Manual Transmission: Apply Handbrake First or Shift to Neutral First?
1 Answers
After parking, first engage the handbrake, then shift to neutral. After coming to a complete stop: Once the vehicle is fully stopped, first apply the handbrake, then shift to neutral, and finally release the clutch. Depress clutch and shift gears: Finally, release the brake, turn off the turn signal, shut off the engine, depress the clutch, and shift to neutral. Below is extended information about the uses of neutral gear and handbrake: When in neutral gear: The vehicle will not move or stall when the engine is running. Release the clutch first to prevent directly releasing it without shifting to neutral, as this could cause the vehicle to move if the engine is running without the handbrake engaged or brakes depressed. After stalling, shift into first gear to prevent the vehicle from moving in case the handbrake cable breaks or the slope is too steep, using the first gear's teeth to lock the vehicle in place. When applying the handbrake: This secures the vehicle. If on a slope and you shift to neutral before applying the handbrake, forgetting to depress the brake could result in the vehicle rolling. For automatic transmission vehicles, if not shifted into Park (P) when parking, the key cannot be removed. Some automatic vehicles cannot shut off the engine unless shifted into Park (P) when parking.