noticed this week that at highway speeds when I let off the gas pedal my h3 will not coast as smoothly as it did. I acts as a engine brake. At lower speeds, I do see the rpms pick up and go back to about 800rpm until i get up to about 35 or 40 mph, then the rpm needle will stay at bout 1500 at 45-50mph and 2400 at 70mph and will slowly climb down but I can still feel the engine braking my rig.

is this normal? I just started to noticing this so not sure if i'm just being more sensitive to the fact.

 

It's normal, I do it all the time when coming up to exits, traffic or lights. Beats wearing out the brakes..........

 

@jewjenk - I failed to mention I have an Automatic trany... is your's a stick? your statement makes me think so.

 

Trying to put 2 and two together now...

Last weekend I replaced all brake pads and am now thinking this is what it should be doing under normal use but hasn't due to the old break pads causing some friction and disengaging the TCC at highway speeds. I'm thinking that if there is no friction from the brakes the TCC will not disengage and hence I now feel the engine brake.

I found this procedure in the automatic transmission service manual.

Coasting Downshifts
1. Place the gear selector in the OVERDRIVE position.
2. Accelerate the vehicle to FOURTH gear with the TCC applied.
3. Release the throttle and lightly apply the brakes.
4. Verify the TCC releases.

 

Replaced all the brake pads....are you sure your parking brake isn't causing the problem?

 

if you have ANY BRAKE parts dragging you will smell burning stuff on a short ride. you will know.
to satisfy yourself just stop on a slight grade,release the brake and you should drift,right now.
you can stab the brake and let go. it should drift,right now. youcan check emergency same way.
if not>, then you have brake trbl.
im on my 2nd h3,both the same,no brake drag....period....,,,none

the torq conv locks/unlocks abt 45 mph. locked its like stick shift but it unlocks ez when u hit the gas too hard. a soft touch and the rpm goes up slow with speedo

 

on the drive home I took her up go 70mph and touched the brakes, but the tcc hung on and did not coast on her own until I got her down to 40mph.

On a light incline, she will coast down the hill just fine when I released the brakes.

 

So if any of you drive at 70mph and let up on the gas, does your rpm drop to 800rpm or does it stay?

 

I did not know that about the TC... brings to mind that I have also changed out all the liquids because it just hit the 50k mark and did not change the TC oil because they were all out. I'll be doing that this week end and see if that makes things better.

I have also reset the computer by removing bat terminal, just in case it's something in the code that may be causing it.

 

No El Guapo, the RPM's drop slowly.