"S" Gear Question
05-10-16, 12:36 AM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
"S" Gear Question
I have the RX450h and I noticed that the gear shift has an "S" gear (along with the normal P, R, N, D) and I'm not sure what gear that is?
Can someone tell me what the S gear is used for? I looked in the manual but it doesn't say what it is.
If the "S" stands for "sport" how is this gear different than the driving mode *** that puts the car in the different modes?
Thanks. Please excuse my ignorance, but I'm coming from a 1999 Camry and all that car had was P, R, N, D, 1, 2.
Can someone tell me what the S gear is used for? I looked in the manual but it doesn't say what it is.
If the "S" stands for "sport" how is this gear different than the driving mode *** that puts the car in the different modes?
Thanks. Please excuse my ignorance, but I'm coming from a 1999 Camry and all that car had was P, R, N, D, 1, 2.
05-10-16, 12:58 AM
#2
its a tiptronic mode where u can select gears 1-2-3-4-5-6 etc
though this mode is more like a gearlimiter and most effectivly used for downshifting
the 450H runs a CVT so there is actually no downshfiting invovled physically
so what the S mode does is the ECTS (transmission) ecu artificially makes gears and gives you a sense of downshifting when you put it or up shifting
though this mode is more like a gearlimiter and most effectivly used for downshifting
the 450H runs a CVT so there is actually no downshfiting invovled physically
so what the S mode does is the ECTS (transmission) ecu artificially makes gears and gives you a sense of downshifting when you put it or up shifting
05-10-16, 06:59 AM
#3
If you're going down a mountain you can put it in S and "gear" down instead of riding the brakes.
05-10-16, 08:21 AM
#4
The "S" gear stands for Sequential and maybe also Sport. When you put the gear selector into "S", a number will pop up in the Multi-Information Display in your instrument cluster. I believe it goes into 4 or 5 as default. What this means is that the highest gear the car will shift up to is 4th or 5th gear. To change the number (from 1-6), move the lever up (+) to move up and down (-) to move down.
Another way to think of this is like the "2" mode in your Camry (I have a 1998 Corolla, so same 4 speed transmission). When you put your Camry in "2", it will shift from first to second gear, BUT it will not shift into third. Same with the RX 450h. If you put it into the RX into "S" and shift down to "2", it will limit the car to a fake "2" gear. I say that because the RX 450h has a CVT, so it mimics being in second gear. This is beneficial in snow or going down hill for engine braking/regenerative charging.
What makes it sporty is you can shift the car like a manual car without a clutch. You can control the car by dropping a gear and causing the engine RPM to rise before hitting the gas.
I always find Youtube videos helpful so check this out:
Hope that helps.
Another way to think of this is like the "2" mode in your Camry (I have a 1998 Corolla, so same 4 speed transmission). When you put your Camry in "2", it will shift from first to second gear, BUT it will not shift into third. Same with the RX 450h. If you put it into the RX into "S" and shift down to "2", it will limit the car to a fake "2" gear. I say that because the RX 450h has a CVT, so it mimics being in second gear. This is beneficial in snow or going down hill for engine braking/regenerative charging.
What makes it sporty is you can shift the car like a manual car without a clutch. You can control the car by dropping a gear and causing the engine RPM to rise before hitting the gas.
I always find Youtube videos helpful so check this out:
Hope that helps.
05-11-16, 12:52 AM
#5
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
The "S" gear stands for Sequential and maybe also Sport. When you put the gear selector into "S", a number will pop up in the Multi-Information Display in your instrument cluster. I believe it goes into 4 or 5 as default. What this means is that the highest gear the car will shift up to is 4th or 5th gear. To change the number (from 1-6), move the lever up (+) to move up and down (-) to move down.
Another way to think of this is like the "2" mode in your Camry (I have a 1998 Corolla, so same 4 speed transmission). When you put your Camry in "2", it will shift from first to second gear, BUT it will not shift into third. Same with the RX 450h. If you put it into the RX into "S" and shift down to "2", it will limit the car to a fake "2" gear. I say that because the RX 450h has a CVT, so it mimics being in second gear. This is beneficial in snow or going down hill for engine braking/regenerative charging.
What makes it sporty is you can shift the car like a manual car without a clutch. You can control the car by dropping a gear and causing the engine RPM to rise before hitting the gas.
I always find Youtube videos helpful so check this out: Lexus LS430 "S" shift Transmission Mode Explanation - YouTube
Hope that helps.
Another way to think of this is like the "2" mode in your Camry (I have a 1998 Corolla, so same 4 speed transmission). When you put your Camry in "2", it will shift from first to second gear, BUT it will not shift into third. Same with the RX 450h. If you put it into the RX into "S" and shift down to "2", it will limit the car to a fake "2" gear. I say that because the RX 450h has a CVT, so it mimics being in second gear. This is beneficial in snow or going down hill for engine braking/regenerative charging.
What makes it sporty is you can shift the car like a manual car without a clutch. You can control the car by dropping a gear and causing the engine RPM to rise before hitting the gas.
I always find Youtube videos helpful so check this out: Lexus LS430 "S" shift Transmission Mode Explanation - YouTube
Hope that helps.
05-11-16, 07:55 AM
#7
Lead Lap
I have the RX450h and I noticed that the gear shift has an "S" gear (along with the normal P, R, N, D) and I'm not sure what gear that is?
Can someone tell me what the S gear is used for? I looked in the manual but it doesn't say what it is.
If the "S" stands for "sport" how is this gear different than the driving mode *** that puts the car in the different modes?
Thanks. Please excuse my ignorance, but I'm coming from a 1999 Camry and all that car had was P, R, N, D, 1, 2.
Can someone tell me what the S gear is used for? I looked in the manual but it doesn't say what it is.
If the "S" stands for "sport" how is this gear different than the driving mode *** that puts the car in the different modes?
Thanks. Please excuse my ignorance, but I'm coming from a 1999 Camry and all that car had was P, R, N, D, 1, 2.
Use that mode when you want to be a bit more of a responsive drive. When you first slot it into S, it will just hold gears longers aka you`ll be stuck in the lower gears, longer RPM holding (so the engine will sound louder as its working alot harder), and the engine will respond much faster. When you start pulling or pushing the gear lever thats when you full control of the gear selected. So if you like shifting through each gear then do that.
Just a Headsup, if you recently purchased the car, I would avoid using S mode until you have passed the breakin period, as that mode adds undue stress to a new engine
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05-11-16, 10:40 AM
#8
Lexus Champion
The "S" gear stands for Sequential and maybe also Sport. When you put the gear selector into "S", a number will pop up in the Multi-Information Display in your instrument cluster. I believe it goes into 4 or 5 as default. What this means is that the highest gear the car will shift up to is 4th or 5th gear. To change the number (from 1-6), move the lever up (+) to move up and down (-) to move down.
On my IS and now GS, when I put it into Manual mode, the display pops up with the gear it is currently in, not 4th as was done before. You now have complete control, rather than setting a limit as before. (I hope this makes sense)
Edit: I should note this comment is about the 350. I have no idea about the eCVT in the 450h. I have noticed the new 350 has changed from "S" to "M" on the gear selector, so that's why I think it works as I stated above.
Last edited by JDR76; 05-11-16 at 10:44 AM.
05-11-16, 01:48 PM
#9
Is this still really correct for the 4th gen RX? I know it worked this way on the 3rd gen, but the NX, GS, and IS no longer work this way on the current generations, so I assumed the RX switched as well (this was a big complaint on the 2nd gen IS that was remedied for the 3rd gen).
On my IS and now GS, when I put it into Manual mode, the display pops up with the gear it is currently in, not 4th as was done before. You now have complete control, rather than setting a limit as before. (I hope this makes sense)
Edit: I should note this comment is about the 350. I have no idea about the eCVT in the 450h. I have noticed the new 350 has changed from "S" to "M" on the gear selector, so that's why I think it works as I stated above.
On my IS and now GS, when I put it into Manual mode, the display pops up with the gear it is currently in, not 4th as was done before. You now have complete control, rather than setting a limit as before. (I hope this makes sense)
Edit: I should note this comment is about the 350. I have no idea about the eCVT in the 450h. I have noticed the new 350 has changed from "S" to "M" on the gear selector, so that's why I think it works as I stated above.
I know the 350 has "M" mode and 450h has "S" mode, but I was under the impression they were the same. JDR76, when you are at a stop and you move the lever into "M", does it show "1"? And, if you are at a stop (not moving), and you push up on the lever (+) does the MID show "2" or stay at "1". I'm curious to know about that, because pushing (+) on my Infiniti at a standstill still remains at "1" until I reach 10 mph or so.
05-11-16, 02:30 PM
#10
Lead Lap
Hmmm....that is a good point. I know the 350 has "M" mode and 450h has "S" mode, but I was under the impression they were the same.
JDR76, when you are at a stop and you move the lever into "M", does it show "1"? And, if you are at a stop (not moving), and you push up on the lever (+) does the MID show "2" or stay at "1". I'm curious to know about that, because pushing (+) on my Infiniti at a standstill still remains at "1" until I reach 10 mph or so.
I know the 350 has "M" mode and 450h has "S" mode, but I was under the impression they were the same. JDR76, when you are at a stop and you move the lever into "M", does it show "1"? And, if you are at a stop (not moving), and you push up on the lever (+) does the MID show "2" or stay at "1". I'm curious to know about that, because pushing (+) on my Infiniti at a standstill still remains at "1" until I reach 10 mph or so.
05-11-16, 03:25 PM
#11
The "S" gear stands for Sequential and maybe also Sport. When you put the gear selector into "S", a number will pop up in the Multi-Information Display in your instrument cluster. I believe it goes into 4 or 5 as default. What this means is that the highest gear the car will shift up to is 4th or 5th gear. To change the number (from 1-6), move the lever up (+) to move up and down (-) to move down.
From an initial startup of the engine the S4 range is automatically selected (afaik) if selected instead of (D) Drive. I will then typically downshift into S2 or S3 to start my trip, upshifting to S4 and S5 range as my speed increases.
Coming to a stop at an intersection, I will normally downshift and resume in either S2 or S3 as above. This means that, for example, in S3 range only gears 1, 2 and 3 will be used by the 8-speed transmission. If I reach a speed of say, 30 mph, then I will upshift once so the MID and HUD registers S4. If I reach a speed of say, 40 mph, then I will upshift once to the S5 range (again, giving me access to gears; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 but not 6). I find that I'm using S4 and S5 driving around town once I get up to cruising speed. Again, once I need to slow down or stop I'll downshift back to the S2, S3 or S4 range depending on the circumstances.
05-11-16, 03:38 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
Based on my experience so far I believe that Curryolla's above statement is correct. I've been using the S-mode for about 3 weeks now and I prefer it over using Drive mode (either Normal or Sport setting). The instant torque that's available by selecting a suitable S range is very satisfying. I find that by keeping the RPM at about 2000 is a nice balance leading to quick response with good torque but at the price of a somewhat noisier engine.
05-11-16, 03:50 PM
#13
What I noticed is as follows:
RX 350: "S" mode
RX 350 F SPORT: "M" mode
RX 450h : "S" mode
RX 450h FSPORT: "S" mode
As it turns out, only the 350 F SPORT has an "M" mode. I'm still not sure if it works the same as "S" mode. From what Macs4RX is saying, the RX 350 works like what I stated in "S" mode. Anyone with a RX 350 F SPORT care to chime in on their experience?
05-11-16, 04:14 PM
#14
05-11-16, 04:40 PM
#15
Lead Lap
Based on my experience so far I believe that Curryolla's above statement is correct. I've been using the S-mode for about 3 weeks now and I prefer it over using Drive mode (either Normal or Sport setting). The instant torque that's available by selecting a suitable S range is very satisfying. I find that by keeping the RPM at about 2000 is a nice balance leading to quick response with good torque but at the price of a somewhat noisier engine.
From an initial startup of the engine the S4 range is automatically selected (afaik) if selected instead of (D) Drive. I will then typically downshift into S2 or S3 to start my trip, upshifting to S4 and S5 range as my speed increases.
Coming to a stop at an intersection, I will normally downshift and resume in either S2 or S3 as above. This means that, for example, in S3 range only gears 1, 2 and 3 will be used by the 8-speed transmission. If I reach a speed of say, 30 mph, then I will upshift once so the MID and HUD registers S4. If I reach a speed of say, 40 mph, then I will upshift once to the S5 range (again, giving me access to gears; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 but not 6). I find that I'm using S4 and S5 driving around town once I get up to cruising speed. Again, once I need to slow down or stop I'll downshift back to the S2, S3 or S4 range depending on the circumstances.
From an initial startup of the engine the S4 range is automatically selected (afaik) if selected instead of (D) Drive. I will then typically downshift into S2 or S3 to start my trip, upshifting to S4 and S5 range as my speed increases.
Coming to a stop at an intersection, I will normally downshift and resume in either S2 or S3 as above. This means that, for example, in S3 range only gears 1, 2 and 3 will be used by the 8-speed transmission. If I reach a speed of say, 30 mph, then I will upshift once so the MID and HUD registers S4. If I reach a speed of say, 40 mph, then I will upshift once to the S5 range (again, giving me access to gears; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 but not 6). I find that I'm using S4 and S5 driving around town once I get up to cruising speed. Again, once I need to slow down or stop I'll downshift back to the S2, S3 or S4 range depending on the circumstances.