Fig. 1.134. Manual transmission shift modes
The car's manual gearbox has a standard gear shift pattern. It is depicted on the gear shift knob. All forward gears have synchronizers and are therefore easy to engage.
Note: When engaging reverse gear, after the vehicle has come to a complete stop, hold the gearshift lever for at least 3 seconds in neutral position. Then move the lever to the reverse gear position.
Caution! When shifting the lever from 5th gear to 4th gear, be careful not to engage 2nd gear by mistake. Such abrupt gear shifting may cause excessive engine speed increase (tachometer needle in the red zone). Exceeding the maximum permissible engine speed may cause engine damage.
Using the clutch
Before engaging a gear, fully depress the clutch pedal and then slowly release it. Press the clutch pedal again only after it has fully returned to its original position. Do not keep your foot on the clutch pedal while the vehicle is moving. This may cause wear on the clutch disc. Do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle on a slope; use the parking brake for this purpose. Avoid releasing the clutch pedal abruptly or repeatedly.
For economical driving, it is recommended to shift gears at the positions indicated in table 1.5 speeds.
Correct driving techniques
Do not roll downhill in neutral gear: it is very dangerous. Always keep the gear engaged.
Avoid driving in a manner that requires sudden braking. This will cause the brakes to overheat and become less effective. On long descents, engine braking (including lower gears) should be used to prevent the brakes from overheating.
When shifting into a lower gear, apply the brakes slightly. This will help prevent the engine from over-revving and causing damage.
In strong crosswinds, reduce your vehicle speed. This will improve its handling.
Before engaging reverse gear, make sure the vehicle is completely stopped. Otherwise, the gearbox may be damaged. To move the lever to the reverse position, first depress the clutch pedal, move the lever to the neutral position, wait 3 seconds, and then move the lever to the reverse position.
Use caution when driving on slippery roads and when braking, accelerating and changing gears. On slippery roads, sudden changes in vehicle speed may cause loss of traction and loss of control of the vehicle.
Warning! If you lose control of your vehicle at high speeds, the risk of the vehicle overturning increases significantly.
Warning: Loss of control often occurs when two or more wheels leave the road and the driver attempts to steer the vehicle back onto the road.
Warning! If your vehicle has left the road rut, avoid turning the steering wheel sharply. Instead, slow down the vehicle before re-entering the road.