The Pedals...

[Swancoat]

Originally Posted by Snaps

That's the auto version. Black circle thing behind the accelrator will be the auto kick-down switch most likely. Basically when you push the accelerator down far enoug to press the button in, it will cause the transmission to shift down.

There are cases where just pushing the accelerator down (without pressing the switch) will cause the transmission to downshift, but this only happens depending on revs you're at, and other things like that. The difference with the kickdown switch is that as long as the engine will not go over it's rev limit, then it should downshift, provided you'll have some time in the lower gear before having to upshift again. This should be optimised by Toyota/Subaru before te car is released.

Not that I'm doubting it's a kickdown switch, but since it's drive-by-wire, don't you think the computer could handle it on its own?

Even more, why would the auto need that since it has paddles to initiate the shifts yourself?

[NESW20]

there are a few places that have DBW modules that sharpen response. i want to say skunk2 makes one for civics, but don't quote me on that...

the picture of the manual trans car might be misleading. hard to judge pedal spacing with no real frame of reference. i'm sure they're just fine for heel-toeing.

[old greg]

Originally Posted by Swancoat

Not that I'm doubting it's a kickdown switch, but since it's drive-by-wire, don't you think the computer could handle it on its own?

It isn't a kickdown switch, it's just a throttle stop. Refer to the OP's picture for proof.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Swancoat

Not that I'm doubting it's a kickdown switch, but since it's drive-by-wire, don't you think the computer could handle it on its own?

Even more, why would the auto need that since it has paddles to initiate the shifts yourself?

It's not a kickdown switch, that's EASILY handled by other methods.

It's likely just a pad.

[Altezza_86]

Originally Posted by Swancoat

Not that I'm doubting it's a kickdown switch, but since it's drive-by-wire, don't you think the computer could handle it on its own?

Even more, why would the auto need that since it has paddles to initiate the shifts yourself?

i think that black thing behind it is a "anti toyota recall switch." lol jk

on a serious note, on most toyotas, they use a "load device" like a throttle position sensor or the mass air flow meter to detect when to shift. and this was a response to snaps comment.

[Snaps]

Originally Posted by Swancoat

Not that I'm doubting it's a kickdown switch, but since it's drive-by-wire, don't you think the computer could handle it on its own?

I guess it would be to have a physical feel that you've pressed a switch with your foot/accelerator? I can easily tell the difference between pressing the switch down and just resting the accelerator on it in my Supra.

Even more, why would the auto need that since it has paddles to initiate the shifts yourself?

IIRC the base model doesn't have paddle-shift?

Originally Posted by old greg

It isn't a kickdown switch, it's just a throttle stop. Refer to the OP's picture for proof.

Agreed, now I look at it again The one in the manual (OP's pic) and the auto posted later are the same.

Originally Posted by Altezza_86

on a serious note, on most toyotas, they use a "load device" like a throttle position sensor or the mass air flow meter to detect when to shift. and this was a response to snaps comment.

Supra had both this, and the kickdown switch. As I said in the first part of this post, I think the kickdown switch was a way to communicate to the driver that a switch had been pressed. This would be more noticeable to a person than just reaching a specific throttle point on the accelerator pedal travel.