Not true, I think it even states in the manual that it wont up shift for you and to be careful you dont run into the redline. It wont move into drive on its own either.

 

Im my 06 it does not shift for you at any point.....you can redline every gear if you wish....

i think if it shifts for you than theres no point in it...or if it only lets you go to a certain rpm theres no point in that

I like how it lets you control everything like a 5spd would be....but i do wish i had the manual gearbox to bad they didnt have it on the Special Edition

 

Well, I know when I am driving and I accidentally leave it in hear, it will eventually go back to D without any input from me. Obviously this is not the best way to do things.

 

The only time it will shift to D is when you have slowed to 1st gear, like being stopped at a red light. This is with the premise that you are in D mode and you started using the paddle shifter to up/downshift. It WILL NOT shift you to D mode from any other gear if you're in pure manual mode.

This is actually a cool feature and one of the best things I like about the shifting programming. The computer actually does better in shifting from stop to 3rd gear than having to do it manually. From 3rd gear on, I can then opt to do it myself of let the computer do it for me.

Although I would agree that I miss the pure Manual transmission, Sportronic is in fact one of the best compromise for a vehicle at this pricepoint IMO. Some people would argue the paddle shifts are gimmick, but it really depends on who's using it. For me, I use it whenever I feel there's a need to do so. Overtaking RAV4s and CR-Vs on the freeway has never been more fun.

 

In a straight line.

Like 'boldly' referred to earlier... it has a very annoying lag going off/on throttle at times. Not that I'm looking for world class lap times with this car, but late braking or trail braking in the Outie is suicide in D-rive.

 

I played around with it yesterday and I just phrased it incorrectly. Like above, I meant to say that it goes back to D when I get to a stop sign.

 

And the Outlander can use some reprogramming in this aspect. I agree with you about this "lag". Actually it is not a lag. The problem has two aspects to it. 1.) The Outlander accelerates slow from 1st gear that you need to ever so lightly step on the gas to accelerate. Push too hard and you will lunge forward. It needs some depth with the gas pedal to accelerate smoothly in 1st gear, and I had to learn it for quite a while to do it smoothly. 2.) The Outlander defaults to 1st gear when you've slowed enough on a corner, even when a 2nd gear would have provided enough power to carry you out of the turn. Now since 1st gear is very slow in acceleration and needs some slow gas pedal pushing, the driver's tendency usually is to push on the gas too fast and makes the vehicle lunge out of a turn.

This problem, the way I see it, could well be just a programming thing for the car's computer, which then can be fixed with a new code. And in this situation, the paddle shifters are a big help in preventing the vehicle from shifting to 1st gear on a turn. I've no problem with 2nd gear on a tight corner. 220 horses from a V6 has more than enough power to make the turn in 2nd gear, except maybe when its a U-turn, or a doughnut.

 

rcpax-
Unfortunately nothing of what you have described matches my issues. I do feel it is a software issue. I have 0 issues off the line, I do notice the very slight lag you described but it is normal feeling. It also has nothing to do with dropping into first, the rpms and speed are too high for it to drop into first.

How I can duplicate my issue. Note it does in auto and manual shifting. Its just easier to duplicate in manual because you can see what gear your in.

Put it in 2nd drive to where the rpms are around 2completely let off the acelerator let the rpms drop to almost 1k (this will be a speed too high todown into first)then press the acel pedal again an amount that you would if you were trying to make a left from the center lane in traffic. It sits there and does nothing for about 2 secs (this is an eternity when trying to cut through traffic and not get hit) then it takes off like the throttle was slammed down rocketing you into your turn and into traffic later than you planned.

I have another car with an electronic throttle and do not have this issue at all not even close. However when I was having rich running problems with my motorcycle it would do the same thing.

I also noticed that if I watch the tach when coming to a stop the tach will rest at an rpm like 1K for a moment then plunge 200 rpms below it then pop back up, which on a non computerized engine would say it was running rich as well. I would hope a computerized engine with fuel injection could keep it from running rich so I doubt thats it.

I wonder if a sensor is out of spec but which one it could be is a mystery to me anyway.

 

Actually the problem I have is just like rcpax is describing. I agree it's a ECU issue and should be able to be sorted out in programming. Also agree it's not a problem in manual shift mode- which is why I'm not writing hate mail to mitsubishi, because it would SUCK without a workaround.

Boldly, I'm not sure if I share the symptoms you are describing. I used to have an Talon/Eclipse with a programmable ECU. It would buck hard going off/on throttle. You had a separate 'throttle tip-in' value that would feed it some juice and would smooth this out. So it's possible it's something to do with a sensor or mapping.
The other thing to consider is that 1k is very low. Does it do it if you get on gass at 1500rpm or higher? The computer may have special programming to prevent heavy throttle at that low RPM, as it's not really good for the engine (rumbly tractoring).

Maybe there is some hope they will smooth this out with future programs - new cars typically come out with improved maps from time to time.

 

I notice it on the freeway as well in rush hour traffic. Its just that its easier to duplicate on a side street in manual 2nd gear. Ive been trying to reliably duplicate it so that I can show the tech, not tell them to drive it in traffic for a day which at this point I'm all for.

If Im on the freeway and come up on slow traffic in my lane and start to slow for them then try to get into an opening in the other lane, when I push on the gas the rpms just sit there and do nothing so its not like the tranny is hunting because it has no input from the engine because it hasn't started to increase the rpms yet, 2-3 sec later (enough to get you killed) the rpms pick up and off you go late into the other lane of traffic.

Does that make sense?