What Causes Stalling While Practicing Driving?
3 Answers
There are two main reasons for stalling while practicing driving: stalling at startup and stalling during driving. Stalling at startup is mainly caused by releasing the clutch too quickly. Stalling during driving is primarily due to a mismatch between speed and gear. Here are solutions to prevent stalling: Stalling at Startup: Press the clutch pedal fully and shift into first gear. Slowly release the clutch until you feel the car shaking at the semi-engaged state. Then release the handbrake, keeping your left foot steady without moving. Wait for the car to move for one or two seconds before fully releasing the clutch, then accelerate and shift gears. Stalling During Driving: Stalling during driving usually occurs when braking suddenly at a high gear. This happens because the speed does not match the gear. The correct approach is to press the clutch pedal fully before braking. Once the car is about to stop, shift to neutral and apply the handbrake. Precautions After Stalling: If the car stalls while driving, press the clutch, shift to neutral, restart the engine, and then engage the gear. If possible, pull over to the side before restarting. If the engine stalls while driving on a highway, immediately turn on the hazard lights and left turn signal, observe the left lane, and use the car's momentum to pull over for inspection or contact a 4S shop for assistance.
As a novice who just got my driver's license, I also went through the stage of frequent stalling while practicing. The most common situations were lifting the clutch too quickly when starting, causing the engine to stall due to insufficient power; or not lifting the clutch enough before releasing the brake on a slope, leading to the car rolling back and stalling. I remember once waiting at a traffic light, when the light turned green, I pressed the accelerator too hard and released it too quickly, causing the car to jerk and stall, earning me angry honks from the cars behind. Also, being unskilled at shifting gears can easily cause stalling, especially when downshifting from second to first gear without fully depressing the clutch. Looking back now, the key is to find the clutch's engagement point—when the car body starts to vibrate, hold it steady and slowly add throttle. It's best to practice in an open area with few cars; with less pressure, it's easier to get the rhythm right.
Last week, my cousin stalled the car five or six times during our driving practice, which reminded me of my own embarrassing moments when I first started. The core issue with stalling a manual transmission lies in the coordination between the throttle and clutch: pressing the accelerator too lightly results in insufficient torque, especially in small-displacement models; lifting the clutch too high or too abruptly cuts off power transmission; and incorrect gear shifting is even more critical—for example, forcing into third gear at 20 km/h will inevitably cause a stall. For beginners, I recommend practicing 'revving in neutral' first: press the accelerator to hold at 2,000 RPM while stationary, then slowly release the clutch to feel the power transfer. Don’t be afraid of hills—pull the handbrake tight, release the clutch slowly, and when the car’s front slightly lifts, release the handbrake and apply throttle. Be extra cautious when practicing in the rain, as tire slippage on wet roads can also lead to accidental stalling.
