Hi all,

Every time i pull to a junction/roundabout or something similar the car always stays in 2nd gear, then if you need to pull out quickly it struggles, then downshifts, then goes with a jolt. Its pretty annoying, i feel you cant pull out of any junctions with any urgency. Is this normal for these cars?
It's my first automatic car but a family member has some kia thing that doesn't do this and it shifts gear a lot smoother.

I know you can switch it to manually change gear but it's not an ideal solution. Anyone else's do this or is it an issue with mine?

It's allegedly nicknamed the lurch and regarded as a characteristic of the specific gearbox in your car ZF 6HP26 iirc.

In bmw ownership circles dealerships or independents with the right software can perform an update, I have also known of owners who report some improvement from a gearbox adaption reset. The box supplied to various vehicles not just LR. Perhaps not ideal but knocking shift lever into sport mode when wanting a brisk standing start will help reduce the issue.

HTH

Last edited by AW8 on Tue Jul 03 2018 6:58pm. Edited 1 time in total

Common issue. Happened with my 3.0 sdv6 2012 MY. My solution was a remap from Alive. Allegedly better mpg: true if you drive it carefully. Got well into the thirties. Once But it massively improves driveability and resolves the roundabout roulette stuff and I do not use the flappy paddles much since having had it done, even with some rapid cross country stuff.

Took mine stock 256 bhp or so to circa 300 and a modest torque boost as well, but safe as now at broadly same output as same engine leaves factory on a new shape rrs2. And as the rrs1 is such a lardarse the extra boosts make it so much better to drive and probably the car it always should have been.

Do a search on here for alive or BAS/Bell Auto who do a similar offer. Both specialist LR/RRS. Don't be tempted by non specialists or by tuning boxes, rrs can be sensitive and are complex at the best of times.

Last edited by Father Jack on Mon Jul 02 2018 8:22pm. Edited 1 time in total

Edited as realised point already answered.

Last edited by Father Jack on Mon Jul 02 2018 9:17pm. Edited 1 time in total

AW8 wrote:

It's allegedly nicknamed the lurch and regarded as a characteristic of the specific gearbox in your car ZF6HP24 iirc.

In bmw ownership circles dealerships or independents with the right software can perform an update, I have also known of owners who report some improvement from a gearbox adaption reset. The box supplied to various vehicles not just LR. Perhaps not ideal but knocking shift lever into sport mode when wanting a brisk standing start will help reduce the issue.

HTH

I'll try the gearbox adaption reset, sounds like a good starting point

EDIT Been googling it and can't find much information about it. Does it require an IID tool?

Father Jack wrote:

Btw what year is yours ? Maybe missed it but early years are 6 spd 211bhp or so latter years 8spd 250 or so bhp.

Signori wrote:

I'll try the gearbox adaption reset, sounds like a good starting point

Yeah iid to readapt.

It will feel rough for 3 days.

Signori wrote:

I'll try the gearbox adaption reset, sounds like a good starting point

Andy K wrote:

Yeah iid to readapt.

It will feel rough for 3 days.

AW8 wrote:

Signori wrote:

I'll try the gearbox adaption reset, sounds like a good starting point

I should add that there can be risks by performing any work or changes to a vehicle.....Needless to say do some research 1st and obciously be mindful any procedure at own risk - Basically please don't come back at me if you don't get an improvement OR if you get other issues.

In bmw circles some advised that those that doing a hard reset should thereafter drove it like they stole it in order that the box provides driver with a more responsive adaption to driving style.

I would never drive a vehicle hard or with any urgency unless nice and warmed up 1st......mechanical sympathy I guess.

I have no idea if this can be done without dedicated software or not.

Never done it myself.

I would not do this IF I suspected I suspected mechanical/gearbox issues.

A flush beforehand might be sensible and before deciding if hard reset worth a try.

The following link is from disco3 forums - maybe worth a read.

https://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/auto-gearbox-reset-89650.html

Like I say do your homework 1st.....others with more knowledge may have better info or offer alternative/additional comments.

I am still a relative newb here but frequent other boards where owners have vehicles with same gearbox.

I have a Land Rover specialist not too far away, i'll take it down there and see what they say. Could do with something else looked at any way

Before plugging in An IID tool try doing a hard reset by disconnecting the battery for >10 minutes which should clear any memory, also you aren’t modifying any software that way but you will also loose radio settings, seat settings and mirror settings. It’s why your car alway feels livelier when it comes back from a dealership service...... 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I'll try that tomorrow and report back if anything has changed. Thanks for the suggestion

The OP's issue is a common one with the ZF gearbox as used by LR, BMW and others. Knocking the lever across the sport and selecting first will give a sprightly get away. Then just pop it back in to drive as you accelerate away. That's what I did with my TDV8 and it worked well.

The 8 speed gearbox on the SDV6 is worse as it's often in 3rd or even 4th if you just roll up to a junction and don't stop. A real danger at roundabouts.

On your 2008 TDV8, I'd look at having the transmission fluid flushed. You'll find that helps with responsiveness and shift smoothness too.

If you're going to do the hard reset as suggested by Tim, make sure you let the systems shut down before disconnecting the battery. Unlock, open the door, open the bonnet, leave until dashboard has gone dark again - including the radio / sat nav screens. 10 minutes would be a good leave. Then do the reset. The various systems talk to each other and it's not unknown for them to get unhappy if the battery is disconnected mid-chat. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

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. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW