Teach Me How to Drive a Manual CarBy Kate Miller-WilsonWhether you recently bought a new vehicle with astick shift, or you just want to be prepared for an emergency, it's a great idea to learn to drive a manual car. Knowing how to shift gears and use aclutch will give you greater freedom when it comes to renting a car, buying a new vehicle, or borrowing a friend's car. Manual transmissions are often more fuel efficient, better for towing, and even more fun to drive. With the following handy printable instructions, a supportive friend, and a bit of patience, anyone can learn this usefulskill.Before You Start DrivingBefore you get behind the wheel, it's important tounderstand a few basic facts and terms related tomanual transmissions. nlike an automatic transmission, a manual re!uires the driver to shift gears during driving. "or the most part, the interior of a car with a manual transmission looksthe same as the interior of an automatic, but there are a few subtle and important differences.Tachometer#n most manual cars, there is a gauge on the dashboard called the tachometer. $ou can use thetachometer to determine the current %&M of the engine. 'n general, higher %&Ms mean more power, but there's a limit to this rule. (he red area of the gauge, called the )red line,) signifies %&Ms that are too high for your engine. *hifting gears allows you to keep the %&Ms from reaching this level.Clutch Pedal(his pedal is located on the driver's left, and it is operated with the left foot. &ushing in the clutch pedal allows you to disengage the current gear and change to a new gear.Gear Shifter(he knob located in your car's center console area is the gear shifter. When driving a manual car, you need to use this knob to change gears orput your vehicle in neutral. $ou'll notice that the shifter has a diagram on the top of it. (his tells you the location of each gear.Getting Started&rint this free manual transmission guide+,ow that you understand the basics, it's time to learn to drive a manual car. "ind a place without a lot of obstacles, such as an empty parking lot ora back road with very low-traffic, and get ready to drive.Get amiliar !ith the CarBefore you even turn the key, it's a great idea to get familiar with the car you're about to drive. *itin the driver's seat and make sure the seat is adjusted so you can easily push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor. (ry pushing the clutch pedal in a couple of times, keeping your right footon the brake to make sure the car doesn't move. Be sure the gear shifter is in neutral.Start the "ehicle,ow it's time to start the vehicle. "ollow these steps./. With your left foot, press the clutch pedal all the way down to the floor.0. With your right foot, step on the brake.1. %elease the emergency brake, and once again, confirm that the gear shifter is in the neutral position.2. (urn the key in the ignition. (he car shouldstart up.Shift into irst GearKeep your left foot on the clutch and your right foot on the break. *hift into first gear, moving thegear shifter to the left and up. #nce the car is in gear, you can take your foot off the brake.Drive or!ard$ou're ready to roll+ 3ere's how you drive forward./. Move your right foot so it is hovering over the gas pedal.0. 4ery slowly, begin to lift your left foot off the clutch as you press down on the gas pedal with your right foot. (his is called )slipping the clutch,) and it can take some practice. 'deally, this will be a gradual, smooth movement, and it will result in the car gently rolling forward. 'n reality, you cane5pect to stall the car a few times or lurch forward suddenly as you learn this step. 6ll it takes is practice. 'f the car stalls, return to)*tart the 4ehicle) to restart it.1. %emove your left foot from the clutch and continue driving until the tachometer indicates that it's time to shift to second gear.Going asterWhen the tachometer indicates that the engine is operating at appro5imately 1,777 %&M, it's time to shift gears. $ou may find that your car is geared to shift at a lower or higher %&M, but while you're learning, 1,777 is a good benchmark. 3ere's how you shift up./. (ake your right foot off the gas pedal.0. With your left foot, press the clutch pedal all the way to the floor.1. se the gear shifter to select the ne5t gear. 'f you're currently in first gear, then you'll need to select second gear. Move the shifter out of its current position and into the ne5t one.2. *lowly lift your left foot off the clutch as your depress the gas pedal with your right foot. (ake your foot completely off the clutchonce the car is moving smoothly forward.8. %epeat this process for each gear.Slo!ing Do!n'f you need to slow down, it's important to remember that you need to shift down as well. 'f you don't, the car will stall. 3ere's how to down shift./. *tep on the brake with your right foot untilthe tachometer reaches about 0,777 %&M.0. With your right foot still on the brake, use your left foot to push the clutch pedal all theway to the floor.1. Move the gear shifter out of its current gear and into the ne5t gear down.2. (ake your right foot off the brake and move it over the gas. *lowly press down on the gas pedal while letting up on the clutch. (he car will slow down.8. (o continue slowing the car gradually, keep down shifting.Sto##ing the Car*topping is a little more complicated in a manual car than it is in an automatic. 9ust like slowing down, you'll need to depress the clutch pedal to keep from stalling the car. 3ere's how you can stop without stalling./. %emove your right foot from the gas pedal.0. &ress the clutch all the way to the floor with your left foot.1. :epress the brake pedal with your right foot. 't's important to have the clutch all theway to the floor before you step on the brake.2. Move the gear shifter into neutral and takeyour foot off the clutch. Wait for the car to stop.$eversing'f you need to go backwards, you'll have to shift the car into reverse./. "rom a stop, press the clutch all the way to the floor with your left foot.0. Move the shifter into reverse. (his gear is located all the way to the right and to the back of the gear shifter.1. &lace your right foot over the gas pedal. *lowly depress the gas pedal as you let out the clutch. (he car will begin to move backwards.Par%ing the CarWhen you're ready to park the car, make sure thevehicle is in neutral. ;ngage the parking or emergency brake, and remove your foot from thebrake pedal. (urn off the ignition.'t's important to note that if you're parking the car on a hill, you should leave the transmission infirst gear. (his will ensure that the car does not roll away if the parking brake fails for some reason.Trou&leshooting Common Pro&lems*ome new drivers liken shifting a five-speed to trying pat your head while rubbing your stomach.(here are a lot of things to think about at once, and it's perfectly normal to run into a few problems. (hese challenges are easy to fi5 with practice.Car Won't Start'f you're trying to start the car with no success, check to make sure you have the clutch pedal pressed to the floor. Most modern automobiles will not start unless the clutch is in.(ngine )s $oaring's the engine making a roaring noise< 'f the engine sounds loud and the tachometer is readinga high number, chances are good you are revvingthe engine. (his means you're giving the car too much gas without fully engaging the gears. (o fi5 the situation, don't press down as hard on the gas pedal and let off on the clutch a little bit.Car Kee#s Stalling'f you find that the car keeps stalling out when you try to drive forward, it's likely because you aren't giving it enough gas. &ress down a bit more on the gas pedal as you let out the clutch. %emember that this part takes a lot of practice, and it's perfectly normal to stall the car a lot when you're first learning.Car *urches or!ardneven or sudden acceleration is also a common problem for many drivers. sually this means that you're letting out the clutch too suddenly. (ryto lift your foot off the pedal gradually, and you'll probably get a smoother ride.There's a +orri&le Grinding ,oiseWhen you shift gears, you're making a series of teeth engage in a series of holes. 'f they don't match up !uite right, you'll hear a terrible grinding noise. (he key here is to rela5 and try again. 't takes a little practice to know where the gears are and to make sure the car is fully in gear.Car $olls Bac%!ard'f you have to stop at a light or a stop sign and start on a hill, you may find that the car rolls backward. (his can be really scary if you're in traffic, so it's important to practice the situation as much as possible before you head out on the town. Basically, the balance between the gas and the clutch is a little different when you're starting on a hill. =ive the car a bit more gas than you usually would to offset the effects of gravity. 'f you find yourself in this situation and have another car right on your back bumper, pull up onthe emergency brake as you shift into first gear. 9ust remember to release the emergency brake right away once you start moving to avoid damaging your car.-n the $oad in ,o Time:riving a car with a manual transmission doesn't have to be scary. 'n fact, many people enjoy the increased feel of being in control of the vehicle that comes withdriving a standard. With a little practice and a good sense of humor, you'll be on the road in no time.