Tech & Auto
Manual Transmission Guide: How & When To Use The Neutral Gear
By ROB RICH
Knowing when and how to use Neutral in a manual transmission is arguably more important than it is with an automatic, but it’s oddly simpler than an automatic.
The Neutral gear disconnects the engine from the car's wheels and allows the vehicle to coast via momentum or gravity rather than being propelled by the engine.
It’s the spot between gears rather than a separate setting like First or Reverse. Pushing in the clutch and moving the gear shifter out of its current gear, puts a car in neutral.
One good way to double-check without letting up on the clutch is to try wiggling the shifter from side to side. If it moves freely, you're probably in Neutral.
One of the most common uses for Neutral is any time you're stopped while the engine is still running — traffic lights, jams, that kind of thing.
Neutral is also necessary whenever your car is moved passively by any means other than the engine, like if it has stalled or you’re being towed.