Q: How do you use the manual transmission?

If your car is equipped with a manual transmission, you’ll need to shift through gears by hand rather than letting the transmission handle things. Here’s how to work the system:

• Always press the clutch pedal all the way down when shifting gears to avoid damaging the clutch.

• You have to press the clutch to start the engine.

1. Put your feet on the clutch and the brake.

2. Crank the engine.

3. Move the gearshift into 1 or R.

4. Let off the brake and move that foot to the gas pedal.

5. Let off the clutch while pressing the gas.

6. Repeat the clutch/gas combination to shift from 1 to 2 and so on.

Tips

• Don’t use first gear if you’re going over 30 MPH.

• The speeds Ford recommends for shifting are as follows:

  • 1 to 2: 13 MPH
  • 2 to 3: 25 MPH
  • 3 to 4: 33 MPH
  • 4 to 5: 44 MPH
  • 5 to 6: 52 MPH