damnit- Why won't Maxine downshift?
 

Hey guys, here is the situation.
When riding around town, we all come to stop signs where we just seem to slow down, and notice that there are no other cars around so we just seem to role through the stop sign, and press the gas to resume getting back up to speed- right? Right. So, lets say I am cruising down the block,doing around 25-30, slow down for a stop sign with the brakes to about 10mph,notice ther is nobody around, and press the gas to proceed, one would think that the car would downshift to first so you can proceed. Well, my car never fully downshifts and stays in second, making getting back up to speed painfully slow, unless I press the gas a little harder, and the car wakes up and immediately and shifts down to first, where the car then takes off. Now, this has me thinking. I read a previous post about how the idle seemed not to drop down smoothly after a TB cleaning. For example, while slowing down, the idle comes down to about 750, and then when the car is completly stopped, the car then drops down more and settles to about 550-600rpm. I have the same plroblem. Could it be that because my car does not go back to the lowest idle while slowing down that my car does not recognize that it should be downshifting to first to regain speed from a slow roll? It really is annoying. What should I do? Thanks all.

Re: damnit- Why won't Maxine downshift?
 

1st gear is not a cruising gear. The only point of 1st gear is to make the car go. That is why it doesn't downshift into first. Even in manuals the car won't let you go into 1st unless you are about to stop. It just doesn't like it. So when you push on the gas the ECU realizes that there is not enough power to go like you want and will shift into first to get you where you want. There is nothing wrong with you car. Everyones car should do the same.

Welcome to the reality of having an Automagic transmission! :D

Well, then I guess that maxine is fine. And I'm yelling at the car saying "lets go! Cmon!" Thanks guys. :p

Yup, mine does the same thing except it likes to stick in 3rd while rolling up to a stop. :mad: :mad: So if I pull into a neighborhood where there're lots of stops and turns I put her in 2nd and that solves the prob just fine!

My 99SE-L (auto) does the same thing...esp. when I'm slowing for a red light, it turns green, and I step on the gas to speed up; it'll just linger in 2nd? gear, and I look like an old lady... :laugh:

just come to a full stop directly on the white stop line. we all know how that will sound when you take off

Looks likes its a normal thing.. I need to coast down to about 5 mph before it shifts back to first.

:sprint:

Re: damnit- Why won't Maxine downshift?
 

While driving in my 5spd 97 max, I really can't downshift to 1st, unless I am just at the brink of stopping. Besides, what is the point of it? The way I see it, there is no point in downshifting into 1st! Let 'er ride in second.

only let her ride in 2nd when there are a lot of stops, Also dont coast the gas when you get to about 2k in second gear, I have experimented many things, and so far thats the most economical, But knowing me I have to punch it scare off little rice drivers!!! LOL

1st on a 5sp and 1st on automagic are not the same. To better understand what I mean get into your 5sp and from a full stop try taking off in 2nd (not 1st) and you'll see the point right away. It'll take you forever to get to 30 mph. That's how the automagics feel when they refuse to downshift and it really, really p!sses me off.