2011 Grand Caravan shifts hard in economy mode
#11
02-06-2013 | 08:53 AM
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
I have about 15000 kms on my 2012 Grand Caravan and really enjoy it.
Did a recall to "reflash" the transmission programming a couple weeks ago and it seems to have done a lot to improve the hard shifting issues.
Only hard shifting now is on cold starts moderate power.
Once warmed up the transmission shifts flawlessly.
What the heck does that "Econ" switch do?
I've logged miles with it on and off and it has no measurable effect on fuel mileage.
All it does is confuse the transmission's shifting.
I wish I knew more about it so I could use it wisely.
Steve
Did a recall to "reflash" the transmission programming a couple weeks ago and it seems to have done a lot to improve the hard shifting issues.
Only hard shifting now is on cold starts moderate power.
Once warmed up the transmission shifts flawlessly.
What the heck does that "Econ" switch do?
I've logged miles with it on and off and it has no measurable effect on fuel mileage.
All it does is confuse the transmission's shifting.
I wish I knew more about it so I could use it wisely.
Steve
#12
02-06-2013 | 12:27 PM
Amateur
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Comox, BC, Canada
It's been a week now since I had my PCM reprogrammed, and I would say it does shift smoother now, too.
As far as the Econ mode, I believe it changes when the transmission shifts into higher gear (tries to get you into a higher gear sooner, keeping the engine RPM lower in an effort to use less fuel). I've heard it alters the timing, too, but not 100% sure about that. I have always left it "on", but at my last fill up I turned it off and am tracking my mileage. For me, it looks like it is making a difference as my average consumption now looks like it has gone up almost 1L/100km (a decrease of about 4mpg). At my next fill up I'll turn it on again and see what happens. Almost all of my driving is small town driving.
As far as the Econ mode, I believe it changes when the transmission shifts into higher gear (tries to get you into a higher gear sooner, keeping the engine RPM lower in an effort to use less fuel). I've heard it alters the timing, too, but not 100% sure about that. I have always left it "on", but at my last fill up I turned it off and am tracking my mileage. For me, it looks like it is making a difference as my average consumption now looks like it has gone up almost 1L/100km (a decrease of about 4mpg). At my next fill up I'll turn it on again and see what happens. Almost all of my driving is small town driving.