snagitseven

All Audis with ADS have always defaulted to the D mode at start up with engine throttle and transmission gear mspping. Like it or not, It has to do with meeting Audi's stated EPA mpg ratings and requirements. A simple flick of the gear shift returns to S mode.

superswiss

Dynamic mode is intended for temporary sport driving to put all systems into their most aggressive settings. The transmission mode actually takes precedence. S means the transmission and engine are in Dynamic mode. D means they are in Auto mode, regardless of what your current Drive Select mode is. Auto mode is intended for daily driving and does adapt somewhat to your driving style and Comfort mode is intended for long distance highway driving.

So normally you would have Drive Select in Auto mode for regular driving, then if you feel a bit frisky you pull back on the shifter to put the transmission in S or if you also want the steering to tighten up a bit you would select Dynamic mode. Once you got it out of your system, you revert back to Auto.

jjcuff1

I understand how it switches BUT it doesn't seem to work unless I manually engage S mode. I have driven in Dynamic and after the first time I select ADS to Dynamic, it defaults to S mode in the gear shifter.

It will stay in S mode for some period of time while driving even when I think it should totally drop back into D mode. Then while driving it will usually slip back into D mode.

Then for the next several days of driving it will never revert back into S mode it will stay in D and always feel like comfort mode.

irenesbob

To me the problem is that it stays in a lower gear not up-shifting quickly, leading to what you called jerkiness in traffic. I do not think it is really jerky; it's a case that by staying in low gear there is a lot more rapid "pull" when you tap the loud pedal than you may want at that time, so when you lift off, the car engine brakes noticeably, making it seem jerky.
My 2 cents

jjcuff1

Yes I can see that happening too. I observe it when I let off the pedal. If cruising at 30-40mph range I am in 3rd gear and let off gas quickly. the car will engine brake and get back down to 1800rpm quickly but it won't downshift it will sit in 3rd when it should be in 2nd so it jerks then shifts.

Happens in D but not as much.

superswiss

It won't switch between S and D on its own. That's not how it works. The transmission will just dynamically adjust the shift points depending on how you currently drive. The only thing that happens is if you turn off the engine, the transmission reverts back to D next time you start the engine. This is to give the transmission enough time to warm up and also to encourage fuel efficient driving. All you have to do once everything is back to operating temperature is to pull back on the shifter and put it back into S. Starting out in S with a cold engine and transmission is not a good idea. Both D and S are just shift programs with different objectives, but within this programs they dynamically adapt to your driving style, albeit still with the overall objective in mind. In S it will stay more sporty and in D it will maximize fuel economy and comfort.

jjcuff1

I totally get that part S mode D mode on the tranny shift point and it defaulting to drive and how it works. My comment is about the ADS DYNAMIC SETTING IN THE MMI.

It doesnt work like I would expect. If I select DYNAMIC for first time in MMI it shifts the tranny mode INTO THE S MODE. it stays there no matter how I drive for a certain period of time and/or it will default back to D MODE from S MODE on the dash and you can feel it.

Then after that it will not select S mode again in the tranny. It will feel like comfort mode just more jerky occasionally.

superswiss

Dynamic mode will always select S mode if you come from another mode, but if you leave it in Dynamic mode and then turn off the engine, S mode won't be selected anymore as I said, you have to manually put it back into S mode using the shifter or take Drive Select out of Dynamic mode briefly and then put it back in Dynamic mode.

jjcuff1

Ahh exactly, but what is the point? When in Dynamic or Comfort with the shifter in D mode I feel no difference in power or shifting. Maybe just less gas mpg

superswiss

There is no difference. D is D and S is S. What happens is that if you engage Dynamic mode, that engages S mode for the transmission. If you take the transmission out of S into D, that's the same as going into Individual mode and changing the transmission setting to Comfort or Auto, but leave everything else in Dynamic. I know Audi doesn't explain this very well in the owner's manual, but the transmission simply gives you direct control over its mode, whereas the steering mode you can only change by changing the drive select mode.