Skoda Rapid Owner's Manual page 102

100 Starting, shifting gears, parking
NOTICE
Pedals must be operable at any time without hindrance. For example, if one of
the brake circuits fails, it takes a longer brake pedal travel to bring the vehicle
to a stop. The brake pedal must also be depressed further and harder than
usual in this case.
Manual gearbox: Engaging a gear
ä
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 98.
The positions of the individual gears are shown on the gearshift lever
● Fully depress and hold the clutch pedal.
● Move the gearshift lever to the desired position.
In some countries, the clutch pedal must be depressed all the way down to start
the engine.
Engaging the reverse gear
● Engage the reverse gear only when the vehicle is stationary.
● Fully depress and hold the clutch pedal while the vehicle is stationary.
● Move the gearshift lever to the neutral position and press it down.
● Move the gearshift lever to the left and then forward to the reverse gear posi-
tion R .
Shifting down gears
Shifting down should always be done one gear at a time, i.e. to the next lower
Ð
gear, and not at too high engine speeds. Skipping one or more gears when shift-
ing down at high vehicle or engine speeds can cause considerable clutch and
gearbox damage, even if the clutch is not engaged.
When the engine is running, the vehicle starts moving immediately after you
engage a gear and release the clutch pedal. This also applies if the handbrake
is firmly applied.
● Never engage the reverse gear while the vehicle is in motion.
Improper downshifting to gears that are too low may result in loss of vehicle
control, causing accidents and serious injuries.
Fig. 69 Shift pattern of the 5-
Moving the gearshift lever at high vehicle or engine speeds to a gear that is
speed manual gearbox.
too low could result in considerable clutch and gearbox damage. This applies
even if you keep depressing the clutch pedal, without engaging the clutch.
⇒ f ig.
69.
Observe the following to prevent damage and premature wear:
● Do not rest your hand on the gearshift lever while driving the vehicle. The
pressure of your hand is transmitted to the shift forks in the gearbox.
● Make sure that the vehicle has completely come to a stop before engaging
the reverse gear.
● Always depress the clutch pedal all the way down.
● Do not hold the vehicle on slopes with a "slipping" clutch with the engine
running.
WARNING
WARNING
NOTICE
NOTICE
Ð