Is it normal for the car to slow down once you take your foot off the gas? All cars are different, but I would imagine it should just coast, but my TL noticibly slows when I take my foot off the accelerator. More obvious at higher speeds. Especially since the car is supposed to be aerodynamic, should it not hold its speed better?

 

I notice my AT "downshifting" sometimes when I take my foot off the gas, but usually at slower speeds, while heading into a turn. I actually like this feature.

 

Huh...I've found that mine "coasts" better than any vehicle I've ever had. I let off the gas when coming up on someone's behind waaayyy early now, and still sometimes have to hit the break before coming a couple of car lengths away. Never experienced a downshift at all. Now I'm gonna' look for it in slow traffic.

 

Downhills? Check the link.






http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showp...41&postcount=7

 

I noticed it immediately - particularly at highway speeds. My TL's decceleration occurs on any grade (flat, uphill, downhill) and is fantastic for cruising in traffic.

Just hope that translates to better brake wear...

 

i've also noticed my TL automatically downshifting when going into a turn...

 

My previous cars have all decelerated faster than the TL when taking my foot completely off the gas. Is drive-by-wire vs. mechanical throttle the culprit?

 

It also depends on your driving habits. If you are a lead foot, it will tend to downshift if you let off the gas, helpful for being in a lower gear for "punching it" again. This also helps in engine braking though and brake pad life for sure. As Rets said, if it is going downhill the grade logic system goes into effect. This basically downshifts the engine so you don't have to do the annoying "brake lights all the way down the hill" routine. I actually like when people tailgate a little as this seems to show they have confidence I will not slam on the brakes like a lot of people do.

 

i feel the down shift too. all other a/t i had experience with do not do that, when i lift my foot off, it's like the car shift to neutral

 

I've had this too in my 5AT. Feels like the engine is doing more of the breaking
even though you aren't touching the shift, you're just taking your foot off the
gas. Usually from higher speeds, and in straight level road from 4th/5th gear.

I think part of the reason that the stopping in the car is so great, I love it.

 

I happened to rent cars often. What I noticed is that some cars (Ford cars specifically) are the way that you have to either accelerate or brake, and the is nothing in between. I absolutely hate this. When you drive car like that in traffic, you cannot just release gas pedal and let it slow down. You have to brake. In my TL I just lift foot from gas pedal and car gradually slows down. It’s nice.

 

Now if it would automatically speed up when the traffic starts moving ahead!

 

I guess HiDS, Honda Intelligent Driver Support System, plus IHCC (keep distance between you and the front car) and LKAS (make sure your car stay in the lane), could help you do that on highway. It's similar to other cars' laser cruise control system.

 

Other thing I noticed was the auto braking. When I brake for an extended period of time, like a slow deceleration, the car will kick in and brake harder for me. Kind of annoying. Slowing down nice and smooth and then BAM a hard braking surge. Cut it out, I know how to drive KITT, don't need u to help

 

IMO, I guess you're talking about the downshifting, your ECU may command your tranny to do so if you continuingly slow down and your RPM drops to very low at the current gear. Each gear has its minimum speed, if you're slower than that mark, ECU will downshift your gear. You may feel slight brake-like feeling.

Sometimes, it's very noticeable when driving downhills. It's probably related to what I said above, "Grade Logic Control System" and ECU programs. ECU working with Grade Logic Control System will downshift at higher speed rather than its gears' minimum speed.

 

The amount of deceleration an AT car produces depends on how much torque converter lockup the ECU commands.. American cars tend to release all torque converter lock when decelerating which provides little to no engine braking in higher gears. I've noticed that my parents 98 Camry has lots of torque converter lockup in higher gears during deceleration.. Very refreshing when you're used to a manual transmission (helps on brake pads too)..

 

i drive an sl500 some times and it to feels like that. and i love it. i can keep my speed so much better in these two cars.