Where is the reverse gear position in a manual transmission?
3 Answers
Manual transmission reverse gear position is the R gear. On the shift lever of manual transmission cars, there are markings. The reverse gear in automatic transmission cars is also the R gear. After shifting into R gear, the reverse gear will engage, allowing the car to move backward. Most manual transmission cars do not have a synchronizer for the reverse gear. The correct method to start a manual transmission car is: 1. Fully depress the clutch; 2. Shift into 1st gear; 3. Turn on the left turn signal; 4. Honk the horn as a reminder; 5. Release the handbrake; 6. Gently lift the clutch with the left foot; 7. The vehicle starts moving, keep the clutch steady with the left foot, avoid pressing down or lifting to prevent stalling; 8. After holding steady for 3 seconds, slowly release the clutch while gently pressing the accelerator with the right foot, then slowly release the accelerator, fully depress the clutch to shift into 2nd gear, and repeat this process to shift into 3rd gear, completing a smooth start.
As a veteran driver with 15 years of manual transmission experience, I know this issue all too well! The reverse gear position varies from car to car, but the most common ones are these three: either at the bottom right corner, like those old Santanas in driving schools; or at the top left, where you have to press the gear lever down first before pushing it over—my current car is like this, and I kept making mistakes at first; some cars have a pull ring on the gear knob, and you need to lift it to engage reverse. Remember, the car must be completely stopped, and the clutch must be fully depressed before shifting into reverse, otherwise the gear crunching sound can scare you to death. Once, a friend forced it into reverse, and the transmission just gave up—cost him 800 bucks to fix!
During my driving test, the instructor scolded me the most for reverse gear operation. The standard procedure is: step on the brake to bring the car to a complete stop → depress the clutch fully → with the right hand, push the gear lever all the way to the right → then press it firmly downward → finally push it forward to the upper left corner. Most Volkswagen group vehicles require this operation, and you'll hear a 'click' sound indicating the locking mechanism has released. The key point is to make sure the car is completely stopped! Last time in our neighborhood, a novice driver forced the car into reverse while the wheels were still moving, which directly shattered the transmission gears, costing over 2,000 yuan in repairs.
