Guys,
I got the newest TCM update (08-07-30-036, I believe) a couple weeks ago. Ever since then, when I am in sport mode and it needs to downshift, it will not upshift back to the correct gear. This happens when I apply anything more than a moderate throttle. If I'm babying it, it shifts fine but when I get on it it downshifts ok but does not shift back up at all. I passed someone on the express way and it stuck in 3rd. It did this 4 times on the way to work today.
Any ideas? I'd rather not bring it back to the dealer again unless I have to.

In sport mode, it holds the gear for several seconds after you let off. It's supposed to help accelerate out of corners without waiting for a downshift.

IMO, it shouldn't do that above 45 mph or so.

It gets stuck and doesn't upshift at all. I have to move it over to Normal mode or push the stick into manual mode in order to upshift. I was stuck at 5,000 rpm waiting for the damn thing to upshift.

It gets stuck and doesn't upshift at all. I have to move it over to Normal mode or push the stick into manual mode in order to upshift. I was stuck at 5,000 rpm waiting for the damn thing to upshift.
for how long? As stated earlier it is normal for it to remain in gear for a while if driving it hard, anticipating the need for the lower gearing.

It gets stuck and doesn't upshift at all. I have to move it over to Normal mode or push the stick into manual mode in order to upshift. I was stuck at 5,000 rpm waiting for the damn thing to upshift.

run it to redline and i bet it'll upshift!

the trans detects 'sporty driving' if it's in sports mode and it will hold gears longer because it thinks you are having some fun, there is an acronym for it...it's in the manual

Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me.
Floored in on the highway just because i felt like it.
Let go of the pedal and it stayed in low gear/high rpm.
Waited about 4 seconds and took it out of sport mode to have it shift back up.

Glad to hear it's not only me!

Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me.
Floored in on the highway just because i felt like it.
Let go of the pedal and it stayed in low gear/high rpm.
Waited about 4 seconds and took it out of sport mode to have it shift back up.

Glad to hear it's not only me!

Before the latest update, it would hold the RPM's in normal drive mode as well. Since the update, it only holds them in the sport mode like it should. And the gear selection is right on. Before, at half throttle, my tranny used to jump around trying to find the gear it wanted. Now it just goes!

This has been happening less frequently now. I wonder if the tranny needed time to settle down after the flash?
Anyway, I will agree that the shifts are much better in sport mode now. When it detects sporty driving, it does downshift much more aggressively which is pretty sweet. When I came to a rolling stop at a light this morning, after getting on it, it was downshifting aggressively. It even skip-shifted down from 3rd to 1st before I was even stopped.

Hey everyone. I hate to resurrect an old thread but this is the issue I noticed as well. Does anyone know how long in terms of second the hold is? I experienced this twice in Sport mode and was concerned. The first time was cutting across traffic to hit an on ramp. Once I hit the ramp, the traffic made me let off the gas and I it appeared the car was stuck in S2. Yesterday, I gunned it to get through a yellow light and again, it seemed to hold in S2 for what seemed like well over 5 seconds. So long in each instance that I felt it necessary to either manually shift up or toss it back to standard shift. I obviously love to drive the car aggressively but don't want to damage the engine or transmission. I'm just under 3000 miles in the car so not sure if it is still learning or not.

Thanks,

It's supposed to hold upshifts longer than normal shift mode. I think its done to help with engine braking. And it keeps the engine from lugging when getting back on the gas, like when exiting a turn.

This is one of the best features of the car as far as I'm concerned.
Sport shift is really not for cruising, and if that's what you're doing then put it in drive.

Go into a set of mountain twistys and you will LOVE the sport shift mode. Absolutely WONDERFUL!

Was "playing" with another G8 on the freeway yesterday. Had it in sport mode. Floored it, which kicked it down to 3rd, then let off and it stayed in 3rd until I finally put it in D. Since this is a "feature" I'm going to test it to see just how long it will hold at steady speed before shifting.

Well I got it to "stick" in S2 yesterday at high rpm after I let off the throttle. So I just waited and in about 8-10 seconds it shifted to 3rd, held that for about 2 seconds and then shifted up to 4th and 5th normally.

This is one of the best features of the car as far as I'm concerned.
Sport shift is really not for cruising, and if that's what you're doing then put it in drive.

Go into a set of mountain twistys and you will LOVE the sport shift mode. Absolutely WONDERFUL!

Agreed.

When crusing I just have it in D. When I'm driving around town doing different speeds or trying to show off my exhaust, it's typically either in Sport Mode to hold the RPMs longer or I will mannually shift.

I almost pooped my pants yesterday due to this! It WOULD NOT SHIFT! was embarassing! It sounded soooo bad. I just dont use sport now.

read the manual .... what everyone is describing is the PAS feature while in sport mode...its in the manual and explains it

Has anyone had this issue in Normal mode? This happened to me last weekend in Normal, driving down the freeway..kicked it down to pass...car held the lower gear at 3,000 rpm for about 3-4 seconds before shifting.

Has anyone had this issue in Normal mode? This happened to me last weekend in Normal, driving down the freeway..kicked it down to pass...car held the lower gear at 3,000 rpm for about 3-4 seconds before shifting.

Yes, I have this happen many times under "spirited" driving. Particularly when it downshifts for doing some power merges onto the highway it will leave it in a lower gear for a brief period before upshifting as normal. Assumed it is normal

I'm thinking it is normal also (for both Sport and Normal modes), thanks for the info.

read the manual .... what everyone is describing is the PAS feature while in sport mode...its in the manual and explains it

Oh, so "we're" supposed to read that???????????? :)

Reading is overrated! :)

yes it's normal, it's normal for a car w/ crap tranny like ours