Paddle Function Change? - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

Mk335i · 05-18-2009, 05:58 PM

So lately I have noticed that the 3 series has a very strange paddle setup... Pull in = Shift up, Push out = Shift down. Most cars have... Right pull = Shift up, Left Pull = Shift Down. Does anyone know how to setup the 3 series paddles this way?

andrewh · 05-18-2009, 06:05 PM

It's actually very intuitive to me. Pushing out is like shifting down from 4th to 3rd gear on stickshift. Pulling in is like shifting up.

I believe only a few manufacturer "does it right" (or so Car & Driver says): BMW, Mazda and 1 or 2 more. May not be to everyone's liking, but I like it the way it is.

VTECaddict · 05-18-2009, 06:10 PM

what about downshifting from 3rd to 2nd and upshifting from 2nd to 3rd?

andrewh · 05-18-2009, 06:13 PM

Good argument - but when downshifting from 3rd to 2nd you have to slide the shifter to the left, so it's not really a direct analogy of pulling in the lever.
Anyway, it IS a subjective topic.

yomama69 · 05-18-2009, 06:14 PM

How is it setup on an F1 car?

Mk335i · 05-18-2009, 07:34 PM

...

JeepJeep · 05-18-2009, 07:40 PM

Looks like I was majorly wrong...

Maxx2 · 05-18-2009, 07:50 PM

I did this to my 09 335i and it makes a world of difference. I have driven SMGII and SMGIII equipped M cars for the past 7 years so this was a "must do" for me.

Very easy to do and can easily be reversed. No cutting/splicing required. Just move a few pins around in the paddles and you're done.

Here are the specifics for the functions described above:

Left Connector
1) Remove the wire and pin that go to pin 3 and tape off the exposed pin (disables push function)
2) Remove the wire and pin that go to pin 1 and install it in the pin 3 location (converts pull function to downshift)

Right Connector
1) Remove the wire and pin that goes to pin 1 and tape off the exposed pin (disables push function)

More detailed instructions can be found here:
http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699

Mk335i · 05-18-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxx2

I did this to my 09 335i and it makes a world of difference. I have driven SMGII and SMGIII equipped M cars for the past 7 years so this was a "must do" for me.

Very easy to do and can easily be reversed. No cutting/splicing required. Just move a few pins around in the paddles and you're done.

Here are the specifics for the functions described above:

Left Connector
1) Remove the wire and pin that go to pin 3 and tape off the exposed pin (disables push function)
2) Remove the wire and pin that go to pin 1 and install it in the pin 3 location (converts pull function to downshift)

Right Connector
1) Remove the wire and pin that goes to pin 1 and tape off the exposed pin (disables push function)

More detailed instructions can be found here:
http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699

THAT is what I was looking for. Appreciate the help Max.

brbheels · 05-18-2009, 09:20 PM

Or you could get the DCT paddles which are plug and play and designed with right side upshift (+) and left side downshift (-). When I first drove my car I was used to driving other paddle shift cars that were designed the 'right way' as far as I am concerned. I was killing my transmission for the first day constantly shifting opposite of what I meant to.

The other benefit is that the DCT paddles have a much more 'positive' feel to them than the stock paddles do. They 'click' with each shift. The stock paddles feel mushy in comparison.

Although they are a bit pricey for what you get, they are one of my favorite mods that I feel make a big difference in everyday driving. The action on them is much closer to that of the F1 paddles on Ferraris. If you do a search on DCT paddles you'll find more info. But if the other suggestion works just as well and doesn't cost anything other than a few minutes of your time, I'd start there!

Mk335i · 05-18-2009, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brbheels

Or you could get the DCT paddles which are plug and play and designed with right side upshift (+) and left side downshift (-). When I first drove my car I was used to driving other paddle shift cars that were designed the 'right way' as far as I am concerned. I was killing my transmission for the first day constantly shifting opposite of what I meant to.

The other benefit is that the DCT paddles have a much more 'positive' feel to them than the stock paddles do. They 'click' with each shift. The stock paddles feel mushy in comparison.

Although they are a bit pricey for what you get, they are one of my favorite mods that I feel make a big difference in everyday driving. The action on them is much closer to that of the F1 paddles on Ferraris. If you do a search on DCT paddles you'll find more info. But if the other suggestion works just as well and doesn't cost anything other than a few minutes of your time, I'd start there!

Yeah, the only issue I see for getting the M3 Paddle is if I end up selling the car later on down the road...

VTECaddict · 05-18-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mk335i

Yeah, the only issue I see for getting the M3 Paddle is if I end up selling the car later on down the road...

...the new owner gets a surprise goodie?

Mk335i · 05-18-2009, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

...the new owner gets a surprise goodie?

More than likely a buyer will want a stock vehicle, not a modded one.

I hate even talking like I'm selling my car...

jho · 05-19-2009, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mk335i

More than likely a buyer will want a stock vehicle, not a modded one.

I hate even talking like I'm selling my car...

I see it as in improvement. I'm sure if you don't make anything of it when you sell it, the only people who would care/notice it would know it's from the M3 and at that point it becomes a positive point.

Mk335i · 05-19-2009, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jho

I see it as in improvement. I'm sure if you don't make anything of it when you sell it, the only people who would care/notice it would know it's from the M3 and at that point it becomes a positive point.

If I get bored of the stock paddles I might change it up. Besides, I'm a big fan of keeping things stock looking.

adl320 · 05-20-2009, 03:14 AM

Huh, nice to know a simple change can be made for this. I wondered the same also. The first few days with step was a bit awkward. Now, I actually like the ability to shift up OR down on either paddle. I perhaps understand why BMW didn't make this an option but good to know a nice tip is there to make the switch.

irq5 · 05-22-2009, 02:44 AM

I did the quick rewire on the stock paddles and I love it. Feels much more intuitive and as has been said above - it's the right way for paddles to work.

I also got used to shifting with the pull / push action and it was actually difficult to acclimatize to the new "right" way of doing things, but it took maybe 10 minutes and I was up and running and like I say above - I love it!

Italian335i · 05-22-2009, 08:35 AM

How easy is this to do for wiring noobs?

Mk335i · 05-22-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Italian335i

How easy is this to do for wiring noobs?

Looks pretty easy. The hard part looks to be (from a separate DIY's info) getting the steering wheel off and getting up enough balls to take out the airbag. I might get an interior savvy friend to do it for me.

RipsE92 · 05-22-2009, 12:49 PM

Do it right ... get the tri-stitched wheel and the DCT paddles!

kurtdaniel · 08-06-2009, 03:43 AM

nice to know a simple change can be made for this significant function..i just hope I can find a simple way to repair my aem cold air intake..

05-18-2009, 05:58 PM	#1
Mk335i Captain Drives: 09 E92 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Central Florida Posts: 954 iTrader: (0) View Mk335i's Garage	Paddle Function Change? So lately I have noticed that the 3 series has a very strange paddle setup... Pull in = Shift up, Push out = Shift down. Most cars have... Right pull = Shift up, Left Pull = Shift Down. Does anyone know how to setup the 3 series paddles this way? __________________ 09 - 335i E92 / Monaco Blue / Saddle Brown / Dark Burl / Steptronic / CA / Sunshade / Heated Seats / PDC / iDrive / Sat. Radio / iPod & USB / Prem Pkg / Sport Pkg / OEM Alarm / Michelin PS2's (Non-RFT) / V1 and other goodies...
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05-18-2009, 06:05 PM	#2
andrewh Private Drives: Jet Black 335i Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: IL Posts: 52 iTrader: (0)	It's actually very intuitive to me. Pushing out is like shifting down from 4th to 3rd gear on stickshift. Pulling in is like shifting up. I believe only a few manufacturer "does it right" (or so Car & Driver says): BMW, Mazda and 1 or 2 more. May not be to everyone's liking, but I like it the way it is. __________________ PAST: '82 Suzuki Jimny > '86 Daihatsu Charade > '86 Honda Accord > '90 Mazda 323 > '91 Honda Civic > '92 Toyota Corolla > '94 BMW 530i > '95 Honda Civic > '96 Honda Civic > '97 Mazda 323 > '97 Peugeot 406 > '04 Honda Accord EX V6 CURRENT: '05 Honda Odyssey, '08 BMW 335i

05-18-2009, 06:10 PM	#3
VTECaddict Where'd my VTEC go? Drives: 06 330i 6MT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,455 iTrader: (2)	what about downshifting from 3rd to 2nd and upshifting from 2nd to 3rd? __________________ AW/Terra \| Sport \| Premium \| Cold Weather \| iDrive \| Comfort Access

05-18-2009, 06:13 PM	#4
andrewh Private Drives: Jet Black 335i Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: IL Posts: 52 iTrader: (0)	Good argument - but when downshifting from 3rd to 2nd you have to slide the shifter to the left, so it's not really a direct analogy of pulling in the lever. Anyway, it IS a subjective topic. __________________ PAST: '82 Suzuki Jimny > '86 Daihatsu Charade > '86 Honda Accord > '90 Mazda 323 > '91 Honda Civic > '92 Toyota Corolla > '94 BMW 530i > '95 Honda Civic > '96 Honda Civic > '97 Mazda 323 > '97 Peugeot 406 > '04 Honda Accord EX V6 CURRENT: '05 Honda Odyssey, '08 BMW 335i

05-18-2009, 07:34 PM	#6
Mk335i Captain Drives: 09 E92 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Central Florida Posts: 954 iTrader: (0) View Mk335i's Garage	... __________________ 09 - 335i E92 / Monaco Blue / Saddle Brown / Dark Burl / Steptronic / CA / Sunshade / Heated Seats / PDC / iDrive / Sat. Radio / iPod & USB / Prem Pkg / Sport Pkg / OEM Alarm / Michelin PS2's (Non-RFT) / V1 and other goodies...

05-18-2009, 06:14 PM	#5
yomama69 Banned Drives: 2007 E90 335i Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 667 iTrader: (0)	How is it setup on an F1 car?

05-18-2009, 07:40 PM	#7
JeepJeep ಠ_ಠ Drives: everywhere Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: 818 / 805 Posts: 1,965 iTrader: (0)	Looks like I was majorly wrong... __________________ Last edited by JeepJeep; 05-18-2009 at 09:24 PM.

05-18-2009, 07:50 PM	#8
Maxx2 New Member Drives: 09 335i Join Date: May 2009 Location: Unknown Posts: 8 iTrader: (0)	I did this to my 09 335i and it makes a world of difference. I have driven SMGII and SMGIII equipped M cars for the past 7 years so this was a "must do" for me. Very easy to do and can easily be reversed. No cutting/splicing required. Just move a few pins around in the paddles and you're done. Here are the specifics for the functions described above: Left Connector 1) Remove the wire and pin that go to pin 3 and tape off the exposed pin (disables push function) 2) Remove the wire and pin that go to pin 1 and install it in the pin 3 location (converts pull function to downshift) Right Connector 1) Remove the wire and pin that goes to pin 1 and tape off the exposed pin (disables push function) More detailed instructions can be found here: http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699

05-18-2009, 09:20 PM	#10
brbheels Private First Class Drives: 335i Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Under a Carolina Blue Sky... Posts: 155 iTrader: (10)	Or you could get the DCT paddles which are plug and play and designed with right side upshift (+) and left side downshift (-). When I first drove my car I was used to driving other paddle shift cars that were designed the 'right way' as far as I am concerned. I was killing my transmission for the first day constantly shifting opposite of what I meant to. The other benefit is that the DCT paddles have a much more 'positive' feel to them than the stock paddles do. They 'click' with each shift. The stock paddles feel mushy in comparison. Although they are a bit pricey for what you get, they are one of my favorite mods that I feel make a big difference in everyday driving. The action on them is much closer to that of the F1 paddles on Ferraris. If you do a search on DCT paddles you'll find more info. But if the other suggestion works just as well and doesn't cost anything other than a few minutes of your time, I'd start there!

05-20-2009, 03:14 AM	#16
adl320 Private First Class Drives: '08 E90 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 153 iTrader: (0)	Huh, nice to know a simple change can be made for this. I wondered the same also. The first few days with step was a bit awkward. Now, I actually like the ability to shift up OR down on either paddle. I perhaps understand why BMW didn't make this an option but good to know a nice tip is there to make the switch. __________________ '08 E90 335i SG \| Step w/paddles\| Sport \| Premium \| i Pod \| HPFP: Gen 2 \|

05-22-2009, 02:44 AM	#17
irq5 Private First Class Drives: e90 335i, M-Sport, Step, JB+ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Johannesburg, SA Posts: 106 iTrader: (0) View irq5's Garage	I did the quick rewire on the stock paddles and I love it. Feels much more intuitive and as has been said above - it's the right way for paddles to work. I also got used to shifting with the pull / push action and it was actually difficult to acclimatize to the new "right" way of doing things, but it took maybe 10 minutes and I was up and running and like I say above - I love it! __________________ 2008 e90 335i: ///M-Sport \| JB+ \| Steptronic (Rewired - Left paddle squeeze = downshift ) \| Black Sapphire

05-22-2009, 08:35 AM	#18
Italian335i Private First Class Drives: 2008 BMW 335I SG Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NOVA Posts: 151 iTrader: (0)	How easy is this to do for wiring noobs? __________________ - 2008 BMW 335I Sedan SG (Current) - 2008 Mitsubishi Evolution X GSR (Sold) - 2006 Nissan 350Z Twin Turbo (Sold) - 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 (Sold)

05-22-2009, 12:49 PM	#20
RipsE92 BanMe 4 Life Drives: 2007 335i Coupe Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Goodyear, Arizona Posts: 226 iTrader: (1)	Do it right ... get the tri-stitched wheel and the DCT paddles! __________________ 2007 Space Grey 335i Coupe - Check it out!!

08-06-2009, 03:43 AM	#21
kurtdaniel Banned Drives: bmw Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: New York, USA Posts: 65 iTrader: (0)	nice to know a simple change can be made for this significant function..i just hope I can find a simple way to repair my aem cold air intake.. Last edited by kurtdaniel; 08-10-2009 at 08:30 PM.