So here is something weird today.

Yes, I drive sometimes using the paddle shifts. They are cute and fun to use and I don't feel like I have an Auto ALL the time. Well this morning I wasn't in "Sport" mode. Just in plain ol "D". I accidentally hit the paddle with my hand and it shifted. I looked and the gear number was in my selector window. So to get out of that gear, I had to shift. Like I was in "S" mode versus "D". Thinking something was weird, I turned off the car and stuck it in drive and tried it. YUP...It worked. So, my question is this: Is something wrong? If not, why even have two selections if both modes can use the paddles?

Chime in folks!

kris

 

Nothing is wrong. I hit the left paddle while in D for engine braking in the mountains all the time. You don't have to use the right paddle to upshift, just increase your speed and the trans will automatically shift back up again, and stay in automatic unless or until you use one of the paddles again. To lock into Sequential shiftin where only the paddles get you into another gear, use the "S" position.

 

Thanks man. I was confused. Because I know I upshifted as the car didn't shift as soon as it would in "normal" auto mode.

Thanks though for the info. Seems odd still but I suppose it makes sense.

Thanks again.

 

i don't have an auto but i'm curious. so if you leave it in sport mode and start in 1st, for example, and then accelerated, the car would not shift into 2nd on its own, even if you're bouncing on the rev limiter?

 

in "s" w/out hitting the paddles, the car will shift with an extended shift point. No, it will not bounce of the rev limiter without hitting the paddles in "s" mode

 

yup. in D mode, the paddle shifters work but it's different. if you hit the paddle to shift up, the computer will either shift you up or flash the gear number at you. the flashing means that it doesn't think you have enough speed to carry that gear. if you shift down, the computer will shift you down but may shift you back up if it decides you're too close to redline.

in S mode, the paddle shifters only activate when you tap one of them. if you don't tap one, it acts much like D mode. when you do tap one of the shifters, it will shift up if you are carrying enough speed. also, shifting up in S mode tends to have a lower threshold of speed. (example: in D mode, shifting from 2->3 can happen around 25 or 30 mph, but in S mode it can happen around 19->20 mph). If you do NOT shift up, the computer will let the car's engine rev and beat down on that limiter. generally if you forget, the engine noise will remind you. :P

A nice function about S mode is that it will shift down for you automatically if you forget to shift down yourself. Example: hard braking in 5th gear drops you from 50 to 30, computer will downshift for you to 4th or maybe 3rd.

basically, the S mode is better than D mode for holding a gear and not shifting up. in D mode, the car is much pickier b/c it's computer is deciding what gears are "appropriate" for which speeds.

 

I've noticed that if I'm in S mode, using the paddle shifters, my Fit will downshift from 5 to 4 to 3, as I slow down, but no matter what, it will NEVER shift to 2. If I slow down enough, it will go right from 3 to 1. This happens at less than 5 mph. If it doesn't shift to 1, I can then start accelerating again in 3. Is this normal, for it to skip 2 on the way down?

 

it's fine. mine does that sometimes too. it all depends on how hard you are braking. if you brake very hard, it skips 2, but braking more moderately will downshift through 2.

you can also start in 2nd gear if you're in S mode. Shift the car into S mode, flick the upshift paddle twice and you should see a red "2" pop up in your gear display.

 

I know about starting in 2nd, but I've NEVER seen it downshift into 2nd, no matter how lightly I'm braking, or even if I'm just coasting. I just don't think it does.

 

I actually like the idea to be able to downshift without changing the mode. I got so used to it that when i drive my friend's TSX, I'll try to reach for the pedal that doesn't exist!

 

I've noticed recently that if I'm cruising along in Auto and shift to the "S" mode, the transmission automatically shifts to one gear lower...is this normal? It seems kind of strange that it would do this.

Bob

 

In "S" mode, mine will never shift up past 3rd gear unless I tell it to by pulling the upshift paddle. Never. Not to 4th or 5th. Likewise, if I'm in 4th or 5th and switch to "S", it will drop down to 3rd like you described.

But to clarify on an earlier question, "S" mode shifts up 1-2-3 with no added input from you. It becomes manual-shift, so to speak, once you pull a shift paddle. When you stop, it goes back to 1. Then when you take off, if you forget you're in "S" mode, and fail to shift it, yes, it will bounce off the rev-limiter until you pull the upshift paddle. It will kind of freak you out and make you feel like a dumbass. Trust me.

 

Then you haven't gone fast enough! Up around 85 mph, it will shift into 4th on its own! I forget the exact speed where it happens, but it does. Of course, this is allowing that you have not used the paddles.

 

Dont worryyyyyy at allll nothings wrong lol i was surprised first to when the dealer told me u have to put in "s" to use pads but u can use both

 

OK, Wyy, I will have to take your word on this one. You actually can get to 85MPH in3rd? I wouldn't have thought so. Seems like that would be past redline, or at least waaay past where you would want to be before going into 4th. I am afraid to stretch it out that far.

Edit: Wyy, you are right! I had to try it, in spite of myself, when I went to the bank today. It got really close to redline, and shifted at about 79-80 MPH. I'm sure the exact speed at which it shifts is not the same every time, depending on how fast you're accelerating. So I guess "never" is too strong a word! Just never had done it until now. Thank you for cluing me in on this.

Joe

 

The Sport mode will not automatically go up through the gears, you have to manually shift them. This allows you to run the RPMS up before shifting. I use the "S" mode a lot in stop and go traffic, just to keep the transmission locked in 1st gear. With the really close gear ratios, you don't have to get going very fast before the car will attempt to go to 2nd, even in stop and go traffic.

In "S" mode however, the car will however automatically downshift in order to avoid redlining the engine. However, I have noticed that the shift ranges don't appear to be the same. I have the full service manual, which explains the conditions under which the computer instructs the transmission to shift up or down. But it's pretty hairy stuff.

Update: That's interesting about the 85mph in 3rd item, but you won't catch me trying it, lol.

 

[quote=BamaBR549;156945]The Sport mode will not automatically go up through the gears, you have to manually shift them.

In "S" mode however, the car will however automatically downshift in order to avoid redlining the engine.
quote]

Huh?

The auto trans in "S" (Sequential) mode will shift up all the way to 4th (as I just learned) unless and until you take over (by pulling a paddle).
And downshifting early wouldn't keep the engine from redlining, it would cause it to redline, IF the computer wasn't programmed to prevent us from downshifting too early. Or maybe that's what you meant, upshift instead of downshift.

I am telling you this because if your A/T is not working as I described it here, you need to see your dealer.

Best to you.

 

Yup, you're right, I was in a flurry of things when I wrote that. I don't drive in the S mode much, mostly in stop and go traffic.

After I read that I remembered an incident when I let my wife drive it, we were crusing about 40 or so, and she said, what do these do, and hit the "-" button about 3 times.

I replied, "Holy Sh**, don't do that!" grabbed the wheel and hit the "+" button twice. Luckily the limiter took the brunt of it I think, and we slowed fairly quickly needless to say from engine braking.

Needless to say, she has a habit of pushing buttons that she knows nothing about, lol.

I'm just wondering if you have to be stopped to shift between D an S. I've done it at slow speeds, < 25, like when the stop and go traffic speeds up, I'll switch back to D without stopping. I need to dig in the service manual a bit.

The only other thing I'm trying to figure out is whether the lock up torque converter will also operate in S mode, giving the extra fuel economy. I'd personally like to use that on some of the longer less travelled 2 lane roads on my commute to more easily keep it in 5th gear, even on minor hills.

The best MPG I've gotten so far is 36.84, and by golly that was by absolutely BABYING the gas, and driving it slow and easy. I still want to break 37, since that's the EPA rating, lol...

 

You can shift into "S" anytime. The torque converter is always locked up in "S"", and in "D" you will almost always be in a higher gear and lower rpm than you would be in "S".

 

Sorry to resurrect an ancient thread, but I wanted to bring this up. I don't know if it is because mine is a Canadian car or not, but when I am in "S" in the two years I've owned the car it has NEVER shifted for me. It will bounce off rev limiter all day long and never changes gear for me (I love this).
Has anyone else experienced this?