[suprax]

I've had my 2011 Terrain Since the end of November and something I've noticed since day 1 is how it always seems to be in too high of a gear, especially in lower speeds. At around 40mph it seems to be all the way in 6th, doing around 1500-1600 RPMs. The problem is then when I want to speed up and press the gas, it's very slow to respond and slightly vibrates the car because it's geared too high and I need to press the gas enough to get it to downshift into a lower gear. I have a road that's hilly that I commute on daily and it's especially bad there, when it's all the way in 5th or 6th and I'm trying to go up a hill and have to step on it to get it to downshift. Lately I've began putting it into manual mode in 5th and it doesn't seem to go above 5 gears that way, but I shouldn't have to do this just to have a smooth drive.

Is this the way the 4cyl is supposed to be? I'm pulling crappy MPG (18-19) so it obviously isn't helping if that's the intention. I understand the 4cyl has a good deal less power than the 6 but I don't read too many others on here talking about this issue.

 

[Terra-Nox]

Are you driving with ECO on?

 

[suprax]

Are you driving with ECO on?

I've driven with both and it does the same in both modes, ECO and regular. At first I thought it was ECO that was causing it to shift so quickly but found it to do the same with it off.

 

[NoobNox]

I highly doubt it's in 6th gear @40mph....probably 4th or 5th. Still even those gears are pretty tall...I suggest driving more vigorously for a few days so the tranny will "learn" your driving style. And no, I'm not crazy...that's what many modern transmissions do.

 

[KANWAR]

also, GM has programmed these trannies with fuel mileage as goal one. You can put it into 'Manual' mode and shift yourself, but even then the tranny does take its time moving down/up. Compared with my G35, when I use its auto tranny in the 'Manual' mode, shifts are almost instantaneous. But that car isn't geared for fuel mileage, it has a 280 horse V6.

 

[bballr4567]

I highly doubt it's in 6th gear @40mph....probably 4th or 5th. Still even those gears are pretty tall...I suggest driving more vigorously for a few days so the tranny will "learn" your driving style. And no, I'm not crazy...that's what many modern transmissions do.

Yup. Drive it pretty hard for a few fuel ups and you'll be surprised. It will learn your style. Its why I drove it pretty spirited when we got it.

If you really cant stand it, put it in manual mode and just shift using it. It will be fine for normal shifting but dont overdo it and try to go all fast and furious.

 

[Nukedog]

Stay out of ECO. WOrthless and makes the trans slower to respond...

 

[suprax]

What I've been doing for a week or so now is putting it into M5 and driving with it on, letting it automatically shift up and down but never going above 5th gear. This way it stays out of 6th and it handles the hilly drive to work better. But this is annoying.