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How to make your shift lever work the proper way for manual shifting

788 views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  Antney02  
#1 · (Edited)
One thing that annoys me about the Q50 is that the manual shifting is backwards. The CORRECT way for it to work is to push forward for downshifts and pull back for upshifts. That's just the way nature intended cars to work.

Obviously you guys with paddles probably don't care.


So what do we do?

First, refer to Page TM-52 in your factory Service manual

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We cut wires 2 & 3 shown in the diagram below and then reconnect them swapped.

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Like so.

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BUT, I don't like cutting factory wires if I don't have to. You can get
one of these extension harnesses (from this place) with the right TH12 plugs on the ends that fits between the shift lever assembly and the wiring harness.

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Then you cut, strip, solder, and seal.

Here it is installed on my car. It goes in the center console at the shift lever assembly. I've been using it for well over a year and this has not caused any issues and it works perfectly.


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Enjoy
 
#2 ·
I don't personally think its the wrong directions to shift, maybe that's because I think of it as what direction do I want the torque or balance of the car to go when shifting and if you were driving a manual 1-3-5 are all lower gears compared to 2-4-6 rather than Shift Up to Shift Up and Shift Down for Shift Down.

Can't say I feel strongly about it either way, this is a neat hack though for those that do feel strongly about it or have multiple cars and they all shift differently and want some consistency between cars. lol
 
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#3 ·
If you sell the car, take that mod out or make sure the buyer knows it's been reversed or the first time he uses manual shifting, he's in for a big surprise.
 
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#5 ·
Don't use the "manual" mode personally but would think they do it that way for intuition. Meaning, you press 'up' to go higher or 'down' to go lower...pretty much every car I've seen or owned that has a conventional automatic tranny operates like this. Not to say there are those that are backwards, only don't think that is common?

Regardless, nice you were able to figure out how to make it work as you'd like it to.
 
#6 ·
I use the paddle shifters when I want to manually shift. I prefer to have both hands on the wheel all the time when I give it the beans.
 
#9 ·
I agree with the OP, it is "backwards" from the factory.

But I rarely manually shift...I'm old and lazy and just don't find it that fulfilling.

Make a "+" and a "-" with P-touch labeler and you're good to go. Use white print on black tape.
 
#10 ·
These are not sequential transmissions, not sure where this "backwards" is coming from? Can't say from a manual because you can go either up or down to either downshift or upshift, depending on what gear it's in and going to. These cars do not put out near enough power to worry about acceleration (g-force) working against you, if that's the issue with the direction.
 
#11 ·
I don't think there is an industry standard on this. I've had two Audi's and they work the same as the Infiniti. And Mazdas go the other way. Rental cars are all over the map on shifting paradigms.

I prefer higher gears forward using the general faster-forward construct. Same as a throttle on aircraft or those annoying ones used on non motorcycles. I always mis-shift my wife's Mazda

I have to admit you have a much more firm opinion than I do. My experience is that the human is the most easily re-programmed part of the system
 
#12 ·
I remeber the G35drvier days there was a a Thread posted that was the same. It was about the "proper way to shift your auto" and it was a DIY. Man I feel old and I'm only 35.
 
#13 ·
My kids are older than you.
 
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