Controls and key bindings
Every Diesel n' Steel key binding on PC plus the touch layout on mobile: clutch, ignition, gear shifts, horns and indicators, and the method that saves EXP.
Shift is the clutch, F starts the engine, E shifts up, Q shifts down, H and J are the two horns, G flashes, X is hazard, Z and C are the indicators. Clutch in, start, gear up, release - in that order.
Diesel n' Steel is driven with a manual transmission, which is why so many new drivers sit at the terminal with an engine that will not turn over. The whole sequence is: hold the clutch, start the engine, shift into gear, then release the clutch to pull away. On PC that is Shift for the clutch, F for the ignition, E to shift up and Q to shift down.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| W A S D | Move the character, steer and drive |
| Shift | Clutch |
| F | Start the engine |
| E | Shift up a gear |
| Q | Shift down a gear |
| H | Primary horn |
| J | Secondary horn |
| G | Flash |
| X | Hazard lights |
| Z | Left indicator |
| C | Right indicator |
Starting the jeepney the right way
- Sit in the driver's seat and let the character settle.
- Hold Shift. The clutch is a hold, not a tap.
- Press F with the clutch held to start the engine.
- Press E once to move out of neutral into first.
- Release Shift and the jeepney rolls forward.
If the engine dies the moment you release the clutch, you released it with the gearbox still in neutral or you never actually held the clutch long enough. Repeat the four steps rather than mashing F.
Shifting while you drive
E takes you up a gear, Q takes you down. Listen to the engine rather than watching the tachometer: if it is screaming, go up; if it is labouring and the jeepney is shuddering on a climb, go down before the hill, not on it. Downshift before a terminal or a junction so you arrive slow and under control, which is also how you avoid colliding with the jeepney in front.
Horns, lights and indicators
The horn is not decoration in this game. Use the primary horn to signal a pass and to warn pedestrians at crossings, the secondary horn for a longer blast, and the flash key to signal that you are overtaking. Indicators are Z for left and C for right, and X gives you hazards.
Hazards have a practical use beyond warning people: parked at the roadside while you load, they stop other drivers clipping your rear end. Leaving an indicator on through a checkpoint is one of the fastest ways to get noticed by an enforcer.
Traffic rules the game actually enforces
The in-game gameplay manual lists the road rules, and they are enforced through EXP rather than through a police chase. The rules that matter in practice:
- Signal and flash before you overtake another vehicle.
- Keep a safe gap at intersections, pedestrian crossings and inside terminals.
- Do not clip the jeepney in front while queueing.
- Stop for passengers at the designated stops rather than parking in the middle of the lane.
Break one and EXP comes off your total. Crash and the parts take health damage, and repair bills eat the profit from the trip you just finished.
Driving on a phone or tablet
The touch layout mirrors the same actions. Steering appears on the left of the screen, and the clutch, ignition and gear controls sit on the right as buttons. The horn and light controls are smaller buttons near the gear pair.
A manual transmission on a touchscreen is genuinely harder than on a keyboard, so if you are learning the game on mobile, do it on the Guiguinto route where the fare is flat and the stops are close together. Do not learn the clutch on the Malolos run.
What to practise before you chase money
Practise pulling away from a standstill ten times in a row without stalling, then practise downshifting into the Bulakan terminal without hitting anything. Once those two are automatic, the only thing standing between you and a profitable hour is the paperwork, which is covered on the LTO hub, and knowing what to charge, which is in the fare matrix.
FAQ
Why will my jeepney not start?
You are almost certainly not holding the clutch. Hold Shift, then press F.
How do I change gear?
E shifts up, Q shifts down. Shift down before a stop rather than while braking into it.
Which key is the hazard light?
X. Z and C are the left and right indicators.
Can I drive with a keyboard and mouse only?
Yes. Steering is WASD and everything else is a single key, so no mouse input is required while driving.
