How do I use S mode?

[Silver-Aurion]

I've been putting this off for a long time because I guess you guys will have a laugh that I still don't know how to use it!

I've tried to search but seriously the new search on this forum sucks, you can only search keywords and not things like topic titles etc, anyway...

How do I use S-mode? The other day I used it and I had no clue what I was doing. I was doing 60KM/h and put it in S mode and it started from 4'th gear. Then as I was coming to traffic lights I was gearing down like a manual. Is this correct? When do I know when to change gears and when should I shift down?

I have no clue at all on how to use it, so I've only used it like twice since I had the car and that was only to test it out.

[DJKOR]

Personally, unless you are driving aggressively or towing something... or wanting a little bit of engine braking while going down a largish hill, then don't even bother with using 'S-Mode'. You will more than likely get less fuel economy as well unless you are constantly changing at the right times (ie. factoring in gearbox lag etc).

It's not a true manual gearbox and it's main purpose is for the last two situations I mentioned above.

If you do use it, selecting a gear is pretty much the same as you will do for a manual. From day to day driving, you learn what rev ranges are suitable for which speeds etc. So when you downshift, you pretty much just do it by feel. Whatever you do though, avoid downshifting into 1st unless you are going slow (like under 20km/h) and are going to put your food down a fair bit more directly after shifting.

Upshifting is pretty straight forward and obvious, so that's a no-brainer. That you just shift where you feel is appropriate for your driving.

If you want to get the so called benefits of 'S' mode (apparently slightly more responsive but not conclusively tested), then just simply put the shifter into 'S' and change the gear section to '6'. Use that instead of drive (as in no need to change gears etc), and you should get slightly more responsive performance. But this isn't something you can expect to really notice the difference of unless you are pushing your car hard.

Some more discussion:

Sports Mode = ****t IMO

Driving with 'D' or 'S'?

[Silver-Aurion]

Thanks mate, I'm also reading through those links.

As there do's and don'ts in S mode? I think I remember reading here sometime ago you said in another thread to never down shift while the car is moving or something?

[DJKOR]

As there do's and don'ts in S mode? I think I remember reading here sometime ago you said in another thread to never down shift while the car is moving or something?

I'm pretty sure the only thing I've said never to do with S mode is what I've said above with regards to first.

When it comes to this transmission, there aren't really any specific things you should and shouldn't do with it as it is just a gearbox, but basically you should just treat it with care. My main things would be:

Do:

- Shift 1000-1500RPM before you originally would have intended on changing gears, especially at WOT and approaching redline

- Remember to upshift into 5th or 6th once you get to highway speeds. If you don't have an aftermarket muffler, or if you have one but put your music loud, the smooth revving ability of the engine may hide the fact you are in a lower gear like 3rd or 4th. You can easily travel for a good distance in a lower gear and revving it high without feeling it.

Don't:

- Always drive it thinking it's a manual box. At the end of the day, an automatic gearbox isn't intended to be driven manually.

- Shift into 1st unless you are moving less than around 20km/h and plan on accelerating immediately after the shift. There is no advantage to shifting into first when slowing to a stop or to maintain a low speed. Just shift back into 1st once you are stopped. Most of the time, you can just leave it at 2nd.

- Be fooled into thinking your car has been transformed into a race machine by using S mode. That feeling will be all in your head.

[VF-X]

Dad always told me to use manual or in this case, S mode when driving downhill. The sole purpose is like Daryl said, helps with engine brake, places you in more control compared to Auto mode. I always used this during highway, and often during normal times coz it helps with the engine braking, especially with taxis cutting into lane before giving any indicators (Hate it).

I think I've tried it before when i was going at 50-60s, I downshifted too much but it won't let me get to Gear 1. There is a certain limit if you wanna downshift to Gear 1. But I can't think of any scenario where people actually downshift to 1, unless the car is going uphill. Even with that, Gear 2 usually suffice.

If there's anything about down-shift, I'd say not to downshift too much at a relatively short period.

Edited May 29, 2010 by VF-X

[Silver-Aurion]

What about coming to a red light? Should I stay in the same gear and brake, then when I come to a complete stop drop the gears? Or drop the gears as I'm braking?

[DJKOR]

What about coming to a red light? Should I stay in the same gear and brake, then when I come to a complete stop drop the gears? Or drop the gears as I'm braking?

Realistically, if you are coming to a complete stop just use your brakes. You're not going to be getting any overall benefit from it all except maybe a fraction more life out of your brake pads and rotors. Then if you want to continue with the whole S mode thing, then change it to 1st once you are at the lights and then upshift from there when you accelerate from the lights.

Only situation where I downshift approaching lights is when there is no one around as I approach a red light. If timed with you can eventually downshift into 2nd and coast along to the lights and if they change to green, you can accelerate again quicker.

[Silver-Aurion]

What about coming to a red light? Should I stay in the same gear and brake, then when I come to a complete stop drop the gears? Or drop the gears as I'm braking?

Realistically, if you are coming to a complete stop just use your brakes. You're not going to be getting any overall benefit from it all except maybe a fraction more life out of your brake pads and rotors. Then if you want to continue with the whole S mode thing, then change it to 1st once you are at the lights and then upshift from there when you accelerate from the lights.

Only situation where I downshift approaching lights is when there is no one around as I approach a red light. If timed with you can eventually downshift into 2nd and coast along to the lights and if they change to green, you can accelerate again quicker.

Alright thanks for that. Will have to try this out. I think though I'll stick to D for everyday driving :P

[Steven]

in regards to using the gears to slow down (generally, not for hill descents) then I'll quote what a driving instructor once told me

"Use your $100 brake pads, not your $3000 gearbox"

[Silver-Aurion]

in regards to using the gears to slow down (generally, not for hill descents) then I'll quote what a driving instructor once told me

"Use your $100 brake pads, not your $3000 gearbox"

Exactly right. I was thinking this too. I rather wear out the brakes then gearbox.

[CONROD]

in regards to using the gears to slow down (generally, not for hill descents) then I'll quote what a driving instructor once told me

"Use your $100 brake pads, not your $3000 gearbox"

Exactly right. I was thinking this too. I rather wear out the brakes then gearbox.

Shifting over to (S)sequential,sports mode whatever you want to call it would really only be beneficial if you were say hooting along the Great Ocean Road with no other cars around and you felt like stetching its legs abit,all within the law of course if you know what I mean tat way you can keep the power happening whilst using the gears to get you to the next bend without touching the brake pedal,but for everyday driving just leave it in ( D ) and enjoy the ride and let the AL (Artificial Intelligence ) shifting control do the rest

[tissue]

The main thing I use S mode for up here is driving through the Clem 7 tunnel and locking it into 4th. I found cause of the grade of the tunnel, if you leave it in D then you need to step on the brakes every 50-100m which becomes tiresome.

Doesnt help that there are 4 speed cameras in the tunnel.

[m999999]

In shifting over to (S) sequential sports mode, I when from second to first while accelerating (pulled back instead of pushing forward) Worst 10-20 seconds of my life, hopefully the rev limiter saved the motor. It took a couple of second to understand what had just happened . No damage seem to have been done to the motor or auto (thank god) .

I do find in the standard mode , the car is a little slow off the mark (compared to (S) sequential sports mode) and need more encouragement to get going. The klugers at work seem to be quicker off the line .. maybe it’s to do with the FWD system compared to the AWD systems ?? Any Ideas

Anyhow lesson learnt

Cheers

Mick

[CROCO]

I find the s mode good for overtaking just knock her down a cog and squeeze past ,where in auto mode it tends to be bit of a delay before it kicks down, also I find it kicks down to many gears when only just want a little bit of acceleration, dont get me wrong its good it kicks back hard when especially when overtaking a b double and you feel that powerful3.5 litre v6 gives you 201 kws at your disposal.

I dont use the s mode to slow car down when coming to a stop, i agree with what a couple of you guys said I would rather wear my brake pads out than my gear box .

I find accelerating from the lights or just normal acceleration that auto mode I can accelerate just as quick of the line as if i use s mode, or maybe im crappy gear changer .

[SATORI893]

I'm not sure if I read it somewhere or was told it by toyota but I heard if you are in 'S' mode and the revs get too high and you don't up shift it automatically overrides your selected gear and changes up as a saftey feature though I could have been mis-informed or heard it wrong.

I find if I come to a set of lights/intersection and I am turning right with a changing lights or arrow and turning left particularly on 'turn left any time with care' that to pull out of the corner faster, knocking it into 'S' mode and back/down twice into 2nd and accelerating respondes faster than just accelerating and waiting for the auto to kick back to a decent gear especially if you are trying to beat traffic coming from the right. But only if it is safe and within the confines of the law.

[challengethemasters]

Aim for a minimum of 3k RPM :P and never rev limit!

revs get too high and you don't up shift it automatically overrides your selected gear and changes up as a saftey feature though I could have been mis-informed or heard it wrong.

No, it will just sit on the limiter and everyone will overtake you 'till you run out of petrol or blow something up.

Edited March 18, 2012 by challengethemasters

[SATORI893]

Well wherever I heard it I was never going to try it or test it out and now that I know that, it's a definate no.

[Shadow_]

Since i bought my aurion new i never drive in D mode only S mode, i just cant get over the rev sound to the red line till now i still have no problem with the car but just dont put in gear 1 if you doing sudden brakes in high speed

[Audio115]

I've always found it useful for driving quickly down technical ranges, there is a 3km range that I have to drive down to get home from work which is at a 15% decline, pop the S mode into second gear (making your top speed still 100) and you have acceleration on call as opposed to waiting for the gearbox to decide what gear to pick first, sucks the juice though