Clunky downshifts

[Tri5tate]

I'm pretty sure I noticed this since day one, but I'm not really sure it's gotten worse or the same as day one.
I bought the car at around 1000 miles, so pretty darn new.

I first thought it was the brake feel but whenever the car downshifts by itself, especially when the car is cold and you're in creeping/low speeds, the gearbox downshifts clunky. Especially from 3rd to 2nd. You notice this when you drive in auto mode and just try to make a smooth braking, and then you notice the gearing make it kinda jumpy when it downshifts to some gears. I never notice it in higher gears, but again - especially in 3rd to 2nd. If I manually downshift from 3rd to 2nd I dont feel like its clunky or jumpy. I tried my buddies Supra and didnt really feel the same. The gearbox felt smoother.

Has anyone felt anything similar? Can it be a transmission problem? I noticed another thread here about something similar but I can't understand why my Supra does it more than my buddies.

If I should take it to my dealer, should I make it stock again so they wont blame the tune? ?

I have a stage 1 custom tune (no transmission flash at all), but I'm quite sure I also noticed this when the car was stock. It just feels like it's gotten a bit worse.

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[puzzled]

Mine feels pretty smooth. No abrupt jerky.. but this is a sports car, not sure how smooth you're expecting.

I think driving CVT on other cars makes us get noticieably more sensitive to shift shock. (?)

 

[Tri5tate]

I'm just noticing it because some downshifts feels very smooth and some don't. They differ quite alot. I'm even driving with the gearbox setting in normal mode. I'm not expecting it to be super smooth, I don't mind that I feel the downshifts. It's just that the ZF8 is a quite smooth gearbox and some gears feels really normal and 3rd to 2nd very abnormal.

 

[somekindafuzz]

Are you downshifting and braking at the same time or just engine braking?

 

[obito]

I chalk it up to the ECU. Idk it shifts like a sports car. I came from driving an old highlander to performance cars so it felt different to me. I think the brake pedal threshold adds to it

 

[MYA90SUPRA]

My car is smooth in all gears in normal mode. Take it how you will because I work on large mining trucks and when they shift it feels like the earth is shaking.

 

[Tri5tate]

Are you downshifting and braking at the same time or just engine braking?

tried both just to be sure it’s the gearbox. Just letting the engine brake the car makes me notice the hard downshift between 3rd and 2nd very easy.

I chalk it up to the ECU. Idk it shifts like a sports car. I came from driving an old highlander to performance cars so it felt different to me. I think the brake pedal threshold adds to it

Yeah I know it’s difficult to compare because another person might not notice it.
I only have other gears to compare to and also my buddies Supra which doesn’t do this clunky shift in those lower gears.

 

[puzzled]

When I engine brake I tap the gas just enough to give it a slight blip. (hit - paddle, then gently tap and let go the gas a split second after).. I do this while braking too, like I'm heel/toe-ing the car. It does wonders to smooth out the downshift making this AT actually pretty fun to drive.

I'm a MT guy so any input to make the car perform smoothly is fun.

 

[somekindafuzz]

What about lifting off gas when shifting? Are you doing that like it’s a manual? I find the shifts are smoother if I leave my right foot where it was (unless breaking of course).

 

[zrk]

Yeah, the trans is typically pretty hard 3rd -> 2nd, and 2nd -> 1st. Especially in sport mode.

 

[Tri5tate]

What about lifting off gas when shifting? Are you doing that like it’s a manual? I find the shifts are smoother if I leave my right foot where it was (unless breaking of course).

I'm only talking about downshifts, not shifting up. And especially in the lowers gears. I've tried both engine braking and braking myself.
It's not really a big issue, I was just curious if it might be a problem.

But it seems that others have the exact same issue so it might be something normal...ish ?

 

[B54]

For me in comfort mode 1 -> 2 and 2 -> 1 are really clunky. I notice it mostly when driving in traffic jams. To compensate for it I keep driving in comfort but in manual mode and shift whenever my body is ready for a shift ?

 

[Motorknut]

I'm only talking about downshifts, not shifting up. And especially in the lowers gears. I've tried both engine braking and braking myself.
It's not really a big issue, I was just curious if it might be a problem.

But it seems that others have the exact same issue so it might be something normal...ish ?

I have the same observation in my supra. It isn’t so bad if you are fairly firm on the brakes, and most noticeable when you let off the gas and kinda coast to a stop and go light on the brakes. It’s only on the 3-2 downshift. I had the dealer check it at service and (of course) they said there was no problem found.

Sport plus while going slow over speed humps is super clunky between 1-2 like it doesn’t know what the heck gear to go into cos you’re moving so slow.

 

[Tri5tate]

I have the same observation in my supra. It isn’t so bad if you are fairly firm on the brakes, and most noticeable when you let off the gas and kinda coast to a stop and go light on the brakes. It’s only on the 3-2 downshift. I had the dealer check it at service and (of course) they said there was no problem found.

Sport plus while going slow over speed humps is super clunky between 1-2 like it doesn’t know what the heck gear to go into cos you’re moving so slow.

Yeah exactly. 3rd to 2nd is really the one that stands out.
I would not expect the dealer to find any problem either ?

I guess I get another reason to manually shift myself even more ?

 

[somekindafuzz]

Oh sorry, I thought we were talking about manual mode. I only ever drive in manual and up and downshifts seem very smooth and fast. I agree the automatic shifts can be a little harsher.

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