Automatic shifting

[Swissswiss]

I just got my car back after the valve body failed with only 1000 miles. I'm sure I'm just being picky, but the car seems to shift to quickly. I was cruising at 25 and popped it in manual shift mode and saw the car was in 5th gear... I was expecting 3rd, or maybe 4th, but 5th gear seemed too high if I was just cruising at 25. I have the 3.5L etorque v6 engine

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[Headbarcode]

It's normal for it to be in a higher gear at a relatively low speed, because there's such a light load on the engine. The 8-speed is programmed to drop rpm's as low as possible when just maintaining speed. I'd say that you have nothing to be concerned about and it is operating as designed.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

It was just the valve body they replaced. They didn’t have to get into the guys of the transmission. This transmission, like all automatics in the last decade or two, has adaptive learning. It will take about 500 miles or so of driving before it begins to adapt to your driving style. You will have to go through that process again after the repair.

 

[Maverick909]

like the last cowboy said all newer automatics have to learn your driving style. Yet all automatics are designed to shift to the highest gear possible for the best emissions and fuel savings.

 

[Swissswiss]

like the last cowboy said all newer automatics have to learn your driving style. Yet all automatics are designed to shift to the highest gear possible for the best emissions and fuel savings.

So if I drive with a heavy foot and gas it when the light turns green, the system will learn to shift at higher rpm and it won’t shift as quickly? Is there anyway to reset the “learning”?

 

[unsavory]

So if I drive with a heavy foot and gas it when the light turns green, the system will learn to shift at higher rpm and it won’t shift as quickly? Is there anyway to reset the “learning”?

Sadly, no. I have yet to see any evidence of the transmission "learning" anything. It is pre-programmed to always try to be in the highest gear possible, and will have to downshift when applying throttle to accelerate, and no amount of "learning" will change this.

If the transmission was capable of "learning", then it wouldn't insist on staying in 2nd or even 3rd gear when coming to a near stop, only to have to abruptly downshift to first when I hit the accelerator to go. Every. Single. Time.

Also, why is it in 6th gear at 35 MPH, and then has to downshift to 3rd to accelerate?

Very annoying. But I've driven far worse autos, that's for sure.

Other than holding higher gears too long, which is obviously on emissions/regulation thing, the transmission has been great.

Wish there was a way to reprogram the shift points though. Somewhere between Off-road Plus mode and standard would be great.

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