For my 2023, upshifts are very smooth for me in every mode. Usually it will only go 1-3 under very light throttle. But if I give it more than even 10% throttle, it will hit 1-2-3.
Downshifts for the most part are completely smooth. However, I seem to get some hard shifts/clunks in the following scnearios (in normal mode):
- Occasional clunk/bump on the 4-3 downshift when very gently braking to a stop. If I am firm on the brake pedal, usually it will downshift something like 6-5-3-1. It unlocks the torque converter as soon as it feels the stiff brake pedal and the downshifting is very smooth. However, under light braking in the same scneario it might do 6-5-4-3-1. I feel like the clunk is mismanagement by the shift strategy when unlocking the torque converter (i.e., it delays unlocking the torque converter until its too late). I will add that I only ever notice this when the transmission is at operating temp, which is why i suspect the torque converter lockup strategy is the culprit, as when the transmission is cold it will prefer to stay unlocked.
- Occasional clunk when abrupty on/off the throttle at low load/low RPM situations. This is most common in 6th gear when im coasting around 20mph, and you go on/off the throttle lightly. You can feel the driveline unloading and loading itself presunmably when the torque converter clutch snaps back in.
- Firmer shift/thud on the 10-9 downshift under medium load going up a hill. Basically if i were coasting in say 10th gear at low rpm around 45 mph, then i come up on a hill and very gradually increase throttle input, when it finally downshifts to 9 it will do this firm/with a slight thud.
Personally, I am not overly concerned about this as it seems to be mostly related to the shift strategy programming, and the fact these modern transmissions with more gears love to lock up the torque converter very early on and modulate it throughout all gears. In the past, torque converters often didn't go into lockup until you were steady cruising at 45+ mph. To my understanding this helps a lot with fuel economy/efficiency, but it makes the torque converter lockup strategy quite involved and complicated, which is why the adaptive learning is so important to help with fine tuning fluid pressures. I will add these types of clunks/shifts never happen in sport or tow/haul, which is much much more deliberate with the torque converter lockup strategy and also keeps the revs a lot higher. Also, the clunks are minute enough that if my stereo is on I can't really notice them at all, so I'm not too concerned with the longevity of the transmission, knowing that the 10R80 is definitely designed to handle more abuse than the occasional clunk. Also, not sure how many of the clunks I feel can just be attributed to normal slack/play in the driveline from the transfer case down to the rear end.