What are the hazards of starting the engine without pressing the brake?
2 Answers
Except for models with one-button start, most other models can start the engine without pressing the brake. Strictly speaking, starting the engine without pressing the brake will not cause any damage to the car. However, for manual transmission models, if the gear is not in neutral before starting, the vehicle may lurch forward during ignition and collide with objects, causing damage. Additional information is as follows: Starting a manual transmission model with the brake pressed: This is the default operation method. Early manual transmission models could hardly ensure that the gear was in neutral and the clutch was fully depressed when starting. To prevent the dangerous phenomenon of the vehicle lurching forward during startup, it was common practice to press the brake when starting. With the advancement of technology, many manual transmission models now have sensors installed on the clutch pedal, preventing the vehicle from starting unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed. Therefore, current manual transmission models require both the clutch and brake to be pressed before starting. Essentially, automatic transmission vehicles will not experience lurching during startup as long as they are in P (Park) or N (Neutral) gear. However, people have brought the habit of driving manual transmissions to automatic transmissions. Gradually, some automatic transmission models have also been designed to require the brake to be pressed for startup.
Once I was in a hurry to go out and started the car without pressing the brake. The automatic transmission suddenly lurched forward, almost hitting the garage door, which gave me a real scare! The reason is that when starting an automatic car, you must press the brake to ensure safety. Otherwise, if the car is in drive or neutral, the engine may cause the car to move immediately after ignition. The biggest danger is accidental collisions: in parking lots or crowded areas, the car suddenly moving can hit other vehicles or pedestrians, leading to damage or claims. After making it a habit, I found it helps avoid safety hazards, especially when starting on a steep slope, which is even more dangerous. Although manual transmission cars are less likely to encounter this situation, it's still best to press the brake just in case. A small action before each start can save a lot of trouble and regret.
