Using shift paddles in drive?
11-17-2010, 08:03 AM
#1
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Using shift paddles in drive?
While I'm awaiting delivery of my A4, one question of curiousity:
How exactly does using the shift paddles work in the D/S position? It's self-explanatory that in Manual mode, the paddles give you full control over the gears (minus the automatic upshift and downshift at the two extremes of engine speed). But what about when you're in D or S? How do you return back to automatic?
How exactly does using the shift paddles work in the D/S position? It's self-explanatory that in Manual mode, the paddles give you full control over the gears (minus the automatic upshift and downshift at the two extremes of engine speed). But what about when you're in D or S? How do you return back to automatic?
11-17-2010, 11:38 AM
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Interesting. The Q5 and 2009 A4 manuals state that the paddles work in D, S, or M modes.
How long does it take for the auto to take over? Does that get in the way of using downshifts for engine braking down a long hill?
How long does it take for the auto to take over? Does that get in the way of using downshifts for engine braking down a long hill?
11-17-2010, 12:04 PM
#3
Or conversely, put the selector in M and always be in control via paddles.
11-17-2010, 12:57 PM
#4
If you have Audi Drive Select you are ONLY offered "D" on the shifter, there is no "S". S drive mode is activated via ADS based on your setting, Comfort, Auto or Dynamic. You have an additional custom setting called "individual" which will let you specifically set the transmission to D or S via a three choice setting (also, Comfort, Auto or Dynamic.)
Got that?
If you do NOT have ADS, you will have a "D" and an "S" mode on the shift lever (as well as the tiptronic manual shift mode.)
If you have opted for the S Line package or the Sport Package you will have a special three spoke steering wheel that has two black "ears" peeking up from the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock steering wheel spokes (they have a "-" on the left ear and a "+" on the right ear, and these symbols are lit in red for night time viewing.)
I think we now have all the combinations and permutations of the paddle shifters and transmissions and electronics addressed.
If you are in D mode or S more OR manual mode -- the paddle shifters themselves act the same: the left shifter paddle subtracts a gear, the right shifter paddle adds a gear. There are built in "rules" that you cannot over-ride. You will not be able to downshift from 4th gear to first gear if the road speed at which you are moving exceeds the RPM's that would be required for that road speed multiplied by the gearing.
If you are going at a speed which is the maximum speed for 2nd gear and you are in 4th gear, the transmission WILL respons to a downshift request to 2nd, but not 1st.
If you are going at a speed that is TOO slow for an upshift, the transmission will NOT respond to your request for an upshift to a gear that would cause the engine to lug below its "that gear" threshold.
So, if you are in "D" at 55 miles an hour, you can downshift all the way to 2nd gear (as I recall) using the left paddle on the steering wheel. The display will change from "D" to MX, where X is the gear number. If you were in D at 55 miles an hour in 8th gear, I do believe you could keep downshifting one after another through the gears until you got to 2nd gear.
If you press a paddle shifter whilst you are in D or S, as indicated on the dash board, the transmission will revert to M mode and will attempt to up or downshift to your desired gear -- it, to repeat, will not allow you to under or overshift if the result would be to over-rev or lug the engine based on RPM's.
If you press the shifter whilst in D or S and you have not asked the transmisson to do something it cannot do, it will remain in M mode for a time. If you do NOT press the up or down paddle for a moderately long time period, AND the shift lever is in D mode (or S mode if you do not have ADS), the transmission will return to D mode and most likely a higher gear. So, while shifting from 6th to 2nd or 3rd is technically possible, the transmission when it returns from M mode to D (or S) will shift to the gear it thinks you should be in.
There are several exceptions to the above, and these exceptions are not related to ADS, so this means they work universally as exceptions.
If you down shift a gear or two (or three) and begin, immediately, driving somewhat more "sporting," shall we say, the transmission will remain in M mode and in the gear you selected (unless you go too fast or too slow, in which case it will over-ride YOU and down or upshift) until you return to a more sedate mode of driving.
If you upshift a gear or two or three and begin, immediately, driving more sporting, the transmission will remain in gear and you will have a very unresponsive throttle tip-in, as it is likely you will have shifted to a higher gear and the RPM's dropped to below 2,000. The transmission will stay in 3rd or 4th or 5th gear, but when you press on the accelerator, the response will be lackluster -- and as long as you are within the RPM's of the transmission algorithm, the car WILL remain in that gear, no matter how inappropriate it may feel to you at that moment.
If you downshift and the car begins to have a downhill angle of inclination, the transmission will remain in M mode in the gear you selected until the road levels out, until YOU go too fast or too slow for thle gear you chose or until you flip one of the paddles.
In other words, in D (or S mode) the paddle shifters work and you will remain in M mode for either a short period or a long period based on what YOU do, or how fast or slow your road speed gets to.
It is seamless in operation and it is pretty smart. It is, IMHO, better executed in the 8 speed than in the 6, at least if you have the 2.0T motor (as I do).
In full on TipTronic mode, the only nanny is the engine speed nanny which prevents you from over-revving or lugging, NO MATTER WHAT command you issue with your paddle or shift lever.
Got that?
Got that?
If you do NOT have ADS, you will have a "D" and an "S" mode on the shift lever (as well as the tiptronic manual shift mode.)
If you have opted for the S Line package or the Sport Package you will have a special three spoke steering wheel that has two black "ears" peeking up from the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock steering wheel spokes (they have a "-" on the left ear and a "+" on the right ear, and these symbols are lit in red for night time viewing.)
I think we now have all the combinations and permutations of the paddle shifters and transmissions and electronics addressed.
If you are in D mode or S more OR manual mode -- the paddle shifters themselves act the same: the left shifter paddle subtracts a gear, the right shifter paddle adds a gear. There are built in "rules" that you cannot over-ride. You will not be able to downshift from 4th gear to first gear if the road speed at which you are moving exceeds the RPM's that would be required for that road speed multiplied by the gearing.
If you are going at a speed which is the maximum speed for 2nd gear and you are in 4th gear, the transmission WILL respons to a downshift request to 2nd, but not 1st.
If you are going at a speed that is TOO slow for an upshift, the transmission will NOT respond to your request for an upshift to a gear that would cause the engine to lug below its "that gear" threshold.
So, if you are in "D" at 55 miles an hour, you can downshift all the way to 2nd gear (as I recall) using the left paddle on the steering wheel. The display will change from "D" to MX, where X is the gear number. If you were in D at 55 miles an hour in 8th gear, I do believe you could keep downshifting one after another through the gears until you got to 2nd gear.
If you press a paddle shifter whilst you are in D or S, as indicated on the dash board, the transmission will revert to M mode and will attempt to up or downshift to your desired gear -- it, to repeat, will not allow you to under or overshift if the result would be to over-rev or lug the engine based on RPM's.
If you press the shifter whilst in D or S and you have not asked the transmisson to do something it cannot do, it will remain in M mode for a time. If you do NOT press the up or down paddle for a moderately long time period, AND the shift lever is in D mode (or S mode if you do not have ADS), the transmission will return to D mode and most likely a higher gear. So, while shifting from 6th to 2nd or 3rd is technically possible, the transmission when it returns from M mode to D (or S) will shift to the gear it thinks you should be in.
There are several exceptions to the above, and these exceptions are not related to ADS, so this means they work universally as exceptions.
If you down shift a gear or two (or three) and begin, immediately, driving somewhat more "sporting," shall we say, the transmission will remain in M mode and in the gear you selected (unless you go too fast or too slow, in which case it will over-ride YOU and down or upshift) until you return to a more sedate mode of driving.
If you upshift a gear or two or three and begin, immediately, driving more sporting, the transmission will remain in gear and you will have a very unresponsive throttle tip-in, as it is likely you will have shifted to a higher gear and the RPM's dropped to below 2,000. The transmission will stay in 3rd or 4th or 5th gear, but when you press on the accelerator, the response will be lackluster -- and as long as you are within the RPM's of the transmission algorithm, the car WILL remain in that gear, no matter how inappropriate it may feel to you at that moment.
If you downshift and the car begins to have a downhill angle of inclination, the transmission will remain in M mode in the gear you selected until the road levels out, until YOU go too fast or too slow for thle gear you chose or until you flip one of the paddles.
In other words, in D (or S mode) the paddle shifters work and you will remain in M mode for either a short period or a long period based on what YOU do, or how fast or slow your road speed gets to.
It is seamless in operation and it is pretty smart. It is, IMHO, better executed in the 8 speed than in the 6, at least if you have the 2.0T motor (as I do).
In full on TipTronic mode, the only nanny is the engine speed nanny which prevents you from over-revving or lugging, NO MATTER WHAT command you issue with your paddle or shift lever.
Got that?
11-17-2010, 01:08 PM
#5
If you are in D or S mode and the angle of inclination gets to whatever it needs to be for the car to "know" it is going down-hill it will downshift automatically.
If you are in M mode and not outside the RPM numbers set by the "factory," the transmission will NOT automatically downshift to another gear, UNLESS YOU SLOW SO DRAMATICALLY, that the road speed is too slow for the M gear you chose a moment ago.
When going on very hilly up and downs and curves, I find S mode to be quite close to what I would do in a stick shift version: that is, I keep the car at higher RPMs for both power and engine braking.
The same thing can be done in M mode, but it is not automatic except when the self preservation mode kicks in to prevent you from blowing the engine due to excessively high or low RPMs for the road speed.
The transmission is very intuitive and pretty smart -- good programming there. But it isn't perfect and it is no substitute for your own butt or gut feeling.
S mode, with the 2.0T is fine as wine -- and with the 8speed it pretty much means the car is always in a sweet spot favoring sporting intentions -- D isn't bad, but it is more for the times when you want a bit better gas mileage and are willing to sacrifice the performance that S mode gives.
If you are in M mode and not outside the RPM numbers set by the "factory," the transmission will NOT automatically downshift to another gear, UNLESS YOU SLOW SO DRAMATICALLY, that the road speed is too slow for the M gear you chose a moment ago.
When going on very hilly up and downs and curves, I find S mode to be quite close to what I would do in a stick shift version: that is, I keep the car at higher RPMs for both power and engine braking.
The same thing can be done in M mode, but it is not automatic except when the self preservation mode kicks in to prevent you from blowing the engine due to excessively high or low RPMs for the road speed.
The transmission is very intuitive and pretty smart -- good programming there. But it isn't perfect and it is no substitute for your own butt or gut feeling.
S mode, with the 2.0T is fine as wine -- and with the 8speed it pretty much means the car is always in a sweet spot favoring sporting intentions -- D isn't bad, but it is more for the times when you want a bit better gas mileage and are willing to sacrifice the performance that S mode gives.
11-17-2010, 01:10 PM
#6
One more thing, the cruise control is really smart too, and you can set it for whatever speed, leave the transmission in D or S and the car will accelerate AND brake as needed to maintain whatever road speed you punched in.
11-17-2010, 01:49 PM
#7
AudiWorld Member
When I test drove an IS350 when I was cross shopping before buying the A4, the paddle shifters/manual mode were AWESOME. It wouldn't shift for you - instead it would scream at the redline until you shifted. I don't know what the technical term for this 'screaming' is but lets say the redline is 7000, when you hit 7000 it will rapidly rev between like 6500 and 7000 accomplishing two things: 1. Being extremely annoying and 2. letting you know "oh ****, i should probably shift now!" I liked that a lot. It would be annoying for the first few weeks but it would eventually teach you the shift points by feel and sound so that you would be able to shift right before redline.
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11-17-2010, 03:08 PM
#9
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Ok, thanks everyone -- so the in the D/S positions the car will return back to automatic control within some "reasonable" timeframe if you don't give any more shift commands.
