Stalling in 2nd gear

alfman

How do I prevent stalling whilst driving really slowly in 2nd gear. A couple of times lately I've been coming up to a roundabout and I change down to 2nd and slow down approaching the roundabout. The roundabout was clear but the car stalled as I was trying to enter it .

Did I slow down too much?
Should I keep the clutch pressed in so car doesn't stall?
Should I just change down to first gear?

The same thing has happening to me when I'm driving around a car park really slowly.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Drop her into first if she's stalling on you! Don't ride the clutch, it'll cause problems with it in future.

whydoibother?

I only use the clutch for changing gears and stopping. If you need to use it owtherwise, you're in the wrong gear imo.

Regarding the car park, I've often noticed that I need to be in first when in that kind of really slow moving traffic.

ADIDriving

Either too slow for second. In which case first may be the better option. But some people change into forth by accident. Make sure this is not the case. Probably just the first one though.

starlit

If you are almost coming to a complete stop at a yield/stop sign or slowing around a roundabout too slow in 2nd gear at a very low speed less than 10mph then it's best to drop to 1st gear before stopping at sign/slowing around a roundabout.

Generally when you come to a yield sign/line before going on the roundabout you be either in 1st or 2nd gear, chances are likely you be in 1st and go up to 2nd, rarely have to go from 2nd to 1st unless you are going at a very very low speed under 5mph. if you you are about to stall, chances are the car is shuddering and jerking and will stall if in too high a gear when at a lower speed.

You were probably at too low a speed for the gear you were in when going around the roundabout and slowed down far too much.

For you, Its really the gear and the speed you should be concentrating on other than getting to biting point before going on the roundabout. If you press in the clutch you end up coasting while going around the roundabout so try to get to biting point (where the clutch and accelerator meet at the biting point) clutch down a bit meeting the gas pedal (if you lift the clutch up too quick or let it go too soon your car will stall even in 1st gear!), suit the gear for the speed you are at.

Normally what I do depending on the traffic and so on. I generally slow down at 2nd gear coming to a stop at a yield sign briefly if there is traffic on my right and stop and go when clear at 1st gear or if no traffic on my right and its clear to go I'd either be in 2nd gear or if I am too low a speed to go in 2nd gear I be in 1st gear. Generally be in 1st or 2nd gear going around the roundabout depending on circumstances.

Technically you go on the roundabout in 1st and go around it in 2nd gear.

When in a carpark best to stick with 1st gear if you can if going very very slow, otherwise you can stay in 2nd at more than 10mph but generally you be going into a carpark and going around it between 2mph-9mph on average so best to be in 1st gear.

In slow moving traffic around a carpark or if the carpark is very busy stick with 1st gear but if you there is a good bit of scope to go around the carpark and a lot of space 2nd gear be ok but you might need to get into 1st gear otherwise 2nd gear before going into a parking space maybe depends.

Be sure you are in the right gear though, the car will stall if you are in too high a gear at too low a speed.

Sparkie93

just a quick question about my car but if im driving in second and slow down a good bit and the car starts to stall it wont go into first unless i completely stop even if its only rolling a small bit i really have to force it to go in, do you have to stop to put it in first or is there a fault with my car ??

alfman

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll try dropping into first and see how I get on.

starlit

Sparkie, If you are about to stop and you think the car is about to stall while you are in 2nd gear, drop to 1st gear even though you are about to stop so that you stop in the correct place and position that's safe and not causing an obstruction.