Do we have an overdrive feature or not. I have a hill assist button but it doesn't say overdrive and it lights up yellow with a car going down. I do notice that when I turn on the hill assist button my rpm's raise just like when one would turn off the overdrive. It seems that my pony has a bit more acceleration power when i hit the hill assist button on since the rpm's get raised but maybe its just me.

Is the hill assist button the same as overdrive if so wouldn't it make sense to turn on the hill assist button when at the track or trying to pass another vehicle for faster acceleration?

 

The Hill Assist does away with 6th gear and also down shifts quicker.

 

So, is that the same as overdrive turning it off if we had an overdrive button..

 

In my opinion, the hill assist is for going down long mountain roads in 5th gear so you don't have to ride your brakes and maybe 'over heat' them.

 

I've experimented with turning on hill assist at the track and it doesn't behave the way you'd think it would. It actually made my car slower in the 1/4. It does hold lower gears longer when not at WOT, but at WOT, it behaves a bit strangely. I didn't datalog, but it kind of seemed to me like maybe it was pulling timing our something which is why my ET's were worst with it on.

 

That's very weird. The only way that hill assist is activated is by

1- being on a hill
2 holding the brake seconds for a minimum of 2 seconds

And then the car stays put for two seconds before the brakes release and you begin rolling back.


This is from a tutorial video i watched on fords website. There was no mention of anything else in the works behind this technology.

 

Bingo.

Hill Assist is a feature that allows your transmission to hold the lower gears for a long time while also engine braking. It's so you don't ride your brakes going down hill.

I wouldn't recommend it while racing. I've had slower lap times and 1/4 mile times when I tested how the hill assist would be.

As db2797 said, I think the PCM retards the timing. I had a stock Scion FRS stay next to me at the 1/4 mile strip the whole way to the finish, I was upset until I realized I had the 'hill assist' future on. I have a GT, so that shouldn't have happened. Next runs were much better with it off.

 

is this what you guys are talking about?

 

No that's not what the OP is talking about.

 

No. This is a feature activated by a button on the side of the shifter handle. It's only for automatic cars.

 

AH - Okay!

 

You know how you can engage the clutch and down shift while doing down hill and the car will engine brake, allowing you to not have to 'ride' the brakes? That's what this button does for automatics .

 

haha - I gotcha now. sorry for the mixup. I hadn't have thought about this. I had my head wrapped around Hill brake assist and couldn't get past that. yeah, that's definitely a nice feature to have with those transmissions. it definitely does make the vehicle safer just about anywhere you go these days.

 

Really?
I always thought hill assist was a brake application on a manny tranny when you are at a stoplight heading uphill - for people that have difficulty with clutches on hills (and haven't figured out how to use the hand brake).

 

The owners manual states that "grade assist...allows for all forward gears and provides increased engine braking".

 

D (Drive) with grade assist
Press the transmission control
switch on the side of the shift
handle to activate grade assist.
• This position allows for all
forward gears and provides
increased engine braking.
• Grade assist lamp is illuminated.
• Use with driving conditions such
as hilly terrain, heavy loads,
trailer towing and when engine
braking is required.
• To return to standard mode, press the transmission control switch.
The grade assist lamp will not be illuminated

 

Hill or Grade.

D (Drive) with grade assist
Press the transmission control
switch on the side of the shift
handle to activate grade assist.
• This position allows for all
forward gears and provides
increased engine braking.
• Grade assist lamp is illuminated.
• Use with driving conditions such
as hilly terrain, heavy loads,
trailer towing and when engine
braking is required.
• To return to standard mode, press the transmission control switch.
The grade assist lamp will not be illuminated

 

My wife's Edge has "Grade Assist" which is different from "Hill Start Assist" as has been noted. Hill Start Assist applies to manual transmissions and will hold the brakes for an extra couple of seconds when starting on a hill to keep from rolling while engaging the clutch. Grade Assist applies only to automatics... it disables overdrive and changes shift strategy so that the transmission stays in lower gears longer and provides additional engine braking. I used it for the first time on a recent trip to Buffalo while going through the mountains in Virginia and West Virginia. Not only does it reduce dependence on brakes going downhill but it also reduces (almost eliminates) those annoying kick-down shifts going uphill on cruise control. Overall, the ride was much more pleasant with it engaged in hilly/mountainous terrain. Surprisingly, it did not make as much of a difference in fuel mileage as one would expect - maybe 1-1.5 miles per gallon, much of which could be attributed to the terrain anyway.

 

There we go!

btw, are you able to manually change a Mustang Auto from 6th to 5th with the shifter? I've not been in a 6spd auto so just wondering why the Grade Assist is necessary vs just putting it into 5th yourself...

My winter car is a 4spd auto and I just take it out of 4th (overdrive) and drop it into 3rd coming down the pass which adds engine braking.

 

I believe the grade assist is only available on non-selectshift transmissions, so you can't pick and choose the gears (short of shifting into 1, 2 or 3 with the selector like most other autos). I think 2012-2013 was when selectshift started rolling out in most Ford vehicles.