I agree with you. I use the engine braking to my advantage. Less wear and tear on the brake system.

 

I dunno, all that friction and heat generated in the tranny via engine braking vs relatively inexpensive and easy to replace brake components......

Ive always been in the mindset of brakes are already "wear items" so use them more than something like a tranny which is just supposed to last forever.

For me the same goes with a manual tranny....I *hate* when people downshift and let out the clutch to let the clutch/tranny/engine slow the car down, instead of just putting into neutral and coasting, or at least downshifting at the correct RPMs for the lower gear.

 

While I agree with you about using the wear systems like brakes instead of the auto-transmission is valid... putting a manual into neutral while driving is to be avoided. that's just wrong...

 

I was referring to when coming up to a stop light, stop sign, etc. I believe its technically illegal, so I would stick with downshifting into a lower gear, but not until the RPMs are correct for that gear (to avoid a scenario where the engine/tranny are braking, vs using the brakes)

 

Max, Riley and Chris11, not to be too facetious, but this thread is really abut the 7 AT Reprogramming - Reflash and results and performance of this "wonderful" 7 speed Auto Tranny.....I think the discussion of engine breaking and using the tranny downsgifts should go to another Thread for that discussion.. I only say that b/c hoepfully Infiniti will get the message as the members who cite the complaints about the 7 AT here are read by the Inifiniti Clan of engineers. Even though the reflash has made the performance a little better, I still remian disgusted with the lack of the 07 G performance levels.....
Lately, if tried to Punch the Throttle WOT on the highway, which I have not been able to do, with this icy weather here in the North east, but noticed for the first time, that when I do Punch WOT - she hesitates slightly, and only hit about 5000 to 5500 RPMS??? That must be the Restrictions/Governor Infiniti has installed into the ECU ??

 

Oh wait, does that mean the car just change gear (upshift) at 5000/5500rpm now after the reflash? If so that just sucks... and I might have to reconsider not having my car reflashed.

 

I think the reflash is a step in the right direction, but the trans still needs work. I'll have to check how many miles I've driven since the reflash (must be 100 miles of suburban roads), but the car is much better than before. The lag is still there, but it seems as though the trans just picks a gear and sticks with it under mild acceleration so gear hunting is reduced. If you step on it more then it shifts to a lower gear. I passed someone the other day and it took a moment to select the right gear. Once it did, I hit 6500 rpm as I passed the guy. This was in D mode.

I'm driving it harder than before and I'm getting 19 mpg, which is great for suburban commutes.

 

Man if I'm reading this right you guys can not go past 5500-6500 RPMS at WOT,, If so I am not reflashing mine.. I get almost to 7100 beofre it shifts..

 

I wasn't at WOT. I actually back off a bit as it approached 6500.

 

First just want to apologize for the stupid question and any misunderstanding on my part. 2nd, I did my reading through this great forum and understand there are options to make driving our car more enjoyable,.. hypertech and reprogramming. This is a reprogramming thread, so I will leave the pros/cons for the hypertech thread.

I drive in D and DS mode(2009 X sports had TCM flash for 3>4 harsh shifting back when I first got it) depending on the mood and situation. I forget which is which.. but read there was a increase in delay when manually shifting post reprogramming and imo pre reprogramming is already horrible. I use the padal when merging on highway or passing another car. Question, for those that have the padal shifter. When you shift in manual mode, does the delay happen on both padal and the swifter? And does the delay happen when in automatic mode using the padal? Is the delay in manual shifting is the same as the lag or attributed from the lag? Finally, does it increase/decrease the time it stays in selected gear (rev matching)?

I rather not spend money on a hyertech to fix something what this car could/should do. If this is a lease, I would have reservation on getting another infiniti if this is not address. But this car is long term so I want to make this enjoyable to drive for the duration.

 

My personal experience is that the feeling of a transmission lag has been reduced with the reprogram. There is still a delay in acceleration, but nothing worse than before. What I notice is that the trans selects a gear faster than it did before.

I experienced something different with the transmission yesterday. I was driving home from work in DS mode and approaching a highway on ramp and accelerated hard into the turn. The trans seemed to realize I wanted to drive aggressive based on my previous throttle inputs and held what seemed to be 4th gear through the corner. I tried letting off the throttle to force it to shift and it still held the same gear at around 4000rpm. Then I punched it and there was instant power no lag and it continued to rev until it changed gears. I was impressed because it never did that before and it felt like how I used to shift in my previous manual car.

I haven't felt the need to shift manually since the cars been shifting much better than before, but I will try.

 

malu: I hear Ya.... But there's wy wya too much tinkering and playing with the throttle than should be in this car. This freakin &speed Auto Tranny IMHO, is a Horror. Again for those that have come from different cars into the new G with an Auto tranny, you have no comparison to make than to the other non-G cars, but for those who have had 07 or 08 Gs, it is just not even close to being the same. I kick my self everyday for not buying my 07 G35X at lease turn in in June 2010 !!! They even replaced the Tranny in that car a year earlier b/c I complained about soem harsh shifting 2 to 3 gear - mostly in manual mode.

 

Man, I'd kill for that sort of performance. For some reason when I accelerate into turns my car engine brakes so hard I practically honk the horn with my head.

 

After the reprogram the engine braking is present, but mild. At first i was going to report that the DS mode was adversely affected by the reprogram because it seemed to wait longer before downshifts, but after yesterday I changed my mind. I thought the way it downshifted in DS before the reprogram wasn't sporty enough and it still isn't after the reflash, but it might be that you have to accept how technology interferes with driver feel. Eventually cars are going to drive themselves...I mean isn't there a cruise feature now that stops a vehicle and accelerates back to speed, now more people can sleep behind the wheel. That's just sad.

 

I sometimes feel the car could read my mind too.