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difflock1000

Member Since: 10 Nov 2024
Location: Arabia
Posts: 2

2016 Defender 90 Other 50th Auto Atlantis Blue

Throttle/shifting issues at low speed (Defender 90 '25)

Hello there!

Just got my 2025 X-DYNAMIC HSE Ingenium 3,0 litre 6-cylinder 400PS Turbocharged Petrol MHEV (Automatic) a few days ago and I've been having issues with throttle and weird gear shifting particularly at low speeds. The following summarizes it nicely:

- Coming out of slow corners it's as if the throttle doesn't “catch” sometimes, I’ll push the accelerator down and nothing happens for a second or two, then it suddenly takes off.
- This is also apparent when approaching a roundabout and slowing down, then deciding to pick up speed again, the throttle response is exceptionally delayed
- In stop and go traffic it's impossible to drive smoothly, the car hesitates between 1st and 2nd gear around the 20-25km/h range. Sometimes randomly downshifting when I slightly let go of the accelerator with a noticeable jerking sensation in the vehicle

This all feels extremely dangerous to me as it impacts my ability to confidently overtake, merge into a highway, etc. I can feel people behind me in traffic are already

.

This is all in Comfort mode. My car does not have Dynamic mode. And putting it in S mode does make it a tiny, just a tiny bit better but all the issues are still there.

Would appreciate any insight!

10th Nov 2024 7:15pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2808

I would wait until you've done a few miles before complaining to the dealer about the Defender's transmission.

My D250 was similar when l first got it but slowly improved over time. Also in slow moving traffic l find it's smoother to move the transmission lever over to "S" and manually select second gear.

10th Nov 2024 8:39pm

DFNDER

Member Since: 02 Oct 2023
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 132

It's the adaptations in the transmission ecu. As said you need to drive it more and also in manual mode. The ecu adapts to your driving style and relearns the factory set shift points.

10th Nov 2024 11:36pm

eno

Member Since: 15 Apr 2024
Location: Qld
Posts: 27

I felt the same thing in a 90-P400 demonstrator vehicle that I test drove. It was quite off-putting. Yet in a 110-P300 I test drove the throttle response was good, as would be expected. And the 90-P300 I purchased is good too.

In the P400 I got the feeling it was more engine response related than transmission related. Maybe to do with the electric supercharger engagement, or something like that

11th Nov 2024 6:39am

difflock1000

Member Since: 10 Nov 2024
Location: Arabia
Posts: 2

Thanks for the feedback everyone. After driving the car a few more weeks in S mode, I feel that it's now more tolerable and improved slightly. Required a bit of adjustment in my driving style too. Regular D mode is still undrivable and a lot more laggy, and I wonder if I have to "train" that too.

Also been reading that this is possibly the turbo lag.

10th Dec 2024 12:35pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2808

lt shouldn't have any turbo lag as l think it also has a supercharger.

Mine was sometimes "all or nothing" on initial acceleration when it was new, but it gradually improved with mileage.

ln certain circumstances the transmission seems to disengage, probably for economy reasons. Then if you are not careful you can get a sudden surge of power a second after you accelerate, when the transmission re-engages.

10th Dec 2024 2:24pm

Flinders

Member Since: 17 Feb 2024
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 43

My D350 was very similar to this when I first got it. I felt like I was driving a ropey fiesta again with a dodgy clutch!

It went to the dealers for the repair to the squealing ventilation and the rolling back in drive. They did agree with the drive and they fixed the gear change by reprogramming every gear from scratch. It feels so much better, despite not being able to resolve the rolling back and squealing ventilation….. oh and the start button problem!

I’ve rejected the car and it gets collected tomorrow for the other problems but at least the gear change has been much better!

MY25 Defender 90 D350 X Dynamic HSE - Boris
MY18 Discovery 5 3.0ltr TD6 HSE Lux - Derek

10th Dec 2024 9:00pm

XplusYplusZ

Member Since: 16 Aug 2021
Location: UK
Posts: 488

My D250 110 has had the same behaviour from new. The LR Assist mechanic told me it's a software thing. I have found that I can mitigate/work around it by being more careful when slowing then accelerating (eg. red lights turning to green, roundabouts, etc). It becomes more natural.

I haven't ever tried driving around in S mode, but will give it a shot.

11th Dec 2024 12:48pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2808

I think it's because the transmission will often disengage on a trailing throttle or as you approach a standstill

Then, if you suddenly apply power, the revs shoot up and initially nothing happens. And then there's a thump and a surge of power as the transmission engages.

l've driven other automatic transmission vehicles and they do it as well, it's all down to economy and emissions.

lt's a shame the disengaging can't be mapped out, as it doesn't always happen and in those cases it's perfectly smooth. lt's possible to drive around it by preemptively applying a little gas before you need to accelerate, to re engage the transmission.

It's smoother in ECO. And also improves with mileage l assume the transmission tries to adapt.

ln slow moving stop/start traffic, try selecting "S" and then pull back to engage "2" this makes for much smoother progress at low speeds. And turn off the "hold" function.

11th Dec 2024 1:42pm

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