2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

1.8-liter VVTL-i (2ZZ-GE) and VVT-i (1ZZ-FE) engine, transmission, exhaust, intake, and performance tuning discussions
Post Reply
Vibramatic
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:19 am

2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

Post by Vibramatic »

If you have a GT 2010 (also 2009 I'm not sure) GM has massive confusion about the direct shift function. In the manual it states that while in Auto mode while driving, moving the shift lever to the left will result in the display showing the number four (4)....you can then use the function to corner, go up and down hills, will shift a bit harder and faster..
When you stop, the gear will read one (1), in the display and can be used manually, shifting up and down....moving the lever to the right it will read (D) in the display and will function as a normal automatic....
I have 29,000 miles on the car and got it with 25,550 6 mos. ago...it has performed exactly as described above all that time. A week ago I moved it to Direct while driving and it read (4) as normal and when I stopped, it stayed in (4). I could manually take it down by moving the lever forward and when I moved it right it read (D).
I didn't want to try to nail it while in (4) so I took it to Rydell Chevrolet in Northridge CA and explained the problem and left it...later that day when I came back and they handed me a GM bulletin which was a complete quote from the owner's manual I stated above, and they said, "See, this says it's normal." I told them it was just what I'd quoted and no it's not normal. The writer said I nailed it in (4) and it broke rubber...( I'd given permission to try this). I asked what it did then and he said it shifted all the way up I said did it ever go out of (4)? He said no....I went out with a trans guy and we found the Direct Shift side now is functioning as an Automatic just as the right (D) is...He (Ben) said, "That's not right" and repeated it to the svc writer, who called GM tech, who said "IT'S FUNCTIONING JUST AS IT SHOULD!!!" Anyone else with this problem????
2010 Vibe GT
User avatar
trb
Posts: 1670
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 4:06 am
Location: Houston, TX

Re: 2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

Post by trb »

Mine works the way yours does now. If you drop it into "S", the indicator basically shows the top gear it will shift into only. If I put mine in say 3, and I stop, it drops down to 1st gear, shifts to 2nd, and then 3rd and stays there as I accelerate. The indicator shows 3 the whole time. The only real benefit of the transmission is you can drop it down a gear or two for engine braking, or hold it in a lower gear and keep it from automatically upshifting on you. You get worse gas mileage too by playing with it. Give me a REAL manual transmission anytime over this slushbox!
Thomas
the "Mustang Guy"
1987 5.0 LX Mustang
2016 Mustang GT - current daily
2004 Satellite Vibe &
2009 Red Vibe GT -twin's cars
2003 Neptune Vibe GT - prior daily
2010 Red Vibe GT - RIP 6/16/14
2006 Platinum Vibe - son's car
Vibramatic
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:19 am

Re: 2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

Post by Vibramatic »

If you're speaking of your 2010 GT, then when you're in normal drive (right side reading (D) ), when you move it left it should go to (4) and then only respond to you manually moving it up and down. Then when you stop it should go to (1) and should not shift itself....read your owner's manual in the transmission section for the GT and it states exactly that...if yours is running fully automatic on the left side and has since you got it, then yours has the same problem that mine does. Did you get it used? How many miles? Like to see how many others have this...reprogramming the trans may do it, but GM denies that it hapens
2010 Vibe GT
User avatar
trb
Posts: 1670
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 4:06 am
Location: Houston, TX

Re: 2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

Post by trb »

One thing we've found out, the owners manual is total bs on a lot of things, so I would not take it as gospel. It is almost like GM knew Pontiac was going and they did not even bother with it.

I've had my car for 6 months (bought it with 36K, now has 45K miles) and it has always operated like that. The numbers on the dash do not change unless I actually move the lever down or up, BUT the gears always start from 1st when I stop.

OK, I just pulled out my owners manual and mine is working exactly how it describes. It says the
Driver Shift Control (DSC) mode allows you to choose the top gear limit of the vehicle's transmission and the vehicle's speed while driving down hill or towing a trailer. To use this feature, do the following:

1. Move the shift lever from D to S. While driving in this mode, the transmission will remain in the driver selected range. When coming to a stop, the vehicle will automatically shift into 1 (First) gear.

2. Move the shift lever forward to increase the gear range, or rearward to decrease the gear range available based upon your current driving conditions and needs.

The number displayed in the instrument cluster is the highest gear that the transmission will be allowed to operate in. However, your vehicle can automatically shift to lower gears as required by various driving conditions. This means that all gears below that number are available.

The display in the instrument cluster will change from the currently displayed message to 4 (Fourth) when you enter S (Shift Control) and change to indicate the requested gear range when moving the shift lever forward or rearward.

When using the DSC feature the transmission will have firmer shifting and sportier performance. You can use this for sport driving or when climbing hills to stay in gear longer or to downshift for more power or engine braking.

The transmission will only allow shifting into gears appropriate for the vehicles speed and engine RPM:

The transmission will not automatically shift to the next higher gear if the vehicle speed or engine RPM is too high.
Note: Here is the debate as I see it. I take this to mean it will not shift to the next higher gear OUTSIDE of the selected gear range, not between gears withing the gear range which it does do. It could be interpreted that it would not upshift at all once you stop while in sport mode. And that is what your car was doing, right? But it does not say the dash indicator would ever automatically change to 1 when you stop, unless you manually shifted it down to 1. It would always show the maximum available gear. I think they just left out "outside of the selected gear range" after gear in this sentence.
The transmission will not allow shifting to the next lower gear if the vehicle speed or engine RPM is too high. An audible warning will sound and the downshift will not be allowed. The downshift request will have to be made again once the vehicle reaches an acceptable speed.
The key to the way it works is the gear range in bold I noted above. It is not a fully manual controlled automatic transmission, which I wish it was. We can only select the range of gears for it to work. Now it will drop into 1st at a stop if you move the lever down 3 times. Then it will stay in 1st until you move the lever up to 2nd, and stay there until you move it to 3rd, and etc. But it does not automatically start in 1st at a stop and require you to manually shift up if the dash indicatior shows 3 or 4.

Bottom line, I still wish I had a manual trans. But I'm saving that card for a newer Mustang someday in the future. If the transmission programming could be changed to allow for full manual operation without having to downshift every time, it would be interesting to try. But I can see GM and Toyota for that matter making the automatic upshifts as a way of reducing warranty claims from over revving the transmission or something.

I still wonder what other's cars do in DSC mode.
Thomas
the "Mustang Guy"
1987 5.0 LX Mustang
2016 Mustang GT - current daily
2004 Satellite Vibe &
2009 Red Vibe GT -twin's cars
2003 Neptune Vibe GT - prior daily
2010 Red Vibe GT - RIP 6/16/14
2006 Platinum Vibe - son's car
j42.snyder
Posts: 226
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:14 am
Location: St. Catharines, ON

Re: 2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

Post by j42.snyder »

I have had my 2009 2.4L Vibe since new. I also test drove another and found it to work exactly the same way.

The "S" setting only limits the HIGHEST gear it can use - otherwise it operates fully automatically - although supposedly in a "sportier" fashion, although I fail to notice much difference.

It's really no different than a regular automatic allowing you to shift down and limit the ranges of operation - just a more convenient way to do it. Probably cheaper to make with all of the electronic controls now. In no way does it "lock" the transmission into a particular gear. I wish it did, so that I could keep it in a higher gear and work it a little harder sometimes - but it's always so willing to downshift with a slight prod of the throttle. It's nice to pre-select the lower gear when planning to pass someone though. I mainly only use this feature when towing if I want to keep it in 4th, as in 5th it tends to frequently lock and unlock the torque converter on slight elevation changes - and I figure staying locked in 4th is probably better for it (less wear).

For the OP - the way yours apparently "was" operating sounds very strange - and not how these cars typically work. I've never seen any "manu-matic" work exactly in that way. Most that have more manual control than ours will actually remain in the higher gear even if you come to a stop. I believe our Mazda 5 will go down to 2nd and remain there to allow for a 2nd gear start if desired. The 2.3 in that thing isn't exactly a power house though - so I've never had the need to do that. I only tried it briefly when test driving the car to be sure it worked - hasn't been touched since.

My brother has the identical car with manual transmission. It's great for towing, but its lower gearing seems a bit silly for daily use. It's spinning faster in 5th on the highway than my auto does in 4th. Makes for responsive driving, but hurts fuel economy and can get a little buzzy at speed, where I really can't hear the engine over typical road noise in mine. For daily use, I prefer my auto - especially with the traffic I often get to deal with. Drove manual for several hundred thousands of kilometers, so I figure I put my time in...

John
Vibramatic
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 9:19 am

Re: 2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

Post by Vibramatic »

While the transmission guy was driving it, it shifted into 5 in the Direct Shift (left side) also, completely obviating the need to have two sides to the transmission or a GT name plate, stabilizer bar, 18" wheels, Goodyear F1 tires, etc
2010 Vibe GT
j42.snyder
Posts: 226
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:14 am
Location: St. Catharines, ON

Re: 2.4 Direct Shift Mode 5 Spd Auto 2010 GT

Post by j42.snyder »

The 2.4 and transmision setup in your car is no different from what's in my base - your differences are all suspension and trim.

5 is an option to select of course - it IS a 5 speed transmission. Why wouldn't you want the ability to select "5" rather than have to pop it back over to "D" if using "manual" mode? It simply selects "4" by default based on design until you move it somewhere else.

"GT" trim doesn't always mean high performance. Often it's more the "appearance" of high performance than the real thing. At least you have the beefed up suspension, strut bar, and really low profile tires - if that's what you're after. I just wanted the extra power and larger brakes for towing, and the fold flat passenger front seat. It cost me the same amount as if I bought a sunroof on a 1.8 car - I figured this was more useful to me for the money. I've never been much of one to buy anything frilly - especially for appearance sake.

John
Post Reply