Tiptronic Transmission in Cars – The Good and The Bad

Tiptronic transmission, also known as ‘manumatic’ transmission, is the perfect balance between manual and automatic transmission gear systems in vehicles. It basically is an automatic gearbox with the ability to manually change gears. Commonly, the gear stick can be moved through a series of + and – signs, denoting each setting. In place of a clutch, Tiptronic transmission uses a torque converter. It offers a driver the option to override the computer-driven gear shifting system and choose to do it manually, without hustle.

On the other hand, to combat the few concerns, all modern-day Tiptronic cars are equipped with safety measures to make sure that accidents do not take place if, say, the driver accidentally shifted to Tiptronic and was at risk of harming himself, others, or his car.

How Is Tiptronic Transmission Safe?

As mentioned above, extra care has been taken to ensure the utmost safety when it comes to Tiptronic transmission mode. Some of these include the inability to rev the engine more than a certain limit, without changing gears accordingly. Not only does this help the car from overworking itself and getting exposed to damage, but it also ascertains that the driver cannot use the manual gears recklessly.

If the system detects inappropriate revving or extra pressure being put on the engine, it will shift back to automatic mode and save the driver from potential accidents. These check-in features make Tiptronic transmission safe and more reliable than the other two alternatives, providing a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario.

Common Problems in Tiptronic Transmission

Although this system is usually the safest and most reliable there have been some customer complaints that point to a few issues.

• Gear Shifting Problem: Some people reported that the gears were not as smooth as they were supposed to be, with hard 1st and 2nd gear shifts, and turbulent 3rd and 4th gear shifts.
• Solenoid N89 Issue: The network of gears is made up of solenoids, with only one separating the 1st and 4th from each other. This one is called N89 and in the reports of it getting stuck, the car suddenly shifted to the 1st gear and rapidly decelerated without prior warning to the driver.
• Transmission Shudder: This is the phenomenon that takes place when a torque converter stops working or gets faulty. A rattle is heard and it is difficult to get the car out of the first gear.
• Some other problems arise only because the power a Tiptronic transmission engine operates at, is very similar to an automatic transmission and it requires the same heavy-duty components in the machine to cater to that kind of power. These may include peculiar noises coming from the hood, a delay in gear change, or transmission overheating.

The Better Picture:

Now, let’s talk about what advantages of Tiptronic transmission set it apart from the rest.

• Benefits of Both Automatic and Manual Transmission: It offers the duality of being totally in control, or completely relaxed, depending on the kind of road you are driving on, e.g., uphill, downhill, smooth, bumpy, etc. The driver gets to decide what direction he wants to steer the car.
• Overtaking Easier: With the kick-down, Tiptronic transmission allows you to instantly shift to a higher gear and increase speed if you are stuck behind an annoying driver who just wouldn’t speed up.
• Engine Braking: This is a feature that is not present in automatic transmission vehicles.
• Wheel Slippage or Spin Avoided: With the added layers of safety precautions, Tiptronic transmission saves a driver from slipping on icy or slippery roads, as well as from spinning out of control.
• Off-Road Easier: On difficult roads and through obstacles, a driver can easily make their way out using manual gear-changing mode and go back to a relaxed drive after it’s over.
• Fuel-Efficient: Tiptronic Transmission is known for consuming less fuel and being lighter on the pockets than standard automatic transmission.
• Long-Distance Travel: The pain of having to constantly change gears is relieved by the smooth drive of a Tiptronic transmission car. Over long distances, the automatic gear features make it easier for the driver and demand less legwork.

With its overall features and flaws, Tiptronic transmission can easily be placed at the top of the game, as is evident by the rising number of vehicles with this type of transmission installed. Surely, it has proven itself to be reliable, cost-effective, and easy.

If you have a junk car that has been lying in your backyard for years, and now you want to make some good money from it, you can sell your car online at Acres Cash for Cars. We provide free towing service from your backyard to our junkyard and give you an amazing price for your old junk car.