Hello all,

I've had my TL for 6 months or so now and am happy with it, but its reasoning sometimes leaves me scratching my head.

It's a 5AT at the wife's insistence; I've never owned an auto trans car before. I had been vaguely aware that it felt faster to me on some days than others, and I think I've recently discovered why:sometimes (only sometimes) when I floor it (which I do more often that I should, of course), it downshifts to 2nd gear and is very lively, other times, it refuses to use 2nd and sticks to 3rd. The acceleration in 3rd is fine, but not really grin-inducing. (Of course, it may even use first, but I haven't caught it doing that yet.)

I switch it over to SS briefly to see what gear it has chosen for me.

So, with my right foot at the same angle, I may get 2nd or I may get 3rd, and I have to wonder: how does it decide? Anyone know?

 

Most modern auto transmissions 'learn' the drivers style and adapt, your wife may not be very sporty...
Most also adjust the shift pattern by the speed at which you push the gas pedal,
faster would give a downshift, slower will not.
Flooring the gas pedal should really kick down, and disables the ac compressor for maximum performance.
All auto transmissions should have a sport switch that changes the shift points and holds gears longer, but many dont...
The Jaguar had luxury and sport, the difference was very dramatic.

The VW would set the sport mode (no button) if you turned the key on and floored the gas pedal, then let up and started the car.
You could also code the ecu to stay in sport mode (an audi option) with a vag-com scan tool.

Brett

 

Your speed at the time of kickdown determines how low a gear the transmission will go to

 

The auto transmission is adaptive to driving style. Like you, my spouse wanted an auto before we selected the TL at the end of April. I generally accelerate gradually for the first couple of gears, so the transmission on the TL will shift pretty quickly to a higher gear unless the accelerator is floored. So far, the auto seems to operate pretty well. Although the TL is not accelerating as quickly for the same accelerator travel after the auto adapts, it is also using less gas on a day-to -day basis!

 

Stay in Sporthift.

My wife only drives auto, which is why I have 5AT.

99% of the time when I drive, I stay in SS. Try using it more often so that you can have more control over shifting.

 

I think the computer is just tryin to protect the engine, so u car refused to use 2nd gear...

 

only and ever it will drop to 1st is.... at relatively low speed below 20MPH I say. and foot to the floor, not near the floor but to the floor.