How to properly downshift with paddle shifts (auto)

[mikeinmobile]

Down shifting will almost always cause a car to slow down. The faster you're going the more forward lunge you're going to feel as well as the engine revving. Having your foot on the brake is fine and doesn't change the principle of using the engine/tranny to slow the vehicle. As the other poster mentioned, you can slow or stop a lot quicker by braking and downshifting simultaneously. Take PALMERGA's advice and practice using the downshift to slow down.

Typically I manually downshift when I want to make some exhaust pop coming to a stop, set up to burn out/leave hard, grab a lower gear to pass or to brake hard without putting all the pressure on just the brakes.

[Evergreen6]

Just a comment - The point of downshifting is not to slow the car down.

Also, you will not stop faster by downshifting AND braking. The car's brakes are enough to provide more braking force than there is traction, so downshifting the transmission doesn't provide any more stopping power than just the brakes themselves. You may think it does; and it might even feel like it, but you're applying the same amount of force to stop the car, but it's split between engine compression and braking force when you downshift, versus just brakes. A car can only stop so fast; the limiting factor is traction with the road.

Downshifting is a strategic move to keep the engine in a particular power output, for setting up for a corner, change in grade, based on desired speed.

If I recall from driving an automatic SS and an automatic C6 a few different times, the key to a smooth Tapshift downshift is to do it when the engine is not under load. So when the car is already slowing down, or when the driveline is slack or moving at a constant speed. You don't want to do it when you've got your foot on the throttle.

[SSGUNNER]

Op, have u driven an actual manual tranny? Will do just the same if not more.

[PalmerGA]

Originally Posted by 6bangerBOOM

Did you spell thyme like that on porpoise?

Ummm... what do ewe think?

[Rock-It Man]

Originally Posted by Evergreen6

Just a comment - The point of downshifting is not to slow the car down.

Also, you will not stop faster by downshifting AND braking. The car's brakes are enough to provide more braking force than there is traction, so downshifting the transmission doesn't provide any more stopping power than just the brakes themselves. You may think it does; and it might even feel like it, but you're applying the same amount of force to stop the car, but it's split between engine compression and braking force when you downshift, versus just brakes. A car can only stop so fast; the limiting factor is traction with the road.

Downshifting is a strategic move to keep the engine in a particular power output, for setting up for a corner, change in grade, based on desired speed.

If I recall from driving an automatic SS and an automatic C6 a few different times, the key to a smooth Tapshift downshift is to do it when the engine is not under load. So when the car is already slowing down, or when the driveline is slack or moving at a constant speed. You don't want to do it when you've got your foot on the throttle.

Good write-up. Keep your foot off the gas. The car will rev match your downshifts.

But personally, I think sport mode works better than my fingers, so I leave the paddles alone most of the time.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Mrpaintballordie

Everytine I'm using the paddle shifters when I downshift it makes a harsh lunge forward a harsh jerking movement. So I'm curious is there is a trick to doing it?

Originally Posted by Mrpaintballordie

Usually have my foot on the brake am I not suppose to?

It's lunging forward because you aren't even trying to rev-match the engine up to the rpms it needs to be in once the lower gear engages, and the current PCM either isn't smart enough to do this for you or was and got stupid somewhere along the way.

#1 - don't even bother paddle-shifting when you're just slowing down. Use it for when you see an upcoming need for a little more acceleration or want to hold a lower gear through a longer turn.

Yes, there is a trick that ought to work - and this comes out of the world of stick-shift driving. What I know works with "regular" automatic transmission shifters for sure is that you can kick the gas as you move the shift lever toward the lower gear. If you screw up, you'll get a lurch anyway, which could be in either direction depending on how you screwed up (too much kick or too little). I'm guessing that this will work with the paddle shifters . . . although timing your throttle kick might be more critical with the paddles than with a regular shift lever.


Norm

[Bulldog3071]

trade it in and get a straight drive you won't have that issue

[TOYMARO]

"blip" the throttle.

[Ringo64]

Gotta find the sweet spot to rev match so you don't get that lunge and you go gear to gear. The computer will shift for you if you fall off the RPMs needed to keep going or won't let you shift if the RPMs will be above the rev limiter. Somewhat like a manual transmission in this respect. Otherwise you have a little spectrum to "cock" things up and get the lunge, as James May would say.

[NYCamOwner]

I use it all the time to slow down, it saves on the breaks..
You just have to learn what RPM's in what gears you can use at what speeds.

[mikeinmobile]

Originally Posted by Evergreen6

Just a comment - The point of downshifting is not to slow the car down.

Also, you will not stop faster by downshifting AND braking. The car's brakes are enough to provide more braking force than there is traction, so downshifting the transmission doesn't provide any more stopping power than just the brakes themselves. You may think it does; and it might even feel like it, but you're applying the same amount of force to stop the car, but it's split between engine compression and braking force when you downshift, versus just brakes. A car can only stop so fast; the limiting factor is traction with the road.

Downshifting is a strategic move to keep the engine in a particular power output, for setting up for a corner, change in grade, based on desired speed.

If I recall from driving an automatic SS and an automatic C6 a few different times, the key to a smooth Tapshift downshift is to do it when the engine is not under load. So when the car is already slowing down, or when the driveline is slack or moving at a constant speed. You don't want to do it when you've got your foot on the throttle.

I wasn't suggesting that the point of downshifting was to slow down. However downshifting will slow a vehicle without applying the brakes and using the tranny and brakes is a common practice with manual cars. I'd be interested to see some data on braking with and without downshifting. I rarely do this in my automatic but I have used some quick downshifts with the brakes when having to stop hard.

[TOYMARO]

Originally Posted by NewCamOwner

I use it all the time to slow down, it saves on the breaks..
You just have to learn what RPM's in what gears you can use at what speeds.

I DONT use the trans to slow, brakes are allot cheaper than a clutch or trans parts. Now if road racing, use the brakes , rev match, release clutch, pin it again

Originally Posted by mikeinmobile

I wasn't suggesting that the point of downshifting was to slow down. However downshifting will slow a vehicle without applying the brakes and using the tranny and brakes is a common practice with manual cars. I'd be interested to see some data on braking with and without downshifting. I rarely do this in my automatic but I have used some quick downshifts with the brakes when having to stop hard.

See above. Brakes are cheaper than any other part. I use em

[NicksVSix]

Originally Posted by Mrpaintballordie

Everytine I'm using the paddle shifters when I downshift it makes a harsh lunge forward a harsh jerking movement. So I'm curious is there is a trick to doing it?

Twice when I've downshifted to pass using the paddle shifters it hopped down 2 gears....suddenly I'm at like 6000 RPM and heart stomping panic ensues.

I dunno why that happens so I tend to not use the paddle shifters any more. Just Sport Mode when I'm feeling a bit frisky, lol.

[CocoaKid]

Originally Posted by NicksVSix

Twice when I've downshifted to pass using the paddle shifters it hopped down 2 gears....suddenly I'm at like 6000 RPM and heart stomping panic ensues.

I dunno why that happens so I tend to not use the paddle shifters any more. Just Sport Mode when I'm feeling a bit frisky, lol.

It threw me off of it at first too, but the cars are designed so you can't put it in a gear lower than it can handle. For reference (mines 2011) you can be doing 150-160 km/h and be at the top of 3rd but you're at 6-6500 Rpms which can be a little unsettling lol.

I've realized with mine that optimal power and pull is about 5000 rpms