Gearbox Learning Question

[XF Falcon]

Hi all,

Just a quick easy question about the 6 speed automatic gearboxes. I understand how they learn your driving style and adapt certain things...but what I would like to know is this:

Is there a different 'learning' memory for Drive and a different one for Sports mode?

IE. Can I drive it nice and gentle all the time in Drive so it learns and adapts to my 'economical' driving.. giving good fuel economy... and whenever I want to give it a bit of stick, I'll shift it across into Sports mode and it uses my 'spirited' learning driving style. But when im done I shift it back to Drive and its back into economy mode.. is that right?

If that's the case would it be good to unplug the battery, then make it re-learn this from scratch? IE. never cain it in Drive, but always in Sports mode?

Thanks

[tab]

It certainly seems that way, but perhaps there’s no learning whatsoever in performance mode? Just max revs and high gear changes at all times

[04RSD]

from what I have found its memory is only about 30 seconds

so after you stop flogging it 30 seconds later its back to granpa spec (90 yr old)

same goes for perf mode but it only goes back to 60 yr old grandpa spec

wow I had to dumb it down a bit to try and explain that one

[ZAP]

From what the FPV engineer told me at the motor show is it works on a points system. It can take several hours to +/- points, but as soon as you go into perf mode, it adds 100 points.

[galconn]

from what I have found its memory is only about 30 seconds

so after you stop flogging it 30 seconds later its back to granpa spec (90 yr old)

same goes for perf mode but it only goes back to 60 yr old grandpa spec

wow I had to dumb it down a bit to try and explain that one

I guess its the '30 second memory' bit and the ability to count from one to six and back again that sets the manual drivers apart from the (grandpa) auto drivers.

[caspertt]

I always drive in perf. When travelling (hardly ever) I use econ. last time I used econ I put the boot in to over take someone and it hit the limiter in second until I backed off.

Also I notice that in perf if I give it a squirt and let it change back to second it wont change into third when I take my foot off it takes a good 5 - 10 seconds of coasting at 4500 for it to change up.

It doesnt worry me too much but it would be handy to be able to reset it every now and then.

caspertt

ps sorry mine the ol' 4 speed, but I still wonder

Edited 10/07/07 12:35 PM by caspertt

[XF Falcon]

Yeah mine did the same thing once, I was on the freeway, gave it a boot in Perf mode... and it kicked back a gear or two.... I backed off and it held that gear for a good 5 or so seconds and I thought something went wrong! so I pushed it back into Drive and it changed up gears properly. I guess if I held it there for a bit longer it would have worked.

[tab]

That's by design, it thinks you are suddenly backing-off the accelerator to hit the brake so it will not change up. Can't remember the exact terminology they gave the scenario, but that's essentially why.

[Maximus]

I think Ford assumed that when you flog your car and you back off VERY quickly you dont want it to go into the next gear but to hold that gear so if you hit the brakes the engine brakes for you as well.

99% of the time when I drive, I drive my auto manually so as to stop it suddenly kicking back into second or even first when you put your foot down.

First time I put my foot down and it kicked back to first it scared the out of me.

[tab]

Found what I was trying to say...

Gear hold/Fast-off throttle

Upshifts are prevented when the throttle position sensor detects the driver has instigated a rapid lift off of the throttle pedal (fast off) and maintains the current gear until the driver reapplies throttle pressure. This prevents shift busyness in sporty driving, inhibits the 'running away' feeling when cresting hills and provides greater engine response in avoiding emergency situations.

The AutoWeb Article has all the details, and explains what zapper was talking about with the extra 100 points in perf mode as well