Quote Originally Posted by Daox
I know its not exactly what you are looking for, but have you tried using the hold control?

The automatic features a “hold control” button. Selecting “hold control” turns the four-speed automatic into a three-speed manual, with the driver changing gears by moving through the gated shifter. The “hold control” mode also enables the driver to better control wheel spin at low speeds on slippery surfaces by manually selecting a higher gear.
Yes, and I think we had this same discussion on Ecomodder. If you think about it, hold control will do nothing useful for this problem. If you are in first gear selector position and apply hold, it will remain in first. Same thing applies for second position. But if you select drive position, and apply hold while in third or fourth gear, the hold function is not going to keep it in a higher gear: for the simple reason that if it really did 'hold' it in gear and it were not allowed to downshift, the engine would lug. Also the car can't start out from a standstill in any of the higher gears. (I tried it and applying hold seems to have no effect in "drive" position.)

If it does what you say it probably does (meaning limit it to acting like a three speed manual), all that would do is reinforce my existing problem: remember, my whole complaint is that it is apparently not entering fourth gear substantially until the TC lockup presumably kicks in much later, at 45.

I maintain that when it shifts you should see a substantial drop in RPM. I see the RPM drop for the first two up-shifts into second and third, but not the shift into fourth. Upon deceleration to below 40 MPH, whereupon the TC lockup comes off, it's either back in third gear or maybe a slushy fourth gear that I am unconvinced is working properly. The irregularity is noticeable in that the RPM builds to and stays at over 2000 RPM while gradually accelerating from 25 to 45 MPH. I should be seeing a pronounced drop in RPM somewhere in the 30's if or when it shifts into fourth. But I am seeing no real drop in RPM until 45 MPH.