I have an 08 TL and have noticed that when I drive on the highway the slightest pressure on the accelerator causes the car to down shift until I release the gas pedal. I am talking about a very soft touch. I haven't noticed this on other automatics just the TL. Does this sound normal?

 

If you are barely tapping the gas pedal this is weird, and it down shifts at low rpms?

Did you always have this issue? How many miles on the car?

At what speed/rpms is the down shifting occurring from what to what gear?

 

what was your last car? how long have you had the TL?

the gas pedal is pretty sensitive, maybe you are just not use to it.

 

Could be.

Seems to me it takes at least 1/2, if not 3/4 throttle to get it to kick down one gear. If you go WOT, it *might* drop down another gear.

 

real quick overview on the aggresive RL Based Transmission
If you are highway speed of 50mph for 10-20seconds your car is now in 5th gear
if you would like to speed up to 75mph your tranny will go 5 to 4 to 3 using the vtec powerband and get you to 75mph in couple seconds

same applies for a few other speeds also, it also acts this way while braking, it reacts to your foot, relax this is normal, unless you are being jerked forward to the point where your passengers are eating glass/ or front headrest, the tranny is functional, good luck

 

stillhere, lol, I have a boy who drives like that, when we go out to eat we make sure he is not the driver, lol.

Also, when I hit the gas while cruising at 50, and accelerating to 90 mph, I don't feel the gear drops, but I do get a nice grin on my face

 

Its not down shifting, it is the torque converter comming unlocked.

 

I don't feel it either.
Can you feel the VTEC kicking in?
The only time i have issues is at low MPH and I gun it. It feels like it's gasping for air.

 

I think you hit it right on the head with this. I didn't know exactly what it was either. My guess would have been some sort of variable clutch that comes in to play in each gear.

 

Please read the drivers operation manual and learn about grade logic, torque lockup and many other useful things for driving the TL to its fullest.
Here is the free download:
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/...01_OMANUAL.asp

 

This is what I was refering to.

 

does this mean like all the way to the floor? LOL

 

If I'll do all the way to the floor I'll scare myself and all the other drivers around me, TLS is a beast.....plus with my stock Michelin's, I will get a noticeable torque steer.

 

Thank you for all of the comments and ideas. When driving to work this morning I observed the following; driving at 60mph, RPM between 1600 & 1700; applied some pressure to the accelerator and the car down shifted to 4th gear, RPM went to about 2600, car accelerated; as car accelerated I let up a little on the gas pedal and the car went back to 5th and continued. WThe car does not jerk.

 

this sounds totally normal...what are you wanting the car to do?? not downshift....

 

If you don't want it to downshift (not sure what your wanting) then drive in SS mode, It will not downshift unless you tell it to, and then you will FEEL it downshift