2.0 Hdi [160] Auto - Gears Question

[Guest xerxes]

Hello,

 

This is my first post here. I recently bought a C5 2.0 HDi [160] with automatic gearbox.

I would like to ask you what is the normal engine rotation speed when you leave the gearbox in its automatic position, and driving the car normally?

For me, it seams that the gearbox changes the gear up when the engine hits 2000rpm (and I don't have the gas pedal pressed hard). And it doesn't down shifts until it reaches 1000rpm. The problem is that most of the time the engine is somewhere in the 1000-1500rpm where it is somehow sluggish.

I would expect the gearbox to up-shift around 2500 and down-shift around 1500rpm, so that it stays around 2000rpm most of the time. And when I do not press the gas pedal, I would expect some engine break but the gear box chooses to stay in the 5th gear (for example) until it reaches 1000rpm and then quickly changes down to the 2nd gear.

Because of that, most of the time I need to kick-down in order to receive a proper response from the engine when I need to accelerate.

 

In the Sport mode, it looks like it up-shifts around 2500rpm.

 

Before buying this car I only drove petrol cars, so I admit that I might be mistaken about the normal engine rotation speeds.

 

 

Thank you!

[coastline taxis]

use the tiptronic side of ther box. that way you can more or less chose when the box changes gear

[mlkey]

Hello,

 

This is my first post here. I recently bought a C5 2.0 HDi [160] with automatic gearbox.

I would like to ask you what is the normal engine rotation speed when you leave the gearbox in its automatic position, and driving the car normally?

For me, it seams that the gearbox changes the gear up when the engine hits 2000rpm (and I don't have the gas pedal pressed hard). And it doesn't down shifts until it reaches 1000rpm. The problem is that most of the time the engine is somewhere in the 1000-1500rpm where it is somehow sluggish.

I would expect the gearbox to up-shift around 2500 and down-shift around 1500rpm, so that it stays around 2000rpm most of the time. And when I do not press the gas pedal, I would expect some engine break but the gear box chooses to stay in the 5th gear (for example) until it reaches 1000rpm and then quickly changes down to the 2nd gear.

Because of that, most of the time I need to kick-down in order to receive a proper response from the engine when I need to accelerate.

 

In the Sport mode, it looks like it up-shifts around 2500rpm.

 

Before buying this car I only drove petrol cars, so I admit that I might be mistaken about the normal engine rotation speeds.

 

 

Thank you!

 

Hi,

 

Welcome to the forum. Being an automatic, it would be difficult to tell you what engine speeds the change points are, as it will vary depending on throttle position and road incline / decline etc. The HDI 160 has a higher max torque RPM than say the 110 engine, I believe it is about 2000 RPM, so you will only just be getting onto the power when the transmission shifts up a gear. This is indicative of economy driving. The transmission will have around 10 to 12 different shift patterns in the software, and it will choose the one that matches your driving style the best.

 

It you are driving very gently, i.e. not very much throttle, the transmission will select it's economy pattern, effectively shifting up the gears early, and down the gears late. I have the petrol auto, and also find it is quite sluggish in this mode, but it also allows me to get around 40mpg :rolleyes:. It sounds like you need to adjust your driving style a little if you feel it is under performing. If you accelerate with a little more throttle, you should find the transmission will hang onto the gears a little longer, and also downshift a little earlier too, as it will select a different logic to match your desire for slightly harder acceleration etc.

 

You can also use sports mode, which basically lifts the upshift / downshift points by around 1000 RPM, or as Coastline says, you could use the tiptronic, although that does kind of defeat the idea of having an auto.

 

Hope that helps.

[Guest xerxes]

Thank you!

 

Indeed, pressing the gas pedal harder solves the issue. On the other hand, it still feels sluggish when going up the hill, unless I put it in sport mode or I give it a kick-down.

 

 

Regards