Volkswagen Polo Quiz
Starting the engine, changing gear and parking

Manual gearbox: selecting a gear

In this manual: Starting the engine, changing gear and parking
Vehicle exterior — 4Vehicle interior — 8Instrument cluster — 14Before setting off — 14Opening and closing — 35Sitting correctly and safely — 46Lights and vision — 26Transporting items — 29Practical equipment — 20Starting the engine, changing gear and parking — 34Driver assist systems — 18Air conditioning system — 8At the filling station — 14In the engine compartment — 24Vehicle care and maintenance — 66Practical tips — 2In an emergency — 5Manual opening and closing — 6Vehicle toolkit — 4Hubcaps — 4Changing a wheel — 9Breakdown set — 7Fuses — 4Changing a bulb — 13Starting the engine with jump leads — 4Tow-starting and towing — 7
~2min read

Fig. 110 Gear shift pattern of a 5 or 6-speed manual gearbox

First read and observe the introductory information and safety warnings

The positions of the individual driving gears are shown on the gearshift lever .

  • Fully depress and hold the clutch pedal.
  • Move the gear lever to the required position .
  • Release the clutch to engage.

In some countries, the clutch pedal will have to be depressed fully in order to start the engine.

Selecting reverse gear

  • Reverse gear should only be selected when the vehicle is stationary.
  • Fully depress and hold the clutch pedal .
  • Move the gear lever to the neutral position and push down.
  • Push the gearshift lever fully to the left and then to the front in the reverse gear position .
  • Release the clutch to engage.

Shifting down

You should always select the next immediate gear when shifting down a gear whilst the vehicle is in motion. The engine revs should not be too high when doing this . Damage to the clutch and the gearbox can occur if one or more gears are skipped when shifting down a gear at high speeds or high engine revs, even if the clutch is not released in the process .

When the engine is running, the vehicle will start to move as soon as a gear is engaged and the clutch released. This also applies when the handbrake is on.
  • Never engage reverse gear while the vehicle is in motion.
Shifting gears incorrectly to a lower gear can lead to a loss of control of the vehicle, which can cause accidents and serious injuries.
NOTICE

Serious damage to the clutch and gearbox can occur if the gear stick on the manual gearbox is shifted to too low a gear when travelling at high speeds or at high revs. This also applies if the clutch remains depressed and the gears do not engage.

NOTICE

Please note the following to help avoid damage and premature wear:
  • Do not rest your hand on the gear lever when driving. The pressure from your hand is passed onto the selector forks in the gearbox.
  • Ensure that the vehicle has come to a full stop before engaging reverse gear.
  • Always fully depress the clutch pedal when changing gear.
  • Do not hold the vehicle by riding the clutch on a hill with the engine running.

Test yourself

A quick Volkswagen Polo quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.