Switching from D-Mode to S-Mode (auto sport) at high speed

batman697 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 11:53 PM

Hey folks,

New Fit owner here.

Can anyone tell me why the tranny downshifts to 3rd when you go from D to S at 4th/5th gear? I don't recall seeing that in the owner's manual. It's a little disconcerting. Now that I know it happens, I'll avoid it but I'm very curious WHY it happens...

BTW, fantastic forum. This website gave me the confidence and knowledge to go out and purchase a Tidewater Blue Fit (auto sport) last week!

TOOL · #2 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 11:59 PM

Sport mode hold gears longer and keeps you in the "Sweet Spot". When you put the car in "S Mode" and dont touch a paddle it loves to stay in third all the way to redline. S mode has a 3rd gear love ive noticed. So when it goes to 3rd its normal. Nothing to worry about.
Happy your enjoying the site, and welcome!

Tyler

batman697 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 12:35 AM

What do you mean by "sweet spot"? I was reading about S mode and saw you mention it another post as well....

TOOL · #4 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 12:43 AM

Well our little VTEC is rather under powered and like all Hondas..LACKS TORQUE!
The sweet spot is like 4k rpm and above in the vtec range, thats when its producing the most HP.

Tyler

batman697 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 01:35 PM

I'm so paranoid about gas mileage, I do whatever I can to avoid 4k RPM. It sound like the engine is working extremely hard and it freaks me out. I'll have to get used to it. The last few cars I drove were V6
so it was never much of an issue.

tin · #6 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 01:46 PM

I didn't know it was OK to switch from D to S while moving. I recall seeing a chart in the manual of safe shifts while the car is in motion, and D to S wasn't on there, but S to D was. Anyone else seen that chart? Maybe I just saw wrong.

greekdaddy000 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 05:10 PM

yea S mode is made to get the most out of the engine...so in order to give you a quicker opportunity to pass the rev's are held high up and aren't let go that easily.

Mr.Ball · #8 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 05:13 PM

Like TOOL said it keep's it in the sweet part of the RPM range(VTEC range).If you want good gas MPG keep in D mode.If I shift into S mode I use the paddle's because the 3rd gear hold get's annoying.If you try to use paddle's in D mode it will only work of like 5 second's,so I think S mode is just if you want to drive with the paddle's more than anything else.If you have any other question's will be glad to help out.

kndlewis · #9 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 08:49 PM

I believe Honda refers to S mode as "Sequential" as opposed to "Sport". Probably the lawyers didn't wan't to encourage radical driving!