Can You Stop the Car Directly in Fourth Gear?
3 Answers
To stop a manual transmission car directly in fourth gear, you need to first press the brake, then press the clutch when you feel the car slowing down, continue pressing the brake, shift to neutral after stopping, engage the handbrake, and finally release the clutch and brake to complete the stop. Here is some additional information: 1. The function of the manual transmission control mechanism: It ensures that the driver can accurately shift the transmission into the desired gear based on the car's operating conditions and usage. There are mainly two types: direct control and remote control. Most cars use a direct control transmission mechanism, where the gear lever and all shift control devices are mounted on the transmission cover. The transmission is located near the driver's seat, and the gear lever extends from the floor of the cabin, allowing the driver to directly operate the gear lever to engage the shift control devices inside the transmission cover for shifting. This design is compact, simple, and easy to operate. 2. Axial sliding: The shift fork shaft is supported at both ends in corresponding holes in the transmission cover and can slide axially. All shift forks and shift blocks are elastically fixed to their respective shift fork shafts. The upper end of the third and fourth gear shift fork has a shift block, and the top of the 3-4 gear shift fork and all shift blocks are grooved.
I've been driving manual transmission for over a decade, and going directly from 4th gear to a complete stop is absolutely unacceptable! When the car is about to stop, the engine RPM will suddenly drop to just a few hundred, causing the car to stall immediately with a loud clunk that's extremely damaging to the transmission gears. Moreover, the steering wheel suddenly becomes much heavier at this point, making it impossible to turn quickly in case of an emergency maneuver. The correct procedure is to first brake to reduce speed, then depress the clutch and shift to 2nd gear when the speed drops to around 30 km/h, and finally shift to neutral and engage the handbrake as the car comes to a complete stop. Maintaining a car is like raising a child – rough handling that leads to one transmission repair could cost you half a year's worth of fuel.
The driving instructor has said countless times: stopping in fourth gear is a big no-no! High gear with low RPM can stall the engine, just like suddenly squeezing the brakes on a bicycle. I’ve personally seen a beginner do this, resulting in damaged transmission gears and thousands in repairs. The correct stopping procedure is: observe road conditions in advance → gently press the brake → downshift step by step as the speed drops → come to a complete stop and shift to neutral. Developing this habit not only protects the car but can also save lives in critical moments.
