Nathan22

I have an 06 250 AWD with 108,000 miles and I have a problem with the way it shifts going up hills with cruise control on. I always use my cruise control on the highway, usually set to 60 mph and when I start going up a decent grade hill it will always kick down one gear, usually two, which seems really unnecessary. Without cruise control on I can usually maintain most of my speed going uphill without it downshifting at all.

My main concern however is when I crest over the hill and it upshifts back into 5th and 6th gears, it lurches forward, much harder from 4th to 5th than from 5th to 6th. It seems to only lurch like this when cresting over hills. I find this incredibly annoying. I should mention that it will still do this without cruise control on if it does downshift while going up the hill.

Does anyone else experience this? I hope I don't have transmission problems! My tranny seems to shift fine at all other times, and after searching I realize that firm shifts are normal. Its just the way it lurches forward after cresting that scare me. I'm a traditional manual w/ clutch fanatic and maybe after coming from a 5spd Honda I just need to get used to this. Thanks for reading and any input is appreciated.

Sango

iTrader: (10)

It does that because it thinks you need more power.

I would normally notice would notice this on a residential where enabled my cruise control before start of the incline but since it was steep enough, the car goes down a gear and notice the car just revving up the power band. In these cases I either turn off the cruise right away or use throttle with cruise on to not make the car rev up the power band like that.

Using the throttle on the freeway with cruise should help.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Happens with the wife's CR-V a lot.Constantly downshifts when hitting a hill with cruise on.A bit less without the cruise because I believe you gradually add gas when hitting a hill.The downshifting is annoying.
The IS350 rarely drops down a gear with cruise on when hitting a hill unless it's steep.I usually set the cruise at 69 MPH or a bit higher.

rookieIS

iTrader: (8)

my is250 does the same thing too while on cruise control, even on mild inclinations.. i guess its normal

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

Go to "s" mode and use the paddles to limit the gear.

That way it won't constantly be up shifting and downshifting.

Nathan22

I will give this a try, but my understanding of the "s" mode is that its just a top gear limiter? So if I had it in sixth gear wouldn't it still just downshift itself the same as it does in auto mode? It was snowing today and my car is clean and parked in the garage so I didn't want to get it out and get dirty! Haha I just washed it yesterday.

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

Thats exactly the point of using S mode Downshift using the paddles to 3 or 4...... don't leave it in 6th.

In D the transmission will go through all 6 gears as it sees fit. But putting it in S and downshifting, you will limit how far the transmission can upshift.

Nathan22

I just don't want it to downshift at all. I'd like it to stay in 6th. I just wish the AWDs could've come as actual manuals...

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

6th gear isn't exactly meant for getting your car up a hill lol... you are supposed to be in a lower gear. Then again Im not sure what type of hill you are trying to go up... I live in SF, and our freeways can get hilly ... and even if you had a manual I don't think it would be wise to leave the car in 6th going up those hills.