hello all-im wondering if anyone shares my shifting issues? my 04 se seems to shift well, however, when i put my right foot down on a grade, it downshifts then upshifts then locks up early and lugs. Trans generally upshifts ok. My only issues are on uphills/grades. I serviced the trans-filter/valvoline ATF. Could this be ECU related? It just seems confused as to what to do. Thanks

 

what does this mean? "then locks up early and lugs"

 

maybe cause you are confusing the transmission ecu wanting to give it gas but it needs a lower gear to operate.

 

The torque converter locks up and when that happens a auto trans is just as efficient as a manual trans.
So if the torque converter locks up to soon it has the same effect as shifting into to high a gear for the load/road speed and it will "lug" the engine.

"Lugging" the is the same as when you are trying to mow grass that is to tall for your lawnmower, the engine slows down and wants to stall because the load is bigger than it can handle.

 

hello again-I understand that my trans will lockup in 3rd and 4th gears and i understand why, it just seems that it doesnt hold the lower gear long enough. It will downshift then upshift sometimes 3 or 4 times in a short distance its pretty annoying and surely not good for the trans. i dont have the same issues in my other vehicles on the same hills

 

I did not explain it for you, thats why I quoted him.

How long have you had the truck?
The ECU has to learn your driving style.

 

Spike, car has 80k i bought in dec with 73k. I'm not new to LR's i've had 91 RRC Hunter and 93 RRC LWB and they're different animals than this one they would lockup @ approx 50mph in 4th gear. this car locksup in 3rd and 4th. its a different transmission. i just cant seem to keep it in the required lower gear to make the grade. its shifting to the higher gear before it needs to

 

Keep in mind that your other Rovers did not have a electronic transmission, your '04 does.

It could be a computer re-mapping issue (there maybe a TSB on this, call your dealer) or you may just have to manually downshift into 3rd to get it to hold the lower gear.

I have a similar issue with the trans on my work van, a '06 Sprinter with a 5 speed auto and it is not uncommon for me to have to downshift into 3rd to keep the trans from hunting gears.