The clutch pedal is a pedal located to the left of the brake pedal in manual transmission cars. Its purpose is to release or join the rotary motion of the engine with the gear change. When the clutch pedal is pressed, the clutch disengages the engine from the transmission to allow shifting to a different gear. This is necessary because changing gears in a manual transmission car requires disengaging the power flow from the engine to the transmission. The clutch is a disc that accomplishes this disconnection, and the assembly around it includes whats called a diaphragm spring, which allows the clutch to engage or disengage the engine depending on whether youve pressed the clutch. When the clutch pedal is released, the clutch re-engages the engine and transmission, allowing the car to move forward or backward.