How to Drive Stick Shift

Driving stick gives you power and options. Once you learn, you'll be prepared to drive in any car in any emergency situation, have better traction going up hills and around curves, and save thousand of dollars (stick shift's guzzle less gas and cost less).

Getting Started


The Five Gears

In an automatic car, when you into "D" (drive) the gears shift automatically. With a manual transmission, you have to shift the gears yourself. You can find them labeled 1 through 5 on the gearbox of your car, located between the driver's and passenger's seats. Each gear has a different function.

First Gear (up to 15mph)

This gear gets the car moving, but when you want to go faster, you have to shift to second... otherwise the engine will screech.

Second Gear (15 mph to 30 mph)

This gear helps you round sharp curves and climb hills with rough terrain, but if you want to go more than 30 mph, shift to third.

Third Gear (30 mph to 45 mph)

You can travel at a good pace with this gear and still stay in control when you round curves and go up gradual hills.

Fourth Gear (45 mph to 60 mph)

You don't tale a big curve in fourth, and you wouldn't go full speed in it either. You use it for quick transitions. Sometimes you won't even use fourth at all. Say you're going fast in fifth gear and see a sharp curve. You'll instantly slow down and drop into third to take the curve with more control.

Fifth Gear (60 mph and above)

Perfect for going straight ahead on the highway. Downshift to third gear before taking turns.



The Clutch

The clutch is located on the left of your brake. Remember "CBA" Clutch, Brake, Accelerator. Think of it as your key to switching gears. You can't switch gears unless your left foot is down on the clutch. Note: the clutch an gas work oppositely from one another. When your left foot is completely down on the clutch, your right foot is completely off the accelerator.''

Neutral: Your Best Friend at Stoplights and in Traffic

Neutral isn't a gear, but the absence of a gear. It is what you use when you don't want the car to move, but you still want to keep the engine running. Ever notice how people wiggle the shifter back and forth when they're waiting for a light to change? It's to make sure they're in neutral, because you can't jiggle when you're in gear.

Getting behind the Wheel

Now that you know stick-shift vocab, it's time to put it to use. Find a laid-back instructor because there's nothing worse than learning stick from someone with a stick up their butt. Learn to shift gears without the car running, practicing pushing the clutch in each time. Then, from the passenger seat, try it with someone else driving and the car using the clutch. Once you're comfortable, it's time to go.

Step 1

Put your right foot on the brake, and put your left foot all the way down on the clutch. Turn the key in the ignition, and shift into neutral to let the car warm up.

Step 2

Shift into first gear to start going forward, or reverse if you need to back out of a parking spot. Quickly move your right foot off the brake and onto the accelerator while slowly lifting your left foot off the clutch at the same time. Picture your legs as a see-saw; when one goes down on the gas, the other comes up off the clutch. You'll feel the car begin to move forward.

Step 3

When you want to go beyond 15 mph, shift into second by putting down the clutch and then shifting the gear. You'll feel the stick click into a groove. As you continue driving, you'll frequently need to switch gears depending on your speed. If you hear the engine straining and making a high-revving sound, shift up- you're in too low of a gear. If it's making a cough sound, you're in too high a gear, so downshift. After you've driven a few times, you'll naturally know when to shift.

Step 4

Learn to slow down smoothly. When you're coming to a complete stop (such as when you're pulling into a parking spot), apply pressure to the clutch while you brake and shift into neutral. If you don't press down on the clutch when you're stopping, your car will stall and give you and your passengers a jolt.

Step 5

Use the emergency brake when parking. Manual transmissions don't have "P" or "Park", so unless you pull up the emergency brake and keep your car in gear, you may find you're car isn't where you parked it.

Troubleshooting...

When You Stall the Car

When you lift up too fast on the clutch before giving the car any gas, the auto will just stop. Put your right foot on the brake and your left foot all the way down on the clutch to start the car again.

When You're Rolling Backward Down a Hill

Shift into first, accelerate slowly as you release the clutch pedal, then release the emergency brake to keep you from rolling back.