The hand controls

The positions of some of the controls, such as indicators, light switches and windscreen wipers, vary from model to model.

Before you drive an unfamiliar vehicle, you should get to know the positions of all the controls. You should never have to fumble or look down for them when you’re driving.

Keep your eyes on the road.

The steering wheel

The steering wheel should normally be controlled with both hands.

Function

The steering wheel controls the direction in which you want the vehicle to travel.

It controls the steering mechanism, which turns

• the front wheels in most vehicles
• all four wheels in vehicles with four-wheel steering – limited to a small number of models.

How to use the steering wheel

For best control

•  keep both hands on the wheel, unless you’re changing gear or working another control with one hand. Return that hand to the wheel immediately after you’ve finished the task
• avoid resting your arm on the door, which can restrict your movement
• grip the wheel firmly, but not too tightly; when the vehicle is moving you need very little effort to turn the wheel.

Steering lock*

This is the angle through which the front wheels turn when you turn the steering wheel; it can be either ‘right lock’ or ‘left lock’.

Turning the steering wheel as far as it will go is called ‘full lock’. The amount of lock varies from vehicle to vehicle.

Small cars will generally turn in a smaller circle than larger vehicles. Taxi cabs are an obvious exception as they have a very small turning circle.

* Not to be confused with the steering-column locking mechanism, which engages when the ignition key is removed on most modern vehicles as an anti-theft device.

Steering

You should

• place your hands on the steering wheel in a position that’s comfortable and which gives you full control
• keep your movements steady and smooth
• turn the steering wheel to manoeuvre round a corner at the correct time.

Oversteer and understeer

Vehicles vary in how they behave when turning at various road speeds.

Some respond more than you would expect in relation to the amount of turn you give the wheel (oversteer). Some respond less (understeer).

You must get to know the characteristics of your vehicle before you drive in traffic, and drive extra carefully until you’re familiar with its behaviour.

Power-assisted steering

Power-assisted steering (PAS) is generally standard in today’s vehicles.

PAS makes steering easier by reducing driver steering effort and gives a lighter feel to the steering.

On some vehicles the amount of power assistance reduces with increased speed.

PAS is most useful at low speeds, such as when manoeuvring in a tight corner or parking.

With PAS the steering feels light and you can easily turn the wheel too much, especially if you’re used to driving a vehicle not fitted with it.

‘Dry’ steering

When you’re manoeuvring, try to avoid turning the steering wheel when the vehicle is stationary. This is known as ‘dry’ steering and may cause

• damage to the tyres
• wear in the steering mechanism.

This applies whether you have PAS or not.

The gear lever

The gear lever is normally to the left of the driving seat, either on the floor or on a raised console.

Some cars have the gear lever protruding from the instrument panel; others have a gear lever on the steering column.

Function

The gear lever enables you to change from one gear to another.

The gearbox

The gearbox contains the gears, which control the relationship between engine speed and road speed.

First gear provides the greatest force at the driving wheels and is normally the one you use to get the vehicle moving.

As you speed up, you change up to the higher gears, each one giving you less gear force but more road speed. Top gear provides the least force, but usually has the widest range of speeds. Using as high a gear as possible for speed and road traffic conditions saves fuel.

Most modern cars have five or six forward gears, while heavier vehicles often have many more.

As well as the five or six forward gears, there’s a reverse gear.

In neutral, no gear is engaged.

The clutch links the engine to the road wheels through the gearbox and allows the gradual connection of the engine to the wheels.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles may have a double gearbox with high- and low-ratio ranges, which effectively double the number of available gears. The lower range is normally used off-road.

Gear positions

Most cars have five-speed or six-speed gearboxes. On a five-speed gear lever, the first four gears normally form an ‘H’, while reverse and fifth form an additional ‘I’. Many cars are designed so that you can’t move straight from fifth to reverse gear, and the gear lever automatically springs back into neutral when no gear is engaged. This tendency of the gear lever to line up with particular gears is known as bias. Third and fourth gears are often lined up.

Some older cars have four-speed gearboxes. These have the gears in an ‘H’, with reverse extended on the left or right.

Avoid looking down at the gear lever

You should have a mental picture of the gear layout. This will enable you to change gear without looking at the diagram on the top of the gear lever. Your eyes should be on the road.

With practice, changing gear becomes second-nature.

For automatic transmission systems, see section 22.

The parking brake

Sometimes the parking brake is referred to as the handbrake.

Position

The parking brake lever is normally mounted on the floor, just behind the gear lever. In some vehicles it’s just under the instrument panel, while on other models the parking brake is applied by operating an additional pedal.

Function

The parking brake holds the vehicle still when it has stopped.

In most cars the parking brake operates on the rear wheels only. If it’s applied while the vehicle is moving, there’s a real danger of locking the braked wheels and skidding.

The parking brake shouldn’t be used to stop a moving vehicle, except in an emergency such as footbrake failure – very unlikely with dual-circuit braking systems.

Applying

Apply the handbrake firmly according to your manufacturer’s guidelines. Refer to your vehicle handbook to check the correct procedure for your vehicle.

Releasing

Pull the lever up slightly and press the button in to release the ratchet. Then, keeping the button in, move the lever to the ‘off’ position.

On some vehicles, instead of pressing a button, the parking brake is released by twisting the hand grip.

Electronic parking brake

Some modern vehicles are fitted with an electronic parking brake which is operated with a switch or button and releases automatically when you drive off.