I never had my sdv6 rock up in 3rd or 4th pre remap. 2nd gear starts, yep. All the time. The remap completely changed it. All sorted.

Tim in Scotland wrote:

For the 8 speed box there was a software upgrade in 2016 from ZF and that transformed the gearbox - it was a TSB that was done at a standard service - after my car was done I very rarely needed Sport mode or the paddles to get me away from a junction like I had had to do before the new software was installed. It also didn’t shift up gears so early on the Rev band.
It might be worth looking to see if your SDv6 has had that software change applied RRSTDv8.

Father Jack - I found that it sometimes rolls in to roundabouts at 10mph in 4th. Found that by flipping the down paddle on the approach and seeing what gear it went in to. Suffice to say that at 10mph in 4th it has the response time of a Govt Department followed by a hard down shift and lurch forward!

From stand still I've pulled the down paddle and sometimes it then shows 2nd (3rd, once or twice) which suggests it was in 3rd or even 4th at the stand still. Not helpful pulling in to traffic.

Which remap did you use? I've been told the Alive one is very helpful in making it more sprightly. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

I can honestly say I have never had your experience but have noted by the same method you describe that at stop it was in 2nd. If anything when rolling to a stop it feels as if it is essentially in neutral as revs drop to around 800 or so.

I took mine to Alive though they have agents (disco mikey for example). Thoroughly recommend it. You need to check specific model year and variant: they did mine a couple or so years back and at that time couldnt do via obd port so was an ecu out job.

That said done while I waited at around 3 or so hours. They are very careful, no obvious sign ecu out and no problems related to it since.

Thanks.  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed