How to Use Paddle Shifters in Your Maserati

What are paddle shifters? What do they do for the performance of your Maserati in Orlando? How do you use them? When it comes to car paddle shifters, our shoppers like you in and around Orlando have lots of questions. All of us at Maserati of Central Florida are here to provide you with answers! With that in mind, we invite you to peruse our guide on Maserati paddle shifters and how to use them below! Call 407-667-4300 anytime with questions as you read, or feel free to contact us online. 

What Do Paddle Shifters Do?

Paddle shifters were once only installed on sports cars with manual transmissions to make shifting gears easier and faster. Paddle shifters are found on either side of a vehicle’s steering wheel, but what do they do? Here are the details:

• In manual cars, paddle shifters can be used to change gears in lieu of the standard shift. 
• Paddle shifters don’t replace a manual shifter, they’re simply another convenient option.
• In cars with automatic transmissions with a manual mode, they override the automatic transmission’s gear changes, working like a manual transmission with the notable exception of you not having to depress the clutch. 

Why Use Paddle Shifters? 

Think of driving a manual car: you have to take a hand off the steering wheel to shift. Now think of an automatic car: you get much less driving engagement. In both manual and automatic Maserati cars, paddle shifters can make shifting more convenient, fun, engaging, and even more efficient. 

How to Use Paddle Shifters

The right paddle generally is used to upshift. The left paddle generally helps you downshift. 

Don’t worry about harming your vehicle when shifting gears, 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’d rather let the automatic transmission take over for a while, just enter D mode.

Learn More about Paddle Shifters at Maserati of Central Florida

Ready to learn more about how and why to use paddle shifters? Maserati of Central Florida can help! We also are here for you when it comes to answering other automotive questions like “Where is Maserati made?”. For all things Maserati-related, head to our Maserati research page.