[vertrkr]

I have 700 miles now and I've found it sure likes to run against the engine when coasting down hills and going up them it likes to keep the rmps high. That's great for towing as you don't heat up your brakes on downhill and keeps the torque high for climbing. The problem is I tow maybe 3 or 4 times a year for extended periods so most of the time it's a waste. It would be ideal if there was a user selectable mode for everyday driving and one for towing.

 

[jvacierto]

What you're actually noticing is Honda's "Smart Grade Logic" (or something like that). A computer controls when gear shifts happen and adjusts according to the grade, acceleration, throttle pedal position, etc. If you haven't already, try putting her in cruise on a hilly highway and see when gearshifts happen and how constant the speed stays. It's a neat feature, but I agree, it would be nice to have a way to turn it off when it's not needed.

 

[laserfan]

"Smart Grade Logic" ?? Never heard of that, but it is something I will use with my wife who thinks the transmission acts "kind of funny". I don't disagree w/her; I decided it was one of those things we might not even notice except that the truck is so uncommonly quiet.

This truck and all of its computer systems makes me want to see if/how it might be hacked! Shift points! Door locks! Oil intervals! Hey, vertrkr, you're the gearhead/computer guy here--what about it? Let's find a portal-in; probably only needs a Telnet client!

 

[gormleyflyer2002]

My Ody has some feature that allows the car to tune to suit the drivers style.......this takes a while to compensate, after so many km's it figures if you drive like a wuss or a madman and adjusts the shift points to suit.

Wifie takes mine (Ody) on weekends and I pretend to be a man and drive her duallie disel ...... My van always seems to shift crisper on Monday mornings.......hense her digital driving style.

I'm guessing if you drive like a wuss for a while it will start to shift sooner, my ody does for sure...........you will every now and again get a massive braking or downshift when first touchinig the brake while going downhill.

Ridgeline's are now at dealers in Toronto, maybe I won't have to borrow her truck anymore..........I can be my own man again in my own truck......nop, she's already eyeing it over my shoulder.......Mon-Fri anyway.

My first post......hope my next will be follow-up with pics of new truck..lol

 

[Falcon]

I got my trailer hitch installed at the dealer yesterday. I hooked my 3200 lb boat/trailer and rode around for about 60 miles. I went up I-75 and over a few big hills and mountains I have towed over for years and I was very satisfied with the towing ability. I was able to maintain 75 MPH on a relatively steep grade. In comparison to my Ford Expedition the Ridgeline feels more stable and doesn't seem to work as hard on hills. The braking is definitely better. Overall I am pleased with the results, although with installation and tax the hitch was almost $700. Ridiculous in my opinion.

 

[delphi7x10]

Gormleyflyer2002,

Good tohear they are now available it Toronto, now I can get my brother to go look at one and what I am so excited about.
Is Dalts Honda still going, I got my first new car from them 1978 Accord.

Ridgeline's are now at dealers in Toronto, maybe I won't have to borrow her truck anymore..........I can be my own man again in my own truck......nop, she's already eyeing it over my shoulder.......Mon-Fri anyway.

My first post......hope my next will be follow-up with pics of new truck..lol

 

[gormleyflyer2002]

delphi7

Dalts are still in business. Not all stores have RL's yet, checked a few stores on my way home......The biggest dealers are getting first, seems they are only getting 2 each until the official launch in first few weeks in April.

I'm very envious of all those that already have these beautiful truck.............. they are very nice, they appear to be very robust. We dont have as many color choices, our bumpers are painted as body color and holy hugh trunk.

I was very impressed with the two tone sand color interior..big surprise as I'm usually a black, grey, blue guy.

 

[the kid]

It's good to see they are finally here in canada...thinks its brutal they put a later release in canada...especially since they have had a thousand made since march. The dealer in barrie already had 20 deposits at the beginning of march and may have more by now...they said they will get two a month which my calculation tells me that is a ten month waiting list. Luckily my s2k has a build date in april and I will be getting that in may. Hope to buy an RL after my s2k is paid off...need something to drive in the winter.

 

[jauten1]

delphi7

I was very impressed with the two tone sand color interior..big surprise as I'm usually a black, grey, blue guy.

I agree I was at first disappointed with the idea of a black truck with beige interior, but I must say Honda did it right. It looks very nice!

 

[Ridge Man]

I am away off topic here, just want to communicate with The Kid on a certain subject. Satellite Radio in Canada. As we both know CRTC has not given thier approval as yet, but stong rumours for this year. I have been communicating with a friend in Alberta and he claims this I Quote "I'm willing to bet that radios in the Nav equipped Hondas have the XM equipment in all of them. So if I am right it would be just a matter of time before we could go to the Honda dealer and have them activated. The programs in the Nav screen May have to tweaked by a knowlegeable technician at your Honda Dealer" So if you don't mind what is your take on the above quote??? Darn it just can't help it want both Nav & Satellite Radio. Put my deposit down 14 Feb Meidl Honda Saskatoon They got 3 in this week but not to my specs. Just one more question whats your opinion on the Amozon Green Metallic??

It's good to see they are finally here in canada...thinks its brutal they put a later release in canada...especially since they have had a thousand made since march. The dealer in barrie already had 20 deposits at the beginning of march and may have more by now...they said they will get two a month which my calculation tells me that is a ten month waiting list. Luckily my s2k has a build date in april and I will be getting that in may. Hope to buy an RL after my s2k is paid off...need something to drive in the winter.

 

[the kid]

Well to answer your first question I have not seen a single canadian unit with the xm receiver installed...similar with the acura mdx's we build it is only the american models that have them installed. Next model year we will also be starting to install them in the pilots but no word on those canadian models either. From what i have heard the crtc is going to have something done sometime this summer...maybe in time for them to start putting them in around sept when all the other models switch to 2006. But i don't know if they will wait until the 2007 model on the RL to put them in! There is also a different wire harness for xm to be installed...so adding it when they do come out may be difficult.

As for your second question I was very impressed with the Amazon on the truck when i first saw it come through the plant...didn't feel the same about it when i saw it outside in regular sunlight. Personally I don't like silver on other cars but I think it look best of any on the RL...second would probably be the white...especially with all the accesories on it like the ones we have to drive at the plant...too bad you can't get white in canada . I would love to buy one of these trucks but we won't be able to get them on our associate plan for the better part of two years if they keep selling like they are now. So instead of waiting I ordered a white s2000 with black and red interior...takes three months to get it...may 1st will never come quick enough.

 

[Blue]

hi, vertrkr,

I do not plan to do any towing, but I was having trouble going up 4% incline up to Lake Tahoe, so I locked in D3 to go uphill 70mph.

Should I have left the transmission "smart grade logic" to do the selection? My other car has "Over-drive off " to lock in D4 to going uphill. Is there a reason why Ridgeline locked in D3 instead of D4?

My buddy driving the 2003 Odyssey says he selects D4 when he is going downhill to save brake, but he leaves in OD going uphill. I always thought was the other way around.

Are there any problems in driving 70mph in D3? I think the RPM was around 5000. what do you think? I doubt if I can leave the transmission in D3 going downhill. What would that do to the engine?

thanks,

 

[vertrkr]

hi, vertrkr,
Are there any problems in driving 70mph in D3? I think the RPM was around 5000. what do you think? I doubt if I can leave the transmission in D3 going downhill. What would that do to the engine?
thanks,

Yikes, 5000 is kinda high for an extended period of time. You should not have to engage the D3 button if you are not towing anything and even then only if you find the transmission hunting (going back and forth between gears excessively). You can also use the D3 going downhills to help save the brakes but depinding on the hill that may rev your engine a little high. However, Honda is supposed to have some smart grade logic in the transmission where this should not be necessary most of time. I myself have never run into a situation where I've needed it nor on my '05 Ody too. I've driven up the Lake Tahoe with out any problem.

They probably made it D3 as typically you'd only really need it on a steep hill and if your towing that would most likey be the right gear choice to keep the torque up.

Not sure what you mean by having trouble going up the hill but if your engine is bogging down and the transmission is not shifting down or the torgue converter is not doing it's thing to keep the rpms up then something may be wrong with yours.

 

[Blue]

I pushed D3 out of habbit because my other cars requires taking " over drive off" in order to go up hill ( last 5 cars in 15 years). I did not try to give some gas and let the engine decide. I probably should have to test the smart grade logic. I will let the truck pick its own gear when I see you at Mt. Diablo.

I guess D3 is for towing on a hill for truck. Thanks.

 

[Ridge]

I pushed D3 out of habbit because my other cars requires taking " over drive off" in order to go up hill ( last 5 cars in 15 years). I did not try to give some gas and let the engine decide. I probably should have to test the smart grade logic. I will let the truck pick its own gear when I see you at Mt. Diablo.

I guess D3 is for towing on a hill for truck. Thanks.

Just curious Blue, how loud was it inside your cab at 5000 rpm? That would be a good test to see how well insulated the cab is from engine noise.

 

[Blue]

Ridge,

It must not be very loud because I do not remember as being an issue. I do remember how smooth and powerful the acceleration was. I had to do 70mph because every one else was doing 80MPH. I did not want the Ridgeline to look bad on the road.

Going to Lake Tahoe, the Sierra foothills are like a roller coaster. I only had to accelerate for about 5 seconds at 5000 RPM using D3 to get over the last mile of the hill. So the noise may not be long enough to register.

 

[vertrkr]

Ridge,
I only had to accelerate for about 5 seconds at 5000 RPM using D3 to get over the last mile of the hill. So the noise may not be long enough to register.

Ohhh, that's much better. I envisioned you going up that long grade for like 20 minutes at 5000.

 

[Whaleya]

Since this is 5 speed transmission the D3 button locks you into the lower three gears, it doesn't just lock out the 5th gear

There is no manual way to lock out the top gear (ie no overdrive lockout)
I assume that since Honda has talked up the fact that this is a truck and that it can tow, that Honda has addressed the gear hunting issue in the transmission software instead of a driver controlled switch


D3 is for engine braking going downhill.

 

[RidgeLI]

Don't forget to hit the button on the end of the gear selector, "D3", I believe it acts as a engine brake, or shifts to a lower gear when going down hill to avoid overheating brakes and reduces speed.

RidgeLI

 

[swampler]

Don't forget to hit the button on the end of the gear selector, "D3", I believe it acts as a engine brake, or shifts to a lower gear when going down hill to avoid overheating brakes and reduces speed.

RidgeLI

Unless your doing 20 to 30 down the Smokey Mountains, then you have to use 2nd.