Method for controlling engine braking in a vehicle

A vehicle comprising:

• an internal combustion engine;
• at least one ground engaging member, at least one of the at least one ground engaging member being operatively connected to the internal combustion engine for propelling the vehicle;
• a throttle body fluidly connected to the internal combustion engine, the throttle body having a throttle valve for controlling a flow of air to the internal combustion engine;
• a throttle valve actuator operatively connected to the throttle valve for changing a position of the throttle valve;
• an electronic control unit (ECU) communicating with the internal combustion engine for controlling the internal combustion engine and with the throttle valve actuator for controlling the position of the throttle valve;
• a throttle operator;
• a throttle operator position sensor (TOPS) for sensing a position of the throttle operator and communicating with the ECU for sending a signal indicative of the position of the throttle operator;
• a vehicle speed sensor communicating with the ECU for sending a signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle to the ECU;
• an engine braking mode selector communicating with the ECU,
• the ECU having a memory storing computer executable instructions, in response to the instructions being executed, the ECU:
• determining the position of the throttle operator;
• determining the speed of the vehicle;
• determining the engine braking mode selected from a plurality of engine braking modes by the engine braking mode selector, the plurality of engine braking modes comprising a first engine braking mode and a second engine braking mode;
• in response to the position of the throttle operator being a fully released position and the selected braking mode being the first engine braking mode:
• controlling the internal combustion engine and the position of the throttle valve according to the first engine braking mode for applying a first level of engine braking;
• in response to the position of the throttle operator being the fully released position and the selected braking mode being the second engine braking mode:
• controlling the internal combustion engine and the position of the throttle valve according to the second engine braking mode to obtain a target engine torque based at least on the speed of the vehicle for applying a second level of engine braking,
• for any given speed of the vehicle above a predetermined speed of the vehicle, the first level of engine braking being greater than the second level of engine braking;
• and
• stopping to control the internal combustion engine and the position of the throttle valve according to the engine braking mode selected from the plurality of engine braking modes in response to the position of the throttle operator being any position other than the fully released position.