I have designed a kick down eliminator. It is an ABS resin button that replaces the OEM snap button. It is very easy to replace it or switch back to OEM if you don't like it. No wiring involved, just pop out the existing snap button and pop in the eliminator. If anyone is interested in trying it, just let me know.

 

I'm sure someone will correct me (inevitably) but... if you are in sport plus mode, there is no kick-down no matter how many times you press the button on the floor. Sport Plus is designed to always be on the gear that provides the maximum amount of acceleration at that given speed and condition. I too have noticed an intermittently occurring down shift on certain corners. What I have found through data and time is that I let my speed drop below a certain threshold; therefore, the PDK downshifted. When I hit the corner with the right momentum, no problem.

 

Perhaps try driving in sport instead of sport plus? It won't go to the lowest possible gear as aggressively.

 

I see you have a MY2015 car, so what you write may be true for your car. in my MY2009 it certainly does the kick-down in SportsPlus

 

+1. My pdk only needs a few helps on downshifts, where I want to be in a lower gear than it does. There's no need for manual mode, as you can downshift in auto when necessary.

 

^^This^^

 

Big difference between the two, including that Sport+ will not shift into 7th gear, max's 6th out..

 

I have an 09 and it definitely has the kick down. Ironically I have always tried to use it as a mechanism to indicate I have over slowed and subsequently applied power too abruptly and my input requires more squeeze and less on/off... I have always viewed coming through a lower-mid speed corner carrying enough speed on the way in and allowing a smoother throttle application on the way out without any kick down as the car telling me I got it right... I consciously note it when it happens as a learning mechanism.

Other than that PDK in Sports Plus is spot on in auto minus the occasional downshift.

 

I would have definitely tried your fix a couple of years ago. My 2014 991 Carrera S with PDK drove me nuts on track. I feel the OP's frustration. For whatever reason, I couldn't bring myself to drive the car on track in automatic mode. I would always be in Sport Plus and full manual, using the paddles. I just preferred the feeling of control. (I know, I should have just gotten a manual instead.) The typical scenario would be as follows: coming into the toe of the boot at the Glen, downshifting from 4th to 3rd under braking, and holding 3rd through the toe and while powering out. This was around 5500-6000 rpm. The 3.8 S engine is torquey enough that 3rd is fine here. I didn't want to downshift to 2nd through the toe, because I'd then be close to the redline at 7000+ rpm and need to almost immediately upshift to 3rd anyway. But as I would go to full power in 3rd after the apex, the car would automatically downshift to 2nd, despite being in manual mode and Sport Plus, which inevitably startled me. I'd then have to almost immediately upshift to 3rd again. I didn't necessarily get a good feel for the transition from 100% throttle to kickdown. Really annoyed me.

The answer? Get a GT3 with PDK-S, which is programmed to not kick down automatically.

Or get a GT4 with a manual.

 

Will it up shift to 7th by itself in manual mode?

 

Just to add some clarity to an older thread (fortunately I've been able to drive all these variants at one time or another on the track & I own a 997 Carrera with gen 1 PDK/Sport +) ...

997 Carrera with PDK (PDK gen 1 & 2) will always kick down regardless of throttle map selected. Kick down can be minimized in auto mode with sport + but not eliminated.
991 Carrera with PDK (PDK gen 2 & 3) will always kick down regardless of throttle map selected. Kick down can be minimized in auto mode with sport + but not eliminated.

991 GT3/GT3 RS PDK-S (PDK-S gen 1) purposely designed not to kick down in either Sport or PDK Sport modes. Shorter gears and faster shifts than Carrera PDK.

997/991 Carrera in Sport + mode disables 7th gear (overdrive) in both manual and auto modes. In manual mode upshift as per driver, in auto mode up shift at redline.
991 GT3 in Sport and PDK Sport allows 7th gear (non-over drive) in both manual and auto modes.

997/991 Carrera PDK and 991 GT3 PDK-S are adaptive transmissions only in Auto mode (this is another reason why many drivers use auto mode on the track).

In short for the PDK driver to reduce or eliminate kick down:
use a 991 GT3 - in manual or auto mode or
in a 997/991 Carrera - use auto mode in sport +, avoid throttle pedal past kick down point (extra tension as previously noted in earlier posts) but use an active throttle to keep rpm at or very near redline such by definition there can be no kick down to a lower gear. Note - paddle usage in auto mode resets adaptation logic forcing it to start over with a new map - this can be beneficial depending on how adaptive the auto mode is on a particular track and whether it is to the drivers liking or not.

Personally I have found the PDK cars to be surprisingly involved from a drivers perspective but in a subtle and different manner than a MT car. All are a lot of fun on the track.

 

COBB PDK tune can remove the kickdown. If you already have an Accessport you can add PDK tune to it for $700. I just pickedup a brand new Accessport for $1200. I’m going to add the PDK tune to it.

 

I'd love to have one of these - tell me more please

 

I have driven Laguna Seca many times in my former Cayman GTS/PDK, turned 1:44 - 1:45. It was bone stock. Ran in Sport + mode and It never kicked down, in Turn 3 past the APEX...I only experienced kick down after Turn 5, and only when I was going slower than usual. Try carrying a wee bit more speed Maybe? I confess I did use the paddles to downshift before Turn 5, looking to get a good run up the hill to 6.

Another thing, I ran it in full automatic, and my foot was to the floor never touched the shifting paddles there. At Willow Springs in Turn 3, I used the shifting paddles coming into Turn 3, and going up the Omega if I was a little slow going up the hill...in other words, when I screwed up the turn.