Has anyone noticed if when you accelerate slowly (lightly press on the accelerator, but don't continue pressing) and the Ascent begins accelerating, it seems to stop accelerating, almost like its about to stall? If i continue pressing further on the accelerator, it starts accelerating again. But there's this hesitation that concerns me.
Hesitation when accelerating slowing
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Yes - it is noticeable at slow speeds (20-30 mph). From reading other forum posts on the topic, it seems this is a symptom of the "simulated" shifting programmed in.
I have noticed it happen a few times in our Ascent.
I have noticed it happen a few times in our Ascent.
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Mine does this, too. It's my biggest complaint about my Ascent.
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I noticed this hesitation like a studer step. The Revs are less than 2K, when pressing further with gas pedal, at 2K the Turbo boost start and the Horse power is back.
I only notice when cold on first take off from parked condition.
I only notice when cold on first take off from parked condition.
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My 2014 crosstrek does this as well, but only from what would be shifting from 1st gear to 2nd, under 20mph. I have learned to push harder on the accelerator and it becomes less noticeable. Its almost like the car looses complete power for a brief second. It really couldn't happen at a worse time, especially when you need to get across a busy intersection.
So this issue has been around for awhile. When i test drove the Ascent, i didnt notice it, but i was also in ahhhhhh of the car...
So this issue has been around for awhile. When i test drove the Ascent, i didnt notice it, but i was also in ahhhhhh of the car...
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Alas, it doesn't. It shifts in a way to best simulate an automatic, with some of the other factors worked in as well, but it's not based on torque and fuel economy alone. Flooring the car and watching it spend most of the time outside of the torque band will demonstrate that.
Sadly, it's really good at mimicking an automatic under most conditions, and thus, just like when an automatic shifts, we've got those little dead zones.
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Odd, when I'm easy on the throttle, mine just goes up to 2k rpm and stays there while the speed steadily climbs. I don't seem to have a pause and it definitely doesn't "fake shift".
I'm beginning to wonder if they've changed the cvt mappings a bit? Because when I'm also hard on the throttle I do get "simulated shifts" but they are very "easy" and don't jerk around and the rpms move smoothly down when it shifts. That's not the behavior others have described. I just ordered mine in July and picked up 2 weeks ago.
I'm beginning to wonder if they've changed the cvt mappings a bit? Because when I'm also hard on the throttle I do get "simulated shifts" but they are very "easy" and don't jerk around and the rpms move smoothly down when it shifts. That's not the behavior others have described. I just ordered mine in July and picked up 2 weeks ago.
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More questions than answer?
But if you never experience the fake shifting unless pushing it, that's interesting...
There IS supposedly an update that fixes the faux gear hanging - it came out for another Subie a little while back and there's a *RUMOR* something like it has been applied to a couple Ascents... so, maybe your software has had an update.
Things I've noticed on mine:
- There's a sweet spot where it will "CVT" you to speed instead of "gear shifting" you there.
- The jerking into gear seems to lessen over time (or I am just used to it now... probably the latter).
- If you use ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) to accelerate, it uses your CVT as a CVT (instead of as an 8 speed Fautomatic)
But if you never experience the fake shifting unless pushing it, that's interesting...
There IS supposedly an update that fixes the faux gear hanging - it came out for another Subie a little while back and there's a *RUMOR* something like it has been applied to a couple Ascents... so, maybe your software has had an update.
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Rumors aside is this an actual thing? Can we find out? I'd love an update to make it more CVT like.
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Well, there is a quite very real update for another series Subaru. I hope to have an answer about a generally available update for the Ascent in the next couple of weeks - but nothing yet. I doubt it's less CVT like to the point that it will make those of us happy that want our trannies to act like CVTs... but it's something?
lain:Assuming there is an update, would this be something that would come over the WiFi connection the car has to my home internet?Well, there is a quite very real update for another series Subaru. I hope to have an answer about a generally available update for the Ascent in the next couple of weeks - but nothing yet. I doubt it's less CVT like to the point that it will make those of us happy that want our trannies to act like CVTs... but it's something?
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Under very light throttle the cvt changes ratios fairly fast. The hesitation being discussed becomes very apparent on steep inclines because it becomes a near stall and a lurch before the cvt drops back to a lower ratio.
Unlike traditional automatics where the torque converter or torque converters release then have some give during gear changes the cvt locks up and stays locked up. This hesitation is much like shifting to 2nd gear in a manual transmission car at a low rpm while giving very little throttle and lugging or nearly stalling the car. The simple fix is more throttle or the cvt catching the mistake and dropping back to a lower gear. Which the cvt will do before stalling the car but I have had the car stumble in cases where this has happened. Especially steep boat ramps when I left the car in AT mode vs dropping to manual 1st gear etc.
Unlike traditional automatics where the torque converter or torque converters release then have some give during gear changes the cvt locks up and stays locked up. This hesitation is much like shifting to 2nd gear in a manual transmission car at a low rpm while giving very little throttle and lugging or nearly stalling the car. The simple fix is more throttle or the cvt catching the mistake and dropping back to a lower gear. Which the cvt will do before stalling the car but I have had the car stumble in cases where this has happened. Especially steep boat ramps when I left the car in AT mode vs dropping to manual 1st gear etc.
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I'm with you - so it is a regular occurrence for us as well. It really can ruin the driving experience.
Here's hoping they'll provide an update. I assume it will be posted on this forum if one is available.
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Mine just kind of pauses when you accelerate. You have to keep smoothly pressing on the accelerator to get the takeoff from the line to be smooth. Interestingly, if i put it in manual mode and use the paddles everything is smooth, no hesitation, no lag, no pause. I suspect its jumping 1st to 4th for fuel economy or other reasons. We have about 4000 miles on it and its done this since new. First service coming up and I plan on talking with the techs about it. Around town I just drive using the paddles, no jerking, no a pause. I am sure that I am giving up an MPG or two, but oh well.
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It seems very old school automatic to me...
The torque converters in those old school vehicles do absolutely nothing whatsoever. They're just a housing with fluid and fan vanes (turbine and impeller vanes). Nothing smart, nothing special and never connected on both sides. The differences to that design were in the "lock-up" torque converters that also had a clutch assembly built into them, so that motive force was actually physically locked to the transmission.
Our CVTs seem to very accurately simulate an old school performance automatic, including the odd shift hangs that would happen in the old school automatics when the vacuum advance module wouldn't dump vacuum pressure quick enough if you suddenly let off the accelerator.
All of you can duplicate that little oddity by flooring your Ascent, wait for it to "downshift" and grab, and then entirely let up on the gas pedal. Try it a few times. A number of times, the car will sit at high rpm, as if it's stuck in a "gear". Various old school vacuum controlled automatics did the same thing. How interestingly odd. Anyway, there's an update that purportedly will make it to the Ascents to "fix" that odd "shift hang", for those who care.
In previous instances, since this is largely customer preference, it's filed as a TSB, and, if an owner requests it to be addressed, it will be addressed by a service center. So, no, I do not expect it to be downloadable via an OTA update. If enough people complain, maybe?
Alas, it is similar to some performance automatics, such as the TH-350 and TH-400 with overdrive performance "tuned" Chevy transmissions. It feels very similar too, like the transmission is in limbo as it drops past one or two gears down into a lower one... eg: 4th->2nd or 4th->1st, with the same pause and then hard yank when it engaged the lower gear.
The torque converters in those old school vehicles do absolutely nothing whatsoever. They're just a housing with fluid and fan vanes (turbine and impeller vanes). Nothing smart, nothing special and never connected on both sides. The differences to that design were in the "lock-up" torque converters that also had a clutch assembly built into them, so that motive force was actually physically locked to the transmission.
Our CVTs seem to very accurately simulate an old school performance automatic, including the odd shift hangs that would happen in the old school automatics when the vacuum advance module wouldn't dump vacuum pressure quick enough if you suddenly let off the accelerator.
All of you can duplicate that little oddity by flooring your Ascent, wait for it to "downshift" and grab, and then entirely let up on the gas pedal. Try it a few times. A number of times, the car will sit at high rpm, as if it's stuck in a "gear". Various old school vacuum controlled automatics did the same thing. How interestingly odd. Anyway, there's an update that purportedly will make it to the Ascents to "fix" that odd "shift hang", for those who care.
How would we, as those interested in making improvements, be notified of the TSB availability? I guess just paying attention to these forums?
For what it's worth, I have noticed another oddity about our Ascent transmissions. While cruising at, say 60 MPH, with ACC engaged on flat ground I have noted a small jerk that shudders the car a little bit. I haven't quite pinpointed the conditions, but I think the transmission is switching down a gear. The RPMs are low -- about 1300 -- at this speed. It *seems* to do it less if you bump the RPMs up to around 1500+ (either by going faster or increasing load by going uphill). I wish I could describe the issue more, but I am starting to collect more information about it. Does this sound like anything you've seen or heard of?
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