In an automatic vehicle, paddle shifters are a fantastic way to enhance the driving experience and give the driver greater control.
For decades, paddle shifters have been used in racing. They enable the driver to quickly shift up or down without using the clutch pedal or taking their hand off the steering wheel.
Nowadays, paddle shifters are appearing on production cars and are not just used by professional drivers on performance cars. To help you understand your paddle shifters and improve your driving experience, we’ve put together this guide that will teach you how to use paddle shifters.
What Are Paddle Shifters?
The ability to shift gears, such as a soft override, is a feature that many automobiles, even those with automatic transmissions, give their drivers. What gives a driver some sense of control is a little paddle-like protuberance on the back of the steering wheel known as a paddle shifter.
The driver only needs to pull on the paddle to change speeds, unlike the clutch-pedal mechanism in a manual transmission.
The left paddle is useful to downshift, or shift to a lower gear when slowing down, and the right paddle is typically used to upshift, or shift to a higher gear while accelerating.
Nevertheless, because the car is entirely automatic, it will eventually upshift or downshift even if you don’t use the paddle shift.
The majority of paddle shifters only change one gear, with an upshift denoted by a plus sign and a downshift denoted by a minus sign.
Both paddles are situated on opposite sides of the steering wheel to facilitate this and prevent the unintentional pulling of the incorrect paddle.
The Benefits Of Paddle Shifters
Not all drivers are comfortable relying on the car’s computer to make gear selection decisions. It may be annoying to wait for the car to shift when you know you can do it faster if you recently switched from a manual to an automatic.
Instead of waiting for the computer to start up and start working, a paddle shifter eliminates that lag and irritation and allows you to shift at your own pace.
When you have to quickly slow down and maneuver around a tight corner or even just want to slow down on a slippery road, the paddle shifter is useful once more.
A car that applies the brakes too abruptly may fishtail or skid as it struggles to stay on the road. Downshifting a couple of gears causes the engine speed to automatically drop, slowing the car down without applying the brakes, making driving that much safer.
When you are driving downhill in bad weather or when you are pulling something that adds to the overall push and momentum of downhill driving, downshifting can also be useful.
Downshifting is a more practical and non-damaging alternative to excessive braking, which can result in tire and brake damage as well as skids.
With the aid of a paddle shifter, you can start the automobile in second gear rather than first with the aid of a paddle shifter.
Paddle-shifting to the second gear is your key to freedom if you’re trying to start your automobile in snow, mud, or any other scenario where the wheels could spin out and become stuck.
How To Use Paddle Shifters
Upshifting
- Accelerate using your gas pedal while paying attention to your tachometer. This can be found to the left of your speedometer. You should see that, as you accelerate, your tachometer increases, which will help you choose your shifting point while driving.
- Next, choose your shift point. During normal driving, you should shift between 2700 rpm and 3300 rpm. Every car varies, so you should use the tachometer to find your shift point and not your speedometer.
- To move up to the next gear while speeding up, press the upshift paddle on the steering wheel (see also ‘What Causes Death Wobble?‘). This paddle is often the one on the right and has a “+” on it in most cars. The engine speed will fluctuate audibly, and you’ll feel the gear shift.
- Once you’ve attained your desired speed, repeat the process. Make sure to continue moving up gears until your tachometer reads between 1500 rpm and 2000 rpm if you want to hold that pace for a long distance. This will guarantee that you keep your preferred cruising speed while maintaining good fuel efficiency.
- Depending on the driving style you want to adopt, adjust your shift point. A shift point between 2700 rpm and 3300 rpm is excellent for routine, comfortable driving. You should choose a shift point that is closer to your redline limiter for enthusiastic performance driving. This is typically denoted on the tachometer by red tick marks and red text.
Downshifting
- Use the brake pedal to slow the car down. Pay close attention to the tachometer; you’ll see that it drops off as you slow down. You can choose your downshift point with the help of this value.
- Choose your downshift point next. You need to downshift between 1800 and 2200 rpm if you’re coming to a stop. By doing this, you can be sure that you will be in the right power band to accelerate again before stopping without dragging the engine or damaging the transmission.
- To downshift a gear while slowing down, press the downshift paddle on the steering column. The paddle will typically have a “-” on it and be on the left in most cars. The engine speed will fluctuate audibly, and you’ll feel like you’re shifting gears.
- Continue doing this until you either stop or get the speed you want. For a better understanding of your shift points, make sure to practice the starting and stopping sequences.
Final Thoughts
With this guide, you’ll be able to get a basic understanding of paddle shifters and practice using them effectively. Once you’ve mastered the art of paddle shifting, you’ll be able to enjoy a comfortable and efficient ride in your vehicle.
