My TLX is about a month old and has been driving great. However, during last few days, I have encountered a very weird problem when I use the SPORT mode (which I tend to use more and more to provide better acceleration). I tend to switch from the default NORMAL mode to SPORT when I first begin driving, but when I accelerate, transmission gets stuck in first gear and races upwards. Only by quickly getting out of SPORT mode and heading to ECON or NORMAL can I get things back to normal.
Anyone else encounter this? Am I finally becoming victim to the TLX's notorious transmission problems?

 

Are you in Sport or Sport+?

 

Over the weekend, I noticed a similar thing in my SH-AWD/Tech, as well as the RPM's, increasing substantially, while cruising at 70-75 MPH
Gas mileage decreases by about 2MPG in Sport+; no biggie, but the high rev 1st gear, is suspicious.
Any ideas?.

 

Sport mode is designed to hold gears longer - so you should see higher revs as you drive more aggressively - however it should eventually shift up. If you're not shifting out of first, *ever* then you need to call your service dept and have them look at it.

Sport+ is designed to act as a manual and requires you to use the paddles to shift gears. Frankly I'm not sure what would happen if you stomped on it and didn't shift up in Sport+ - I'm guessing it will hang at whatever RPM the rev limiter allows.

 

■ When the transmission is in (D with Sport+ mode:
The vehicle will go into the sequential mode, and the M (sequential mode) indicator
and sequential mode gear selection indicator will come on.
If the vehicle speed increases and the engine speed reaches near the tachometer’s
red zone, the transmission automatically shifts up to the next gear.
You can cancel this mode by pressing IDS button to select other than Sport+ mode
or push (D button to return to normal drive Sport+ mode. When the sequential
mode is canceled, the sequential mode indicator and sequential mode gear selection
indicator go off.

 

It just hangs out there!

 

Ah - one of those "manual readers!"

Thanks for the clarification!

 

Yep, I read, I'll let others test and verify!

 

Does this also apply to the 9 speed/6 cylinder?

 

The same text appears in both sections (shifter and electronic) p.340/ p. 336. There are a few differences in the text but both show the same "automatic shift up".

 

I have it on good authority that in Sport + mode the car WILL upshift to the next gear at redline.

 

Unfortunately, my problem with being stuck in first gear is in the SPORT mode, not SPORT +. This happens primarily when I'm shifting IDS on the fly from NORMAL to SPORT during acceleration. Doesn't happen as often when I'm in SPORT to start out with--but it has occurred there as well.