My auto trans will be in 6th at a typical motoring speed. I'll let off the accelerator on a downgrade and the car will downshift into 3rd or 4th.

I've never had a car that did this. Is this normal for our transmission, or do I need an SA?

 

Only if you're in full auto mode with the sport button depressed and you manually shift to 6th using the paddles or the shift **** It'll stay in 6th until you let off the gas then downshift. If you're just in auto with no sport button depressed it shouldn't do that, mine doesn't.

 

May be it's downhill assist? I have it on my current car (not Mini)

 

Don't understand why it'll shift down to 3rd or 4th-the added on engine braking will not allow coasting(which is wasted energy IMO). What speeds are we talking about here?

 

Yep... it auto-downshifts on downgrades (sometimes).... my 1st gen does the same thing... I read about it somewhere, but don't remember where...

 

I can be cruising on the highway at 60 mph and if I let go of the gas it won't instantly downshift, it'll just cruise until the car eventually slows and reaches the right speed to downshift, around the high 40s. If I'm going down a hill and let off the gas it won't downshift either, it'll just cruise along in the same gear. Yours sounds a little strange...

 

On second thought, I THINK mine only does it if I touch teh brakes on a downgrade...

 

I would mention it to the SA regarding this issue. There's no way a vehicle should automatically engage engine braking(downshifting when at higher speeds)-it adds unnecessary wear and not to mention hurt your mpg.

 

How do you know what gear it is downshifting to? I never get any indication what gear the transmission is in unless it has an "M" in front of it (e.g., M3 or M4). The "M" means that I am in manual mode (using paddles or shift lever), not in automatic.

 

Check if you are in sport mode... the Auto gets all funky in Sport Automatic Mode. Sport mode is only good when in Manual... it is freaky in Sport Automatic.

If you are not in Sport... I don't know what to tell you. I have an automatic, and it does not behave like that normally.

 

Sport mode on Autos locks out holding 6th; To stay in 6th while in Sport, manually shift using the gear lever to 6th. Then it will stay until you downshift or until the revs drop below a certain level.
If you use the paddles it will not stay in 6th for more than a few seconds.
If it is dropping to 3rd or 4th I'd take it to the dealer, it shouldn't downshift more than 1 gear unless you're braking or accelerating hard.