1) Does your Auto HR do this: on a normal take off with light throttle it shifts from first to second at......lets say 2500rpm, than into third, but it doesn't like to stay in third for long at all, and just shifts right into fourth and later fifth. Is this normal? This is in Auto mode, unless you get on the throttle, the car won't hold third geer at all, but shifts into fourth right after third.
I was thiking this might have something to do with the TPS, or the drive by wire crap, or maybe the tranny is programmed this way for better fuel economy, but it is annoying. I'm thinking this is normal, since my wifes '06 Auto Alty does something simmilar, but just want to double check with you guys. And please no smart *** comments like "shouldda gotten a 6MT" or "my 6MT doesn't do this".

2) I read on here about wheel bearing issues. What are signs of bad wheel bearings? Only when I brake, I feel some kind of grinding up front, and I know it isn't the brakes, almost feels like I'm riding on rims with no tires The car has been doing this since new. Only 6k miles right now.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any helpfull input.

 

If you got your Z at the dealer with a warranty, take it in and tell them to fix it.

 

The transmission will shift according to speed, torque and acceleration. If you are accelerating, the transmission will hold in that gear until redline. If you back off the gas, acceleration stops and the transmission will shift to next gear.

Bad wheel bearings (the round bearings are broken and in pieces) sound like rocks inside the bearing. The grinding sound is easy to recognize.

 

1. Yeah, the auto tranny shifts that way if you're not giving it a lot of gas. I guess it goes into 5th quickly to save gas or something. If you floor it then it'll rev higher, just don't let off the gas quickly.