168 STARTING AND OPERATING
Fully press the clutch pedal before you shift gears. As you
release the clutch pedal, lightly press the accelerator pedal.
REVERSE gear is not synchronized and the vehicle must
be at a complete stop to shift into REVERSE gear. When
selecting REVERSE gear, the driver should pause (approxi-
mately 2 seconds) after pushing in the clutch pedal and
prior to shifting into REVERSE which allows gears to stop
spinning. Should an unwanted clash noise be produced,
the pause length should be increased.
NOTE: To shift into REVERSE from NEUTRAL, lift the
ring under the knob and, at the same time move the gear
selector to the right and then backward.
Use each gear in numerical order; do not skip a gear. Be
sure the transmission is in first gear, not third, when
starting from a standing position. Damage to the clutch can
result from starting in third gear.
NOTE:
• Clashing REVERSE gear, especially if vehicle is moving,
can result in transmission damage.
For most city driving, you will find it easier to use only the
lower gears. For steady highway driving with light accel-
erations, fifth gear is recommended.
• During cold weather, until the transmission lubricant is
warm, you may experience slightly higher shift efforts.
This is normal and not harmful to the transmission.
Never drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal, and
never try to hold the vehicle on a hill with the clutch pedal
partially engaged. This will cause abnormal wear on the
clutch.
Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for optimal fuel economy,
it should be upshifted as listed in the following table.
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