SkoallioVoll

I have a 2003 Acura TL and it has a sportshift mode where I could change the gears up or down while moving. Only problem is it wont let me have control of the gear selection all the time like a manuel.

In a manuel car you have the option of choosing which gear you want to drive in all the time whether your going fast, slow or stopped. You could pull out on any gear. In the sport shift mode in my car, when I slow down it automatically downshifts to one when I stop while in a manuel car you could keep it in high gear and it stays in high gear if you keep it there. I cant pull out in any gear I want. Another thing is when I speed up in sportshift mode, it will automatically go from 1st to 2nd gear and stay in 2nd gear until I upshift. It doesnt stay in 1st gear if you leave it in 1st gear like a manuel.

Should they have made the sport shift mode more like a manuel where you have total control of the gears at all times?

3.2TLc

Welcome SkoallioVoll !!!
Yeah, our 2nd Gen TL's are limited to the way that the "Sport Shift" is programmed to operate. Ya could drop a 6 speed from a CL-S into your car for real shifting pleasure. Check out the "DIY" sticky and other threads pertaining to this swap to a stick.

Or, just trade up to the 3rd Gen TL's which offered a factory installed 6 speed !!!

fsttyms1

You are stuck with what you have. There is no way to change it. The only way you can start out in a different gear (and only 2nd) is to gate shift to 2nd and it will start there.

If you want it to stay in 1st you have to gate shift and not use SS

ErickUa5

99 had a better Sport Shift too bad it didn't continue like that, it lets you shift unlike 2000-03.

Karanx7

iTrader: (2)

The 2G TL actually has one of the least restrictive SS modes. If it was any less restrictive, some soccer moms would blow the engine. Know a few that highway cruise in D3 wondering why the car is so noisy.

Lexus and Mercedes both have SS modes that simply control the maximum gear, and it goes auto up until then.

chris03tl

The whole "we automatically shift from 1 to 2 for you" is the most restrictive SS Ive ever driven. My G37 doesnt do that.

Although to your point, I remember my cousin getting a loaner MDX while her MDX was in the shop. She drove it right to a family function, and was talking about how slow it is compared to hers. And how the engine seemed like it was running awful loud the whole way there. And then she asked what the orange "2" in the center of the dash meant...... smh.

3.2TLc

Yeah, sometimes they gotta engineer a bit of common sense logic into this stuff for those few who lack it !!!

ErickUa5

My guess why it was done that way is to protect the One-way clutch in the 5AT.
The 4AT doesn't have one and it gives you SS 1-4 meanwhile the 5AT SS 2-5.