What Is a Manual Transmission?

The manual, or standard, transmission is a means of shifting gears in an engine. This type of transmission was the only transmission available until the 1940s when the automatic transmission was perfected.

Transmission

The transmission works as a cutoff between the engine and the wheels. The driveshaft connects the engine and the wheels, putting the energy of the motor through to move the car forward.

Pedals

A manual transmission automobile has three pedals on the floor of the driver's side: the left pedal operates the clutch; the center pedal is the brake; and the right pedal is the accelerator.

Clutch

The clutch pedal operates the clutch, which disconnects the driveshaft from the wheels. Releasing the clutch pedal connects the driveshaft again, and the engine continues to push the vehicle forward.

Gears

Shifting between gears is accomplished by pressing in the clutch to disconnect the driveshaft, shifting to a higher gear with the gearshift mechanism, then releasing the clutch to re-engage the engine.

Considerations

Constant shifting in stop-and-go traffic is much harder on a manual transmission than an automatic transmission.