Paddle Shift operation

[Herishi]

I will be going to check out a 2006 e320 sport in the very near future, the car in question has the paddle shift option fitted and while im not sure I will use it I want to make sure it works correctly when I test drive the car.

Do you have to press a button or engage a mode so that it will let you hold a gear and choose when to shift up or does the paddle shift only allow short shifting?

Also when shifting down does it just do as its told or will it apply some intelligence? say im in 4th and shift down twice will it blindly change to 2nd and rev the nuts off the car or will it not shift?

Thanks

Steve

 

[SLKGirl]

No, I dont think so, although I can put my SLK into full manual mode the paddles override the auto ...

 

[Herishi]

Thanks

 

[Ted]

To use the flappy paddles select 'M' on the button - (as opposed to 'C' or 'S')
This puts you in manual mode as will be shown on the dash, along with whatever gear you are in.

This is not fully manual - it sort of extends the range of shifts, so if you come to a stop without changing down it will change to first. Similarly if you pull off in first and forget to change, the revs will raise quite high but change into second at much higher revs than in auto. It does this through the gears.
It will also not allow you to select too high a gear or too low a gear to prevent the engine labouring or over revving.

Finally a pull and hold on the downshift paddle will put you in the best range for overtaking from whatever gear you are in. a pull and hold on the upshift paddle will resume the optimum gear for whatever gear you are in.

All of the above can be replicated from the tiptonic function on the gear lever when 'm' is selected.


The paddles can still be used in full auto mode.

 

[Herishi]

Thaks for the in depth answer. I understand the function much better now