It sounds like you like the original program. That's great. So, if you like it, then you should be sure to tell the dealer never to update it. Because some dealers might "do you a favor" and take it upon themselves to do so. If I were you and loved the 7AT as-is, then I would hang a sign in the car with every service to remind them to never apply the TSB.

Just my 2 cents: If you haven't driven the cars made between when yours was made and today, then you really don't know how bad they were. One of the updates may in fact have made things worse. I think the consensus is that they have finally "FIXED" it because it was "BAD" before. Not how you seem to describe it as if they caved in to a bunch of complaining inexperienced drivers. I disagree wholeheartedly - before it was defective IMO, now it is quite good. There's really no need to belittle those who perceive things differently than you. You seem to be characterizing people who did not like their 9's, 10's and 11's as somehow uninformed, and that's a bit arrogant and uncalled for. Again Just my 2 cents.

On the other hand if one hates how the 7AT works, as so many of us did for years, then I recommend asking them to update it. In facr run, don't walk. It is, in my opinion, a huge improvement in every way.

I have no experience with your car or the original 09 program, other than what I've heard from others, some of which described it as unrefined, harsh, clunky, flaring, banging into gears, unpredictable and not generally what people expected from this type of car (sport coupe/GT type).

Personally, I hated my car for the entire year I have owned it, made multiple attempts to sell it, trade it, replace it, but the financial impact couldn't be justified in each case...... ALL because of the completely awful transmission programming. Now with the update, I am very happy to own it.

To each his own.

 

I agree it seems implausible at first. However....

The tech explained to me how the valve lift AND the throttles are coordinated to respond to the go pedal. He said the degree to which each is applied to "throttle" the engine is part of what makes throttle response on this car complicated.

So, assuming the change in sound is real, I think it is plausible because changes in the valve lift and timing and how it correlates with use of the throttles in the new program could certainly affect sound, both intake and exhaust.

I didn't really notice a change in sound, possibly because I have aftermarket (louder) mufflers drowning out other subtleties of the sound.

 

Once again you didn't read what I wrote. I said that if an interim "update" that wrecked the car had been applied I would be running to the dealer to get this latest one as should everyone else in that situation.

I agree the latest one is a huge improvement over the interim ones.

The complaints I referred to were solely about the downshifting on hard braking. Yes, those are from people who either don't understand how to drive a manual tranny or shouldn't be driving a so-called "sport" sedan. ALL the other complaints about lag, bogging, rough shifts, etc., are legit and I would be like Almatti if I had a car like that. I would be first in line to complain and to force them to take the car back because it is unacceptable to me that one should have a higher performance car with an incompetent transmission.

The truth is that the original programming behaves if you drive the car smoothly (professionally). The throttle is overly sensitive, so if you drive anything other than with extreme smoothness, the tranny overreacts and tries to launch into sport mode even though you were just driving in traffic, etc. Most people apply too much throttle and too much brake on a regular basis. That signals to the original programming (that is too sensitive) that you want hyper reactive responses.

The interim updates tried to fix that by dulling the throttle sensitivity (good idea), but combined it with all sorts of other bad features tied to the gyros and traction control, etc., and ended up with a mess. They also tried to fix flare and lag and gear hunting that were mostly caused by the hyper reaction thing I described above. They undoubtedly went too far in the other direction trying to fix it.

The new update seems to have solved the throttle sensitivity, rough shifting, most of the lag, most of the gear hunting...but they also got rid of the "sport" aspects and moved them only to DS. The old DS was even more hyper sensitive than the D, rendering it useless unless you were on a track. Although you don't need DS to get the car to shift properly post update, I wish some people would spend some time over there to detail the differences.

If DS still has downshifting on hard braking and some balance so that if you are gentle on the throttle it will not go crazy, then I will go for the update and just drive in DS all the time. That way I keep the "sport" and get the smoother shifting and apparently a much-needed improved exhaust snarl! And as a bonus, every once in a while if I want to drive like I am in a Lexus I can use D. Even if I used D very little, it would be more often than I use DS now and in the past, so I would have two functional modes on the tranny instead of one.

 

i'd hook up with forum person and see if you like the flash. I remember the original program fondly. I think this is better.

I also ownedthe 08 5AT and i feel that the new program is more responsive than the 5speed. I mean over drive to 4th is silky smooth. give it a little case it goes to 5... give it a lot of gas it goes to 4... just like it should drive... shoot old program was sitting in 7. gun it... wait 2 seconds. then the jerkiest downshift ever...

the only thing I'm waiting to see is if the stupid adaptive learning feature F*cks this all up.

but yeah, my 2cents, as with all ITBs. If it ain't broke, no need to fix it.

 

Well I apologize for any misunderstanding on my part and see that my reply was unnecessary. I didn't think you had read some of MY post either but we can just agree to disagree about each others reading, and chalk it up to forum noise, ok? I responded to the concerns you raised about the new DS and D behavior, hopefully I and others have provided some insight into the new behavior for you. I'd be happy to comment further on that. Unfortunately I have no idea how it compares to the early original 09 program, so I cant compare them.

If you still are undecided about the new D and DS behavior than I really recommend driving one, because your feelings about the 7AT and a transmission's role seem to differ a little with others (please, that's not to be taken as an insult!), so it is only your direct impressions of it hands-on that I think will satisfy your curiosity and help you to decide. I would be interested in hearing your impressions with a long-term drive. I drove the '12 for a full hour before I reached any conclusions about how I liked it, and then I drove it again to make sure.

Previous iterations of the 7AT design, in the opinion of PLENTY of skilled drivers, with great perception, was deeply flawed and annoying, in one way or another, and I see that you acknowledge that and that I misread. But in my opinion, any kind of hyper sensitivity in the programming as you describe it, is perhaps better termed "unpredictability", but perhaps you and the car are communicating well anyway. I've had transmissions that were very and instantly responsive, without EVER being hyper sensitive to the point where it required changing ones driving habits. I think something that behaves intuitively is ideal, but everyone's idea can vary on that too.

As I said, to each his own, and I don't know how your original 09 drives, so if you decide to stick with it, you better make sure you tell your dealer not to mess with it. There's a good chance they will if you don't remind them.

I want to add that I've driven D and DS more and compared them more, and there is still very nice downshifting in both modes, with more of it in DS of course, but no more of the hyper sensitive "drama" that was present before. Since you've adjusted to the original 09 program, you may find the new program weird.

It sure takes a long time to get used to something and hard to re-adapt. I became so used to my '11 lagging, that with the lag eliminated, for a little while it felt strange because I got used to compensation or reacting to when the lag was going to happen.

 

Marc, just a quick one~I can't put myself in your shoes so I don't know exactly how your 09s' performing but it sounds like you're almost 100% satisfied w/ it. I DO know how to drive a sport sedan as I've been driving performance oriented cars for 32 years. I didn't mind the original 09s' programming, but I was used to my 07s decisive nature and seemed to be in the optimum point in the torque curve more of the time than the 09s 7AT.

Post update it seems to be doing more of what my 5AT did, less gear hunting and not as much dumping into a gas-saving RPM.

As far as the exhaust note, can't really tell since my aftermarket exhaust is a fair bit louder, and it still seems pretty much the same.

It's a personal choice and it seems that there's no way to revert back to the original ECM flash so it's obviously your call. I'd say do it, but you seem to have given this plenty of thought, and at the end of the day if you're as happy w/ your 09s programming as it seems you are, then just stay the course

 

Thanks, Mike:

Two questions. Do you believe that the new update is in fact giving us exactly what the '12's have? You may be one who has driven both the most. My drive in a '12 was too limited to tell.

The downshifting when coasting in DS...woud you say it is still strong enough that someone might mistakenly think the brakes were on if they were unsuspecting (as is the common complaint on here about the old D)?

 

So you updated an '09 and then got caught in the all the mess? What was your original problem?

 

Just had my 09 updated today from the interim 75a. IMO the 75a was an improvement but the latest update is better in every way. Like some other posters, the 75a improved my shifting quality to some degree but the car did feel less spirited. Happy to report that with the new update the car again feels lively and light on it's feet with for all practical purposes, no lag. Before the update seems I was always focusing on the timing and quality of shift. Within the 75 miles home today I was no longer thinking about the transmission-very natural and intuitive performance now.

 

OK, I am in Texas, have an 09 Sedan (got 4 weeks ago), droped of My Car today and they gve me a Loaner Car. Of course, I did what any well respecting citizen would do when one is given a 2012 G37 Loaner Car with 3,000 miles to Borrow while your is being repaired; I ragged the absulte $#@& out it all day long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

My car wasn't ready when I got there at 5pm and had to pick up daughter, so I am going to get it tomorrow. ONE thing I WILL say about my driving impressions of the 2012 I drove , to ME, it felt weaker than my 2009! It shifted very smooth, but almost too smooth! My 2009 SEEMED to drive much more spirited in comparision. NOW, I HOPE the update I did I don't REGRET! The only issue I ever felt (in my limited 4 weeks) was it downshifting to a low gear and revving, which wasn't all THAT Bad anyway.

I am hopfully optomistic! Was getting my NAV updated to 2012 and a few other things, but I PRAY it didn't drive liek the 2012 Loaner Car I had. It was fast, but was WAY too smooth and I was FLOORING it every chance I had, also was shifitng the car manually (rarely do in MY car). I wasn't hurting the car, but definately driving the hell out of it.

Good Luck to ALL!

Bandit....

 

I think the original problem is I was spoiled my the 5AT in my 07, just a great AT for this car for spirited driving, not that great for mpg though. I found the 09s clunky & indecisive downshifting (mainly when coasting) was a bit unrefined so I went along w/ the first reflash. Just glad to get my fun car back w/ some improved refinement
Good luck Marc w/ whatever you decide.

I can't really understand why people enjoy trashing loaners, I try to respect any car I'm driving. People complain when the dealers don't offer them loaners, but think it's just fine to have a free-for-all in the thing. Oh well, just my 2c's

 

It's just human nature that some of us are more concerned with personal gratification than with what's good for everybody. It's kind of a continuum, and some people start at the self gratification end and move toward the common good as they age and gain experience. Others start and pretty much stay at one end or the other. Thankfully, it's pretty rare for someone to start at the common good end and move to the self gratification end, but it happens.

I'm one of those who was all self-gratification in his youth, so I understand but no longer agree with those who think that abusing something that's not ours is ok if some ambiguous entity that we're not part of or accountable to is the one who has to deal with the consequences.

 

Marc, IMO, you seem on the fence whether to apply this reflash. You referred to my many posts about my displeasure and like Mike wanted to return this car in the worst way....My decision was an absolute No Brainer - anything was Better than what I had. In your instance, if you are Happy with the car's performance, then do NOT proceed to GO. "If it ain't broke, Don't Fix It"....

I had my car in for BT correction (they applied a TSB for the BT that at first the dealer said didn't apply to my car, after complaining about the choppy performance with my iPhone, it was done). Picked it up from the Dealer yesterday. My dealer also had Infiniti cover me for warped front brake rotors. The car performed great. I believe that in order to apply the BT programming, a reset may have been done. I had no lag, real peppy response....felt like I did with my 07 G35X. I don't know if it is a bit psychosomatic, but after some miles driven after the 027A Reflash, I felt an occasional return of the "Coastal Lag" - now and then. But not yesterday at all.

blnewt, & mike have also stated their apprehension of the Adaptive Driver Control rearing Its Ugly Head and making changes affecting the reflash specs....Hope not. I think for the next month or so, all of us that have had this done, should give periodic reports. Oh Yeah, I always use Premium Gas, you all should.

Happy Motoring .....{Oh, the BT upgrade via a programming upgrade in the TSB - made a nice difference in the BT offering alternative more quick placed calls.}

 

After having driven the G for a few weeks I can surmise the adaptive learning seems to have been neutered. I haven't used DS mode since the reflash. The car is much more agile in heavy stop and go traffic between 15 and 40.

I didn't really dislike the cars performance before the reflash, but after the reflash, it's a whole different beast; in a very positive way.

 

Wonderful that you respect the car. I didn't have a party in it, I just drove the car to the limits. My car I drive a little more sensible because I don't want to rag it out. On the Loaner Car, it is non American not to drive the heck out of it. Don't confuse ABUSE with driving it HARD. It's like when you have a girlfriend (I'm married, BUT just for illistrative Purposes) and then you meet a girl that you are never going to see again and you treat her very nice, but when the time comes to go for a "drive", you really let her have it, no Rusty Trombones or anything carzy, but maybe just a variation of the good ol' trusty "WheelBarrol"

When your done, everyone goes home in one piece, and with their respect in tact, but, you just walk with a little more of a spring in your step for a day or two and then your back to your good old self.

That was a LONG Stretch, and a roundabout way of explaining it, but I hope you get the point. I respect peoples things too, but getting a little heavy on the gas isn't going to land you in San Quinton or anything.