A year ago we bought a 2019 Rav4 off-lease, introducing us to an amazing 8-speed automatic transmission that offers Drive (auto) or Select shifting. With a torque converter that almost never unlocks, it's an efficient marvel.
With standard-transmission cars, my habit is to downshift into curves and down hills (for better control and reduced brake wear) -- but the Rav's handling is so good that curves are less of a consideration, and the transmission's gear choices need little help from me. That leaves driving down hills (especially when steep and winding), where I tend to use the Select side for appropriate downshifting. But several times recently we have noticed that, when left in Drive, the Rav sometimes downshifts automatically.
It did not do that a year ago, so I could almost believe that a car smarter than I am is learning my habits -- except that its automatic downshifting is sporadic, not consistent -- which makes me wonder if something is failing. [Or the inconsistency could reflect the fact that it has two drivers, with different habits.]
I've had automatic transmissions in the past (the kind where the torque converter unlocks for every shift), which never downshifted automatically with reduced engine load. (You could take Overdrive off, then downshift manually.) Have others with this 8-speed transmission seen automatic downshifting on hills? If so, is it in some kind of learning mode, or is it consistent?
With standard-transmission cars, my habit is to downshift into curves and down hills (for better control and reduced brake wear) -- but the Rav's handling is so good that curves are less of a consideration, and the transmission's gear choices need little help from me. That leaves driving down hills (especially when steep and winding), where I tend to use the Select side for appropriate downshifting. But several times recently we have noticed that, when left in Drive, the Rav sometimes downshifts automatically.
It did not do that a year ago, so I could almost believe that a car smarter than I am is learning my habits -- except that its automatic downshifting is sporadic, not consistent -- which makes me wonder if something is failing. [Or the inconsistency could reflect the fact that it has two drivers, with different habits.]
I've had automatic transmissions in the past (the kind where the torque converter unlocks for every shift), which never downshifted automatically with reduced engine load. (You could take Overdrive off, then downshift manually.) Have others with this 8-speed transmission seen automatic downshifting on hills? If so, is it in some kind of learning mode, or is it consistent?
