For many younger drivers, the thought of operating more than a steering wheel, gas pedal and brake is daunting. However many types of vehicles well into the 21st century still operate using a little more than that. Many young drivers have never been taught how to operate these vehicles, especially in North America. Additionally, there can be bad habits that can lead to increased wear and tear on the drive train. Which could cost you thousands of dollars at the mechanic!

Sounds overwhelming? Don’t worry everyone who knows how to drive a manual transmission car started somewhere. The best way through this stage is practice, and once you get the hang of things. It is much like riding a bike, meaning you will know for life. If you still find yourself overwhelmed, or think you can’t operate a manual transmission. This guide will give you all the information you will need to successfully drive with three pedals.

Yes even you can row gears like a race car driver! In this blog I will cover:

• How to not stall when getting moving from a standstill
• How to shift gears
• Rev matching and heal toe down shifts
• Different types of manual transmissions seen in vehicles ranging from motorcycles to tractor trailers
• Common bad habits to avoid

Controls in a Manual Transmission Car

As I mentioned before, cars with manual transmissions have a few more controls than those with automatic transmissions. The first thing you will notice is a shifter which operates in an “h pattern” fashion. Keep in mind different transmissions can have different shift patterns. Usually this is shown on top of the shifter, or sometimes a sticker placed in the interior of the vehicle. Different transmissions have different lockout mechanisms to engage reverse. This typically is a collar you pull up on or you push down on the shift knob.

The next big difference you will notice in a car equipped with a manual transmission is the clutch pedal. This one is always placed to the left of your brake pedal. It is intended to be operated with your left foot only. Where your right foot controls the gas and brake only. When you get more skilled, it is possible to control both the gas and brake pedals at the same time (a.k.a. heal toe). The clutch pedal is used to control the mechanism that separates the engine from the transmission when needed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Before the first drive, it is probably best to mention some common mistakes. Avoiding these bad habits can save you between hundreds to thousands of dollars easily. The first one to avoid is resting your hand on the shifter. While it may seem harmless at first, over time this habit can damage the parts of the transmission that shift it into gear. The next habit to avoid is leaving the car in gear with the foot on the clutch when stopped. Instead you will want to be in neutral, then go back in gear when you move again. While yes it takes slightly more time to get going again. It will save unnecessary wear on the diaphragm springs that press the clutch against the flywheel. I will explain more about how this works in a later article.

Conclusion

At this point you at least have a basic understanding of what operating a manual transmission is like. While there is still more to cover, you are now familiar with the basics. Down the road (no pun intended) we will cover tips and tricks that race care drivers use to shift gears more efficiently. As well as how you can operate an older style non synchromesh transmission common in cars built before the 1950s.

I would like to take the time to thank each and everyone of you who read this far. This website has tons of more information on operating a car with a manual transmission, and hope it helps someone improve or learn. If you like this article feel free to read my other articles on this website.