The hard downshifts in sport mode

[jrhodes87]

I've noticed this becoming increasingly more lately, if I'm slowing down slowly and applying moderate pressure to the break sometimes the downshifts in sport mode just feel pretty hard and jerky at times, slowing the car down themselves.

If I stop alot faster then there is no issue as the downshifts don't slow the car down as much due to the quicker stopping. I understand the downshifts are going down quicker to give the car more functionality for starting and stopping much faster, but I like cruising around in sport mode and I'm just worried the downshifts feel so forcefull it's hard on the transmission, over time may become a problem??

Anyone else concerned over this.

 

[mldavis2]

That is a very beefy transmission so I doubt there is a problem. Have it checked next service interval, but also recognize that the transmission also "learns" your driving style and is supposed to adjust somewhat to accommodate how you drive. It can be reset by pulling the battery power.

 

[patriotsfan82]

Kind of a late bump, but I'm hoping there might be some more input on this.

For me - regardless of mode - attempting to come to a smooth stop in this car is impossible. E.G. apply light but steady brake pressure and the car will hit at least two really jerky downshifts on its way to a complete stop. The jerk is worst is Sport, and best in Eco, but it is there in all modes.

I will hopefully have this looked at on Friday, but I have relatively low hopes with my local dealer.

My google searches have primarily turned up complaints on BMW forums - and in most of those cases it is explained away as a problem with certain types of transmissions and how they handle the downshifts. Either way, not impressed.

 

[Neek0]

Kind of a late bump, but I'm hoping there might be some more input on this.

For me - regardless of mode - attempting to come to a smooth stop in this car is impossible. E.G. apply light but steady brake pressure and the car will hit at least two really jerky downshifts on its way to a complete stop. The jerk is worst is Sport, and best in Eco, but it is there in all modes.

I will hopefully have this looked at on Friday, but I have relatively low hopes with my local dealer.

My google searches have primarily turned up complaints on BMW forums - and in most of those cases it is explained away as a problem with certain types of transmissions and how they handle the downshifts. Either way, not impressed.

I usually keep my car in sport mode at all times and I definitely notice how the car jerks as I'm breaking. Pretty annoying at times smh.

 

[upsidedown]

Kind of a late bump, but I'm hoping there might be some more input on this.

For me - regardless of mode - attempting to come to a smooth stop in this car is impossible. E.G. apply light but steady brake pressure and the car will hit at least two really jerky downshifts on its way to a complete stop. The jerk is worst is Sport, and best in Eco, but it is there in all modes.

I will hopefully have this looked at on Friday, but I have relatively low hopes with my local dealer.

My google searches have primarily turned up complaints on BMW forums - and in most of those cases it is explained away as a problem with certain types of transmissions and how they handle the downshifts. Either way, not impressed.

I'm glad there are now other people saying what I have felt (and said here Jerky automatic transmission shifting) for months. Even though there are many people that seem to like the gear changes in my opinion the gearbox is not very well calibrated. As discussed downshifts are harsh and unexpected in most cases when there really is no real need for them. I think it would have been better to have the transmission select a gear after you have got back on the throttle after slowing down. Very annoying to be slowing down at a certain rate and have everything under control when the gearbox kicks in and all of a sudden you have to readjust your brake pressure because the car is now slowing down faster because of the lower gear.

I just feel that the rev matching on downshifts or even upshifts is not very well managed. And I say upshifts as well because I've never had a gear change even in comfort or eco modes that feels like a thump to the back (except maybe 6th, 7th, 8th where the rato change is much less). I could do smoother gear changes in my manual WRX

 

[patriotsfan82]

Agreed on all counts. I've had my GT1 for 2 weeks now and have noticed this since the start, and you've explained it quite well. It's funny because I somehow managed to hate my WRX manual transmission (felt like it was the only manual I've driven where I could repeat the same action twice and experience different results) - but I still managed to coax more smoothness out of that thing than the GT1.

The rev matching on downshifts (and even many upshifts) in the 1-4 gear range (at least for me) is just not very good. It's actually pretty bad.

This is my first automatic I've owned (not the first I've driven obviously) and is certainly the only one to behave like this.

The reason this is such a big issue for me is because I get pretty severe motion sickness. Being driven around is a no-no, but driving is normally absolutely fine. The reason driving is fine is because I am forced to look out the front and am in full control of the vehicle - no unexpected turns or anything. But these unexpected downshift jerks throw my head for a loop.

 

[Kazz]

With all the complaining, I assume they'll tweak something in the future. This somewhat relates to braking technique in my mind. And I sure as hell don't want to start a braking style discussion again vis-a-vis IGN.

 

[Socalstinga]

I’ve come from other automatic sports sedans and I’ll tell you that the stinger isn’t close in terms of jerkiness and rough up shifts/downshifts in comparison. At least w/ my stinger. I won’t discount anyone’s experience but I’ve found that my downshifts are pretty smooth but I don’t get the rev matching I would expect from a performance vehicle. I would actually like more. It is a torque-y car so there Will be some oomph on the kickdown. Been smooth for me. Maybe get it checked out if it persists

 

[patriotsfan82]

I’ve come from other automatic sports sedans and I’ll tell you that the stinger isn’t close in terms of jerkiness and rough up shifts/downshifts in comparison. At least w/ my stinger. I won’t discount anyone’s experience but I’ve found that my downshifts are pretty smooth but I don’t get the rev matching I would expect from a performance vehicle. I would actually like more. It is a torque-y car so there Will be some oomph on the kickdown. Been smooth for me. Maybe get it checked out if it persists

Not having much experience with premium or sporty automatics (all manuals for the most part) - is this just how these transmissions work?

I've primarily driven manual transmissions since I started driving - but the few automatics that I have driven do not behave this way. I would be hard pressed to say that I have ever driven an automatic where I could count every downshift by the quick jerk that accompanies it while coming to a stop at a red light or stop sign.

 

[Socalstinga]

I’ve found that they tend to smoothen out as it “learns” your driving. Without actually seeing what you are saying I can’t really say. The transmission in the stinger has a good bite up shifting which is a good thing when you are churning the torquey power this engine has. But I still haven’t felt a hard downshift when I let off the gas. I have felt a bit of a jerk when cruising and then stepping on the gas for passing power causing the tranny to downshift. But nothing out of the norm for an automatic w/ this much torque.

 

[upsidedown]

It's funny because I somehow managed to hate my WRX manual transmission (felt like it was the only manual I've driven where I could repeat the same action twice and experience different results) - but I still managed to coax more smoothness out of that thing than the GT1.

The rev matching on downshifts (and even many upshifts) in the 1-4 gear range (at least for me) is just not very good. It's actually pretty bad.

Yep

I’ve come from other automatic sports sedans and I’ll tell you that the stinger isn’t close in terms of jerkiness and rough up shifts/downshifts in comparison. At least w/ my stinger. I won’t discount anyone’s experience but I’ve found that my downshifts are pretty smooth but I don’t get the rev matching I would expect from a performance vehicle. I would actually like more. It is a torque-y car so there Will be some oomph on the kickdown. Been smooth for me. Maybe get it checked out if it persists

Yes agree there is not enough rev matching on downshifts or even upshifts

I've primarily driven manual transmissions since I started driving - but the few automatics that I have driven do not behave this way. I would be hard pressed to say that I have ever driven an automatic where I could count every downshift by the quick jerk that accompanies it while coming to a stop at a red light or stop sign.

Yes this is what I am saying as well

I’ve found that they tend to smoothen out as it “learns” your driving. Without actually seeing what you are saying I can’t really say. The transmission in the stinger has a good bite up shifting which is a good thing when you are churning the torquey power this engine has. But I still haven’t felt a hard downshift when I let off the gas. I have felt a bit of a jerk when cruising and then stepping on the gas for passing power causing the tranny to downshift. But nothing out of the norm for an automatic w/ this much torque.

Just to try and give a better picture of the circumstances I am talking about is when I am doing about 60 - 70 kmh (35 to 40 mph) in a suburban area and have to slow down for an intersection. If I lift the foot and coast then eventually as the speed slows it starts downshifting and with each downshift there is a noticeable jerk as the car decelerates quicker in the next lower gear etc. Now whatever you call it whether hard downshift or just jerky then I don't know. I don't know why we need it to downshift under these circumstanes but I know that many people quite like that feature. Me not so much. As the saying goes "Throttle is for go and brakes are for whoa" so I don't really need the transmission to help me at least at those low speeds. And when I am coasting around a suburban intersection off throttle quite happily and the transmission downshifts half way around and then I have to accelerate again to get back to the speed I was already doing before I ask why?

And if it "learns" my driving then it must be a slow learner as after 5 months it still doesn't get it

 

[StingEm]

This is interesting, because I haven’t noticed anything weird during braking on my car. However, my car is the 4cyl model and it may be that the small engine spins up a lot easier on downshifts so it’s not very noticeable, the transmission is programmed differently, or the rev matching works better on the little engine. I’ll try and pay more attention in the situation you describe and see if I notice anything, but if it’s there it must be really minor since it hasn’t annoyed me yet. I actually haven’t found anything I don’t like about the driving dynamics on the 4cyl car yet (noise/harshness improved once I noticed the dealer had left the tires set at 59psi... lol).

 

[Waynerm002]

Seems like you should probably not use sport mode if you don’t like how it downshifts in that mode. Just customize the other settings and use comfort for the transmission setting.

 

[StingEm]

I tested it out this morning on the 4cyl. It downshifts while slowing as you describe but there is so little compression on the small motor that engine braking is pretty negligible. They tuned it to downshift while slowing so it wouldn’t have a delay to change gears if you get back on the throttle somewhat gently (a big stab of the throttle will drop another gear or two though). The more noticeable engine braking is probably just the nature of the beast on the bigger engine, especially in Sport mode where they seem to shift down a little earlier.

 

[Ucinn]

Compared to my modded Mustang with 3.73's, this thing is as smooth as butter!!

 

[SteveCo]

Read this last night, and didn't recognize that as an issue with my car. So when out for a cruise this morning, I found an isolated secondary road and tried several different speeds, stopping rates, and even drive modes (including sport, of course). There isn't anything I would even remotely call harsh or abrupt on the downshifts.

Either we've got vastly different opinions on what would constitute a hard downshift, or you need to have your transmission looked at ... hope it's resolved soon.

 

[patriotsfan82]

Read this last night, and didn't recognize that as an issue with my car. So when out for a cruise this morning, I found an isolated secondary road and tried several different speeds, stopping rates, and even drive modes (including sport, of course). There isn't anything I would even remotely call harsh or abrupt on the downshifts.

Either we've got vastly different opinions on what would constitute a hard downshift, or you need to have your transmission looked at ... hope it's resolved soon.

So in sport I would classify the downshifts as "harsher than I think they should be". But I should be clear in what I mean - they probably aren't as harsh as this topic might make it sound. In reality the extra stopping force that happens on each downshift does make me lurch forward in my seat a bit - but not in terrible manor.

My primary issue is that I have never driven an automatic that lurches at all when coming to a stop - let alone behaves like this. I suspect a decent part of this is simply due to the engine size (not driven any automatics this powerful) - but some of it seems to clearly be due to poor rev matching.

So I wouldn't classify them as objectively harsh. But I can feel them in comfort and would classify them as unbearably annoying in sport - again, because this is the only car I've ever driven that behaves this way. It may not be a problem, but I don't love it.

I did two terrible MS Paint drawings to try to explain. Constant braking force, significantly varying deceleration.

 

[SteveCo]

I'm afraid the diagrams didn't help much ... - but I don't think it's ambiguous what you're trying to say. And no, I'm not experiencing anything I would classify as abrupt or overly aggressive downshifts in sport mode. The transmission behaves as I would expect it to, and steps down in a controlled, appropriate and quite unobtrusive manner. They're are not even something I notice when braking to a stop, regardless of rate of deceleration.

I'd ask your dealer to take one of their demo cars out for a ride, and see if it does the same.

 

[gilthanis1]

I experienced the same thing in my '16 Optima SX, which was later resolved with a software update for the tranny. I would assume as much will be coming for the Stinger. We are early adopters so there will be some growing pains. I would definitely have the tranny checked by the dealer post haste though.

I have noticed that the tranny does much better rev matching on downshifts when I'm driving it in Sport and driving like I mean it. Deep braking, grab a gear, rev match perfectly, back on the gas and shoot to the next corner. If I drive normally in Sport, every now and then it will try a downshift and just shift without rev matching and it feels a little jerky, but I just chalk it up to trying to be Sporty and I'm driving normal.

Unless I'm having fun through the mountains or a back road, I leave it in Comfort. It's quick enough to flick the knob over to Sport if I need it.

 

[Socalstinga]

When this topic was brought up by a bunch of g37 owners during the first year of the 7spd tranny, they came out w/ a tsb and basically neutered the tranny. So if Kia came out w/ a tsb, I’m staying as far away from it as possible.

As for the lurching, The car itself is not lurching forward, it’s actually slowing down but jerking the driver forward as it downshifts. Imo that means that tranny is grabbing the gears the way it should For a performance car. That’s not uncommon w/ any modern day auto tranny on powerful engines. My cousins m3 will jerk that junk out of you as it downshifts.

Again, I’ve found this car very smooth, maybe a little too smooth for my inner racer lol