So I was on the highway in DS mode and someone cut in front of me. I had to slam on my brakes and the engine made that sound, it sometimes does, as if it was in the wrong gear. This time it did not stop as once I picked up speed it felt like, and sounded like, it was still stuck in that wrong gear.

Also, this might of been me but then I smelt a burning smell, so I switched it back in regular D mode while I was still driving on the highway (I dont like making the switch while driving but this seemed urgent). Once I switched it back in D mode it seemed everything was fine again.

 

You're slamming on the breaks? Why not? If people take breaks to smoke, why not take a break to slam?

The transmission will downshift in DS mode when you brake aggressively.

 

DS mode down shifts with a "rev match" under heavy braking. It changes the shift points and I agree sometimes it feels like it doesn't know when to shift. Use D mode or DS mode and shift yourself. Also switching between DS and D while driving should not be a problem...

 

Normal ds mode operation, don't worry, rev matching to assist braking. Similar to a manual transmission down shift. Gas on it, it's fun. To confirm shifting between d and ds while moving is OK.

 

That's normal because of the revmatching in sport mode when braking. I usually try to put it on D when braking unless it's an emergency and just brake

 

I always drive in DS and this is how the car reacts. I personally love the slight assist with braking, especially when going into a turn.

 

Is it really called rev matching? I've known about this feature as long as I've owned my G37, and I've gone along with the term "rev matching" but I've always thought of rev matching as something you do with a manual transmission when you're downshifting to make is a smooth shift. I'd also call this double clutch downshifting.

With an automatic transmission, does this term still apply? Or is the redefined for an auto?

BTW, Sport Mode on my car is pretty aggressive if I am driving hard. It really likes to sit in the lower gear longer than I do. I let off the gas and am ready to cruise...and it's still at like 4-5K RPM...and I wait...and wait...and wait, and finally, it upshifts. So sometimes I slap it over to D so it will upshift sooner.

 

or u can jus hit that secret pedal to the right of the brake lol itll upshift eventually..

I like DS mode unless im doing a lot of lane changing, then it kinda always gets me stuck in the wrong gear at the wrong time..so I usually use manual in those scenarios. (not the paddle either!) only use the paddle to drop a gear and listen to exhaust! otherwise its pretty uncomfortable to drive like that.

 

It's pretty dumb to sit in DS mode on the highway, the car will never upshift past 4th gear so you're just burning more fuel....

 

Are you sure about this? I've run it on the highway a lot and my RPMs definitely fall to 2K and below IIRC. I'll have to play with this on my way home from work to be sure.

 

Well, i have the 5AT so my car may be different but yes I'm sure. It will NEVER go into 5th gear in DS mode. I'm sure on the 7AT it'll do something similar. Maybe it'll go into 6th but not 7th.

Easy way to test it anyways, just put it in DS mode and manually upshift and see what it does.

 

It makes about a 150-200 rpm difference on the highway between D and DS. I've done long highway trips in both modes and the MPG average is always the same.

 

We all have faced the same issue when braking hard in DS mode - Like other's have said - It Jumps into the lower gear and the car almost redlines LOL.. Can't wait to slap a good exhaust to hear it go off when braking.. hahha

 

I hate to say this is not true, but I can say that mine will go into the normal highway cruise gear, i.e. overdrive, when the desired speed is reached and the throttle is leveled off.

 

It's explained in the owner's manual. It's explained in excruciating detail in the factory service manual.