A system and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a traction motor, and an automatic step-ratio transmission having a plurality of selectable discrete gear ratios, a torque converter, and sharing a common cooling fluid or oil with the traction motor, include a controller configured to shift the automatic step-ratio transmission to neutral in response to vehicle speed being below a threshold with the engine idling while temperatures of at least two of: the traction battery, the electric machine, and the transmission are above associated thresholds to reduce heat generation by the torque converter due to oil shear with the torque converter stalled. The controller may shift the transmission to drive in response to release of a brake pedal. A neutral shift may also be performed in response to high-voltage accessory loads or on-board generator loads exceeding a threshold.

A method is disclosed for operating a multi-gear vehicle transmission in a motor vehicle during a coasting phase. The coasting phase includes an overrun phase with a driving gear engaged and a freewheeling phase with the neutral gear engaged. It is determined whether the motor vehicle is in the overrun phase of the coasting phase, whether a condition for a transition to the freewheeling phase of the coasting phase is fulfilled, and whether a transmission condition with elevated drag losses exists. If the motor vehicle is in the overrun phase of the coasting phase, if the condition for transition to the freewheeling phase is fulfilled, and if a transmission condition with elevated drag losses exists, then at least one further shifting element (D, E) is closed in addition to the shifting elements (A, B, C) of the driving gear, which are closed during the overrun phase of the motor vehicle.

A method is disclosed for operating a multi-gear vehicle transmission in a motor vehicle during a coasting phase. The coasting phase includes an overrun phase with a driving gear engaged and a freewheeling phase with the neutral gear engaged. It is determined whether the motor vehicle is in the overrun phase of the coasting phase, whether a condition for a transition to the freewheeling phase of the coasting phase is fulfilled, and whether a transmission condition with elevated drag losses exists. If the motor vehicle is in the overrun phase of the coasting phase, if the condition for transition to the freewheeling phase is fulfilled, and if a transmission condition with elevated drag losses exists, then at least one further shifting element (D, E) is closed in addition to the shifting elements (A, B, C) of the driving gear, which are closed during the overrun phase of the motor vehicle.

A system and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a traction motor, and an automatic step-ratio transmission having a plurality of selectable discrete gear ratios, a torque converter, and sharing a common cooling fluid or oil with the traction motor, include a controller configured to shift the automatic step-ratio transmission to neutral in response to vehicle speed being below a threshold with the engine idling while temperatures of at least two of: the traction battery, the electric machine, and the transmission are above associated thresholds to reduce heat generation by the torque converter due to oil shear with the torque converter stalled. The controller may shift the transmission to drive in response to release of a brake pedal. A neutral shift may also be performed in response to high-voltage accessory loads or on-board generator loads exceeding a threshold.

A method for automatic calibration of a position detection sensor of an automatic transmission including a gearshift actuator, the method including registering, using the position detection sensor, the position of the gearshift actuator upon power-up of the transmission; and performing a calibration of the position detection sensor if the registered position of the gearshift actuator is outside a predetermined expected position range of the gearshift actuator or within a predetermined abnormal position range of the gearshift actuator.

A method for operating a transmission device for a motor vehicle. A driving gear is selected from a quantity of driving gears and set to the transmission. At the same time, in a normal operating state, the driving gear quantity is compiled from a specific number of driving gears contained in a total quantity of the driving gears, containing all of the driving gears. The driving gear quantity is compiled as a function of at least one state variable of the motor vehicle.

A method for automatic calibration of a position detection sensor of an automatic transmission including a gearshift actuator, the method including registering, using the position detection sensor, the position of the gearshift actuator upon power-up of the transmission; and performing a calibration of the position detection sensor if the registered position of the gearshift actuator is outside a predetermined expected position range of the gearshift actuator or within a predetermined abnormal position range of the gearshift actuator.

A method for automatic calibration of a position detection sensor of an automatic transmission including a gearshift actuator, the method including registering, using the position detection sensor, the position of the gearshift actuator upon power-up of the transmission; and performing a calibration of the position detection sensor if the registered position of the gearshift actuator is outside a predetermined expected position range of the gearshift actuator or within a predetermined abnormal position range of the gearshift actuator.

A method for operating a transmission device for a motor vehicle. A driving gear is selected from a quantity of driving gears and set to the transmission. At the same time, in a normal operating state, the driving gear quantity is compiled from a specific number of driving gears contained in a total quantity of the driving gears, containing all of the driving gears. The driving gear quantity is compiled as a function of at least one state variable of the motor vehicle.

Vehicles, systems, and methods for shifting a manual transmission into neutral during autonomous braking are provided. An exemplary system for shifting a vehicle into neutral during autonomous braking includes a manual transmission for transferring power from an engine to a differential using gears manually selected by a gear selector. Also, the system includes an actuator mounted to the vehicle and to the gear selector. Further, the system includes a controller coupled to the actuator and configured to direct the actuator to force the gear selector into neutral during an autonomous braking event.