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What happens if you drive in too high a gear?
I am learning to drive a manual car and I am not sure I understand when to shift gears. If a higher gear means a faster engine, I should be in the highest gear on the highway. My instructor debunked this. What happens if you drive in too high a gear?
Bonnie Stinson · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
What happens if you drive in too high a gear, you will stress the engine and hear an obnoxious noise.
If you shift into a gear that is too high for the speed you’re traveling, it will stress the engine. The crankshaft will be strained while trying to force the engine to work harder. All of this leads to no benefit for you.
Unlike automatic vehicles, which mostly shift for you, you are responsible for shifting gears in a manual car.
The best strategy for appropriate shifting is to listen to the vehicle for a telltale thrum between RPMs. You can also train yourself to look at the tachometer, aka the RPM gauge. Try to stay in a gear where the RPMs are between 1,500 and 3,000. Otherwise, you should upshift or downshift.
Note that it can be equally damaging to drive in too low a gear. In this situation, the engine will rev and you’ll cause unnecessary wear and tear, not to mention the extra fuel you’ll burn.
Regular maintenance is the best way to keep a car in great shape. But a good
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policy is equally important, for unpredictable accidents and breakdowns. Young drivers often struggle to find affordable coverage. To find a cheap rate, try the free Jerry
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