# Automatic Manual shift



## nathanroe72 (Nov 25, 2016)

chidesd said:


> The First gen had this feature and I actually enjoyed it. Any idea why they go rid of it in gen 2?


If I had a guess, it probably has to do with fuel efficiency. The first gen Cruze Ecos were the same way, utilizing ERS or Electronic Range Select instead of the DSC or Driver Select Control.


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## joes74challenger (Jan 9, 2017)

the auto manual in a 2011 1.4 is fun but honestly i find the automatic mode matches the correct gear for your situation better than i can predict it. however it is nice to keep it a gear or two low to keep the revs up for a passing event. it doesn't seem to like the manual downshifting much as it can't "prep" for the shift like it does in the auto mode. also some times the manual shift you made is more of a suggestion than a demand....still light years better than a 2010/2011 Malibu manual shift mode on the enterprise cars i rented.

it was kinda fun in the mountains of NC however. another point about why they are going away, the percentage of those who want a manual shift car is dwindling more and more. cutting costs as they always try to do, it makes sense to get rid of the extra build costs for a manual shift car only 10% of the owners may actually purchase. and lets be honest, it's not a performance car so the demand probably just isn't where they would like.

Just my 2 cents.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

You still have it, you just have to play with the rocker switch on the shift handle after skipping "D" and going to "L". People are soo anti manual that they could care less about that feature being gone. "Just give me a car that goes forward and backwards when I want it to with 20 touch screens and other cool tech that distracts me. Matter of fact, just have the car drive me so I can do other things instead of be bothered driving."


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## winks79 (Dec 20, 2013)

Merc6 said:


> You still have it, you just have to play with the rocker switch on the shift handle after skipping "D" and going to "L". People are soo anti manual that they could care less about that feature being gone. "Just give me a car that goes forward and backwards when I want it to with 20 touch screens and other cool tech that distracts me. Matter of fact, just have the car drive me so I can do other things instead of be bothered driving."


This about sums it up. I use the manual shift in mine a lot, more so in passing situations, really like it for that. Never really use it for downshifting purposes, unless I'm in mountainous terrain and want to hold a gear going down a steep incline. Usually the tranny does a very good job of downshifting and slowing down very well on its own. I find this is one of the best cars I've have owned for braking, and attribute it to the features of the auto tranny. Do not have to use my brakes hardly any, except in emergency situations. Plus it helps not weighing a lot too! Now my wife's new Impala LTZ, and my 2011 GMC Sierra also have the manual shift feature, but I find I do not use it at all on the Impala, and somewhat use it on the Sierra. I attribute that to the power difference in them over the Cruze. The Impala is very impressive with the 3.6 GDI engine, and the Sierra with the 5.3 and a Diablew tune is never lacking either.


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## Camcruse (Oct 4, 2011)

Part of the reason I purchased a Cruze was because of the manual. Should Chevy stop with manuals I'll need to look elsewhere or look for older cars to purchase.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

Camcruse said:


> Part of the reason I purchased a Cruze was because of the manual. Should Chevy stop with manuals I'll need to look elsewhere or look for older cars to purchase.


That's what I ended up doing. Moving up to a bigger car like the Malibu, manual is never an option. For me to get manual and 4 doors I would need to buy an older GM.


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## nathanroe72 (Nov 25, 2016)

Merc6 said:


> You still have it, you just have to play with the rocker switch on the shift handle after skipping "D" and going to "L". People are soo anti manual that they could care less about that feature being gone. "Just give me a car that goes forward and backwards when I want it to with 20 touch screens and other cool tech that distracts me. Matter of fact, just have the car drive me so I can do other things instead of be bothered driving."


While you can use the rocker switch, it doesn't give you full control. Instead, it lets the driver choose the highest gear to shift up to. The transmission will still shift on it's own accord unlike some of the first gens with DSC that allowed the driver to select the gear they wanted (unless the shift couldn't be made, IE going too fast).


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

nathanroe72 said:


> While you can use the rocker switch, it doesn't give you full control. Instead, it lets the driver choose the highest gear to shift up to. The transmission will still shift on it's own accord unlike some of the first gens with DSC that allowed the driver to select the gear they wanted (unless the shift couldn't be made, IE going too fast).


sounds kind of goofy. I use manual shifting my 2011 1LT a lot in traffic. so if you put in L and keep it in first gear it will still shift out of first even though you manually never shifted out of first?


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## au201 (May 18, 2013)

jsusanka said:


> sounds kind of goofy. I use manual shifting my 2011 1LT a lot in traffic. so if you put in L and keep it in first gear it will still shift out of first even though you manually never shifted out of first?


No, more like if you shift to fourth, it'll shift freely however it wants between 1-4, just never above 4. 


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

GM made the manual mode on generation 2 work like most other GM cars and trucks, for most automatic drivers this is probably a good thing. Basically manual mode is now just a gear lockout, it still automatically shifts up to the gear you have selected. Say you have it in M4 like the example above, it will automatically shift 1-4th. 

Really glad my 2015 sonic even with the crappy +/- button on the shifter still works exactly like my gen1 cruze, Manual mode locks the gear selected only ever downshifting automatically at a point before the RPM would lug the engine(the same set downshift points as auto mode). I still miss the slick slap stick the gen 1 cruze had, though GM could put paddle shifters as part of the RS package would be another nice option.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

jsusanka said:


> sounds kind of goofy. I use manual shifting my 2011 1LT a lot in traffic. so if you put in L and keep it in first gear it will still shift out of first even though you manually never shifted out of first?


It might hold 1st, it does in the Acadia. If you shift to 6 at a stand still it acts like a regular trans. Gen 1 3rd is the highest you could pick at a stand still but it was a glitch never fixed.


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## BrandoFisher117 (Mar 14, 2016)

Merc6 said:


> It might hold 1st, it does in the Acadia. If you shift to 6 at a stand still it acts like a regular trans. Gen 1 3rd is the highest you could pick at a stand still but it was a glitch never fixed.


Mentioned this to my dealership and they were like "Umm.. It's not supposed to do that."


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## joes74challenger (Jan 9, 2017)

Merc6 said:


> It might hold 1st, it does in the Acadia. If you shift to 6 at a stand still it acts like a regular trans. Gen 1 3rd is the highest you could pick at a stand still but it was a glitch never fixed.


My wife's gen 1 only lets me go to 2nd at a stop (which can be useful for snow takeoffs). i've gotten it to say 3 a couple of times just messing around but it always catches it immediately and goes back to 2 lol.


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