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During our first highway trip, I noticed with the cruise control on it would downshift to use a type of engine braking while going downhill to slow the vehicle down.

I haven't had a vehicle with cruise control for many years, and I was just wondering if this is modern technology at work, or a common practice. My last vehicle with cruise just let me coast (accelerate) down hills.

I can't see how this would improve fuel economy when the RPM is going up and down like that.

Also during traffic (stop and go) I noticed that the tranny constantly shifts between 1st and 2nd. I guess with the 6 speed trans, and close ratios, that's what it needs to do. However having the autostick is certainly magical in these conditions as you can keep it in 2nd, and keep a steady speed in traffic.

Rick.

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During our first highway trip, I noticed with the cruise control on it would downshift to use a type of engine braking while going downhill to slow the vehicle down.

I haven't had a vehicle with cruise control for many years, and I was just wondering if this is modern technology at work, or a common practice. My last vehicle with cruise just let me coast (accelerate) down hills.

I can't see how this would improve fuel economy when the RPM is going up and down like that.

Also during traffic (stop and go) I noticed that the tranny constantly shifts between 1st and 2nd. I guess with the 6 speed trans, and close ratios, that's what it needs to do. However having the autostick is certainly magical in these conditions as you can keep it in 2nd, and keep a steady speed in traffic.

Rick.

I've made 3 or 4 long trips so far, and have never noticed this with cruise on mine.

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Sorry, can't help on the downshifts...I live in central Michigan and I can see about 300 miles straight away as we have some of the flattest land in the world...the biggest hill we have is our driveway.

However, I have noticed the excessive shifting a lot. The 6 speeds really make the Journey shift way more often than I'm used to.

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Thanks for the replies, I noticed on the way hom ethat it only downshifts on substantial downgrades which is okay as I am sure it would probably accelerate pretty good if it didn't downshift.

I tried one of the hills without the cruise, and it really picked up speed. Better for fuel economy, but bad for the price of the speeding ticket!!

Thanks again,

Rick.

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  • 7 months later...
  • 11 years later...

As far as shifting from 1st to 2nd, that transition happens at under 5mph.  I think it's other gears, as the journey really doesn't like to keep first in 1st any longer than absolutely necessary.

 

from my experience, I know that my daily commute is at 45mph, and the transmission shifts to 6th at exactly 45mph , and downshifts at to 5th at 43mph. It shifts frequently (once every 15-30 seconds, depending on if i'm coasting or accelerating). It does is really smoothly, and isn't noticeable, other than the bump up in fuel economy at 45mph.

I'm also guilty of slipping in gears 1-6 to control my speed in grid-lock creep-traffic-jams at under 7mph. (foot OFF the accelerator, put it in lower gear accelerate, and progressively select higher gears maintain and gain speed, and 5th/6th to reduce speed) (reduce speed by using 6th gear? but how? Thanks for asking!: by inducing a torque converter stall by forcing 6th gear while at idle, you lose power transfer to the axle, allowing you to deccelerate as if you're in almost-neutral)

Edited by NavalLacrosse
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