Should the clutch be pressed when applying intermittent braking?

[LeJesse]

Intermittent braking does not necessarily require pressing the clutch, especially during high-speed driving. Simply adjust the speed appropriately before applying the brakes. The functions of intermittent braking are: 1. To prevent wheel lock-up and skidding; 2. To avoid overheating of brake pads, which could reduce braking performance. Intermittent braking involves initially pressing the brake slightly until the vehicle noticeably decelerates, then releasing the brake. When the vehicle feels like it's about to lose braking resistance, press the brake again, repeating this cycle. Braking, also known as deceleration, refers to the action of stopping or reducing the speed of moving locomotives, vehicles, other transport tools, or machinery. In a car, the brake is located below the steering wheel. Pressing the brake pedal activates the brake linkage, applying pressure to the brake shoes on the brake drum, which then clamp the brake disc to slow down or stop the vehicle.

[OMarcus]

As the last batch of students I trained as a driving instructor, I often tell them: whether to press the clutch during intermittent braking depends on the speed and intention. If the speed is higher than the idle speed of the current gear, you don't need to press the clutch when simply slowing down with intermittent braking. In this case, the wheels can actually drag the engine to rotate, making the deceleration more stable. However, if you're braking intermittently at low speeds, especially when the speed drops below idle, not pressing the clutch can easily cause the engine to 'jerk' and stall. Remember a simple rule of thumb—if the car starts to 'jerk' during intermittent braking, quickly press the clutch. Usually, observe the tachometer more often. When it's below 1000 RPM, prepare your left foot in advance during intermittent braking. The clutch plate is much cheaper than the embarrassing sound of stalling.

[DeHaley]

My old manual transmission Jetta has clocked 180,000 km, sharing some practical tips: Don't always depress the clutch during stop-and-go traffic. When performing short brake taps to reduce speed (e.g., from 30km/h to 25km/h), maintaining gear position saves clutch wear. However, you must engage the clutch when coasting to a stop before red lights - otherwise, the engine will stall when speed drops below 10km/h. Once during heavy rain, I stalled at a crosswalk without clutch engagement and got honked at relentlessly - utterly embarrassing! Now I fully depress the clutch around 1200 RPM and shift to neutral while coasting, protecting the transmission while keeping throttle response ready.

[AlexLee]

The experienced transmission repair master said: Half-clutch during brake tapping is the most damaging to the car! Especially the brake tapping before rev-matching downshifts, many people habitually press the clutch while brake tapping, causing prolonged friction and overheating of the release bearing and pressure plate. In reality, allowing the wheels to engine brake during brake tapping can actually reduce braking distance (by about 15%-20%), which is more effective than the manual transmission hill start assist function. However, be sure to press the clutch just before coming to a complete stop, as the engine will be struggling to 'catch its breath' when the speedometer drops below 5 km/h.