AWD Transmission: Geartronic goes to neutral

[4wheeldriver]

First off thanks for all the helpful comments!

In regard to The ecu upgrade the gear box does tend to be up and down like a yoyo in town driving especially if your round the 30 mph mark! It just doesnt seem to be able to make its mind up which gear it should be in! Have resorted to using the manual option more then the auto which is a pain as if you forget and pull away from lights it revs straight to 4500!! Im used to the Beemer changing up even if I forget to. Must be too used to being spoilt!! As for getting a shot of another then that would mean walking through the door of the local dealer which I try to only do if its a warranty job!! Unless there are an other members in the Aberdeen area willing to take me out?? At this point Im starting regretting going back to Volvo the silly faults there have been in the 1st month with it!!! just wondering where to go next with this. As I said in earlier reply I have contacted the supplying dealer but he hasn't come back with anything yet!

As an afterthought they have been BRILLIANT in trying to help with anything up till now.

[Ron_XC90]

The ECU upgrade was only done a few Months ago, so it is possible that this hasn't yet been done on your car.
As some other members confirmed as well, it does change the behaviour of the gearbox. It seems to be sticking in gears longer, changes up a bit quicker and when de-celerating seems to be a bit more efficient on engine braking.

As Roy mentioned, best would be to compare with another same model car. Unfortunately I live a bit too far away, as I would like to feel the suspension of another XC90 compared to mine, as I feel it's not as comfortable as it should be. However the dealer did a testdrive and rated it as normal...

[4wheeldriver]

Ron

Youre asking the wrong person for comfortable!! I had an Audi with 4 steel rods for suspension (thats why it went along with RIDICULOUS mpg) and then the m-sport Beemer so to me after those two the se is a boat!!! lol Was actually looking for an R-Design but I got offered such a ridiculously good deal on the se I couldnt really knock it back!! Mind you though, if it keeps giving me problems then its going to be going down the road for an X5!! Its disappointing as this is the 5th Volvo that the family's had and my third, the 1st new one and so far it hasnt been great. Lots of little niggles. Sat nav pops up for no reason, the cup holder thing and this gearbox prob. This gearbox thing is a real bugbear though. Going to have a ring to the dealer tomorrow to see if theres anything he wants to suggest!

[$hed]

my ............

[ckp]

Hello all, yes indeed, my new xc90 (March 2008) does the same thing, BUT only if you brakes (I think, try and see). If you just lift off the throttle down hill it should stay in gear, touch the brake and it goes into neutral. I did put it in writting to the dealer in case it ended up a lont term issue, but I don't get any real problems with it. BUT I am not towing 1.5t.

I know not touching the brakes is not much use to you!

I was 'forced' into the xc90 due to a 4th child ..... I had to cancel the X5.... the thing is, I have driven the X5, Disco, E240, 530d, and I m sorry to say the xc90 auto with a 5 pot diesel is the worst. I have even had it s chipped to 226bhp to help matters.

BUT it is a family wagon and driven as family transport, it's fine. My wife loves it.

[4wheeldriver]

So do all the xc90s take a minute to get their act together then when you pull away from a standstill?? Mine seems to be "put foot down, wait a mo, give it more gas cos nothings happening, then OH MY GOD, we're all sitting in the back with the launch speed cos youre almost at full welly!! My mother hates going out in the car with me round town due to this. So could this be due to the gearbox or something else? I just put it down to it being a big car. "Starting thinking Ive bought a shed!!"

[4wheeldriver]

CKP

As yours is still in warranty what did youre dealer say bout you chipping it??

Oh and no I dont have to touch the brakes. Just take my foot off the throttle and the rev counter sits at 800-900 revs as we hurtle along!! Didnt BMW tell you there is a 7 seat option for the X5? I dont need the seating just the kerb weight for the caravan!

[GSMGuy]

Can confirm that if mine is in "manual" or tip mode, it WILL NOT change up for you, to the point where it will allow you to go well into the red zone on the tacho in 1st gear......

Caught me out a couple of times...

Mike

[ckp]

The X5 story is a long and sad one, but I do have a lovely 6 month baby boy to thank for that.

I had the 7 seat X5 on order, changed the order to the lower tax band, waited and waited and got the wife pregnant ... 4 kids mean the X5 was cancelled as the rear seats are too small for londer term use. 50% loss of family income didn't help the X5 cause as it was 15K more.

Not sure how the above helps with the neutral .... good luck.

[GSMGuy]

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

because diesels don't get the engine braking that petrol engines do when you take your foot off the throttle they are often fitted with a vacuum pump to create a vacuum in the crankcase against which the pistons have to pull thus slowing the engine down. If the XC90 has such a unit it might not be funcioning correctly.

Roy

This is actually incorrect - Diesels have far BETTER engine braking than petrols, due mainly to the much higher compression ratio, and to a lesser extent, the greater mass of the rotating components, due to them being heavier.

Vacuum pumps are fitted to a diesel engine in order to power the brake servo, as they do not generate manifold vacuum, due to them being unthrottled.

I know my D5 Geartronic only really has useful engine braking when in Tip mode and 1st or 2nd, as I use it descending the rather steep hill in Wales where my Mother lives - During town driving, when releasing the throttle, the engine tends to drop towards idle, I assume this is because of the fact that the torque converter is operating in "unlocked" mode and that it has been programmed to do so in order to improve low speed driveability, by reducing drivetrain shunt, and to improve emissions and fuel consumption.

Above converter lockup speeds, ie approx 40 in 4th/55 in 5th then the motor speed tends to drop only marginally on lift off, again I presume to improve driveability and due to the locked torque converter.

HTH

Mike