How to Drive a Care With a 5 Speed Transmission

Before the 1950s, all cars and trucks sold in the U.S. were manual transmission vehicles. The introduction of automatic transmission made driving much easier to learn. Vehicles using automatic transmission became very popular despite having lower fuel efficiency and power than those using manual transmission. Advocates for manual transmission cite these benefits and the fun of driving with a stick shift. Most drivers, however are still put off by the learning curve. This article will help by telling you the basics of driving a car with a manual five-speed transmission.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

How to Drive a Car With a Five-Speed Transmission

1. Engage the clutch with your left foot (it's the left-most floor pedal) by pushing it all the way to the floor. Put the shifter into neutral. While keeping your right foot on the brake, start the engine.

2. Make sure the parking brake is off. Move the shifter into first gear and slowly ease up on the clutch while taking your right foot off the brake and moving it to the accelerator. As you are letting up on the clutch, start giving the car a little gas by pressing lightly on the accelerator. The key is to keep the revolutions per minute (RPM) constant until the clutch catches and the car begins to move. At that point, let up completely on the clutch and further depress the gas pedal. If the car stalls, engage the clutch and turn the key to start again. If you don't know where to look for the RPM, check on your dashboard display. Next to the speedometer and usually of equal size is the RPM display (tachometer). This display shows how fast the engine is running, which is determined both by the current gear and how much gas the engine is being given.

3. Switching into the higher gears is easier than going from a dead stop to first. For optimum fuel efficiency, upshift at approximately 3000 RPM. Take your foot off the accelerator and press the clutch to the floor. Move the shifter into the next highest gear and then slowly let the clutch out while slowly depressing the gas pedal. Repeat for each succeeding gear.

4. When slowing down, use the brake as you would in an automatic transmission until you get into the under 10 mph range. At this point you should engage the clutch to keep the engine from stalling as you come to a stop. When ready to start again, shift into first gear.

5. Generally, the gear you are in can be thought of in terms of speed, with first gear from 0 to 15 mph, second gear anywhere from 5 to 25, third gear from 15 to 45, fourth from 30 to 60, and fifth from 50 to top speed. Keeping this in mind and also watching the RPM will help you learn what is the ideal speed to shift up or down.

6. Backing up works in much the same way except you use the reverse gear. With the clutch engaged, move the shifter to R and use the same clutch/gas method as moving into first gear.

Tips & Warnings

• Getting used to a five-speed transmission involves a lot of practice. Most people recommend starting in an empty parking lot with few obstacles to get used to the techniques needed. When learning, avoid traffic. Ask someone who knows how to drive a five-speed transmission to accompany you for guidance.
• Five-speed transmission vehicles have many benefits, but they require more concentration to drive. Make sure you are not distracted while driving, especially when you are first learning.
• You will notice a redline on your tachometer. It is important that you not push the engine speed much past the redline as irreversible engine damage can occur.

Resources

• Wikipedia Manual Transmission Article