What are the Things One Should Consider While Changing Gears for Their Vehicle?

July 4th, 2022 by

A gear is a simple machine that controls the torque produced by the engine of a vehicle in alignment with the speed of the wheels to facilitate smooth vehicle movement. The transmission between its levels can be manual or automatic. At James Hodge Hyundai, Muskogee, OK, we deal with advanced cars having both transmission types – like intelligent manual transmission and predictive ICT automatic gear shift system. Read on to find out more about changing gears.

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How Can We Ensure a Smooth Gear Change?

  • The power will be more at a lower gear. Hence, go for the lower gear when you need a powerful acceleration and vice versa. Keep on changing the gears to accelerate as much as possible, for always revving the engine might easily wear it.
  • There is no sequence for changing gears, as and when the situation demands, you can shift from 1-3, or 3-1 and this will help you to save fuel.
  • We should be mindful of the gear that we are driving in. Driving in the wrong gear means that we are driving in a gear too high/low for the vehicle speed and that can damage the car internally.
  • When changing gear, take your foot off the accelerator and press down on the clutch completely before switching to another gear. Changing the gear correctly will ensure that your car stays healthy.
  • Listening to the engine while driving will enable you to understand the car when it needs a gear change.
  • Moving in neutral gear to save fuel will cause the gear to wear off quickly as you are minimizing your control over the vehicle and the dependence on the gear is overt.
  • Refrain from keeping your foot on the clutch when you are not changing gears. Minor pressure can affect the clutch, and this might lead to a serious repair.
  • Always make sure to change the gears swiftly and safely with authority.

Does Changing Gears Influence Your Car’s Well-being?

Some of the things that we do while changing gears can have an adverse impact on the vehicle’s health. For instance, resting your hand on the gearstick after changing gears for a prolonged time can affect the transmission. Why? This is because the gearstick is connected to a selector fork, which in turn is connected to the rotating gear shaft, and putting pressure on the gearstick will put pressure on the selector fork causing it to wear off early.

Also, when driving automatic cars, we should restrain from changing gear from drive to reverse before stopping the car as that is bad for the automatic gear transmission band, brake discs, and pads. The same can be said for manual transmission too, as it is advisable to avoid crunching the gears and wait till the car fully stops before shifting the gear to reverse.

Interior of 2019 Hyundai Accent showing automatic gearshift and seat.
Automatic Gearshift in 2019 Hyundai Accent
[Read more: James Hodge Hyundai Services]

Instant Gear Repair in Muskogee, OK

Our dealership, James Hodge Hyundai, Muskogee, OK, can aid in the maintenance of your gear system to ensure a long and healthy drive. Please reach out to know more.

[Also read: Schedule a Service or Repair]