Many times, drivers press the brake and gas at the same time inadvertently while driving. Do you know what happens if you hold the brake and gas? Let’s find out.
If you have played any kind of racing game, you might have pressed the forward and back button together by mistake and may have seen your car doing actions like burnout or becoming revved.
But have you ever thought about what happens if you hold the brake and gas of your vehicle in real life? Well, when you do this in real life, there are a lot of outcomes depending on how old your vehicle is and if it is automatic or manual.
Usually, in conventional automatic vehicles, when you hold the brake and gas pedal at the same time, the torque converter slips to some extent, and the engine may not rev very high than the normal RPM.
And when you leave the brake, your car will move faster. This is because when you remove your foot from the brake, the clutch will liberate, and the car will accelerate at a fast speed.
In this article, let us further look at the reasons why most racing drivers push the brake and gas pedal together and other related questions.
Why Do Most Drivers Step On Brake And Gas Pedal Together?
Let us look at some of the top reasons why drivers step on the brake and gas pedal at once.
#1. To Rev Up Engine
Most racing drivers want to go with the engine rev when they shift the vehicle’s gears. The gears shift smoothly when the brake and gas pedal is pushed together. However, it is essential to look at the engine speed while pushing the gas pedal to harmonize the lower gear speed.
Avoid doing any such thing if you are unprofessional. Doing any such mechanism will break down your vehicle’s transmission system in no time.
#2. Line Lock
Most professional drivers hold the brake and gas pedal to line lock. Line lock is mainly used in rear-wheel-driven vehicles as it helps warm up the wheels for better traction.
It causes burnout, and the brakes lock the front wheels and warm up the tires with the ground by friction. Drivers use line lock before a drag race to get the best grip or for some burnouts.
Remember, you can only use these in performance-driven cars as they have some inbuilt features. Avoid using launch control or line lock in your manual vehicles as it can damage any part or break its components.
You can check your vehicle’s manual to know if it supports any such feature. Follow the process given carefully, as there will be different ways to activate such features in your vehicle.
#3. Constant Pressure
It takes just a fraction of a second for the driver to change its foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal. If you do not step on these pedals the right way, it can damage the braking and transmission system of the vehicle.
So it is essential to learn the basics of using the pedal the right way before doing any such things in real life.
Maintaining constant pressure, also known as heel-toe shifting, makes the driver step on the brake and gas pedal using its heels and toe at the same time. Modern cars do not have this option as these cars can shift gears and accelerate automatically.
#4. Prevent Wheel Lock
Many drivers hold the brake and gas pedal simultaneously to prevent the wheels from getting locked. The rear-wheel-drive vehicles have more risk of getting the wheels locked.
So to balance the vehicle weight, most drivers press the brake and gas pedal altogether. Most racing car drivers try doing this before a race as it becomes easy to shift the gears when suddenly using the brakes.
You might like to read: 7 Reasons Why The Brake Pedal Goes To Floor When Engine Starts
What Happens If You Press The Gas And Brake?
In most performance-driven cars, pressing the gas and brake pedal is pretty common. It is also referred to as launch control, which allows the vehicle to receive maximum acceleration from a standing stop.
#1. Can you even do it?
Most modern cars nowadays come with various safety features, and these features will not allow the driver to hold the brake and gas pedal together.
Usually, the gas pedal will get released automatically when you step on the brake pedal. This simply means you cannot use the gas pedal and brake simultaneously. Some people step on both the pedals simultaneously to heat the gas and brake pedal.
#2. It can cause damage to the car
If you have an automatic car, you should not try doing this type of stunt, and it is better to use one foot to drive your vehicle.
This is because when you use both your feet while driving, you have more chance of pressing on both the pedals, which can damage your vehicle, putting pressure on the brake fluid, transmission fluid, and torque converter.
#3. Burnout
Moreover, if your vehicle has front-wheel brakes, it may result in burnouts. The front wheels may freeze while the rear wheels may spin and cause burnouts.
Can You Hold Brake And Clutch Simultaneously?
When you press the brake and clutch at the same time, your vehicle will stop instantly. Most of the time, when you press the brake and clutch together, the brakes may wear out and waste more power on your engine. And when you press the clutch, the car will slow down gradually.
Is It Bad To Hold The Gas Pedal Down?
Flooring your vehicle is ok and one of the best ways to use the gas pedal or accelerate. If your vehicle is automatic, you can press your foot to the floor and hold it until you cross the required speed limit.
When you use the brakes, make sure to release the clutch. People often press the brake pedal but forget to remove their foot from the clutch, thus masking the car stop. So it is better to release the clutch when using the brakes not to let the car stop and begin driving.
You might like to read: Brake Pedal Pushes Back When Stopping – What to Do?
A Few Final Words
Most drivers hold on to brakes and gas pedals simultaneously to lower the pressure and maintain the vehicle’s speed. However, most modern cars nowadays do not allow pressing the brake and gas together and come with many safety features.
Even if your car lets you do it, you should not press the brake and the gas together, because it can damage your car.
Thank you for reading, we hope we answered your question. If you still have doubts, drop us a word in the comments and we will answer them.
