is it bad to downshift in manual mode on the AT?

 

No. Engine braking is very useful.

 

damn i didnt know that you could downshift on a AT manual mode... guess i just learn something new. =)

 

its useful, but is it good for your engine?

 

well. as long as u dont do something stupid (dont think it will allow u to downshift if u are already at 6k rpm) but its not the engine u probably would be worried about. Its the transmission. It still should be ok cause if it wasnt then why would they allow u to do it?

I do it all the time and never had a problem...

 

A properly built AT should not be hurt simply by downshifting, as long as you keep it within reason.

Perhaps someone more knowledgable can remark on the following: should you "blip" the throttle to smooth out the shift when downshifting in manual mode of the AT?

I sure as hell know that double clutching the MT makes downshifts a hellova lot smoother. I love it when people ask me, "why the hell is your foot so busy over there?" Double clutching going up the gears seems to make little difference, the synchro's rev match fine for me.

 

Won't bliping the throttle on an AT actually accelerate the car since the transmission isn't really disengaged like a manual with the clutch pressed?

 

Yeah of course it will accelerate the car.
I'm sure someone will come out and say "what the hell are you, some kind of idiot?!?!" for saying what I said... it was more of a vague pondering rather than actual advice.

I don't know enough about AT's to say if it would be good or bad to blip...

MT's just make more sense to me. Have you ever seen inside an AT? Wacky system of gearing... oh yeah, I hate torque converters too.

 

In auto mode the 5AT will automatically synchronize 1st-4th gears. If you have a MY05 5AT it will automatically rev match when downshifting in manual mode. If you have a pre-MY05 5AT it will not automatically rev match the downshifts in manual mode but it's not really necessary because it has a torque converter and you always have the option to switch back to auto mode. Blipping the 5AT is not easy. There are performance advantages to rev matching a MT. I think that the only advantage to rev mathching the 5AT is smoother shifting.

The 5AT is pretty much bulletproof. Short of purposely abusing it, there is little damage you can do just by shifting. Chances are if you do something really stupid the tranny will protect itself.

Yes and no. If you do it right (not very easy) the TC will unlock or uncouple and the TC will be allowed to slip so you can blip the throttle. Do it wrong (very common) and the tranny will torque multiply which is the opposite of what you are trying to do and/or you will get a sloppy shift. It's better to let the computer handle the rev match or just let the TC slip on its own without blipping.

 

I always downshift an auto prior to pulling out and passing a car/truck on a two lane road.