Re: Why no engine braking with AT?

It is a fuel economy thing....the essentially, the transmission runs in neutral when coasting, so that the engine is burning less fuel, so unless the driver intervenes, the vehicle coasts and reengages the driving gear when the accelerator is pressed.

All the cars I drive are the same way, the problem is that they don't downshift, they will try to keep it in the highest gear posible (to save fuel when cruising). I find 2nd gear (on a 4 speed auto) the best for hill descent, 3rd gear if it is a 5 speed standard, sometimes 2nd if it is raining and I really want to reduce speed.

Thanks for the comments to my original post. It seems VW has programmed the AT computer to function this way, probably in the interests of economy. Further experience has shown that, for really steep hills (e.g., >10%, where engine braking might really be important) only 1st gear will actually restrain the vehicle and of course that is necessarily at a very slow speed.

Even in 2nd, while the torque converter apparently locks up, there's effectively no engine braking on the slopes I'm talking about. The car runs away and the rpm shoots up to 3K and beyond. In 3rd and 4th, as I described, the AT free wheels (rpm at idle).

While on the subject, one other point: I wish one didn't have to reach

43 mph for the TC to lock up and drop the rpm from 2.1K to 1.6K. This is just a bit too fast for a lot of city driving. This is when I regret not waiting for a manual transmission.

I've been thinking that myself lately. :-/

-- Mike Smith

I find that 2nd is often too low except on very steep hills. I typically use

3rd. This is a V6, with a 10.6 compression ratio.

accelerating),

accelerate,

This is getting a little off the original topic, but diesels actually have considerably less engine braking than the same size gasoline engine. The reason being that they ONLY have braking effect on the compression stroke, whereas a gasoline engine also is trying to suck air past a closed throttle plate on the intake stroke as well. My Golf TDI will coast seemingly forever at moderate speeds in fifth gear. Takes very little in the way of a downhill even at highway speed to maintain speed "foot off". Turning the A/C on give a noticable increase in "engine braking".

Kevin Rhodes Westbrook, Maine

Jim B.