V6 Auto 2003

[Guest Actuary]

My v6 auto gearbox seems generally quite reluctant to change up, holding on to lower gears than it needs to. For example, it will often hang on to 3rd gear for what feels like ages (eg 5 seconds) following gentle acceleration, car doing >30 mph, engine revving >3000 rpm, light throttle, trying to settle into a cruise at that speed.

 

Does anyone have data on when the gearbox should change?

 

Manual mode doesn't always help a great deal (although it happens to in the above example). It sometimes won't let you change up manually to 4th or 5th in circumstances where it would permit itself in auto mode. Does anyone also know what restrictions it imposes on manual changes?

[Guest lesmon]

First thing to do is to ensure that the tranny fluid is topped up. Low fluid in the tranny cause all sorts of problems.

[Dally]

Actuary,

 

I find that it is very difficult to say at what revs changes are made with mine. It all depends on the rolling resistance - gradient, throttle position, engine temperature, cornering (steering position) etc.

 

I too feel on occasions that it should change up quicker at times and it hangs on until you rev it's head off but I have noticed that it always seems to be in the mornings on my way to work, on the same stretch of incline and when it hasn't quite warmed up fully and I'm in a rush.

 

I do the same route on a sunday and the problem seems to be less evident. May be because I'm driving more gently etc. Hey maybe this gearbox ecu really is intelligent and does what it's supposed to?

 

It is different from other autos that I've driven but have got used to it now -Anyway, I usually slip into tiptronic mode if it starts to annoy me and just change up manually.