What is the purpose of neutral gear in a manual transmission?
2 Answers
Manual transmission neutral gear serves the following purposes: 1. Reduces driver fatigue: Without neutral gear, the driver would need to keep the clutch pedal depressed when stopping, which not only wears out the clutch but also tires the driver. Therefore, neutral gear is necessary. 2. Saves fuel: Neutral gear is typically used when waiting at traffic lights for brief stops, and it's also recommended when towing. Some experienced drivers mention coasting in neutral to save fuel, but this practice is not recommended. 3. Prevents rolling: The neutral gear in manual transmissions is used when parking. For prolonged parking, shift into neutral and engage the handbrake to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
The neutral gear in a manual transmission is actually a very practical feature. After driving for so many years, I use neutral most often when waiting at a red light—it means I don't have to keep pressing the clutch, giving my foot a much-needed break. If I need to pull over briefly to buy something, shifting to neutral and pulling the handbrake is also more comfortable than leaving it in gear. Some experienced drivers might coast downhill in neutral, but I personally don't recommend it because it increases the braking distance, making emergency situations more dangerous. Another clever use of neutral is when towing—you must shift to neutral to avoid damaging the transmission. In neutral, the engine and wheels are disconnected, so the engine only needs to maintain idle speed, which does save a bit of fuel. However, it's worth noting that coasting in neutral can actually be less fuel-efficient for some fuel-injected cars because the ECU continues to inject fuel to maintain idle speed.
