1. Using a Manual Transmission
NV Driver Education Curriculum
Unit 3: The Driving Task
Presentation 4 of 7

2. Vehicle Transmission
A transmission converts engine speed into power to turn the wheels of a vehicle.
Shifting gears changes how the speed of the engine is transferred to the wheels.
Low gears provide greatest power.
Higher gears allow for highest speeds.
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Retrieved: 12/07/09

3. Manual Transmissions Manual-shift vehicles (manual transmissions)
Driver shifts gears and uses the clutch while driving.
When the clutch pedal is pressed down, the engine separates from the transmission, which allows the driver to change gears. 1 2 1
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Clutch image from:
Retrieved: 12/03/09 2

4. Position may vary, especially for reverse (R)
Shift Patterns
Position may vary, especially for reverse (R)
N = NEUTRAL position where no gears engaged
R = REVERSE for moving backward
Pattern printed on gear knob
4-Speed
5-Speed patterns
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Retrieved: 12/07/09 R

5. Gears 1st gear = 0-15 mph 2nd gear = 15-25 mph 3rd gear = 25-40 mph
4th gear = mph
5th gear = 55+ mph

6. How to Use Stick Shift Video
See eHow video
Learning to Drive a Stick Shift
(“H” Patterns)
(Tony’s Driving School-AZ)
(1:01)**
See eHow video
How To Drive Stick
(Willie Driving School-UT)
(1:28)**
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7. Advantages Better fuel economy Less expensive vehicles
May have less maintenance
Driver control
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Shift image from:
Retrieved: 12/07/09

8. Disadvantages Forces one hand off steering wheel on a continual basis
Inexperienced drivers may focus on shifting gears, rather than traffic
May inadvertently shift into wrong gear, cause engine and transmission damage
Greater workload on driver in stop-and-go traffic
Image from:
Retrieved: 12/07/09

9. Series L “Automatic Safety Transmission”
Did You Know?
Up until General Motors offered an automatic transmission in 1938, all cars were shift-it-yourself, with manual transmissions.
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Retrieved: 12/03/09
1938 Oldsmobile
Series L “Automatic Safety Transmission”