During the summer holidays, most families decide to take a vacation to a hill station or a place where they can escape the heat. But because of this, the roads to these hill stations become congested, and not everyone can drive on them easily. Recently, a video showing a number of cars parked on the side of the road with their bonnets open has been shared online. These cars most likely suffered from a burnt clutch after trying to cross a checkpoint before Manali, Himachal Pradesh.
This video of multiple cars broken down on the side of the road comes courtesy of Bunny Punia from Instagram. In this short clip, we can see a number of cars, including a Hyundai Alcazar, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Santro, and others, parked on the side of the mountain road. In addition, there was also a WagonR and a Baleno as well. All of these cars had their bonnets open.
The short video then goes on to show that there was a checkpoint ahead. It can also be noted that the traffic jam ahead of this checkpoint was extremely extensive, and numerous cars and trucks were standing with their engines shut off. As per the video, the location of this traffic jam is Himachal Entry Naka that comes just before Manali.
Why were these cars standing with their bonnets open?
Now, you may be wondering why all of these cars after the checkpoint were standing at the side of the road with their bonnets open. Well, the answer is that most of these cars suffered from a burnt clutch. As can be seen, the entire road is a steep uphill, and most of the drivers that come to visit the hill stations are not used to driving on such roads.
Hence, a lot of these inexperienced drivers use their clutch extensively. This then leads to the burning of the clutch and causes the vehicle to break down. The drivetrain becomes extremely hot after a while, and because of this, the car owners open the bonnet of the cars to let the engine and transmission cool down.
Not the first time we have seen this
This is not the first instance where so many cars were seen stopped on the side of the road with their bonnets open. Back in December of last year, another similar video was shared online. This incident took place on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.
For those who may not be aware, this busy expressway goes through the Western Ghats of India. And because of this, some of the sections of this expressway are very steep. So, as the traffic moves very slowly in these sections due to overcrowding, a lot of vehicles overheated. The constant engagement of the clutch caused them to break down.
How to properly drive on steep uphill roads without burning the clutch?
A lot of people reading this might already know how to drive cars on hilly roads. However, some of the readers might not know this. So, if you are one of those drivers who do not have the experience of driving on mountain roads, here are a few suggestions. The first thing is to ensure that you are using the right gear.
For manual transmissions, downshift to a lower gear, like first or second, before starting the climb. This provides the car with more power and control while avoiding frequent gear shifts. Automatic transmissions should remain in “Drive,” or you can manually select a lower gear.
Additionally, avoid riding the clutch by fully engaging it before accelerating and maintaining a consistent speed. This has to be done to reduce the need for frequent clutch engagement. Lastly, when starting on an incline, use the handbrake to prevent rolling backward.
Gradually release the clutch and press the accelerator. After this, release the handbrake once the car moves forward. Keep the engine RPMs within the power band to ensure adequate power without straining the clutch. Leave enough space in traffic to maintain a steady pace and minimize heavy loads to reduce strain.