.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

For this step, it helps to have an experienced instructor. Have them drive you to an empty parking lot. Stepping on the clutch gear, turn the engine on, put the vehicle into first gear, and release the parking brake. Rev the engine up to 2,000 RPM and slowly lift your foot from the clutch pedal. Your car should start moving slowly. Press the gas pedal, and shift into higher gears when the engine reaches 3,000 RPM. To stop, step on the clutch pedal and brake while moving the gearshift into neutral. 

Whether you have a vehicle with an automatic or manual transmission, the specialists at Transmission Services in Lincoln, NE, will complete routine maintenance to keep it performing well on the road. Their technicians will also use diagnostic equipment to find potential problems and identify the causes for transmission repairs. Call (402) 475-3637 or visit them online to schedule your appointment today.