vandal968

I'd like to understand more about the driving "Adaptations" in the cayenne and how it works .I got my 2004 CTT in the fall of last year with 139k on it. Acceleration was outstanding, really threw you back, terrified passengers, etc. Perfect. I've just crossed 145k and I mostly drive it gently, not trying to be gentle, but short commute, so not going to get into boost before oil is up to temp and by the time it is I'm nearly where I'm going and I don't want to go 110mph in a 45 zone. I just went on a long drive with lots of opportunities to go fast and pass and she was ok, but not amazing. I was pretty sure she got a lot slower, but maybe I was getting used to her? Also, it was hot, 104F, 4 people, 150# of luggage. I was making excuses for her. I remembered that "Adaptations" can be reset by following the hokey pokey procedure with key and pedal, so I did it yesterday.

HOLY CRAP! Shes a freight train again! I had thought that maybe I misremembered how scary fast she can be!! Wife actually screamed when I got on the gas. Seriously.

Googling didn't reveal much. I saw a post from Deilenberger on sixspeed asking a similar question with no answers. How does it work, how many miles to "adapt" to driving like a wuss and how many miles does it take to get your power back if you start driving aggressively again (400mi aggressive road trip didn't do it). I don't want to be tearing up tires every day, but I want all my power when I want it. What's the deal?

C

MM951

Any details on the hokey pokey to reset the adaptations? I feel similarly with my CTT...When I got it with 120K it was great. Now at 217K it has its moments where the power I remember i there, but for the most part I've ignored the issue for probably 30K miles...until my girlfriend borrowed the car for a few weeks after she totaled her car...and complained the car is too slow unless she turns PSM off....


She drove a Suzuki Aerio. and she complained about the acceleration of a twin turbo V8 powered anything. Something is wrong with that!

vandal968

I followed this procedure, found on Renntech. Difference is night and day, have been getting yelled at by my wife all weekend blowing the doors off everything:

1. Put the key in the ignition - do not start the engine.

2. Within 10 seconds of #1 - depress the accelerator pedal all the way to the stop

3. With pedal depressed, remove the key

4. Release the accelerator pedal

5. Put the key back in the ignition (without starting the engine) within 5 minutes of #4. This is necessary to recalibrate the accelerator and the pedal potentiometer. Touch nothing at all.

6. Start the engine without touching the accelerator pedal (only step on the brake to allow starting.)

7. Try driving and see what the result is.

c

Joefus

Vandal968 - at steps 1 and 5 do you turn the key to "ON" or simply put it in the slot?

Might have to take the Kessy plastic fob out and try this.

vandal968

For steps 1 &5, just fully inserted, NOT turned.

cheers,
c

Twintipin13

Interesting, is this only for 955s or 957s as well?

vandal968

I think it's all of them, I believe that Deilenberger has a 958.

It's been a few days since I cleared the adaptations, these are the specific changes I've noticed.

1. Massively more powerful. This seems to tie in to two things. #1 the car downshifts readily, if I am at 30% throttle and stab to 75% throttle I get an instant downshift. Before clearing the adaptations, I had to either double-tap the gas or use tiptronic to force a quick downshift. #2, if fully on throttle, it winds up to redline for each shift, previously, it was shifting at maybe 5000 or 5500 even at WOT.
2. When it did downshift previously (before being reset), either by forcing it or by just flooring it and waiting for a while, I was getting a rotten-eggs smell from the cats. I had attributed it to blowing out some crap since I've been driving it gently for a few months. I no longer think that is what was happening, and I have not had that smell once since the reset despite stomping on it daily.
3. Not yet sure what the effect will be on mileage, I'm driving a quick 400mi today so I'll see what she does. Coming in other direction a few days ago she averaged 17.4, she's currently showing 15.6 it's drifted down a bit with all the showing-off.

Still really like to fully understand how these adaptations work.

cheers,
c

vandal968

To follow-up on this.

I was premature saying that I no longer get the sulfur smell when I stomp it. Smelled it twice (faintly) when stomping on it during the return trip from LA. It's definitely less common and far less stink than previously, but it's not totally gone. Pulling into the driveway at this end of the journey I was either at 16.2 or 16.4mpg, I forget which. This included the ~100mi around-town goofing off in LA (averaging 15.6mpg) as well as 390mi each way to LA and back, so it would have been higher if I had reset when I set-out as I did on the initial trip heading West.

cheers,
c

DWPC

At Step 5, does it matter how long the delay before turning the key to start the engine?

vandal968

Didn't seem to. I waited maybe 10 or 15 seconds, just long enough to re-read the directions and wonder if I was doing it right.

HTH.

c

J'sWorld

Start the Cayenne and stab the accelerator pedal twice all the way down quickly in park @ idle. Drive.

Petza914

Take a just started engine and then push the pedal to the floor twice? Don't think so. I won't be using this method.

J'sWorld

Hold on, OK, I got my spoon out for the non-thinkers. I would not suggest doing this on a cold engine and I did not provide a time frame for the procedure after start. It just needs to happen before you shift from park. The Cayenne won't rev past 4k in n or p anyhow and if you don't have oil pressure 10 seconds after start even cold you have bigger issues. When done right you won't get anything on the first stab and probably won't exceed 3k on the second. What's not discussed here and even more important is how you drive after and how the tcu RE-learns. Does anybody know what this procedure actually does for the trans/tcu combo?

Disclaimer:

Common sense not included.