"Sport" gearing for mountain driving...

[tsunami]

My 2015 has a automatic transmission. I am planning on a vacation in quite steep mountainous terrain. How well does the Sport gearing help for down hill driving? Some of the grades will be quite steep and quite long. I don't want to ride the brakes if I don't have to. Because 'Sport' does not allow manual shifting to lowest gears, I was wondering how well Sport keeps First or Second gear when on a miles long steep grade with very winding curves?

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[Rich of So Cal]

My 2015 has a automatic transmission. I am planning on a vacation in quite steep mountainous terrain. How well does the Sport gearing help for down hill driving? Some of the grades will be quite steep and quite long. I don't want to ride the brakes if I don't have to. Because 'Sport' does not allow manual shifting to lowest gears, I was wondering how well Sport keeps First or Second gear when on a miles long steep grade with very winding curves?

There are 2 Sport settings (on the premium GT auto anyway): one is the toggle switch and the other is the S setting on the auto shifter. To get the max use of the paddle shifters, I use the S shift mode and it seems to have quite a bit of downshift control (although I haven't tested it coming down the mountains). In Sport toggle switch mode the auto shifting does give more downshift control points (and a nice growl) but not the control you get using the S auto shift position. BTW you can use your paddle shifters in any mode (except Reverse), but they are most effective in S position.

 

[tsunami]

"Rich of So Cal": 'In Sport toggle switch mode the auto shifting does give more downshift control points (and a nice growl) but not the control you get using the S auto shift position'...So there is more gearing control using the paddle shifters? I will probably be requiring First Gear a lot on some of the downgrades. Several years ago, I was with a friend on the same roads. He nearly burned out his brakes on the same route. He had an auto transmission that did not have a marked 1...2...gearing. We had to pull over repeatedly to cool down the smoking brakes.

 

[Rich of So Cal]

Yes, more downshift control with the paddle shifters AND S auto shift position.

Since there are no L, 1,2, etc on the shifter index, I tried using the paddles for that, and it works somewhat, but will auto shift up when the car goes faster if you are in D position..so not as good for downhill as using S auto position. I believe the paddle shifters work best with the Sport auto position. At least they do for me. Try it.

 

[SteveTheStang]

Just came back from a road trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountains and while driving in the mountains I used the "S" shifter gear position and the paddles for controlling my gearing. It was absolutly awesome! I was able to downshift using paddles very easily! I hardly needed my breaks and found out just how aggressively I could take corners in my LE AT stang with the PP suspension. The Stang was loaded with my wife, the 50 lb dog, tent, cooler, BBQ, all other required camping equip etc. The key to controlling gearing when put into the "S" gear selection is to make sure you select/control gear(s) by using the paddles at least once up or down to tell the transmission to stay manual and not to allow it to automatically shift gears for you. When I do this my transmission will stay in the gear I select right up to redline and when I downshift from a higher gear it will downshift as long as the revs don't come too close to redline etc.

 

[7jay]

That's all great for the decel.
When powering out the other side of the curve (20-45 mph)the rear feels like it breaks free and does a hop-skip to the side. With the S+ mode holding the RPMs above 2000, the available torque exceeds the tire grip. Chicken me lets off the gas becaus there is usually a rock or steep drop off waiting at the outside of the curve. I am told this is the limited slip differential trying to keep the 2 wheels at the same speed. Great for straight line, not so good on twisty roads.
What mode minimizes the sideways hop?

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