Why stalling car

That dreaded thwak! Depending on where you are and who you're with, it's an error that can leave us red faced and praying the earth would just swallow us up. In reality, though, stalling really isn't that big of a deal. Everyone from learner drivers to seasoned boy racers will stall their car once in a while.

So, to soften the blow of stalling, we've put together this handy little guide to explain exactly what stalling is and how you can reduce the chances of it happening. Let's get stuck in! Stalling can actually refer to a number of issues that cause a car's engine to die. For the purpose of this article, though, we're sticking to the most common form of stalling—that which occurs when the clutch on a manual car is not released correctly.

To understand stalling, you need to have a good grasp of how the clutch actually works. The clutch pedal allows you to connect the gearbox of a car to its engine. When the clutch pedal is raised, the clutch plate and engine plate are engaged. One of the most important lessons you learn when getting to grips with driving is how to find the biting point. This is the name for the moment when the two plates meet. Eventually you will be able to feel when this happens, but you can also tell by listening for a change in the sound that the engine makes.

Stalling occurs when the clutch and, to a certain extent, the accelerator is not operated properly. While your car is running and the two plates are connected, they require the same rate of revolutions per minute, or RPM which you control by selecting the correct gear to keep the engine going. If this is not sustained, the car will stall, causing the engine to cut out. Similarly, releasing the clutch too quickly causes the plates to slam together, which will also result in a stall.

It is a common misconception that it is impossible to stall an automatic car. While it happens much less frequently, it is not unheard of. Automatic transmissions use what is called a torque converter, which controls transition fluid and ensures the engine stays running while you're driving.

The correct gears are chosen for you, so you have no need for a clutch pedal. The engine of an automatic vehicle will stall, though, if the torque converter fails. Obviously this is a mechanical issue, however, and is not usually the fault of the driver. When you think about stalling, often the scenario that comes to mind is that where you're sat waiting for a red light to change with a long line of traffic queued up behind you.

Press the foot brake all the way to the floor and start your engine. Vroom, vroom. Change gears from park to drive, but instead of hitting the gas pedal, do not take your foot off the brake. We repeat: do not take your foot off the brake! Keep pressing the brake pedal, but use your other foot to engage the accelerator pedal for a maximum of five seconds.

Check your tachometer for the stall speed and see if it reads lower than it should be. When you're done, be sure to remove your foot from the accelerator pedal first, then the brake pedal. Then you're safe to crank the parking brake back down. If you need to get a new torque converter, visit an auto shop. Or, if this whole process sounds like something you totally want to avoid, just head to a mechanic and ask them about performing a stall-speed test for you.

They can make a recommendation on whether or now you need a new torque converter. If your car stalls, then it means the engine has stopped working for any number of reasons. This can be the result of a mechanical issue or a problem with the air or fuel the car is receiving. Your car can stall in pretty much any situation.

Empty fuel tank. If your low fuel warning light is on, and it has been on for a while, this is probably the most likely cause. Bad fuel pump. Bad alternator. Your alternator is responsible for charging your battery and running many essential functions in your engine. If your alternator quits, your car will quit too. However, there are usually plenty of warning signs of impending alternator failure, including dimmed lights and your battery not charging.

It feels like the end of the world but it really isn't. Your examiner knows people stall all the time, however long they've been driving.

You handle it, keep going to the end and you may be absolutely fine. The only reason you're going to fail your driving test for stalling is if you don't deal with it well. Forgetting your observation because you're flustered is the biggest risk so you need to keep your moving off mantra Mirror-Signal-Manouevre in your head all the time, just in case. This is so easy to fix: put your clutch down.

Try not to put your clutch down too early - you don't need it down at 20mph but after that you may want to prepare for stopping. Anytime you're driving really slowly, you're likely to stall the car if you don't use your clutch or you're in too high a gear. When you're parking, you'll be going very slowly to make sure it's safe and you can adjust the angle of the car as you need to. If you're forward parking in a bay, you'll need to be in first gear and crawling forward - that means you'll need to have the clutch at the bite to keep yourself from stalling.

You might not even need to use your accelerator - having your clutch pressed slightly down will mean you'll keep rolling. If you're reverse parking into a bay or parallel parking, you'll be crawling in reverse gear. Again, that means you'll need your clutch at the bite so you're moving reeeeeeeally slowly but not letting your engine lose revs and cut out.

If you feel like you're about to stall, put the clutch down and use your foot brake to keep the car under control and don't forget your observation just because you're a bit thrown off.