Changing between manual and drive

[rcryniak]

I didn't want to try it and break anything, but the User's Manual gives no indication if you need to be in park when changing between manual and automatic/drive. Can this be done safely at speed? Or only in park? Not sure if I'm inclined to even use manual mode for DD use, but once in a while for fun, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

 

[SHOrod]

There's absolutely no issue switching between automatic and manual modes while moving, at any speed a stock SHO is capable of. When you shift to manual mode the transmission remains in whatever gear it is already in and that gear is displayed in the instrument cluster.

-Rod

 

[brucelinc]

I didn't want to try it and break anything, but the User's Manual gives no indication if you need to be in park when changing between manual and automatic/drive. Can this be done safely at speed? Or only in park? Not sure if I'm inclined to even use manual mode for DD use, but once in a while for fun, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Yes, you can go to manual mode at any speed. Whatever gear you are in when in Drive will be the gear that you are in when going to Manual mode and the gear will display on the dash.

The car will not upshift automatically when in Manual mode but it will downshift to prevent too low an RPM for the gear you are in. It will also downshift under WOT if a lower gear will provide greater acceleration.

I use the Manual mode a lot both for fun and just to prevent unneeded or unwanted shifts. I never use it for maximum acceleration, though.

 

[TRBOSHO]

And a nice little added benefit of at least the 2014 is that if you just hit the paddle shifter while in automatic mode....it will respond by downshifting or upshifting. My 2010 would not do that in automatic mode.

 

[TheDailySHO]

No problem at all! In fact I like pushing along at about 40 mph and then lowering it into sport mode and feeling the car want to pull away!

 

[rcryniak]

Perfect! Great to know, thanks guys!! ...and that's pretty awesome about your 2014 responding to paddle shifts in automatic. Handy.

 

[11BLKFX4EB]

Another thing I've noticed too, is that when going down steep hills, the car will stay in a lower gear to keep from accelerating too fast and to prevent having to "ride" the brakes. if you click the + paddle it will shift to a higher gear to keep the motor from revving to high. I try to conserve fuel and work on the best mpg's I can, cuz most of the time, its driven like it should be.