Should You Press the Clutch When Braking in a Manual Transmission Car?

[Cox]

Manual transmission braking does not necessarily require pressing the clutch; it depends on the vehicle speed, gear position, and engine RPM. The engine's power is transmitted to the gearbox through the clutch, and the gearbox alters the engine's RPM before transferring it to the wheels. Therefore, the engine and wheels always rotate synchronously at a certain ratio, meaning the engine RPM, gear position, and vehicle speed must correspond when the clutch is not pressed. For example, when a car is idling in 4th gear, the speed is about 20 km/h, which is the minimum speed for 4th gear. If the speed drops further, the engine RPM is forced below idle, risking stalling. When driving at 70 km/h in 4th gear and needing to brake, simply pressing the brake is sufficient without pressing the clutch. However, when decelerating continuously to 20 km/h, the engine RPM drops to idle, and the clutch must then be pressed to prevent further RPM drop below idle, which could cause shaking or stalling.