Tiptronic driving tips?

[Andrew McD]

Hi Folks,

After nearly a year with our Tip 2.5, I'm getting to quite like it. But i'm sure i'm missing a trick or two. As the manual does not really go into how to use the box I was looking for some advise and tips.

I know flooring the throttle will drop a gear, but sometime it drops two??? Then there is the button that gets pressed at full throttle, what on earth does that do?? Other than seem to enter mental mode. How do you know what 'mode' your in? Is there a way to consistently control the gear changes with the throttle?

Thanks in advance and please no "buy a manual" comments.

[mikefocke]

as I'm not sure it even goes into details of the modes and what causes the trans to go into or out of a mode. I has a '99 and an '01S tip and all I remember is the brain was pretty smart and 99%+ of the time it did a great job in sensing what mode I wanted it in from the prior few seconds of the aggressiveness of my throttle inputs or braking inputs. I think I can recall 2-3 times over 6 years it seemed totally confused and that was from a full throttle, sudden braking, full throttle in a very few seconds sequence.

[tonycarreon]

i'm not sure when porsche changed the tip to temporarily use manual mode. i know on the first models you had to actually move the selector to manual for the buttons on the steering wheels to work...

on your gauges there is the mode display - either "M" or "D" for manual and automatic.

from the manual:
- the car drives off in 2nd gear when the throttle is only slightly opened (pressed), but will downshift to 1st when the throttle is open wider or when the engine is cold.
- temporary manual mode (shifting with the steering wheel buttons even when in automatic mode) remains active when the vehicle is stationary or when cornering and overrunning and returns to automatic mode after approximately 8 seconds (except when cornering or overtaking) or if you depress the accelerator to kickdown or when moving off.

temporary change-down:
- when speed is higher than 33mph, depress the accelerator quickly. the transmission changes temporarily to the sportiest setting. to leave temporary change-down, release the accelerator markedly (by 25% or more).

from my driving, the things i've learned (2001):
- a quick blip of the throttle will downshift 1
- two quick blips will downshift 2 (if it can) skipping the gear in between
- quickly releasing the pedal will preserve the lower gear longer as long as you depress it again rapidly when accelerating. if you depress it slowly it goes back to normal.
- if you're overtaking someone while in automatic, double-tap and floor it. the car will figure out when and what to do.
- at a stop light if you're in automatic you're more than likely in 2nd gear. a quick press of the pedal when taking off will move down to 1st.
- (this one might just be me imaging it but...) it downshifts faster in automatic than in manual + steering wheel button. mostly because it skips a downshift when double-tapping, like going from 5th to 3rd.
- i tend to only drive in automatic mode once i'm cruising on the highway.

[Andrew McD]

Thanks. It's funny as I think this is one of the problems with folk taking a test drive in a Tip Boxster. You really cannot drive it like a manual, it takes a while to get your head around 'blipping' the throttle. I've been blipping while accelerating, where as it looks like you need to come of the gas, blip and then go back on the gas?

I unfortunately don't have the later box so cannot change manually in auto mode.

So what is the button that you get too when you've fully pressed the accelerator peddle?

[tonycarreon]

Originally Posted by Andrew McD

I've been blipping while accelerating, where as it looks like you need to come of the gas, blip and then go back on the gas?

no need to come off the throttle. just blip it. by blip i mean a slight, quick press. a double-blip would be a slight, quick press followed by a slight quick up and press.

Originally Posted by Andrew McD

So what is the button that you get too when you've fully pressed the accelerator peddle?

button? if you mean "kickdown" it's not a button but a throttle point. if you mean that "area"/"almost click" you get when you press it all the way, i think it's just the way the throttle fits with all of the cables/linkages behind it. i don't think it's an actual button is it? i may have to go look behind my pedal.

[tonycarreon]

ok, well what do you know. there IS a button...




my guess is that it's some sort of feedback for the DME letting it know that the pedal is completely pressed. anyone else have any information on it?

[Andrew McD]

Hmmm I need to get my 'blipping' sorted as that never works for me, or at least not to the point I could do it an expect a change down. It all feels a bit odd, but that maybe the floor mounted accelerator pedal.

I'd never though but you might be right that its the butterfly on the TB not a button. But it does seem to make a difference what ever it is. - Lol..! Sorry was posting at the same time as you. So there is a button...??

[tonycarreon]

yes, and according to the parts guy at a local stealership, that's the "kickdown switch." i always assumed kickdown was the point on the throttle where there's a little more resistance. i never thought there was an actual "switch" as well. so i guess maybe when you hit resistance on the pedal OR when the DME detects the switch has been actuated, you've hit "kickdown" and it does a shift.

yes, kickdown switch (#6 on the diagram):

http://www.********************************************.com/porsche-parts/993/702-05.php

[Andrew McD]

Well there you go, So what on earth does it do??? I know it changes down, but will it change to any gear to get to a particular RPM? It also seems to change how long it will hang onto a gear for.

[tonycarreon]

again from my manual (or manuell in porsche-ese):

Kickdown
The kickdown function is active in selector lever position D, even if you temporarily change to manual mode M using the toggle switches on the steering wheel.

• For optimum acceleration, e.g. when overtaking, depress the accelerator pedal beyond the full-throttle point (kickdown).

The transmission shifts down depending on the speed of travel and the engine speed.
Upward shifts occur at the highest possible engine speeds.
These gear-changing speeds remain active until the accelerator is released to approx. 80% of the wide open throttle position.

[Andrew McD]

Great, now to practice my 'blipping'...

Thank you.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by tonycarreon

Kickdown
The kickdown function is active in selector lever position D, even if you temporarily change to manual mode M using the toggle switches on the steering wheel.

For optimum acceleration, e.g. when overtaking, depress the accelerator pedal beyond the full-throttle point (kickdown).

The transmission shifts down depending on the speed of travel and the engine speed.
Upward shifts occur at the highest possible engine speeds.
These gear-changing speeds remain active until the accelerator is released to approx. 80% of the wide open throttle position.

This description has got to be about the only thing that makes the Tiptronic seem fun to me...kidna wanna try it.

[tonycarreon]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

This description has got to be about the only thing that makes the Tiptronic seem fun to me...kidna wanna try it.

if you ever find yourself in maryland let me know.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by tonycarreon

if you ever find yourself in maryland let me know.

...I could find myself an excuse to find myself there in one of the upcoming weekends... ...I'll be in touch, tony.

:dance:

[DenverSteve]

This sounds like a lot of fuss to "blip" your automatics. I just press quickly on the gas pedal and it drops down immediately. As stated above, it's a passing gear or downshift. That's what an automatic does. The other answer, for me, is simply to double-tap the paddle shifters to drop two gears for an immediate "boost". There is no delay or lag-time between stepping on the gas or paddle shifting.

[tonycarreon]

Originally Posted by DenverSteve

This sounds like a lot of fuss to "shift" your automatics. Why can't you just up and down shift the shifter like I did in my Cayenne? Luckily the manuell seems much more user friendly.

sometimes you just want to go (like a quick overtake or avoidance manuever) so it's easier to just mash the gas. plus in non e-gas boxsters the thumb switches do not work when in automatic mode.

[Earn]

This is why I love this forum. Always good information to learn.

[ketsa]

Thanks Tony! Really good tips!

Just tested two quick blips and it really downshift 2

[Lil bastard]

The kickdown switch is what was commonly known as 'passing gear' back in the day. It is a driver actuated downshift to accelerate quickly.

Cheers!

[Andrew McD]

Well blipping seems to work, but managed to get it to jump 2 gears with one blip today??? Odd.

Now i'm getting the hang of this tiptronic thingie, its no to bad. But it is really a different driving experience than a manual and one i'm starting to enjoy.