The RAC is advising drivers of manual transmission vehicles in the UK to reconsider several common habits that could be shortening their car’s life without them realising it. As the organisation supporting over 13.6 million UK motorists with breakdown, insurance, and motoring services, the RAC emphasises that the way you handle your manual car significantly impacts its longevity.
One surprising recommendation is to avoid leaving your car in gear at red lights. The RAC explains that keeping your vehicle in gear at a stop can unnecessarily strain the clutch, particularly the release bearing, as well as tire your leg muscles. Instead, they suggest shifting into neutral and applying the handbrake to hold the car stationary. This simple change can help prevent premature clutch wear and minimise costly repairs. While some drivers keep the car in gear for a quicker start when the lights change, the RAC points out that it only takes a moment to re-engage the gear.
The RAC highlights four other habits manual drivers should avoid:
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Resting your hand on the gear lever: When driving, resting your hand on the gear stick applies pressure to the gearbox’s selector forks, which engage the gears. Over time, this can accelerate wear and cause gear selection issues, such as noisy or crunching gears. The RAC advises removing your hand from the gearstick after changing gear and keeping it on the steering wheel instead.
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Holding the clutch on a hill to prevent rolling back: Using the clutch’s biting point to hold the car on an incline causes the clutch disc to spin unevenly against the pressure plate. This results in excessive wear of the friction material and increases the risk of rolling backward or stalling if the biting point is missed. The recommended alternative is to use the handbrake to keep the car stationary. Many modern cars now feature hill-hold assistance, which holds the vehicle briefly as you move your foot from the brake to the accelerator, preventing rollback.
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Resting your foot on the clutch pedal while driving: Keeping your foot on the clutch causes the release bearing to stay in contact with the clutch cover, generating unnecessary friction. This leads to faster wear and potential clutch failure, which is costly to repair, reduces clutch lifespan, and can impact fuel efficiency.
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Releasing the clutch too early or holding it below the biting point when moving off: This common issue, often seen among learner and novice drivers, causes the vehicle to jerk and places undue stress on the engine and transmission. Holding the clutch near or below the biting point during motion can cause overheating and wear. Regular practice helps drivers develop a natural feel for the biting point, enabling smoother control and reducing wear.
By adopting these practices, manual drivers can help extend their vehicle’s mechanical life and avoid unnecessary repairs.