Paddle shifters are a nifty invention that allow drivers to shift gears without removing their hands from the steering wheel. You’ll mostly find paddle shifters on sports cars, where they provide faster and improved control under intense driving conditions.

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Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you can’t deny that paddle shifters are pretty cool! Let’s learn how they work.

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What are paddle shifters?

Paddle shifters are levers that are attached to the steering wheel. Once in manual mode, a driver can shift gears using only their thumbs without waiting for the transmission to determine when to change gears.

Paddle shifters come in a set of two. Left and right levers are located on the side of the steering column. In most cases, the right lever triggers an upshift and the left lever triggers a downshift. The plastic or metal levers are shaped like tiny paddles, hence the name.

Where did paddle shifters come from? This innovation originated in Formula One racing, where it benefited drivers by allowing them to keep both hands on the wheel at all times.

Today, you’ll mostly find paddle shifters on sports cars, performance vehicles, and a few other models. There’s even a

Honda Fit

with paddle shifters!

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How do paddle shifters work?

Automatic transmission

In automatic vehicles, paddle shifters typically rely on fixed gears (and sometimes planetary gearing) along with a torque converter and disc packs to control the engagement and disengagement.

Manual transmission

If your vehicle has a manual transmission and paddle shifters, it will be equipped with sensors that perform the work of the clutch. The manual driver’s experience is similar to an automatic driver’s experience.

CVT (continuously variable transmission)

Without gears, the CVT uses belts and pulleys to transition between gears. Most of these vehicles utilize artificial shift points to mimic the sensation of shifting.

Paddle shifters in these vehicles (such as the

Nissan Altima

) allow the driver to move manually through these false shift points.

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How to use paddle shifters

Automatic transmission

In an automatic vehicle, you might be tricked into thinking that shifting happens seamlessly. In reality, there’s a lot going on!

To initiate the use of paddle shifters, you must put the transmission of your automatic vehicle into manual mode. When your vehicle is in manual mode (and in Drive), you can use the paddles.

To know when to shift, keep an eye on the RPMs (revolutions per minute). Consider upshifting around 2,500 RPMs. Pay attention to the sounds your engine is making—you’ll get the hang of it with practice.

To return to automatic mode, you usually need to hold one of the paddles down for a few seconds and then release it.

Manual transmissions

You probably won’t ever have to deal with paddle shifters in a manual unless you find yourself in a vehicle with an actual clutch—or a Formula One race car.

To use paddle shifters with a manual transmission, just remember to press and then release the clutch to get started and depress the clutch again when you stop. Otherwise, you can use the paddles as you would in an automatic.

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Safeguards

Worried about doing something incorrectly? Car manufacturers have created safeguards to ensure that you cannot do anything seriously dangerous while operating paddle shifters.

While in manual mode, you’re technically in control of the gear shifting. However, most consumer vehicles with paddle shifters have a setting that prevents drivers from exceeding safe RPM limits and damaging the powertrain.

The first safeguard is automatic downshifting. If you don’t shift back into 1st or 2nd gear when you stop, for instance, the car will do it for you.

The second safeguard is that only one paddle can operate at a time. You can’t press both simultaneously, even by accident.

Be aware that some performance models allow the driver to redline in one gear before a forced upshift is performed.

MORE: How to drive stick or manual cars

Pros and cons of using paddle shifters

PRO: Responsivity to new situations. Paddle shifters help you stay adaptable when road conditions change.

PRO: Downshifting for relief on brakes. On a hill, paddle shifters allow you to downshift a gear or two to help ease the pressure on your brakes.

CON: Fuel consumption. You may burn fuel faster if you permit the RPM to increase higher than usual before upshifting.

When is the right time to shift gears with paddle shifters?

Shifting at the right time is a fine art, whether you’re using paddle shifters, a gear stick, or a gear selector. The right timing all depends on your goal. For example, do you want more power? Do you want more ease for your engine?

Listen to the engine signals to understand when to shift gears. The sound of the RPMs should alert you that it’s time to upshift. To learn, practice watching the tachometer to track the RPMs. The right shifting place is usually between 2,500 and 3,000 RPMs.

Some cars have warning lights in the instrument cluster to alert you to the right timing.

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