Do You Need to Press the Accelerator When Using Paddle Shifters?
4 Answers
You do not need to press the accelerator when using paddle shifters. Here is an introduction to paddle shifter operation: 1. Installing paddle shifters in a family car is equivalent to adding a manual mode to the automatic transmission, allowing gear shifts without taking your hands off the steering wheel. This makes driving smoother and quicker while adding some fun to the experience. 2. Paddle shifters are usually located behind the steering wheel, around the three o'clock and nine o'clock positions, with one on each side. Common paddle shifters have the left paddle for downshifting and the right paddle for upshifting. Some models do not differentiate between left and right; instead, they allow shifting by simultaneously pulling or pressing both paddles. When using paddle shifters, the driver only needs to shift the gear to D, S, or manual mode. Once the engine reaches the appropriate RPM, the driver can switch to the suitable gear using the paddle shifters.
I've been driving a car with paddle shifters for five years, and this thing can't replace the accelerator. Paddle shifters are just a tool for manually switching gears, completely different from the accelerator. For example, when overtaking, I first press the accelerator to speed up. If the power feels insufficient, I use the paddle to downshift. At this point, the engine RPM surges, but I still need to keep pressing the accelerator to surge forward. Without pressing the accelerator, downshifting is useless—the car will just coast slowly. In traffic jams, using the paddle to shift to a lower gear still requires coordinating with the accelerator to control the speed. Otherwise, the engine RPM will drop too low or even stall. Remember, paddle shifters only save you the trouble of using the gear lever—power output is entirely controlled by your right foot.
Last week, I tried the paddle shifters in my friend's performance car and realized how crucial throttle coordination is. When shifting with the paddles, keeping the throttle pressed actually makes the shift faster, but you have to get the rhythm right. For example, accelerating out of a corner while upshifting keeps the RPMs from dropping; if you forget to press the throttle, the gear shifts but the power doesn't follow, causing the engine to lug and jerk. Even in daily driving, like at a red light, after shifting to D-mode and using the paddles, you still need to press the throttle to move. Paddle shifters essentially let you command the transmission to shift, but the actual speed depends entirely on how much throttle you apply. After installing aftermarket paddles, it's even more important to fine-tune your footwork—don't assume you can skip the throttle altogether.
When I first drove a car with paddle shifters, I thought pressing them would accelerate the car, which turned out to be a joke. Later, I realized that the paddles only replace the gear lever's shifting function, and the throttle control is still underfoot. To upshift and accelerate, you must press the throttle to bring the engine to the appropriate RPM before using the paddle. When downshifting to overtake, you need to press the throttle deeply at the same time. Once, when starting on a steep slope, I only used the paddle to downshift without pressing the throttle, and the car rolled back half a meter. Now, when teaching my wife to drive, I always emphasize: the paddles are not magic acceleration buttons; those two little flaps under the steering wheel must be used in coordination with the throttle pedal.
