How To Use Paddle Shifters

What do paddle shifters do and how do you use paddle shifters on your vehicle? Paddle shifters are a performance feature available on many vehicles in Toledo, Monroe, Michigan, and beyond–find out more about how to use paddle shifters at Vin Devers Autohaus of Sylvania, your local authorized Mercedes-Benz retailer.

What Are Paddle Shifters?

When you’re shopping for a new vehicle in Sylvania, you’re more likely to find paddle shifters on performance-focused vehicles and sportier trim levels because they allow drivers to switch gears quickly. They also offer more control to help you manage your RPMs better. Here’s how they work:

• You’ll typically find paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
• One paddle to bring you down to a lower gear, and one to bring you to a higher gear.
• When you shift a paddle, the clutch receives an electronic signal for gear selection and the gear shifts.
• By correctly downshifting with paddle shifters, you might even be able to extend the life of your brake pads.

How to Use Paddle Shifters

If your vehicle is equipped with paddle shifters and you want to use them, put your vehicle in Manual mode to give you control of the shifters for your Maumee drives.

With paddle shifters, you don’t have to worry about harming your vehicle when shifting gears (unlike with a traditional manual transmission), as the paddle shifters won’t change gears if:

• You upshift before the engine reaches the lower limit of the higher gear
• You downshift before reaching the upper limit of the lower gear
• You press one paddle while the other is being held down
• You press both paddles at the same time
• You try to shift to third or higher while stationary

If you want to switch back to the normal automatic transmission mode, just use your normal gear shift knob to enter D mode.

Learn More About Paddle Shifters at Vin Devers Autohaus of Sylvania

To learn more about how to use paddle shifters or to explore vehicles with paddles in person, contact us to set up an appointment, or simply stop by when it’s convenient. Our sales team will be happy to show you the new vehicles available with paddle shifters, and our finance team can provide finance or lease options.