I was actually wondering about it this morning .... I've always driven in D5 ....... when should you use D4 and when should you use D5???

Thanks!

 

Around town I normally use D4. I use D5 only when cruising at steady speeds on the highway at 60+. I've heard that using D5 around town puts some stress on the tranny...

 

Lately i have been driving D4, when ever i remember, because sometimes when i drive in D5 and the RPM's are to low the car spudders....mostly in city driving though. 35-45 mph

 

Well, I use SS 99% of the time, but when I'm in full auto I use D5 since driving around town really wouldn't be considered "city" driving. Most of the main roads have 45 or 55mph limits.....

 

I only use d5 when I am going over 60mph - otherwise its d4

 

It's probably more efficient to drive in D5 as far as fuel economy is concerned. That extra gear drops the revs hence allowing the engine to burn less fuel and not work as hard.

As far as putting extra strain on the tranny IMO it's unlikely.

 

I'll use D4 up to 80km/h (50 miles?) then D5 past that. Most cars like to be hanging around 2000rpm when cruising. It also allows you to have a little passing power when in the city.

 

Couldnt of said it better myself.....

 

Driving in D5 should not stress the transmission unless the vehicle is constantly shifting. Driving in D5 with a TL is no different than driving in D on any other vehicle.

 

Rarely leave the gear in D5.... and always in either SS or D4 when going around town.... only time I would be in D5 is when I cruise on HWY at 120KM/H steady for more than an hour.....

One Acura tech actually told me NOT to leave it in D5 when going around town, because tranny might go back and forth between 4th and 5th gear........computer shifts into 5th trying to save fuel but soon found it that the rpm is too low and there just not enough power to push the car up incline roads, and shift back into 4th again....

Andy Kuo

 

SS about 99.99% of the time. Only if I'm eating something or on the phone do I throw it into D5. And that hardly ever happens.

 

When you have it in D5 in the city, the car stays in 4th gear until you go up to some higher speed right? I drive around 40-45mph and when i shift from D5 to D4 i notice no difference in the RPM. The stay around the same notch.

 

I use D4 in normal driving and D5 on the highway once past 55mph or so. I hate when the torque converter locks up in D5 at 40-45mph and you feel the RMPs dip and rise while the car adjusts. Just smoother IMO when leaving it in D4.

 

That tranny sneaks into 5th every chance it gets! I'm amazed how slow I'll be going and move it over to SS and see I'm in 5th!







.

 

The best way is to keep ur rpm rate around 2k while driving..i heard... don't know why.. some mechanic told me once... when driving local it's best to use d4... d5 is suppose to be overdrive and used past 60+ mph the best. Like someone said using d5 on local streets..cause of the frequent gas and break... puts a lot of stress on the tranny. On d4 the car doesn't shift as much as d5.

 

Interesting... I also feel that keeping the rpm at 2K seems to be the best compromise(between performance/engine responses and mileage), too.... anything lower, it seems to be lugging the tranny..... I rather pay that little extra in gas than putting stress on tranny and/or frequent gear hunts....

Andy Kuo

 

You guys do realize we have AUTOMATIC transmissions, right?

D5, unless I'm in a "spirited" mode, then SS. The trans will drop into 5th just above 45mph on a flat road.

Also, trannies don't lug, engines do. And Acura went way out of their way (with the dual stage intake, and VTEC) to ensure that these small sixes have good low-end torque.

I'd only run D4 around town if I lived in big hill country.

Todd

 

According to page 186:

"D4 can also keep the transmission from cycling between fourth and fifth gears in stop-and-go driving"

It also says that it will shift any time after 43mph(55kph) from 4th to fifth. Funny thing on mine though, I rarely see it go to fifth anytime below 45-50mph.

Just a thought,

Iggy

 

D4 will unlock the torque converter and lower than chance of tranny failure

i will use it when going uphill or having 4 ppl in car...

in city driving D5 is ok for driving alone but not 4 ppl...u will get the transmission overheated

 

I thought the torque convertor locks at all gear.....not sure about 1st and 2nd... but it does lock up in 3rd, 4th and 5th??

Andy Kuo

 

I have always felt that D5 allows the tranny to shift into 5th too early and keeps the engine rpm's too low when cruising in the 40-50mph range. Because of this we keep the car in D4 all of the time and only shift to D5 when we are on the freeway or going above 50mph for any significant duration.

 

it's gd to cruise at 45mph in 5th to save fuel...but u need to downshift when u need to accel

 

Not low enough.. max torque comes out around 3500 rpm.. that's pretty high actually(maybe I am spoiled by V8)... and my TLS shifts into 5th as early/as low as 50km/h.. go figure... and tranny seems to be wanted to lock up torque convertor at any chance it can get... it's quite annoying sometimes when there is a constant "half-gear-up/downshift" feel when torque convertor locks/unlocks...

Andy Kuo

 

Hey Rob--
For us Long Islanders (flat-landers) we don't have to contend too much with our autos constantly up or down-shifting due to mountain grades : ) If the terrain is very hilly, it would probably be better to keep that thing in D4, but as I said, it doesn't pose much of a problem here...

 

Okay, I don't know much about these new fangled trannys, but in the old days we used to say, OD only for cruising.

Personally, I use Shiftgate and or D3 unless I'm running 45 or better, then only D4. I use D5 only on the freeways when I'm cruising.

Also, you may want to check out a poll I started on the CL Formum under Transmissions call Failures by Shifting Styles.

I'm of the opinion that leaving it in OD and driving it spiritedly is a factor in the tranny problems. Not the factor, but a factor.

RUF

 

*sniff sniff* i dont have D5... f***in '99 4 speed