Can You Stop Directly in Third Gear?

[NicoleLee]

You can stop directly in third gear. Below is a detailed introduction about car gears: Speed range: First gear corresponds to a speed of 0-5 km/h. Second gear corresponds to 5-20 km/h, third gear to 20-40 km/h, fourth gear to 40-60 km/h, and fifth gear to 60-100 km/h. Gear shifting timing: For most cars, the ideal shifting point is when the engine reaches 2000 r/min, and should not exceed 2500 r/min. For some high-displacement, high-power engines, shifting can be done around 3000 r/min.

[VanWalker]

I made this mistake when I used to drive a manual transmission car. I tried to stop the car by directly hitting the brakes while in third gear, and the engine suddenly made a 'clunk' sound and stalled, which gave me a scare. Later, a mechanic told me that doing this forces the clutch to bear the load abruptly, which can easily cause engine wear or damage to the spark plugs. Before coming to a complete stop, you should gradually decelerate, such as downshifting to first gear or simply shifting to neutral, and then stop smoothly. Developing good habits can save a lot on repair costs, especially for older cars where attention to detail is crucial—don’t cut corners and end up with problems.