Is downshifting a good or bad driving behavior?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
With my 06 cdi it depends on how fast you are going for it to find the correct gear when you downshift. In my neighborhood, the speed limit is 25. Driving out of the neighborhood, I will downshift to 1st as soon as the car moves forward after backing out of the driveway, then hit the paddle two times to get it to 3rd. I keep it there until the last stop sign in my neighborhood where I will then hit the paddle a couple of times to get it in "D".
On my way back into the neighborhood, I wait until I slow down to 35 and hit the paddle one time, it will usually shift into 3rd, sometimes 4th if I am doing closer to 40.
I do this so that the transmission does not "hunt" between gears while in the neighborhood.
Again, depending on your speed when you downshift, the transmission should find the correct gear. It should not go into 1st or 2nd if you are doing 40 mph, but again, I never held the paddle to the left to see what will happen.
Mike T.
On my way back into the neighborhood, I wait until I slow down to 35 and hit the paddle one time, it will usually shift into 3rd, sometimes 4th if I am doing closer to 40.
I do this so that the transmission does not "hunt" between gears while in the neighborhood.
Again, depending on your speed when you downshift, the transmission should find the correct gear. It should not go into 1st or 2nd if you are doing 40 mph, but again, I never held the paddle to the left to see what will happen.
Mike T.
Your procedure stops the gear "hunting" only if your speed is faster than what the gear you selected comes automatically on. In manual mode when using the paddles the transmission still is working as automatic. You just limit the highest gear it can change to unless you over-rev it and it will then shift up to protect the engine.
This means that if you select gear 4 and drive 25 mph you really are on 2nd or 3rd gear.
When you slow down to your area and see 3rd or 4th gear when you hit the left paddle it means the car was on that gear at the moment you hit that paddle. Then if you slow down from there it keeps showing you the same gear but will shift down as you slow down.
Like you say sometimes it shows 3rd, sometimes 4th gear. If you leave that 4th on it means you will be on the 3rd when you slow down just a little more but it still shows 4th gear.
The paddle has another function too. If you hit the paddle just once quickly the car will display the gear it was on other than if it was on the highest 7th gear. In this case it will drop it from the 7th to the 6th.
If you hold the left paddle for a couple of seconds the car will shift down to a gear that gives you the best performance at the speed the car is moving. This is very nice when you want to pass someone on a 2-lane road and make it quickly. It really makes a difference in how fast the car takes off.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
Not quite. While modern electronics will limit the amount of catastrophic damage caused by over-revving, intentionally (and consistently) revving near redline to allow for engine braking is NOT good for the mechanicals - just like any extremes are bad for the car.
Modern electronic nannies are designed to keep you from over-revving when downshifting but once in lower gear, few will upshift fast enough to prevent over-revving on a steep downhill.
This discussion has been around for years and we'll see the same discussion here for years to come.
Modern electronic nannies are designed to keep you from over-revving when downshifting but once in lower gear, few will upshift fast enough to prevent over-revving on a steep downhill.
This discussion has been around for years and we'll see the same discussion here for years to come.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,747
Likes: 20
From: Central Pennsylvania
2012 S350 Bluetec 4Matic, Diamond White, P2
accelerating, automatic, bad, damage, downshift, downshifting, downshifts, e55, good, lot, manual, paddle, shift, stop, transmission, wood
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