OK so somebody tell me if this is normal. What I am going downhill with the cruise control on it "grabs" and then lets go in order to maintain speed. Awful. Feels like a bumper car. Is this the best the programmers can do?

 

I have noticed this effect as well.

 

bump

 

Normal Operation

 

"Normal" maybe for this car. Not normal in the vast majority of vehicles. I've never this bump feeling on any vehicle as strong as the Maxima.

 

Anyone know if this is an engine braking action that can be turned off by the dealer?

 

What seems a little strange to me is that the operation of the Adaptive Cruise is MUCH smoother when coming up on and/or going around a slower moving vehicle in front.

 

I think this is a slight conflict between cruise control operating in hilly territory (I never use cruise control unless the terrain is fairly flat) and engine braking, which Nissan added to the Maxima beginning with the 6th gen 2004 model. I love the engine braking, and hope Nissan never deletes it from the Maxima. I also love cruise control in fairly flat territory. Just as info, in hilly terrain, cruise control is not nearly as fuel-efficient as careful driver-operated throttle.

 

Great comments. This is my first CVT. This just surprised me. I thought the CVT would be more capable of holding a particular ratio compared to a standard trans.

 

I agree with what is said here. My other cars would introduce engine braking and transmission ratio changes going downhill with the cruise control engaged. So does the CVT! Driving with a CVT you notice it with a little more 'bump" but it is far from irritating once you accept this is not a gear driven transmission. Careful cruising always yields me 33 MPG on the expressway @ 70 mph (yes, using regular gas). CVTs are with us for the long haul. Honda has embraced them as the CAFE requirements from the government continue to be more stringent. All that said, of course I would love an 6 or 9 speed tranny if executed properly. I hear the Acura versions 8-9 speeds are not so smooth. So I guess the CVT given it's current state of maturity and refinement on the Maxima is good enough for me.

 

Actually, the CVT almost never "holds" a ratio. Even on almost totally flat ground, a slight change in grade or a big sustained gust of wind may make ratios change enough to see it on the tach (50-150 rpm). It's just that this change is impossible to feel like the engine braking you feel going down hill with the cruise.

 

Yes I have noticed some tach variation though it is almost not perceptive.