Euro Auto Changing Down Gear's on Hill Descent

**petegangies** · 28-03-2011 12:08 PM

Hi Guys,

I had my new 2006 Honda Accord Euro Luxury for about 3 months now..it was in immac condition, 1 owner with 43,000kms on it and factory warranty until August this year. I've recently had the transmission serviced (oil changed with genuine honda atf) because I felt the auto wasnt behaving as it should and hoped this might help correct things. One of the issues is that the car seems to change down gears randomly in situations I feel it shouldnt. For example yesterday I was descending down the hill toward the mooney mooney bridge on the F3 freeway and it changed down a gear into
3rd with my foot not even on the accelerator. Also it will often change down gears through normal street driving from 3rd to 2nd when I havent put my foot down to accelerate considerably. Is this normal behaviour or should I be concerned? This is my first automatic car and first honda. I want to resolve all potential issues before my warranty runs out. I realise the ECU sets shift points but not sure if any potential internal transmission malfunction or damage may cause such symptoms...any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards
Pete

**natnat** · 28-03-2011 12:41 PM

that's normal for modern auto cars.

you don't want to be rolling down the hill without some engine braking if an emergency suddenly came.

it uses no petrol when doing so anyway and gives traction with the engine being engaged.

**Fredoops** · 28-03-2011 12:43 PM

Were you using cruise control? If so, then it's normal, the cuise control will shift down If it senses hill, and will also shift down to use engine braking.

It will also shift down if you don't give enough revs on an incline

**petegangies** · 28-03-2011 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by Fredoops

Were you using cruise control? If so, then it's normal, the cuise control will shift down If it senses hill, and will also shift down to use engine braking.

It will also shift down if you don't give enough revs on an incline

yeah i thought maybe if i was using cruise it would have done it but i wasnt. Just never noticed it before and seemed odd. Good to know it isnt an issue with the transmission.

**petegangies** · 28-03-2011 04:04 PM

I'm still not 100% convinced this is normal behaviour...it actually gave me a slight fright when cruising down a hill to change into a lower gear that caused the rpms to go rather high up in order to 'slow the car down'...I wonder if this only happens with your foot off the accelerator...and why has it only happened to me once when i've done the same hill 7 times in the last few months. It did it in 2 instances in the one trip. I'm also wondering whether it would do it in tip tronic mode.

**iLlusion10** · 28-03-2011 08:45 PM

It won't do it in tiptronic mode. It's better that it does it though.

**natnat** · 28-03-2011 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by petegangies

I'm still not 100% convinced this is normal behaviour...it actually gave me a slight fright when cruising down a hill to change into a lower gear that caused the rpms to go rather high up in order to 'slow the car down'...........

it's Honda, you should not be frightened with going high rpm or going vtec

**SPQR** · 29-03-2011 01:10 AM

Mine even changes down around a corner. It's the Honda Grade Logic function: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfI3PNz5WgU

**petegangies** · 29-03-2011 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by SPQR

Mine even changes down around a corner. It's the Honda Grade Logic function: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfI3PNz5WgU

great info...thanks guys...I can breathe easy now :-)

**seanneko** · 29-03-2011 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Fredoops

Were you using cruise control? If so, then it's normal, the cuise control will shift down If it senses hill, and will also shift down to use engine braking.

It will also shift down if you don't give enough revs on an incline

Mine has never changed down while going downhill with cruise control (although I'm pretty sure it will if I touch the brakes)... It engine brakes in 5th gear, but if it's a really steep hill then the car will just keep going faster and faster unless I intervene and help it.

**SPQR** · 29-03-2011 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by seanneko

Mine has never changed down while going downhill with cruise control (although I'm pretty sure it will if I touch the brakes)... It engine brakes in 5th gear, but if it's a really steep hill then the car will just keep going faster and faster unless I intervene and help it.

If you touch the brake, the cruise control will disengage. What I do is change down to D3 (in a CL9) at the top of the hill. This helps control the descent speed but does not disengage the cruise control.