PsychDoc

...No, you perverts, not 's-e-x,' () but that little letter right under "D" on the shift column. Drop it down to "S" and the TL goes like a hummingbird on speed.

Shifts are faster, revs are higher and the car really rockets. And I'm not talking about using the paddle shifters either --just drop it down to "S" and drive it like an automatic on steroids.

Lots of fun.

Highly recommended.

acura2009

Wait, driving in "S" doesn't require me to use paddle shifters? Does it waste more gas? lol

Interesed

I am confussed. I thought that was for the paddels as well. Does it still go through all the gears?

xrays

I inadvertently put the car in "S" and drove around for an hour.
Never touched the paddle shifters.
The car shifted gears fine.
I'll have to do this on purpose next time and pay attention to its performance...

YetiTL

You should feel more Hummmphfff! and the engine sound is quite nice!

It should use more gas since it holds the 5th gear and rev higher but it's a tradeoff. You don't have to drive all the time in S or in D do you?

Also, you might change it once on the Highway...look at your user's manual it'll explain a little more...

Have a good day!

thurley42

holy crap...i feel so robbed...i've been driving around for months and only going to S when i go "paddles hot"

ugh..thanks for the info!

acura2009

Can someone explain more on the S MODE and no paddle shifting? I can't find my manual.

PetesTL

To me, the car isn't any faster in "S" mode. It holds the gears slightly longer than in "D" mode but the outcome is the same. It's not a true sports mode like that found in BMW's and Mercedes where the timing, throttle response and shift patterns changes dramatically. If you really want more "sport" in "S" mode, you have to shift gears manually.

thurley42

the only complaint i have is when i slam the gas to pass someone, or just drive like an a-hole the delay that I get in throttle response..it seems like you have to gradually put the accelerator to the floor to keep the response simulatneous to the action..i was hoping that S fixed that, but sounds like it doesn't..

acura2009

So if i drive like automatic, why would i put it in S-Mode?

cmthe4th

In S-Mode, you take over most of the shifting decisions ordinarily performed by the transmission's computer, permitting, for example, the delaying of an upshift for increased acceleration or an increase the braking effect of the engine. However, the car will still automatically shift if the tachometer gets too high or low, to prevent the engine from over-revving or stalling.

So to answer the question: Yes, you can drive in S Mode without shifting, but you'll get better performance if you choose your own shift points, rather than waiting for the car to shift automatically.

hydr0

I tried this twice today after reading this, and I gotta say, I love it. It's so much more responsive when hitting the gas. It does seem a little shaky on the downshift though. I did previously try this, but I thought it was bad for the car. I thought you were supposed to use the paddle shifters with it. Needless to say, me and my lead foot will be driving like this from now on =)

fusiongt

2 things I've noticed on S mode.

1. keeps RPM over 3k
2. RPM drops "very" slowly.

overall, it's more fun to drive cuz it keeps the engine in the sweet spots(over 3k RPM) except the gas $$ part.

hypno999

If you buy a $43K car, do you really care about few extra $$$ ?

Olu

You keep saying this and you are wrong. I agree that engine timing may not change, but throttle response and shift patterns are DRASTICALLY different.

S Mode.

Mode 1. Shift in S mode. DON'T HIT THE PADDLES. In this mode the car will have a MUCH more aggressive shift pattern. At 1/2 to Full throttle it will hold the lowest gear possible. This means you will be cruising above 3000 rpms most of the time. It will hold the gear for quite sometime before upshifting. This is great for highway entry and for the twisties.

Mode 2. If you use lighter throttle (say 1/4 to 1/2) it will upshift later then D, but it will upshift.

Mode 3. If you use the lightest throttle it will shift almost like D. However if you pound on the gas it will downshift much quicker then D and then get back into the mode 1.

Mode 4. Once you hit the paddles you are in complete control (except downshifts). You need to shift into D to get automatic back.

Put it in S and watch your gas mileage plummet. Definitely a blast.

PetesTL

Go test it out on a track and see if it makes a big difference......it won't. A while back Wavehogger did some extensive series of 0-60 runs in D and S modes and found no significant difference. The car certainly feels aggressive and deceptively faster...but that's about it. (By comparison, my previous BMW 545i and Porsche Cayenne S had sports modes where the difference was like night and day). In most conditions, D mode still gives you the fastest shifts, the best times, and better gas mileage to boot.

venom550pm

If you paid $43K for TL SH-AWD, you definately don't care abour the $$$.

Olu

0-60 times on a track do not disprove what I've said above. If you're using full throttle D and S are identical in straight line performance. The difference is when it upshifts and how long it holds the gears. On a road course S will be faster. Why? Because it will shift less and hold gears longer. On most intermediate acceleration tests (ie 30-50, 50-70) S will be faster for the same reason. This is not the car "feeling" faster. The car is faster because the shifting algorithm upshifts less and holds the lowest possible gear.

Your BMW and Porsche retard timing and use a less aggressive pattern in D, and then bring the car up to it's full potential in S....big whoop.

Olu

Just went for a ride and S works as I outlined above. Shifts less then D and keeps the RPMs in the sweet spot. You won't see 4th gear until higher speeds no matter how light you are on the throttle.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these cars like $20,000 more than an Acura TL? For that amount they better have significantly better transmissions, engines, ride, handling, fit/finish, luxury, durability, AND reliability.

fusiongt

does that mean u drive in highway with 3rd gear on??

dshahs420

Transmissions are transmissions. Let's put it this way, I like the transmission in the TL better than the LS600h I had which is nearly 3X the price of a 2009 TL. The LS has a 8 speed automatic and is not as buttery smooth as described and I was not the only one. Lexus could not fix the problem and had to buy back the vehicle. According to Lexus this was "normal" behavior of the transmission. For example the TL and RL transmissions are made by the same mfg and they don't use "better" components for higher priced cars.

Olu

I find it hard to believe that the transmission in the new LS is not markedly better then the TL, but since I haven't driven it I can't comment. My GS300 was a bit smoother but less responsive then the TL. I've also driven the LS430 and ES350 extensively. IMO, their transmissions are better and worse respectively then the TL.

I still can't understand why everyone isn't using a dual clutch system like VW/Audi DSG. These are the best auto transmissions I've ever driven.

Olu

No, it will shift into 4th eventually. 3rd gear has some legs, so it stays in that gear for quite some time. I don't have the exact speed though.

dshahs420

Believe it Man, the transmission at least in my LS600h was bad and during arbitration of the lemon laws we found out that my transmission was one of many but Lexus does not like to make this public like any other car company or business would. I have a friend who owned a 2007 ES350 who has transmission flare between the 3rd and 4th gears and I have an uncle who still has a 2005 ES330 and there is a hesitation problem where coming to a rolling stop and upon acceleration again it hesitates and doesn't know what gear to grab and the car will literally buck or give you a jolt. Toyota's transmissions are made by Aisin. Believe me they have been getting a lot of heat from ToMoCo for their lackluster quality control. You can't compare the LS430 to a ES350 either because they are 2 different generations of transmissions. All the other points you made are spot on.

Transmissions are very complex so when they produce transmissions for the manufacturer's lineup they like to keep it simple. Even if you go from a 5 speed auto to a 6 speed auto, the syncro's stay the same but only a single gear change. They put the same tranny in an Accord as they in a TL even though you pay 35k for a TL and 29k for a loaded Accord. Honda Transmission Mfg of America makes some of the worst transmissions in history period. And this is a fact.

To summarize, for the extra $20,000 you don't get a different transmission but you get better creature comforts. That is all I was trying to say. Car companies want customers to see the visual changes in their lineup. This is what sells the car not a better transmission.

Olu

That's too bad about the new LS, but it makes sense. The recent generation of Lexus cars has some nice designs, but the quality, materials, and fit and finish have suffered. Hence my move to Acura.

dshahs420

Even in "D" mode, it seems that the shift from 3rd to 4th gear takes longer than the rest of the gear changes. To me it also seems to require higher RPM's for it to change from 3-4 gear faster. JMO. I may be wrong as I have not driven this car much to definately say this happens frequently or all the time.

hypno999

Why not!!!

fusiongt

cuz that'll give too much stress on the engine driving over 4000 RPM all the time. TL is not a race tuned car.

csmeance

I believe I stated this in another thread about sport mode:

The S mode in the TL differs vastly from S modes in other cars. The TL's S mode is purely electronic programming, the car will stay in the highest gear possible as long as it's not in VTEC. However if the paddles are used, it over-rides this parameter. The car will naturally feel more responsive because the Torque Converter is locked and is not "slipping" like it would at lower RPM's. Shift times are reduces since its going from 3rd gear to second, not 5th to second at full throttle.

Other manufacturers, such as BMW have a vastly different S mode. In BMW's, car will start off in 2nd or 3rd gear no matter what in D. However in S mode, the car will start in first and downshift to first while slowing down. First gear is only used in S mode, never in D. As well the car will downshift to the lowest gear possible, even if it's in the Variable Valve Timing Range (VANOS). The car will only shift once you press the paddles or once you reach redline. As well it will firm up the suspension (only if you have electronic suspension) and will lower the car's rear end slightly (Self Leveling Rear Suspension). Theoretically the lower rear end add's negative camber to help the car stick to the road better.

At least this is what happens with my 760 when I mash the pedal and switch to S mode.

BlueAc

iTrader: (2)

Pardon the interruption... I don't own a 4G Tl, but thoughts of mashing the gas on a 760 makes wanna ...
Just had to throw that in there!!!

PetesTL

I knew I was right.....the S mode in BMW's is clearly different than in the TL's. In my last 545i, I could shave about 0.5 sec off the 0-60 time in S mode....the throttle response is so lightning quick. The TL's S mode is mostly "smoke and mirrors."

Olu

????? Ummm, we know their S modes are different. Decreasing engine power and starting in 2nd gear is some how less smoke and mirrors then changing shifting programming?

Please, enlighten us.

PetesTL

I don't know where you get your info, but BMW's S mode does not decrease engine power nor does it start in 2nd gear.....rather it starts in 1st gear, shift programs become more aggressive, and throttle response becomes more sensitive. On certain models, the S mode will also adjust and firm up steering response as well as the dampers. As csmeance said, TL's S mode is purely electronic programming of the shift pattern.

As much as you would like it to be, the "S' mode is not a "magical" button that turns the car into a "G37 fighter"

(Go test-drive a BMW if you think I'm wrong).

Olu

This is my last response to you on this subject.

1. The information about BMW shift patterns came from the poster you agreed with. No thanks for driving a BMW. I personally have grown to despise what they represent and wouldn't be caught dead owning one.

2. I don't know why you continue to compare the TL to a car that is significantly more expensive.

3. The whole concept of "sport" mode is asinine. (Almost as dumb as an "M" button). The ideal car would adapt automatically to your driving intentions. In mild driving it would get the best gas mileage, accelerate and shift imperceptibly, basically coddle you in comfort. When driving more spirited it would improve throttle response, handle better, shift more aggressively, and hold gears around turns. There shouldn't be a need to flip a fracking switch for this to happen. The fact that the "ultimate driving machine" hasn't figured it out speaks volumes about how difficult it is to strike the right balance.

4. All of the things you mentioned are ALL computer trickery. The fact that these changes are more drastic in the BMW means that they've failed IMO. Why? Because they haven't figured out how to get the ideal balance between regular driving and spirited driving. That or S mode isn't a viable option for any number of reasons, ie smoothness, wear & tear, gas mileage...etc. Either way it's a fail in my book.

hydr0

I don't know about you, but I've seen the M button in action, and it certainly isn't dumb. It threw me backward like I was in a rocket ship. Never felt acceleration quite like that. We scared the person 100 feet in front of us off the road.

Olu

Yeah, but why isn't like that all the time? Why can't the throttle be good enough that you can cruise around town AND have fun with it when needed?

ayuandmi

does this S mode of fun also work on FWD?

PetesTL

I don't know why you would "grow" to despise something you've never owned or know much about. BMW's are universally known and hailed by every automotive source on the planet for decades as the benchmark in luxury sports sedans.....this is a fact and not just "my" opinion. Every competing automaker has for years tried to come up with cars to emulate and surpass BMW and all have failed. Yes, BMW's are expensive, but having owned 4 BMW's in the past 7 years, I feel that no other luxury brand combines such a perfect balance of sport, handling, comfort and luxury as well as BMW.

The fact that you would equate BMW's more aggressive "S" mode as being a failure is laughable. You and I know both know that "S" modes take a substantial toll on fuel efficiency. Automakers are giving the driver the choice here---faster response at the expense of gas mileage or let the computer decide for optimal efficiency. BMW's S mode is more aggressive because that's how the automaker intended what the "Sport" mode should be....a dramatic change in the overall behavior of the car. However, even in normal or "D" mode, BMW's are generally more responsive than their competitors. Sure, in an ideal world, it would be awesome to have a transmission that knows our every thoughts and responds in a blink of any eye but we're not there yet.

Don't let your brand loyalty blind you to what's out there.

PetesTL

Yes.

acura2009

uh... let's just talk about the S Mode and TL please? I really don't care about the comparisons to BMW or other luxury brands , not like im shopping for a new car ehh

I'm very happy w/ the current S Mode, before i bought the TL, i've been in or driven many other cars from friends/family, a4, a5, a6, 3series, M3, IS250, 350, G etc.. and I have to say TL has been one of my favorite and that's why I decided to go w/ it.

For the price I don't think i'd go for anything else, the next step def i would consider bmw m3 but i'd much rather go for acura brand, due to too many bmws around in this area....so

back on topic, who has tips/experiences they'd like to share on S Mode?