[Jim Ray]

Sorry Jim, for posting your question in open, you have your PM's turned off so I can not reply via that method. You had a good question, so I am going to answer you with a public reply.

Quote:

I've had issues with this transmission, and I'm not sure if it's fixable (i.e., a software problem) or it's just functioning the way it's supposed to by design. Basically, I believe the shift points are too low - in normal city driving, mine shifts from 2nd to 3rd at about 2200 RPM, whereupon the tach drops to about 1500 RPM and the engine lugs. Same thing from 3rd to 4th. After that, the shift points seem more appropriate. It also doesn't like to downshift sometimes; I'll slow to round a corner and the tranny won't downshift automatically, and again the engine is forced to pull the car at below 2000 RPM. It gets irritating to continually have to manually downshift. To my way of thinking, this engine doesn't have the torque to pull the car at these low RPMs without straining. I've got about 3500 miles on the car now. Does this sound like a real problem, or just me being picky?
Thanks--

Hi Jim.

It sounds as if you are a gentle driver. I have had that happen to me as well. If I use slightly more throttle from a dead stop, it will hold in the gears longer prior to shifting. The software tries to predict what you want to do next.

It makes little difference to fuel economy if it shifts sooner or later. Mine has adapted to my driving style by not shifting until the change results in about a 2500 to 3000 rpm after the shift. If yours stays lower, it might be worth seeing if there is a later software update that you need. If you don't let your service manager know that you are not happy with the shift charactoristics, they won't call you in for an upgrade.

Try driving it for a little while in sport mode, i.e., bump the shift lever to the right, and it will up the shift points about 500 RPM. Don't paddle shift or manually shift when in SD, or it will approach redline prior to shifting. It will not over rev, the tranny and computer will always shift prior too high or low RPM. It is virtually impossible to damage engine or transmission in these cars equipped with an automatic. You can't even rev the engine in neutral and drop it in gear, the software will not allow it. I was so confident of that I bought mine as an ex demonstrator.

Incidentally, the MCSa is a real value holder. I sold my car on eBay, and the automatic S is so scarce that with 12000 miles and 9 months of use, I received $400 more for mine than I paid for it.

Still have the wife's Cabrio automatic, and enjoy it every time I get to drive it. Take care.

Jim