I've noticed some odd behavior with the way this thing shifts and I'm not sure if it's a problem or just the way it is.
1 - Early downshifting
The transmission seems to want to down shift too early, so that I can feel a slight bit of engine braking when coasting. Sometimes I can feel the downshift. It doesn't seem to coast very well as a result, feels like there's always a drag like a manual transmission car. I would tink it would adversely effect MPG.
2 - 'Waffling' When Downshifting Under Hard Acceleration
On a 2 lane road, if I get out to pass and floor it at say 50-55 MPH, it'll shift down and it seems to not quite know what gear it wants. Hard to explain, but it's kind of a wobble or jiggle or something as it settles into gear. I've also had situations where I started to punch it to pass, but then decided I didn't have time so I backed off. Then, it'll rev like it's going to or did downshift, but there's no acceleration it's just revving. Then it shifts back and everythign seems fine, but that moment when it's making a lot of noise but nothing happens feels rather odd. Unsettling to say the least.
3 - Dead Zone
Around 60-65 MPH or so, it feels quite hesitant. If I want to accelerate gradually to pick up a few MPH, it feels as though nothing happens as I push the accelerator, like it's out of oomph. As I push it a little farther and farther, it will eventually go, but not until dropping into 5th or maybe 4th and accelerating much more than needed. It seems there's a bit of a dead zone where you can't get just a bit more speed.
None of these things feel like obvious defects or failures, they are all rather subtle actually, more like a design that wasn't thoroughly sorted. I'm not sure if this is characteristic of the vehicle or a sign of something wrong.
I had transmission issues in my 1988 Caravan as well as in my 1999 Honda Odyssey. I always thought that transmissions were the one thing that GM always did well, even when it was building some pretty crappy cars. I really don't want to feel like I'm waiting for this one to fail. :-\
1 - Early downshifting
The transmission seems to want to down shift too early, so that I can feel a slight bit of engine braking when coasting. Sometimes I can feel the downshift. It doesn't seem to coast very well as a result, feels like there's always a drag like a manual transmission car. I would tink it would adversely effect MPG.
2 - 'Waffling' When Downshifting Under Hard Acceleration
On a 2 lane road, if I get out to pass and floor it at say 50-55 MPH, it'll shift down and it seems to not quite know what gear it wants. Hard to explain, but it's kind of a wobble or jiggle or something as it settles into gear. I've also had situations where I started to punch it to pass, but then decided I didn't have time so I backed off. Then, it'll rev like it's going to or did downshift, but there's no acceleration it's just revving. Then it shifts back and everythign seems fine, but that moment when it's making a lot of noise but nothing happens feels rather odd. Unsettling to say the least.
3 - Dead Zone
Around 60-65 MPH or so, it feels quite hesitant. If I want to accelerate gradually to pick up a few MPH, it feels as though nothing happens as I push the accelerator, like it's out of oomph. As I push it a little farther and farther, it will eventually go, but not until dropping into 5th or maybe 4th and accelerating much more than needed. It seems there's a bit of a dead zone where you can't get just a bit more speed.
None of these things feel like obvious defects or failures, they are all rather subtle actually, more like a design that wasn't thoroughly sorted. I'm not sure if this is characteristic of the vehicle or a sign of something wrong.
I had transmission issues in my 1988 Caravan as well as in my 1999 Honda Odyssey. I always thought that transmissions were the one thing that GM always did well, even when it was building some pretty crappy cars. I really don't want to feel like I'm waiting for this one to fail. :-\