Ferrari 458 DCT

Hi,

Is a transmission jerk at low revs when shifting up 1st to 2nd and down 2nd to first normal or a sign for a failing DCT. This is in sport not race mode. I experienced this during a test drive of a 2011 458 with 40k plus miles.

Thank you!

 

You might want to post this in the 458 subforum:
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/forums/458-italia-488-f8.204/
Or, perhaps a moderator can move this post for you.

 

Was the car properly warmed up?

 

Yes. It continued to happen after 15 min of highway driving.

 

100 percent not normal … doesn’t sound like the typical DCT failure — warning light or loss of odd or even gears (sensor going bad), or fluid leaking from the weep hole when running (seal failure) — that sounds like a mechanical issue. You can manually downshift from 2nd to 1st rolling up to a stop sign and not feel a thing even in race mode.

 

I usually just let the car do that automatically while in manual.

 

My car usually jerks slightly when it's cold. As soon as the car gets warmed up, it's fine.

 

I would say yes. It's funny but the transmission does need to warm up for 10-15 minutes. Then it will give you a jolt if you shift under a load. Modern DCTs are so smooth they don't do this but you should get a little bang when you shift. Not as big as single clutch but you still should feel it. I typically do not shift from 2nd back down to 1st. This situation is usually at a stop sign and I just shift into neutral then back into first when I go. This was left over from my F430 which would burn the clutch if you shifted from 2nd to 1st. The 458 doesn't burn the clutch but I just don't like spiking the revs when going from 2nd to 1st.

 

There is no need to shift from 2nd to 1st in manual mode nor to go to neutral at a stop sign. I can't think of a situation where there is a need to do any of that.

 

If you are coming to a stop instead of leaving it in second and instead of shifting it to first you shift to neutral, stop, then shift in to first to go. Otherwise you are sitting there in 2nd and starting from zero in second which isn't great for the engine.

 

I think (in Sport mode at least) there is a control of the revs by the system; so while the speed decreases, it will shift automatically to first in manual when the revs reach the low threshold for second gear. IIRC the same applies when accelerating; in race the limiter would regulate the engine (stopping acceleration) but in sport the box would automatically upshift, even in manual.

 

Interesting. I will check this out. I always drive in Race but I'll check out Sport on the way home.

 

If you are in Race and roll up to a stop sign, it stays in second for a few moments, if you want to just touch the brakes and go off in first, you either wait or downshift it to first. Otherwise you take off in second. But that second to first downshift, you can't even feel it in my car (13 Spider). OP asked about low revs. I'm sure if you are at 5k or something and shift from second to first, you will get a jerk out of it from the abrupt change in revs. But just rolling near idle, you shouldn't feel a thing.

 

My 458 does not work like that. If I'm in manual and coming to a stop sign, I will shift to 2nd to engine break a bit, but then the car will automatically shift to 1st at a certain speed and its imperceptible. Once I move from the stop sign, I'm in first. It never leaves me in 2nd gear. My car, a 2010, works differently than what yours is doing. Works the same for me in all modes (race, sport etc.)

 

Same as above for me in 2013 Italia. Manual mode auto-downshifts to first gear when below threshold speed almost stopped. In race, sport or wet mode. If I want to manually 2-1 I still wait until quite low speed to avoid over engine braking.