Rev Limiter Madness
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 234
Likes: 3
From: AZ
Rev Limiter Madness
Hey all,
I'm a month into my Corvette experience... I have an 08 convertible with the automatic trans. I have hit the rev limiter probably 4 or 5 times since new. It's an auto for crying out loud... how does this happen? It happens in the S mode and I'm not doing the shifting. Just curious if anyone else is having issues like this.
I got the auto so I could just "point and shoot" (and drink my coffee) and not have to worry about shifting, but now I feel like I have to babysit the car to make sure it doesn't try to blow itself up. Any ideas??
I'm a month into my Corvette experience... I have an 08 convertible with the automatic trans. I have hit the rev limiter probably 4 or 5 times since new. It's an auto for crying out loud... how does this happen? It happens in the S mode and I'm not doing the shifting. Just curious if anyone else is having issues like this.
I got the auto so I could just "point and shoot" (and drink my coffee) and not have to worry about shifting, but now I feel like I have to babysit the car to make sure it doesn't try to blow itself up. Any ideas??
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 485
Likes: 1
From: Texas
Happens to me too in both D and S mode (and of course in paddle mode when I'm to slow on the upshift 
). I even get the rev limiter sometimes with less than full throttle! I get it more in D mode than S mode, though.
I attribute it to when the A6 upshifts to second, the rear tires sometimes break loose enough for the tach to immediately jump up to 6500+. Then the rev limiter kicks in before the traction control has a chance to kick in to slow wheel spin.
Strangely enough, it seems to happen alot less often when AHS is in competitive driving mode... Go figure.
just my experience, anyway.
). I even get the rev limiter sometimes with less than full throttle! I get it more in D mode than S mode, though.I attribute it to when the A6 upshifts to second, the rear tires sometimes break loose enough for the tach to immediately jump up to 6500+. Then the rev limiter kicks in before the traction control has a chance to kick in to slow wheel spin.
Strangely enough, it seems to happen alot less often when AHS is in competitive driving mode... Go figure.
just my experience, anyway.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 8,514
Likes: 235
From: Currently somewhere in IL,IN,KY,TN,MO,AR,MS,AL, or FL
It is just the car trying not to sacrifice itself while still keeping you from killing yourself. When you have already lost traction BEFORE the shift and traction control is already trying to reduce power to the rear wheels, it would be insane for the transmission to upshift putting even more power to the rear wheels during the time the engine RPMs are coming down. So the transmission is locked out from upshifting and traction control can't pull enough power to keep the engine from overreving. Finally the engine protects itself by shutting off the fuel.
The solution is better tires, not trying to push so hard on slick streets, or using a little more common sense with your right foot.
The solution is better tires, not trying to push so hard on slick streets, or using a little more common sense with your right foot.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 719
From: Northeast MA & Mad Beach FL
I don't know if there's any difference between an 08 and 09.
I have an 09 and have not had my tires break loose at all with my A6.
I did hit the Rev Limiter once when it got away from me winding out 1st with the Paddles.
But, leaving it in Sport with the pedal to the floor, it shifts in a Split second right at 6500 and keeps going.
And supposedly, when in D, the trans will shift before 6500.
The car shouldn't hit the Rev Limiter when in D or S unless, as already mentioned, maybe the tires are spinning.
But .. just my thoughts... unless the tires are spinning at the top of the RPM... RPM's should drop right away when it shifts.
I can't see how it can hit 6500 right away "after" it shifts.
I don't know, maybe as mentioned, it's tires spin, .. but if that's not happening ... and it was my car, I'd get it checked.
Just my .02 cents
I have an 09 and have not had my tires break loose at all with my A6.
I did hit the Rev Limiter once when it got away from me winding out 1st with the Paddles.
But, leaving it in Sport with the pedal to the floor, it shifts in a Split second right at 6500 and keeps going.
And supposedly, when in D, the trans will shift before 6500.
The car shouldn't hit the Rev Limiter when in D or S unless, as already mentioned, maybe the tires are spinning.
But .. just my thoughts... unless the tires are spinning at the top of the RPM... RPM's should drop right away when it shifts.
I can't see how it can hit 6500 right away "after" it shifts.
I don't know, maybe as mentioned, it's tires spin, .. but if that's not happening ... and it was my car, I'd get it checked.
Just my .02 cents
