Automatically Shifting to N

Guys, my car has begun doing something that appears strange to me. It's still new (to me) as I've only had it about 7 or 8 weeks so this may be an issue I need serviced or it could be my technique of driving it. Thought I'd throw it out here for discussion.

As per several other threads on the matter, when coming to stop (red light, stop sign, etc.), I usually downshift manually to 2nd and let the computer make the final shift into 1st. Then I'll select N if I anticipate anything more than a few seconds at full stop.

A couple of times lately, if I slow, as if coming to a full stop, but never quite make it to a complete stop, for instance rolling down to 1 or 2 mph before the light turns green, I'll attempt to take off but will find the car has shifted into Neutral instead of 1st! Then I'll have to bring the car to a complete stop after all with the foot on the brake before it allows me to select 1st again.

I'm thinking the car either is showing signs of needing a clutch (it has 22,000 miles) or somehow, the car is thinking I've stopped completely and my foot is riding very lightly on the brake, thereby causing the N shift in the same manner as you get after stopping at a red light without your foot "firmly" on the brake.

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

 

Sport vs Race? Actually I have not. Do you think there would be a difference in the logic? I'll give it a try to notice if anything changes between the two settings. I usually drive it in one of those two settings so it's very possible I'm getting this result in one of the other, but not both as it doesn't seem to do it every time.

 

Actually, the car will not allow me to select 1st when it does this until I then bring it to a stop, place my foot on the brake, then select 1st. If I attempt to just upshift with it still rolling (albeit at a very slow speed of maybe 1 or 2 MPH), it will not select 1st.

Under normal circumstances whereby I select N while still rolling, your are absolutely correct. But this is very specific in that I'm letting the computer make the final shift from 2nd to 1st approaching the stop, and instead of selecting 1st, it's selecting N. Again, it's entirely possible that the car is selecting 1st, THEN selecting N because I've got my foot lightly on the brake, BUT it's doing this even though I haven't come to a complete stop.

The car is a 2007 599.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

Thanks Terry. I'll take it in to see if we can get it diagnosed properly.

 

Yes but the difference with your scenario and mine is that you are manually selecting N. In my scenario, the car's computer is selecting N instead of 1st as I allow it to make the final downshift from 2nd to 1st. If I perform the shift to N myself, as you describe in your scenario, you're absolutely correct. Selecting an up or down shift does NOT require the car to be brought to a stop, foot on the brake, then shift to 1st.

This is why I'm inquiring here. I think there may be an issue with my transmission as this doesn't seem normal from what I've read about the F1.

 

No worries!