Transmission in S = almost always 4th gear
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 198
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Transmission in S = almost always 4th gear
Is it normal for your transmission to be in 4th gear when you shift from D to S most of the time? It does it from a stop and up to about 45. I haven't experimented with switching at higher speeds yet.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 281
Likes: 61
From: QLD
Yes mine is always in 4th gear when I switch from D to S. But depending on how fast you are going it could be in a higher gear, this is to protect the transmission from damage.
I had a funny thing happen the other day though - I had just left my house and was coasting down a hill with the car in D. But i could feel the engine braking as if it was in a low gear. I switched it over to S and it was in S2, instead of S4 like it usually is, so I had to start flicking through the gears because the revs were increasing.
This has only happened that one time, and I was wondering if it has ever happened to anyone else?
I had a funny thing happen the other day though - I had just left my house and was coasting down a hill with the car in D. But i could feel the engine braking as if it was in a low gear. I switched it over to S and it was in S2, instead of S4 like it usually is, so I had to start flicking through the gears because the revs were increasing.
This has only happened that one time, and I was wondering if it has ever happened to anyone else?
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 198
Likes: 41
Right. The shifting up and down manually works fine.
I just don't get the logic behind what gear it picks when you make the switch from D to S.
I just don't get the logic behind what gear it picks when you make the switch from D to S.
Last edited by user 710812323; Jan 13, 2020 at 11:40 AM.
Driver
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 78
Likes: 12
From: CO
The gear it shifts into appears to be based on the speed that you are going when you shift into "S." try driving on a 50-70 mph road in "D" and shift into "S" and see if it doesn't show the highest gear. Same with coasting downhill at very low speed - I think that shifting into "S" would cause it to shift into 2 or 3.
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Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 281
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From: QLD
Can you shift into S mode when you're going 60+ mph? I've always wondered what gear it would be in if I was travelling at 100+ kph
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
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Rookie
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 34
Likes: 17
From: TN
Yes mine is always in 4th gear when I switch from D to S. But depending on how fast you are going it could be in a higher gear, this is to protect the transmission from damage.
I had a funny thing happen the other day though - I had just left my house and was coasting down a hill with the car in D. But i could feel the engine braking as if it was in a low gear. I switched it over to S and it was in S2, instead of S4 like it usually is, so I had to start flicking through the gears because the revs were increasing.
This has only happened that one time, and I was wondering if it has ever happened to anyone else?
I had a funny thing happen the other day though - I had just left my house and was coasting down a hill with the car in D. But i could feel the engine braking as if it was in a low gear. I switched it over to S and it was in S2, instead of S4 like it usually is, so I had to start flicking through the gears because the revs were increasing.
This has only happened that one time, and I was wondering if it has ever happened to anyone else?
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,916
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From: Maryland
When you move over into "S" at highway speeds it will go into 6th gear. 7th and 8th are overdrive gears.
I do this routinely when traveling in the mountains to downshift for engine braking.
I do this routinely when traveling in the mountains to downshift for engine braking.
Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 101
Likes: 20
From: PA
The LS manual mode does not give you direct control of the transmission like it does in most cars. Think of manual mode on an LS more as a gear limiter. When you are stopped and put it in manual, It defaults to 4th. the highest gear it will go in is 4th, that’s why the 4 appears. Once you get up to speed and you’re in 4th, it will not go to 5th (or higher) until you shift. At this point you sort of have direct control. If you quickly put it in 8th, it won’t keep up (because it’s a shift limiter, not direct control).
the manual feature is odd, but it does work well with our lazy transmission when you want to pounce on the gas. Kick it to manual just before you go to pass someone and the trans will respond much more quickly. On twisty mountain roads, I use it in 6th instead of letting the trans go to 8th as you ease up around corners.
the manual feature is odd, but it does work well with our lazy transmission when you want to pounce on the gas. Kick it to manual just before you go to pass someone and the trans will respond much more quickly. On twisty mountain roads, I use it in 6th instead of letting the trans go to 8th as you ease up around corners.