8 uses of the gear shift paddles on the car's steering wheel

(Baonghean.vn) - LThe gear shift paddles integrated into the car's steering wheel are becoming more and more popular, even on popular cars; however, not all drivers know the uses of the gear shift paddles. Here are some of the following uses that you will surely enjoy.

1. Sporty driving feel

Function of steering wheel paddle shifters 1

With the car model equipped with paddle shifters, although it does not bring the same "cool" driving feeling as a manual transmission, the paddle shifters also help the driver have a sporty driving feeling while still being able to control the gears and engine speed.

2. Downhill

Use the downshift paddles when going downhill to take advantage of the engine braking ability, avoiding the brake discs overheating due to continuous braking. Press the (-) paddle to downshift until you reach the appropriate speed.

If the slope is decreasing and you want to go faster, press the (+) paddle to increase the gear. Depending on the slope, you can use 1, 2 or 3. Most cars allow you to use the paddle shifters even in D without having to shift to M or S. The car will stay in the gear you selected until you accelerate, at which point it will return to automatic mode.

3. Climbing

Uses of steering wheel paddle shifters when climbing hills

Shift into a lower gear to increase traction when climbing hills, similar to overtaking. Downhill and uphill can be achieved by the same "go up in the same gear, go down in the same gear" rule.

4. Overtaking effectively

It is understandable that it is uncomfortable to follow another car. Therefore, if you want to overtake them, the driver needs to use the gearshift in (-) mode. Your car in low gear will have more momentum and strength when combined with the accelerator pedal to accelerate, helping you overtake other cars in the same direction easily.

Only use it when passing on the highway, and remember to obey the laws when passing other vehicles. Similar to going downhill, you can use the paddle shifters to pass when in D.

5. Increased off-road capability

Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters increase off-road capability

In difficult, complex terrain conditions where the automatic transmission is slow to react to terrain changes, using manual gear shifting to master the gears will help you overcome them more easily.

6. Reduce fuel consumption

Once you get the hang of using the paddle shifters, you can upshift faster than you would normally with an automatic shift. Press the (+) paddle as soon as you lift your foot off the accelerator to minimize engine drag, the opposite of when you need it to coast downhill.

At this point the car is moving almost solely on inertia, many modern car models will automatically cut off fuel once the car is in the correct gear and the driver is not using the accelerator.

7. When the car loses its brakes

And the slowing effect

In case the brake system is no longer effective, to perform the deceleration process, we need to use the engine's braking force to reduce the vehicle's speed. Use the gear shift lever to return to lower gears to tighten the engine, thereby reducing the vehicle's speed.

8. Vehicle control in slippery road conditions

In some cases, you may not need as much traction when you first start off to help with control, like on slippery surfaces. In that case, you can use the (+) paddle to shift straight into 2nd gear and take your foot off the brake pedal.

Similarly, using the (-) paddle to downshift and slow down in slippery conditions can help you gain better control when braking. Practice downshifting and slowing down in the same way you would on a downhill slope. But be careful to do this sparingly, as using the transmission to stop the car instead of braking can damage the transmission in the long run.

Ngoc Anh

(Synthetic)