Auto or Manual

[chrisbrad66]

While driving my 06 C320 CDI today in "D" (auto) mode i noticed totally by chance that you can still use the tiptronic upshift to change up gear before the gearbox ECU decides it is time, i.e. before the usual change up at around 1600 rpm, when i used this additional feature i noticed my MPG rose a fair bit too, not too sure if this helps anyone or not, just something i thought i would share

 

[whitenemesis]

Have you noticed the S/C switch beside the shifter?

Switching to C mode will do a similar thing

 

[chrisbrad66]

yes i noticed the switch and it was already in c mode, i didn't think it was possible to use the stick to partially override fully auto mode on the upshift, it will change up as low as 1000 rpm, good if the ecu is between gears so to speak at 1500 rpm and wont upchange because it doesnt think the engine is revving high enough, makes me wonder about retrofitting a paddle shift and tapping into the gear lever tiptronic switches??

 

[whitenemesis]

Yes, pushing the stick either to the left or right will force a change down or up. If you hold it to the left for a couple of seconds it will shift down one or more gears to give the optimal acceleration.

 

[chrisbrad66]

sorry, i think we are at crossed paths lol, i know by pushing the gear stick left or right will change up or down, but when the gear stick is pushed fully right, back into d mode you can still push it right to upshift before the ecu decides it is time to change or is that what you meant? LOL

 

[whitenemesis]

Yes, that's what I meant. That's how these 'boxes work. When in D you can manually shift up and down. Think it's called Tiptronic?

What position were you using if not D to drive the car?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Yes, that's what I meant. That's how these 'boxes work. When in D you can manually shift up and down. Think it's called Tiptronic?

What position were you using if not D to drive the car?

I think ChrisBrad66 is referring to the display on the dashboard which shows highest permissable gear, not the physical position of the lever.

When the display shows D, nudging to the right suggest to the TCU/ECU that you would prefer to shift up. If within an acceptable range, it will. If not, it will ignore you!!

Unless you have full manual mode - then all the lever does is govern the highest permissable gear, and make suggestions that can be overidden!!

 

[rf065]

If within an acceptable range, it will. If not, it will ignore you!!

Too true, if driving in slow traffic it is impossible to get into a high enough gear sometimes, until the auto box decides it is time to change.

Russ

 

[whitenemesis]

I think ChrisBrad66 is referring to the display on the dashboard which shows highest permissable gear, not the physical position of the lever.

When the display shows D, nudging to the right suggest to the TCU/ECU that you would prefer to shift up. If within an acceptable range, it will. If not, it will ignore you!!

Unless you have full manual mode - then all the lever does is govern the highest permissable gear, and make suggestions that can be overidden!!

Don't think so as the OP refers to driving in fully auto mode in post #3.

Agree re the fully manual mode, until the fuel is cut if you press on pass the red line and you try and pull away in too low a gear..

 

[chrisbrad66]

I think ChrisBrad66 is referring to the display on the dashboard which shows highest permissable gear, not the physical position of the lever.

When the display shows D, nudging to the right suggest to the TCU/ECU that you would prefer to shift up. If within an acceptable range, it will. If not, it will ignore you!!

Unless you have full manual mode - then all the lever does is govern the highest permissable gear, and make suggestions that can be overidden!!

Sorry for muddying the water but this is exactly what i meant, as i said i didn't think it was possible until i accidently tried it.

 

[whitenemesis]

Sorry for muddying the water but this is exactly what i meant, as i said i didn't think it was possible until i accidently tried it.

Ah! I understand now, sorry for being thick

That said, this is exactly how I understand it should work. And something I have done numerous times when cruising in traffic. It just means you are not in the ideal rev range should you wish to accelerate briskly. The car will of course shift down should the need arise, rather than waiting in the lower gear, in the off chance

Perhaps this is a consequence of the adaptive auto 'box?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Not been in the ML since I posted to test it. It'll probably be Saturday now, but I'll try to remember to test it.