Ford Aspire (1997 year). Instruction - page 29

114
Driving With a Manual
Transaxle (If equipped)
Using the Clutch
After the engine starts, allow it to idle for a few
seconds. Then, hold your right foot on the brake
pedal, push the clutch pedal to the floor with
your left foot, and move the shift selector lever
into 1 (First) or R (Reverse).
To move the vehicle, lift your right foot off the
brake pedal and slowly release the clutch pedal.
(You need to press down slowly on the
accelerator at the same time you release the
clutch pedal.)
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to hold
your vehicle at a standstill while waiting on a
hill. These actions will seriously reduce clutch
life.
Driving with your foot resting on the clutch may
cause the vehicle to jerk sharply when pressing
or removing your other foot from the
accelerator.
115
Shifting the Gears
The gearshift for a manual transaxle is mounted
on the floor. The gearshift can be in one of
seven possible positions, as shown.
Shift pattern
Always push the clutch pedal all the way in
when you shift. You should upshift according to
the speeds given in the chart later in this
chapter.
Sometimes, you will upshift at higher speeds.
For example, you may want to stay in a lower
gear to gain more power for passing or for
climbing a hill. However, you must stay within
the allowable range when you upshift or
downshift.
116
Backing up
To shift into R (Reverse):
1.
Bring your vehicle to a
complete
stop.
2.
Push the clutch pedal in all the way to the
floor and hold it. If you do not hold the
clutch pedal in all the way, you may hear a
grinding noise when you shift.
3.
Put the gearshift in Neutral and wait at least
3 seconds before shifting into R (Reverse) to
prevent a grinding noise. Do not release the
clutch.
4.
Then push the gearshift all the way to the
right and pull it down into R (Reverse).
When in 5 (Fifth) gear, you can engage R
(Reverse) only by moving the gearshift to
Neutral before you shift into R (Reverse).
This is a special lockout feature that protects
you from accidentally shifting into R
(Reverse) when you downshift from 5 (Fifth)
gear.
5.
Once R (Reverse) is engaged, slowly release
the clutch pedal from the floor.
If R (Reverse) is not engaged, continue to push
the clutch pedal in while you put the gearshift
back into Neutral. Then, release the clutch pedal
for a moment and repeat steps 2 through 5.
117
Upshifting
Most of the time, you should upshift at the
following speeds:
For better fuel economy, shift at these speeds.
Downshifting
When you slow down or climb a steep hill,
always downshift before the engine starts to lose
power. Downshifting reduces the chance of
stalling and gives your vehicle better acceleration
to increase speed again.
When you drive down steep hills, downshifting
helps you keep a safe speed and helps prevent
unnecessary wear on the brakes.
When you come to a stop, do not downshift
through each gear. Disengage the clutch and use
the brake as necessary. Downshifting through
the gears decreases your vehicle’s fuel economy.
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