Should You Depress the Clutch When Braking?

[NicoleLee]

Generally, you should depress the clutch when braking. The specific situation depends on factors such as vehicle speed, gear position, and engine RPM, as detailed below: 1. The engine's power is transmitted to the transmission through the clutch, and the transmission then alters the engine's RPM (gear shifting) before delivering it to the wheels. The engine and wheels always operate synchronously at a certain ratio. 2. When the clutch is depressed, the connection between the engine and the wheels is severed, allowing them to operate independently. However, when the clutch is not depressed, the engine RPM, gear position, and vehicle speed must generally correspond. The engine RPM has a lower limit, which is the idle speed. If the RPM falls below idle, the engine is very prone to stalling.