mossman77

I have a feeling I already know what the answer is going to be, but figured I'd ask anyway. Is there a way to flash the ECU and change the functionality of the paddle shifters and sport mode? I've had my TL for a little over a week now and I'm finding the shift points to be a little irritating. I use sport mode when driving through my neighborhood at 35 mph and that works well, but when I get up to 45 mph the transmission doesn't shift to fourth (engine a little over 3,000 RPM), so I tap the '+' paddle to shift to fourth. This isn't a big deal, but when I come to a stop then accelerate again, I forget it is now in manual mode and end up racing the engine. It's even more irritating if I'm stopping then turning because the wheel is turned and I have to struggle to find the paddle. I wish there was a way to revert back to sport mode without moving the gear selector from S to D and back to S again. My question is, is there an aftermarket solution that can reprogram the ECU to change the shifting functionality? As an example, it would be nice to be able to tap one of the paddles twice in rapid succession to revert back to sport mode. I imagine it could be done with a little ingenuity, like installing a momentary pushbutton switch on the center console that will trick the ECU into thinking it was switched back to drive then to sport again. Hmm, that could just work. Someone want to try that on their TL and let me know how it goes (haha). Better yet, use the brake pedal switch to do it automatically, then have a separate override switch that would keep it in manual mode when applying the brake if you wanted. Dang, I should patent this.

mossman77

Using the brake pedal signal may not be the best though because there would be times where I tap the brake pedal but want to remain in manual. I could instead exploit the paddle shifter signals and switch back to sport mode after simultaneously tapping the '-' and '+' paddles. I tapped both simultaneously on the way to work today and the transmission didn't shift, so I think this would be relatively safe. Am I playing with fire here?

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

The entire point of Sport mode is that it holds the gears after you've hit them. If you want a quick burst you can downshift (paddles) in Drive and then it will automatically shift back up when you're done.

Just leave your car in Drive.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

or how about....ya know, learning the quirks of the car for more than a week.
I bet you'll understand the way it is; once you've had more seat time.

as it really sounds like driver error....."I forget that its in sport mode"


you sir, just need more seat time

mossman77

I think you missed the point. When cruising at 35 to 40 mph, the transmission shifts to 5th gear and the RPMs drop to a little over 1,000, so the engine labors, things vibrate, etc. And when using sport mode, the RPMs are too high (over 3k). 4th gear is the perfect gear for cruising at this speed.

Perhaps so, but I feel like there should still be a way to revert to sport mode after having entered manual mode without using the gear selector.

Edward'TLS

Sorry sir, there is no ECU reflash, nothing available aftermarket for the owners to muck around with the factory shift sequencing.

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

You push gas pedal.

Car go.

The car will downshift/upshift as needed in Drive, does the same in Sport however holds each gear longer. When using paddle shifters the car automatically shifts in Drive if you've used them and holds whatever gear in Sport.

I've put ~40k miles on my car since I've owned it and never once have been "Gosh golly, this thing really sucks at 35mph" I'll even test today, but I don't think at 40 it's in 5th.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^he's not familiar with the car.
it's all driver error!

he needs to learn the characteristics of the car!!

Pearson4G

Ya just gotta learn the ins and outs of the car friendo. Honestly your best bet haha

mossman77

I'm familiar with how the car operates. All I'm saying is that it sucks to be cruising at 35 to 40 and the car is in 5th. Yes, it is definitely in 5th because if I downshift with the paddle it shifts to 4th. Of course pressing the gas pedal will cause it to downshift, but only momentarily and back to 5th it goes. And please spare the condescending remarks. I'm a 38 year old educated man, not some ignorant kid. I'm also an engineer whose job it is to design and improve things. If it were my job, I would've programmed the shifting of this vehicle a bit differently.

mossman77

I imagine the trans is actually in fourth while cruising at 35 to 40, but the torque converter is locking up thus causing the RPMs to drop and the engine to lug. Regardless, it doesn't seem right. What RPM are you guys running at while in drive and cruising at this speed? If I need to have the vehicle lookd at, I have 7k and one year remaining on the power train warranty.

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

The general consensus here though is you don't understand how it operates, or think you know better than Acura.

Sport Mode is intended to hold the gears longer in "auto" mode and holds them after you've flappy-paddled them. While I agree it'd be nice to have a way to cut back over to auto without shifting up into Drive and back into Sport I'm not sure of a better way to do it.

Drive, obviously shifts up/down as needed even if you use the paddles.

If your concern is the vehicle doesn't have enough *oomph* at 40, just leave the thing in Sport mode without paddle shifting. If the concern is needing more power for passing while in Drive, use the paddles to downshift and then the car will automatically shift back up as needed.

That's just how the car works. You're not missing anything. If you really want more control over the vehicle maybe you should have opted for the 6MT instead of the 6AT?

csmeance

This is normal for your Acura, it's designed to give you the best MPG while driving so it'll be in 5th in your neighborhood so you are getting 5-6+ mpg vs being in 4th gear.

J35 isn't laboring, it' tends to drone under 1400 RPMS which causes things to rattle. The J35's in the TLX's can run on 3 cylinders at sub 1500 RPMs so power isn't an issue with all 6 running on our J35.

mossman77

Believe me, I looked. I couldn't find the color combination I wanted anywhere in the US with a 6MT. I would trade mine for the right 6MT in a heartbeat.

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

Which year do you have too? If it's '12 and up you've got a 6AT, '11 and earlier is a 5AT IIRC. It seems the 5AT is not as loved as the 6AT.

mossman77

It's a 2011.