I was wondering if our Auto Trannys have some sort of braking system?

When I drive my car and use the brakes to slow down for a second, it feels like the tranny downshifts to help slow the car. Is this true.

Hard to explain exactly what I feel, but the best way to describe it like you are driving on the highway in 4th gear when 5th will do.. But only after I hit the brakes for a second or so. Mainly feel it in the mid speed or mid gears. Say 20-ish to about 40-ish, after using the brakes..

I have an 03 auto. Is this a sign that the tranny is going? I felt it from the time I bought it.

 

Mine does the same. I believe it's normal.

 

Of course. The tranny is responding to the RPMs and figures what the load/rpms should be. Put it in SS and next time you come to a stop pay attention to the number and you will see the gears drop. Same concept as if you were in a manual. Many people downshift when coming to a stop. Its essentially engine braking.

 

Humm... I see. It just at times feels like it is trying to hold back the car after I let the brake off doing about 30.

I have never felt this in any other auto though.

 

i don't notice it too often, unless i'm going down a bit of a hill. I noticed that a long time ago and with all the tranny problems i got paranoid and brought it up to my service guy, he just said that when you're going down hill the car knows so it assists in braking.

 

It's called "grade logic" in all the Honda/Acura brocures. It's supposed to stop the tranny from "hunting" between gears. I alway think my transmission is going to blow up when it kicks in.

 

Yes! Another reason I love this car. It reads my mind.

 

I HATED “grade logic” when I had my slush box 2001 CL-S.
That’s one of the main reasons I traded for the 2003 6-Speed.

Its fine when you’re going UP a hill, but it was way too sensitive when going DOWN.
I live where’s there’s lots of hills and there were a few that I had to actually ACCELERATE down because the dam thing kept torque-braking with the engine to slow the car.

I think only someone like me with years of experience driving manual Tranny cars would understand why I was so annoyed by this.

Shawn S

 

The Grade Logic definitely has a mind of it's own, it seems to torque-brake at a point where you would NEVER downshift.