Do You Need to Press the Clutch to Shift to Neutral?

[LukasAnn]

Shifting to neutral can be achieved without pressing the clutch, but there are adverse effects. Negative impacts: Shifting to neutral is essentially disengaging the gear, so it can be done without pressing the clutch. However, there are two main drawbacks: first, it requires more effort, and second, it can cause excessive wear on the synchronizers inside the clutch or even damage due to gear-shifting shock. Precautions: Coasting in neutral has long been considered a fuel-saving technique, especially among truck drivers who often turn off the engine and coast in neutral to save fuel. However, for modern fuel-injected engine cars, coasting in neutral should be used with caution, and turning off the engine while coasting in neutral is not recommended. The ultimate goal of coasting in neutral is to save fuel, and it is true that an idling engine generally consumes less fuel than one running at medium or high speeds. However, most fuel-injected engine control systems feature deceleration fuel reduction or fuel-cut functions, making coasting in neutral unnecessary for fuel-saving purposes. In fact, coasting in neutral may end up "overcomplicating things," turning "fuel-saving" into "fuel-wasting."