Rav4 Sport Button

[Mike169]

Hello all my T mateys, love the cars and love this club and the chat we can get from each other.

I understand the site has been having upgrade troubles, hope all gets sorted out soon.

OK my question, on my now about 18 month old RAV 4, it's a diesel auto model on the dash is a nice square SPORT button, i have pushed it in, the word 'sport' is illuminated in green on the dash but what exactly happens to the car?

Does it just make the gear changes later, does it stiffen the suspension, does it make the chip in the magic box (ECU) perform differently maybe making the turbo act differently?

After i have pushed the button in the changes are so slight it is hard to work out what exactly is different, seems to go much the same, goes round corners like it did before, so what exactly happens to the car when the SPORT button is depressed and is it better to go around in sport mode or just leave it normal?

Regards MIKE169

[Big Kev]

IMHO Mikey, and that of Anchorman who gave me the initial nod, it makes the car and auto box a wee bit more normal and interesting a drive in Sport mode. Think we have named not using it as ECO mode, but it is a wee bit ploddery in normal drive, again only IMHO.

TRY DRIVING WITH IT ALL THE TIME (when you actually remember to push the far king button......lol), then after a couple of weeks revert to ECO.........only then did I really detect the difference, and mpg in Sport mode seemed to strangely stay pretty much unchanged.

It is good that you are same as rest of us........detecting gear changes on that autobox is nigh on impossible at times.

Now I am running with the Kingo Chippo, I never use the button as it seems to cause a wee bit over fuelling and injector rattle.......pretty techy stuff from me, eh.......?

[GreyRacer]

I don't have an auto but on my manual it definitely makes a difference. The torque vectoring keeps 10% to the rear axle, increase accelerator and throttle response, tightens the steering. On the twisties it certainly punches out of the corners better, reducing under steer. Very nice in the damp and wet of these cold roads now. If I also have to do a lot of overtaking I use it then as well. Seems to hold the torque better for the revs when gear changing.

[Big Kev]

Just a wee addendydum to my ramblings above.........just took car out, got it warm, and selected Sport mode (Remember noo.......Lindop Chip Kit fitted.......)

Golly gosh...........it went like excrement off a digging implement, this time with much less evidence of the injector rattle I am convinced I heard when originally fitted 2 months ago and Sport mode selected. So has the ECU learned to accept and live with Lindop Chip?

See in the future,SOMETIMES, when ma mother in law's daughter is NOT in ma car..............yeehah....!!!

[silly sausage]

I don't have an auto but on my manual it definitely makes a difference. The torque vectoring keeps 10% to the rear axle, increase accelerator and throttle response, tightens the steering. On the twisties it certainly punches out of the corners better, reducing under steer. Very nice in the damp and wet of these cold roads now. If I also have to do a lot of overtaking I use it then as well. Seems to hold the torque better for the revs when gear changing.

T'is impressive indeed on the 4.4, I've just had a blast over the Pennines with said button engaged, this new Toy-motor is really 'growing' on me………. Looking forward to a nine hour drive to that scotland in the New Year…..

[Guest]

Looking forward to a nine hour drive to that scotland in the New Year…..

Incoming detected from the Scottish Defence Force, grab tin hat and gas mask ............

[silly sausage]

Looking forward to a nine hour drive to that scotland in the New Year…..

Incoming detected from the Scottish Defence Force, grab tin hat and gas mask ............

They'll need more than tin hats and gas masks, will be carrying Mother-in law and several tins of her mince pies.

[GreyRacer]

Where are you heading to Paul. Great roads up here.

[silly sausage]

Where are you heading to Paul. Great roads up here.

Gairloch David, done the journey many times, roads are incredible, plan to retire there. :)

[GreyRacer]

Lovely part of the country. Had a run over there in the Celica couple of years ago. Drove around the entire coast of Scotland and several islands in a four day marathon. Visited all five corners as far as legally possible by road.

[CharlieFarlie]

I haven't got a sport button in my old banger............ :(

[dave.m]

LOL, you don't need it, you've got the angry pedal.

[CharlieFarlie]

GGGGGRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :lol2:

[glorydad]

Do you need one with a chipped T180? That's just being greedy! :)

[Big Kev]

.............and the chip on ma previous SR180 was brill too, Andy. Santa Kingo still accepting begging letters with credit card numbers attached..........

[philip42h]

There's really not much need for the Sport button in a 4.3 x180 - it's pretty much in Sport mode anyway! :)

On the 4.4 there are both Eco and Sport buttons ...

Eco generally makes things 'softer' and more relaxed around town - the throttle response is more gentle, the auto box changes up earlier, steering is light. Sensible driving plus Eco probably gives better fuel economy in an 'urban' setting.

The key difference for me is that Sport mode adds weight and feel to the steering - in normal or Eco modes the steering feels just a bit too light for 'enthusiastic' driving. As Charlie said on another thread - the 4.4 isn't as direct as the 4.3; Sport mode goes some way to fixing that and restores some of the 'chuckability' of the 4.3 x180. It also makes the throttle more responsive, allows the auto box to hold a ratio longer before changing up and apparently shifts torque to the rear wheels when travelling at speed but, too be honest, I can't say that I've really noticed that effect yet (must go out and do a 'proper' test :)).

If you have a manual you'll change gear when you want to anyway so won't notice the changes of behaviour on the auto - and TBH if you stamp on the angry peddle it just goes anyway irrespective of whether you are in Eco, Sport or normal mode.

[glorydad]

.............and the chip on ma previous SR180 was brill too, Andy. Santa Kingo still accepting begging letters with credit card numbers attached..........

I always like to keep on the good side of Santa. Most tempting, but I need to check with insurance peeps before pulling trigger. There is always a snag to these things. :(