What is the gear shifting sequence?
2 Answers
Sequence: lightly press the accelerator, release the accelerator, fully depress the clutch, and shift up. Below are the related operations for gear shifting: 1. Upshifting operation: After starting in first gear, appropriately press the accelerator to speed up before shifting up. Accelerate to 15~20 km/h to shift into second gear. When shifting, release the accelerator pedal, depress the clutch pedal, move the gear lever into the neutral position, then release the clutch pedal. After releasing, depress the clutch pedal again, then push the gear lever into second gear, and slowly release the clutch while gradually pressing the accelerator pedal to accelerate smoothly. The same method applies to other upshifts. 2. Downshifting operation: When downshifting is needed, release the accelerator pedal, depress the clutch pedal, push the gear lever into neutral, then release the clutch pedal. Lightly press the accelerator to increase engine speed (just a light press, do not exceed 3000 rpm), then depress the clutch pedal again, push the gear lever into a lower gear, and slowly release the clutch until the left foot completely releases the clutch. Then, press the accelerator to control the car speed in the new gear. Downshifting can skip one gear but must not skip two gears. When descending a long slope and needing to use engine idle speed to decelerate, downshifting can be employed.
I've been driving for 10 years, and my experience with gear shifting sequence is: start with 1st gear, shift to 2nd once the car moves, around 20 km/h shift to 3rd, 40 km/h to 4th, and above 60 km/h to 5th. This keeps the engine sound smooth without any buzzing. When decelerating, do the opposite—gradually downshift from 5th gear, and switch to 3rd or 2nd before intersections or turns to avoid sudden stops. The key is to watch the tachometer; I usually shift around 2500 RPM—too high strains the engine, too low stalls it. Hills require special handling: downshift one extra gear uphill and upshift one downhill for better climbing power and fuel efficiency. My driving instructor always emphasized not skipping gears, and now I understand it makes driving smoother and safer. Trying random shifts made the car jerk, annoying passengers. I recommend beginners practice more on simulators.
