Avoid Doing These Things to Your Manual and Automatic Car

For some, a car can be just a source of transport, while for others; it might be a family member. Regardless of the feeling you have for your vehicle, there are sure things that you ought to never do to your manual and automatic car. Read on further to know the details.

List of Things to Avoid in Manual Cars

Manual cars include a manual gearbox, a clutch pedal, and a gear stick with a choice to switch between different gears. Following is the list of things to avoid in manual cars:

• While driving, never engage the clutch continuously

Engage the clutch only while pressing the brake or changing gears. Pressing it halfway while driving causes extra friction and the clutch will wear out soon. It will cause reduced durability and thereby increase the car’s maintenance cost.

• Avoid shifting the gears without engaging the clutch

If you will not engage the clutch while shifting the gears, it would harm your car. The clutch controls the contact between transmission and engine. You will experience jerky motions as there will be no right balance between gears and the engine’s speed. 

• Don’t leave your car in gear when stationary

When the car is stationary and you leave the car in gear, it depicts that the clutch is also engaged, and leaving it like this for long wears it out. 

• Never use the brake without pressing the clutch

It is not advised to hit the brake without pressing the clutch because the car will start jolting down and you need the expertise to handle that situation.

• Don’t use the wrong gear with the wrong speed

If you use the wrong gear at the wrong speed, it will stress the car. The car will make strange noise that results due to strain on the transmission and engine. If you continue doing this, it will cause more harm in the long run. 

• Before switching to the next gear, never accelerate for long

If you continue doing this for long, it will put pressure on the gearbox causing quick damage and more fuel consumption as well. 

• Don’t switch to neutral while driving

It’s a myth that switching the car to a neutral mode will save fuel. This is rather dangerous and reduces your control over the car which can create a life-threatening situation. 

• Don’t shift to the second gear immediately after the first gear

It is advised to shift to the second gear when the car is running between 5 to 15 mph. Doing so reduces the expected life of the gearbox and you cost you money. 

List of Things to Avoid in Automatic Cars

The automatic car adjusts the gears and does not have a clutch pedal. These cars have some advantages over manual cars, for example- automatic cars are easy to drive for differently abled people. Following are the things to avoid in automatic cars:

• No need to use two feet while driving an automatic car

While driving an automatic car if you accidentally press both pedals simultaneously, it can lead to a crash, and stress out the transmission fluid, brake fluid, and torque converter of the car. 

• Never switch ‘Park’ before it stops completely

If you press the park mode hurriedly before the car stops, it harms the transmission of your car. The parking gear holds the car while it is parked. In park mode, the wheels will not move.

• Never drive downhill while on neutral

Driving in neutral, the flow of fuel to the engine stops and reduces the control of the car and you can’t use the engine’s gears to slow down.  It is dangerous and one needs to quickly react while moving down the slope.

• Avoid resting your hand on the gear stick

Resting a hand on the gear stick has two drawbacks like wear & tear and endangered safety as it put pressure on the shifter rail, which then pushes the synchronizers that touch the gears causing friction. This friction can result in premature damage to the teeth of the gear. 

• Avoid driving with less fuel in the tank

Over some time, various foreign particles and contaminants can settle at the bottom of the fuel tank. When we try to drive with low fuel, these particles enter the engine which is harmful to the car.

• Don’t drive without warming the engine

The car should be warmed at least 30 minutes before driving because fuel works in its full efficiency in a good liquid state. In winters, let your engine warm before driving.

Conclusion

Be it automatic or manual, if the tips given above are followed properly will aid in the maintenance of your car and keep it in good condition for a long.

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