Adaptive transmission?

[dlee1001]

Does the 2014 Sonic have an adaptive automatic transmission? You know, a transmission that learns the way you drive and shifts accordingly? I've seen that the Cruze has this kind of transmission, but I'm wondering if our Sonics have it too.

 

[rdss]

Pretty much every modern car with a TCM has adaptive learning. That's why trifecta has the ability to clear adaptives on the TCM to get the firm shifts from the custom TCM tune back.

 

[dlee1001]

Pretty much every modern car with a TCM has adaptive learning. That's why trifecta has the ability to clear adaptives on the TCM to get the firm shifts from the custom TCM tune back.

In this case, can the Sonic continuously learn my driving patterns, or is it where once it learns my habits, it's set in stone?

 

[JackGSonic]

I would think it would act much like average MPG, the more you drive, the more it arrives at an average that best fits your most common driving style.

 

[Swordsmith]

Basically, without a tune, the more you drive it the worse it gets. Why? Because MOST of the time, you drive nice and gentle, with traffic, so it learns to shift early and often. But when you WANT or even NEED it to really go go go, up a short onramp, say (I was just driving on I70 in west PA, the onramps are only a couple car lengths long!), too bad, because you taught it to go slow and easy.

Adaptive transmissions are aggressive stupidity of the worst sort.

 

[JackGSonic]

I just use the manual select mode when I need to be aggressive.

 

[rdss]

It will continue to mush out if you go easy on it, even driving it hard it will get softer because you can not keep it shifting hard constantly. Tuning helps and resetting the TCM helps. You can pull the battery so that the ECM/TCM reset to defaults (same as clearing codes without a scanner) though.

 

[Swordsmith]

I just use the manual select mode when I need to be aggressive.

That is a decent solution, or at least fix... but it doesn't help the 90% of automatic drivers who never touch that manual select. Manual select is, though, the reason my next Sonic will probably be automatic.. it looks like the best of both worlds (I know, it isn't quite there yet, but I hope to be driving this Sonic for quite a while, maybe by then they will have more kinks ironed out)

 

[RMinNJ]

That is a decent solution, or at least fix... but it doesn't help the 90% of automatic drivers who never touch that manual select. Manual select is, though, the reason my next Sonic will probably be automatic.. it looks like the best of both worlds (I know, it isn't quite there yet, but I hope to be driving this Sonic for quite a while, maybe by then they will have more kinks ironed out)

I have not had my Sonic long but I'm hoping the manual mode stays in gear for driving in the snow. That is one reason I got the Sonic over say a Honday Civic with no manaul mode.

Being able to stay in gear downhill and arouind curves in the snow is a lifesaver ...don't understand these new cars with dials for the gear selector and no manual mode.

 

[JackGSonic]

I have not had my Sonic long but I'm hoping the manual mode stays in gear for driving in the snow. That is one reason I got the Sonic over say a Honday Civic with no manaul mode.

Being able to stay in gear downhill and arouind curves in the snow is a lifesaver ...don't understand these new cars with dials for the gear selector and no manual mode.

Compared to what I'm use to feeling in my previous 1996 Jeep Cherokee, these cars don't have a lot in the way of engine breaking potential. The few times I've tried it, the RPMs spike, and I feel no attempt at deceleration from the car.

 

[Kuntryboy865]

I have not had my Sonic long but I'm hoping the manual mode stays in gear for driving in the snow. That is one reason I got the Sonic over say a Honday Civic with no manaul mode.

Being able to stay in gear downhill and arouind curves in the snow is a lifesaver ...don't understand these new cars with dials for the gear selector and no manual mode.

It will down shift on its own but wont upshift on its own. You could take it all the way to the rev limiter of you wanted to( not recommended).

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

 

[ChrisJ]

Both of my cars have manuals and they don't engine brake worth a crap either. Either it's because the engine is small, or it's because the computer feeds more air and fuel to keep it from engine braking.

I don't know what the deal is but I gave up on engine braking for the most part a long time ago. If I have my A/C on I'll let it coast in gear up to around 1500 rpm, if it's any higher I upshift or throw it into neutral.

 

[ahtoxa]

It's the small engine. The larger the engine, the stronger engine braking is.

Used to love engine braking my LS2 Goat. Of course, I did it for the pops and burbles out of the exhaust more than anything else.

 

[ChrisJ]

It's the small engine. The larger the engine, the stronger engine braking is.

Used to love engine braking my LS2 Goat. Of course, I did it for the pops and burbles out of the exhaust more than anything else.

See there are a few issues I have with that though.

My 5000lb C2500 had a 5.7 liter and would engine brake hard.

5000lbs with 5.7 liter is 877 pounds per liter.

2800lbs with 1.4 liter is 2000 pounds per liter.


Ok...... maybe it does make sense.



Can a jacobsen brake work with a gasoline engine?

 

[Eric Smit]

I'm so happy you took us on that journey of enlightenment Chris. hahaha.

Are you thinking Jake brake Sonic style?

 

[ChrisJ]

I'm so happy you took us on that journey of enlightenment Chris. hahaha.

Are you thinking Jake brake Sonic style?

Well I mean now that I think about it, the Sonic with a 1.4 engine brakes the equivalent that my truck with the 5.7 would have if it was over 10,000lbs.


I donno about the jake brake, not sure if gas engines work with them or not. Would be interesting though, especially to the guys considering a Cruze diesel swap.

 

[Eric Smit]

theoretically, if I'm not mistaken, you could effect a jake brake on a gas engine, but it wouldn't have nearly any effect, unlike a diesel, due to the incomparably different compression.

 

[ChrisJ]

theoretically, if I'm not mistaken, you could effect a jake brake on a gas engine, but it wouldn't have nearly any effect, unlike a diesel, due to the incomparably different compression.

I think you're right, but it looks like a gas one would still be much stronger than what we have.

However, I also think it would cause issues with emissions due to letting the engine cool down from sucking cool air in with no fuel.

How a Jake Brake Works.wmv - YouTube

 

[Eric Smit]

I'd agree with that, considering we have absolutely no engine braking at all. haha