Starting a car and doing a hill start are important aspects when driving, and can be a problem for beginners. Fortunately, the process is not complicated, regardless of whether the car is manual or automatic, if you follow the steps and it will be easy.
Get in the car, sit in the driver’s seat and fasten your seat belt. Never drive without a seat belt. Besides the fact that it is illegal and you risk stinging fines, you endanger your health and you risk harmful accidents. Check the mirrors well to make sure you have maximum visibility in everything.
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Put the key in the ignition. The contact is usually positioned near the steering wheel and looks like a metal locket, usually with writing on it, and a hole in the middle for inserting the key. Put the key in the ignition all the way.
Some cars do not have a traditional metal key. They can have a plastic key, similar to a card that you insert in a designated space, or they can be equipped with a start button positioned in sight.
If you start a car with a manual transmission, place the gear shifter in the neutral position. It is important to make sure that the car is not in gear before starting it. If the gear shifter is not in the neutral position, or if it transmits power from the engine by transmission to the wheels when the engine starts, the car will start jerking from the spot and then stall. Furthermore, starting in gear may damage the transmission.
You can check if the car is in the neutral position by gently shaking the shifter. If it moves freely, it means that the car is not in speed. If it is rigid, it means it is in speed. In this case, depress the clutch (left pedal) and place the derailleur in neutral before starting.
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Cars with manual transmission have three pedals: clutch (left), brake (middle), acceleration (right). The clutch allows you to disengage the wheel motor while changing gears and must be operated with the left foot.
The next step is to start the engine. Press the clutch to the floor, using the left foot. Press the brake with your right foot and lower the handbrake (lever positioned between the front seats).
Turn the key two positions, and then turn it again a third position to start. You will feel a little opposition to the third position, because of the spring with which the system is equipped. Leave the key in your hand after turning it to the starting point. If you keep the key turned to maximum after starting the engine, you will hear ugly noises from the engine. Be careful not to accidentally remove the key from the ignition while turning it.
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If the key does not pass the first or second position in the contact and the steering wheel does not move, it means that the car has activated a steering wheel locking system. This is a safety system that ensures that the car will not start unattended. In this case, you will need to shake or move the steering wheel with sudden left-right movements to allow the keys to rotate.
To start from a standstill , keep the clutch pressed and the right foot on the brake. Put the gearbox in gear first, then release the brake. Move your right foot off the brake on acceleration. Very slowly, lift your left foot off the clutch while pressing the accelerator pedal with your right foot. If you are a beginner, it will take you a while to get used to the concomitant movements.
You will notice that the tachometer will indicate increasing values as you press the accelerator. Do not accelerate too hard, usually the tachometer should not exceed 2000 revolutions. Ideally, this will be a gradual and smooth movement, and will result in starting the car on the spot.
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Lift your left foot off the clutch and continue driving until the tachometer shows you that you need to change gears.
Photo: liveabout.com, unitedlocksmith.net