I have just hit 1,000 miles on my '04. I have an automatic transmission and am loving the car. However, I am feeling a pretty hard down shift going into 3rd from 4th in the automatic mode. It seems to happen at about 40 MPH. I never feel the other downshifts as everything else seems so smooth. I have looked around and did not see any other treads that addresses this. Is this normal??

 

What are the circumstances when you feel this hard downshift? Are you going downhill or are you on level ground. Are you slowing down gradually? Are you manually downshifting from 4 to 3 or is it downshifting because you are slowing down?

 

I am feeling this when I am in total automatic mode. I do notice this more at one particular intersection that is a little downhill (I live in Oklahoma City so we do not have many true hills) and it is when I am slowing down gradually. I feel it when slowing down from about 45 to 50 MPH.

 

Isn't that the protocol for the "grade logic" system to downshift when decellerating? However, I thought the gear transition was supposed to be seamless rather than abrupt. This sounds like a job for Mr. Hondawrench.

 

It is probably the grade logic control that is causing the feeling of a hard downshift, because it slows you down a little more abruptly than it would when coasting to a stop on level ground.

 

Thanks for the information. I will take it out today and try to determine if it is only happening when going down a hill. If so, I guess there is no reason for concern.

I'll let you know what happens.

 

The issue you are describing is the grade logic as others are decribing it. It happened a lot when I got my new TL as well. Give it a few weeks and the car will "adapt" to your drivign and it will happen less often - I promise. I'll admit to having it happen on occasion still, but maybe once a week compared to 2 or 3 times daily when first getting the car. My guess is it happens when you are about to enter into turns and are just slowing down a bit for the turn? That is when it was mostly happening for me. Sometimes it would happen when slowing down for a stop sign, but not too often.

 

Thanks for the information. You are all correct it only does it when I am going down hill a little. It does not do it on level ground.

I appreciate everyone's input. You saved me a trip to the dealership!!

 

I like that feeling personally.