[syswizard]

Guys -
I have to admit I have not read the entire user manual (500+ pages !!) yet....so bear with me.

Can someone give me the "rules" for going back and forth between manual(paddles) and automatic ?
Must I be stopped to make the switch ? If not, are there limitations on the speed threshold for making the change ?

 

[OttawaSteve]

Guys -
I have to admit I have not read the entire user manual (500+ pages !!) yet....so bear with me.

Can someone give me the "rules" for going back and forth between manual(paddles) and automatic ?
Must I be stopped to make the switch ? If not, are there limitations on the speed threshold for making the change ?

No rules that I am aware of. In fact, if you are using it in automatic you can still shift manually and it will stay in manual mode for about 5 seconds before reverting. You can put it back in auto immediately by moving the shifter left and then right (my SA taught me that one). I have switched from one to the other at speeds that the rules of this forum forbid me from stating.

I would still like to have a manual again, but the PDK is an awesome piece of technology.

 

[mithiral67]

Any time you want. Car doesn't car.

 

[syswizard]

No rules that I am aware of. In fact, if you are using it in automatic you can still shift manually and it will stay in manual mode for about 5 seconds before reverting. You can put it back in auto immediately by moving the shifter left and then right (my SA taught me that one). I have switched from one to the other at speeds that the rules of this forum forbid me from stating.

I would still like to have a manual again, but the PDK is an awesome piece of technology.

Thanks for that Steve...greatly appreciated.
In my congested area, I would never want stick again.....and indeed, PDK has got to be like the 10th wonder of the engineering world.
I now wonder, what other automotive company has something similar ?

 

[MidEngine-Fan]

But you have to be current on your lease payments, otherwise it won’t shift out of 2nd.


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[RickH]

My Audi S4 is very similar to the PDK in that in auto mode at any time I can drop it one or two gears and it will hold that for around 10 seconds or so before it reverts back to full auto. Porsche and Audi deny and collaboration on there duel clutch 7 speeds but myself I wonder if they didn't share given they are both under VW.

 

[syswizard]

But you have to be current on your lease payments, otherwise it won’t shift out of 2nd.

Thank goodness I paid cash....LOL.
So to summarize:
1) while in automatic, I can just hit the paddles for a quick downshift...and then it will revert
2) while in automatic, at any speed, I can switch to manual mode
3) while in manual mode, at any speed, I can switch to automatic.

I have to admit that my previous sports car had a clutch and the move to paddle shifting has made manual downshifting a bit tricky for me....
I seem to be missing the timing at the right RPM....as I am always over-revving on the downshift.
Also, with sudden stops, I don't get into 1st gear in time.
So now I wonder.....is it best to switch to auto for sudden stops when in manual mode ?

 

[MidEngine-Fan]

Thank goodness I paid cash....LOL.
So to summarize:
1) while in automatic, I can just hit the paddles for a quick downshift...and then it will revert
2) while in automatic, at any speed, I can switch to manual mode
3) while in manual mode, at any speed, I can switch to automatic.

I have to admit that my previous sports car had a clutch and the move to paddle shifting has made manual downshifting a bit tricky for me....
I seem to be missing the timing at the right RPM....as I am always over-revving on the downshift.
Also, with sudden stops, I don't get into 1st gear in time.
So now I wonder.....is it best to switch to auto for sudden stops when in manual mode ?

Not sure what you mean. You can’t overrev a PDK. Can’t lug it either. Only reason to switch to manual to stop is to forestall the 2-1 downshift in Sport+ mode, which can be a little rough. Of course manual is fun just to control the gear. When driving for fun, I often use Sport+ auto. It upshifts at the limit, or with the buttons, and downshifts at 3200 RPM. Perfect!


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[takeshi]

I have to admit that my previous sports car had a clutch and the move to paddle shifting has made manual downshifting a bit tricky for me....

Picking nits but it's not just manuals that have clutches (PDK is dual clutch). Though they do have clutch pedals.

 

[ddodd]

Don’t worry about sudden stops PDK will take care of itself regardless of auto or manual mode.

 

[ronaldvetteron]

And, it will blip the throttle if you are doing an aggressive stop as it drops through the gears (at least if set in Sport Mode).

 

[ELP_JC]

You can’t overrev a PDK. Can’t lug it either.

True on the first sentence, but not the second. Maybe if lugging the absolute crap out if it (I wouldn't try it), but lugging it not too aggressively, no. I was going to run out of fuel due to not topping off the tank at a crappy station in a rural town, since I was going to fill up at a better station on the way. Well, it was closed, so had to hypermile like never before. Since I always drive in manual/sport mode, I left it in manual. I was running like 1,600 rpm in 6th and 7th even in slight hills, and only when I felt car was slowing down I upshifted a gear. And I knew I was lugging the engine when it occurred to me to just put the tranny in normal and auto mode, and it upshifted one gear when doing so. I was only doing like 50 rpm below what the tranny did by itself after that, but IMO, auto/normal mode lugs the engine. Anything below at least 1,800 rpm in those conditions would be lugging the engine some IMO, but if PDK does it, then should be fine for the engine, I guess. I didn't have a choice there (about 50 miles), but that's the only time by far I've done it. Made it with fumes to the gas station, but it was a close call. As a comment, I was expecting a 'down' arrow, indicating to upshift, but apparently there's no such arrow; only the upshift one. Somebody could try lugging the crap out of the engine, like 1,600 rpm in 7th, then doing like 3/4 throttle and see what happens. But until then, I say you can absolutely lug the engine in PDK manual mode. And as all PDK owners should know, if you go WOT and click the 'kickdown' switch, the tranny both downshifts and upshifts (at redline) automatically until switch is 'unclicked', at which point manual mode returns.

 

[okindao]

True on the first sentence, but not the second. Maybe if lugging the absolute crap out if it (I wouldn't try it), but lugging it not too aggressively, no. I was going to run out of fuel due to not topping off the tank at a crappy station in a rural town, since I was going to fill up at a better station on the way. Well, it was closed, so had to hypermile like never before. Since I always drive in manual/sport mode, I left it in manual. I was running like 1,600 rpm in 6th and 7th even in slight hills, and only when I felt car was slowing down I upshifted a gear. And I knew I was lugging the engine when it occurred to me to just put the tranny in normal and auto mode, and it upshifted one gear when doing so. I was only doing like 50 rpm below what the tranny did by itself after that, but IMO, auto/normal mode lugs the engine. Anything below at least 1,800 rpm in those conditions would be lugging the engine some IMO, but if PDK does it, then should be fine for the engine, I guess. I didn't have a choice there (about 50 miles), but that's the only time by far I've done it. Made it with fumes to the gas station, but it was a close call. As a comment, I was expecting a 'down' arrow, indicating to upshift, but apparently there's no such arrow; only the upshift one. Somebody could try lugging the crap out of the engine, like 1,600 rpm in 7th, then doing like 3/4 throttle and see what happens. But until then, I say you can absolutely lug the engine in PDK manual mode. And as all PDK owners should know, if you go WOT and click the 'kickdown' switch, the tranny both downshifts and upshifts (at redline) automatically until switch is 'unclicked', at which point manual mode returns.

I call automatic without sport or sport plus " pssy** mode " 7th gear at about 48 mph....i always drive in sport mode on the street and sport plus on the track. as far as manual or automatic......depends on the roads, if on a highway no point in being in manual unless about to make a move and want to kick it down 2 or 3 gears for tourque.

Frankly on the track i leave it in automatic but manually upshift right before redline to avoid the abrupt shift at redline. i also manually down shift 1 or 2 or 3 gears when coming to a serious decelleration, the reason i do that is not to be surprised by the car and to know what the weight transfer will be....everyone has their own way of doing it ...all i know is that i LOVE this car...street or track

 

[jsykes]

True on the first sentence, but not the second. Maybe if lugging the absolute crap out if it (I wouldn't try it), but lugging it not too aggressively, no. I was going to run out of fuel due to not topping off the tank at a crappy station in a rural town, since I was going to fill up at a better station on the way. Well, it was closed, so had to hypermile like never before. Since I always drive in manual/sport mode, I left it in manual. I was running like 1,600 rpm in 6th and 7th even in slight hills, and only when I felt car was slowing down I upshifted a gear. And I knew I was lugging the engine when it occurred to me to just put the tranny in normal and auto mode, and it upshifted one gear when doing so. I was only doing like 50 rpm below what the tranny did by itself after that, but IMO, auto/normal mode lugs the engine. Anything below at least 1,800 rpm in those conditions would be lugging the engine some IMO, but if PDK does it, then should be fine for the engine, I guess. I didn't have a choice there (about 50 miles), but that's the only time by far I've done it. Made it with fumes to the gas station, but it was a close call. As a comment, I was expecting a 'down' arrow, indicating to upshift, but apparently there's no such arrow; only the upshift one. Somebody could try lugging the crap out of the engine, like 1,600 rpm in 7th, then doing like 3/4 throttle and see what happens. But until then, I say you can absolutely lug the engine in PDK manual mode. And as all PDK owners should know, if you go WOT and click the 'kickdown' switch, the tranny both downshifts and upshifts (at redline) automatically until switch is 'unclicked', at which point manual mode returns.

It will let you lug the engine, but not over lug it. With a manual car, you put the car in 6th at 10mph if you want and the car wont like it, the PDK will not allow this. I tried once just to see what would happen. Cruising at 35mph or so, it would not let me manually put it in 7th as it would have just been too tall a gear for that speed.

So in other words, the PDK, will let you work the engine right up to the limit of what is ok for it, at both the top and bottom of the revs.

 

[syswizard]

if you go WOT and click the 'kickdown' switch, the tranny both downshifts and upshifts (at redline) automatically until switch is 'unclicked', at which point manual mode returns.

Sorry....WOT ? Clueless in Seattle here.....

 

[ELP_JC]

Cruising at 35mph or so, it would not let me manually put it in 7th as it would have just been too tall a gear for that speed.

As I mentioned, when you're near idle, tranny would downshift to avoid stalling the engine. Or in your case, not let you upshift, since at 35, you'd be at idle in 7th... but I'm sure a little higher it'd let you, at least in sport mode. But you're missing my point. Lugging the engine means accelerating hard at low rpm, but not from almost idle man; you're not trying to ruin your engine. If you want to try if PDK lets you really lug the engine, get in 7th at around 1,500 rpm and then get hard on the throttle and see what happens for a moment (but don't activate the WOT kickdown switch, since that immediately invokes a downshift to the lowest gear). My guess is it'll let you lug it.

WOT= wide open throttle, or full throttle. But our cars have a kickdown switch beyond WOT that you can feel and hear. That will make the tranny shift like in full auto, downshifting to lowest possible gear for maximum acceleration, and upshifting at redline. When switch is released, it reverts to manual mode. Oh, and I always drive in manual mode, like if the car was manual: highway, street, and everywhere in-between. It's great.

 

[bybybmw]

WOT= wide open throttle, or full throttle. But our cars have a kickdown switch beyond WOT that you can feel and hear. That will make the tranny shift like in full auto, downshifting to lowest possible gear for maximum acceleration, and upshifting at redline. When switch is released, it reverts to manual mode. Oh, and I always drive in manual mode, like if the car was manual: highway, street, and everywhere in-between. It's great.

I think what the poster wanted to know was how/where to activate the kickdown switch!!!!! Lots of folks don't know about it.

 

[syswizard]

Oh, and I always drive in manual mode, like if the car was manual: highway, street, and everywhere in-between. It's great.

Even in heavy traffic ? (prevalent in my area).
Regarding that issue (and a little off-topic):
Does anyone know the logic for the engine shutdown when stopped at a stop light ? Is there a sensor ?
I noticed that the engine does not shut off consistently at stop lights.
Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not. Is there a PCM option to control this ?

 

[NetMage]

Auto stoo/Start is controlled by the button behind the shifter with a A in a circle and off underneath. When that button is lit, it is off.

If you see the same symbol in the MFD with a slash through it, that means the function is disabled due to conditions : low battery, high AC use, others.

All of this is in the manual.

 

[MidEngine-Fan]

Even in heavy traffic ? (prevalent in my area).
Regarding that issue (and a little off-topic):
Does anyone know the logic for the engine shutdown when stopped at a stop light ? Is there a sensor ?
I noticed that the engine does not shut off consistently at stop lights.
Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not. Is there a PCM option to control this ?

If a CAFE inspector is near, it will shut off the engine. Otherwise, not. I think the diesels have something similar...

Couldn’t resist.


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