Preface: I grew up in the suburbs where I learned to drive on a stick. However, I went to college and live in New York City (going on 15 years now), so my experience as a driver is rather limited. Now on to the problem. I am currently on vacation with friends in Costa Rica. We rented a beau…

Leave it in first gear and rev the engine very high RPM(stay below redline) and turn off AC. If there is a low range (likely not) use that. Are you slipping at all or just stalling?

Just stalling. It’s a bit nervewracking. Should I have my emergency break on as I’m ascending, just in case I stall?

No, keep the revs up in first gear. Putting on the emergency brake while trying to go forward does no good.

Maybe you could exchange the manual for an automatic. If not, remain in 1st gear and don’t over rev the engine. And descend the hill in 1st gear also.

How many friends do you have? Perhaps it would help to take multiple runs up the hill with only one or two passengers each time. Definitely turn off the air conditioning. My first reaction was to say that you should be in first gear all the way, since that’s the lowest forward gear ratio. Howeve…

Don't use the brake when going up, it will only make it more difficult. Just stay in first and below the red line RPM. You don't really need to shift at all while going up and you don't need to go fast up the hill, but keep it fast enough that it will not stall. BTW on the way down, keep in in f…

Theres a fine line on rpms. High Rs can result in breaking traction and breaking traction on a hill like this means starting over

The reason for climbing the hill in first gear at high engine RPM is because the engine will make maximum power somewhere near redline, not at low engine speed. Keeping the air off lets you use that small part of engine power output that would run the air conditioner for forward vehicle motion. Fi…

Driving up a very steep mountain road with a manual transmission

Maintenance/Repairs

_Deleted_User1111116 December 22, 2010, 5:45pm 9

Know the gear you can climb the hill in. Get there upon approach and stay there. Possibly second gear if not first. The air conditioner does rob you of power…turn it off. Rent a 4x4 and you can take a nice easy cruise up the drive

Topic		Replies	Views
Driving up a steep hill using a manual General Discussion manual-transmissions , daihatsu	27	24379	January 3, 2011
Steep Driveway Maintenance/Repairs honda , fit	45	11597	December 15, 2010
Car slowing down on hills Maintenance/Repairs nissan , sentra	11	9072	August 9, 2010
Mazda 3 6-gear on steep hills? General Discussion	14	6002	January 9, 2013
Manual car question Maintenance/Repairs mitsubishi , lancer	43	3149	September 20, 2016

Driving up a very steep mountain road with a manual transmission

Related topics