307-01A Automatic Transmission, Transaxle- 4.0L: Description And Operation (page 42 of 47)

There are a number of different driving modes of operation. Some can be selected by the driver and some are 
automatically initiated by the TCM during driving: 
 

Normal mode  
Sport mode  
Manual (CommandShift™) mode  
Adaptive Shift Strategy (ASIS)  
Hill Descent Control (HDC) mode  
Cruise mode  
Hill mode  
Default (Limp home) mode  
Reverse lock-out mode  
Cooling strategy.  
Curve recognition mode  
Fast off recognition  

Normal Mode 

Normal mode is automatically selected by the TCM on power up. In this mode all automatic and adaptive modes are 
active. Normal mode uses gear shift and lock-up maps to allow for vehicle operation which offers fuel consumption and 
emissions or driveability depending on the driving style. If the transmission is operated in sport or manual mode and the 
selector lever is moved to the 'D' position, normal mode is automatically resumed. 
 

Sport Mode 

The sport mode operates in high range only and provides enhanced acceleration and responsiveness. In sport mode the 
TCM uses shift maps which allow the transmission to downshift more readily, hold gears for longer at higher engine 
speeds, and limits the transmission to the first five gears (6th gear is not used). 
 
Sport mode is selected by moving the selector lever to the left into the 'M/S' position. When the sport mode is first 
selected, 'SPORT' is displayed in the message centre for 6 seconds and, if 6th gear is currently engaged, the TCM 
downshifts to 5th. 
 

Manual (CommandShift™) Mode 

Manual mode allows the transmission to operate as a semi-automatic 'CommandShift™' unit. The driver can change up 
and down the six forward gears with the freedom of a manual transmission. 
 
Shift maps are provided for manual mode to protect the engine at high engine speeds. The TCM will automatically change 
up to a higher gear ratio to prevent engine overspeed and change down to a lower gear ratio to avoid engine labouring 
and stalling. 
 
When kickdown is requested the TCM downshifts at least 2 gears. 
 
When the vehicle is stationary, to drive off the driver can select 1st , 2nd or 3rd gear in low and high range. Any other 
gear selection will be rejected by the TCM. 
 
When driving off, upshifts can be pre-selected by making + selections with the selector lever for the number of upshifts 
required. The TCM then automatically performs a corresponding number of upshifts when the appropriate shift points are 
reached. So, for example, when starting off in 1st gear, if three + selections are made in quick succession, the TCM will 
automatically change up through the box to 4th gear as the vehicle accelerates, without any further selections being 
made. 
 
In manual mode a low gear can be selected to provide engine braking for descending a slope without HDC or continuous 
use of the brake pedal. The driver can prepare for the end of the descent by moving the selector lever to D. The TCM will 
maintain the low gear and only revert to automatic shift control when the throttle is opened and vehicle speed increases. 
 

Adaptive Shift Strategy (ASIS) 

The ASIS system is a new feature on automatic transmissions. With the TCM linked via the CAN bus to other vehicle 
systems, signals are received which can allow the TCM to calculate the way in which the vehicle is being driven. The type 
of signals include the following: