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S Mode Explanation

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JFox562

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Can someone explain how the S Mode transmission selection works. I have read the manual and it still leaves me confused.

My confusion may stem from how the steptronic system worked on my 2009 BMW X3. In that system, when you selected S mode from a stop, the transmission indicated that you were in first gear. It stayed in first gear until you selected second gear. This was the same all the way up to sixth gear. On deceleration, the transmission would downshift on its own based on speed. This was easy to get used to and understand.

Now on the RAV4 (Limited, if that makes a difference), selecting S Mode when stopped, the dash display says 4. I expected to start off in 4th gear. That was the first "why?". Well, it didn't and it acted like a normal automatic. It shifted on its own until it reached 4th gear (which I'm guessing that was the reason for the 4 on the dash). I was able to then shift to 5, 6, 7, and 8th gears in time with speed. The dash number would indicate the gear and the RPMs would change. I don't remember what it did on deceleration.

Needless to say, I think I'm missing out on using this S Mode until I have a better understanding of its purpose. It would be nice to have a little more manual control of an automatic transmission from first gear.
 
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#3 ·
So if I'm following that video correctly, S-mode doesn't actually let you choose what gear the car drives in; it only lets you select the range that the auto will move through. So if set to s-3, it will still shift when it feels like but ONLY up to 3rd gear.

Which means it won't act like a steptronic system where you can drive the car 'manually' and tell it which gear to stay in...assuming I understand this right.
 
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#4 ·
I use S mode in the Rav4 similarly to the way I do in our FJ. In on-road driving I'll give the lever a tap to the left if the vehicle is picking up too much speed downhill. This drops the Rav4 to 5 and the 5speed FJ to 4. That way I don't need to use the brakes as much. When things level out I just tap the shifter back to the right to return to normal shifting.

When off pavement both transmissions allow you to manipulate gears as you desire. The Rav4 is easier since it only a matter of a forward or backward nudge on the lever to shift(or limit the highest reachable gear), or a tap to the right to return to automatic shifting.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Quickdtoo said:
This video explains how it works, although on a 6-speed AT Gen4.

Click to expand...
Thank you for the video.

It's making more sense now but still not sure if the functionality is as useful as the steptronic. Oh well.
 
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#8 ·
#11 ·
Amanda Verandah said:
Hi,
What gear does it use in an extended downhill drive? Can I change to S when moving? I have always driven manuals so this is confusing, I don't want to drive downhill on the brakes.
cheers
Click to expand...
Yes in the ICE/gas models you can change into S mode when driving. In the 8 speed gas models when in S mode you shift up by pushing shift lever forward and shift down by pulling it back. It actually takes little force--just a finger flick. The gear you are in is displayed by a number towards the bottom of the MID screen. I recently went downhill from over a 6000 foot elevation for about 15 miles in the Cascade Mountains and used S mode to keep from having to ride the brakes.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
Actually the number on the dash is the highest gear that the automatic transmission will shift to.

In other words, if you shift into S mode while stopped, the dash will show a number. I forget now but I think it's 4. When you take off, the transmission will not start off in 4th but will start off as usual and stop shifting up past 4th. You can move this number with the gear lever so if you get to 4th and are driving along, if you pull back on the lever so the dash shows 3, the transmission will downshift to 3rd. The opposite is true. If you're at 4th gear and you push forward on the gear lever to show 5 on the dash, the transmission will upshift to 5th.

If you shift into S mode while moving, if you're going faster than 4th gear, you will have higher than normal RPMs and yes the dash would be displaying 4th gear. You can then go up or down the gears to control your speed on a downgrade using this method.

I have used this on mountain roads where a manual transmission shines, however, I had to get used to how Toyota implemented their S mode. Coming from a BMW X3, there dash number is what the transmission is doing. BMW would downshift for you and the number would change on the dash but it wouldn't upshift. It too had limitations due to the downshifting. There were time that I would shift down for a turn and didn't notice that it already did it and my interaction shifted it one lower than what I intended. That was undesirable.
 
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