auto opinion?

[dave04]

I have an 07 1.9 cdti auto diesel estate. I noticed quite harsh gear change between 2nd & 3rd so took it to my local dealer who reprogrammed the ecu. It seems a little better, but doesn't feel right. my question is...is this a common problem, can it be fixed or is the auto box on this car just rubbish??
Any feedback would be most appreciated.
Thanks

[ShamusUK]

2nd to 3rd should not be noticeable.

3rd to 2nd going downhill might occassionally be a little jerky.

[67688c]

Ideally of course they should change smoothly through all the gears, however in practice there will be the odd occasion when you can physically notice the change.

Going from second to third gear often occurs at the point when the car may be accelerating hard, and therefore occasionally you may feel the change, though it should not be harsh. All auto's have inherent characteristics which means they dont always get it 100% right, but for say 95% of the time the changes should be fairly seamless.

I suspect when the dealer said he had programed the ecu, he likely only did a reset on it (factory defaults) as most auto boxes have a learning mode where they adapt to the way the driver uses the car... supposedly.

GM/VX auto boxes tend to have a good reputation for reliability, and unlike some cars which have a sealed for life gearbox, (BMW for one) the oil on VX auto's can be changed fairly easily. I dont know what sort of milage the car has done, but if it's fairly high it may be worth changing the gearbox oil, or having it's level checked, as auto-box oil levels are critical to its smooth operation. If the level is a bit low, due to movement of the oil when accellerating it can definately affect gear changes.

Many people have reported smoother changes after having their oil changed, so that may be one option perhaps worth exploring.

Of course if it's under warranty then further pressure on the dealer may be required. I have a BM 330i auto, and most of the time I cannot detect the gear changes other than seeing the rev counter change, but occasionally if I'm pulling hard up a hill I can notice the change, but only slightly.

Can I ask.. is this your 1st automatic, and how long you have had it, IOW is this something that's only just started to occur, or has it always fellt a little harsh since your've had the car. ?

No doubt some members with VX auto's can give some more definative thoughts on this.

[bigcarman79]

As 67688c says really, Is the change between 2nd to 3rd always harsh? Does it go with a slight bang when changing?. You can always try giving it some 'sporty' driving for about 5 miles to get it to learn the different driving style, and then see if it clears or gets any worse!

The 5 spd Autos (which i have) can be a bit dim witted and can only assume the 6 spd can be too.

[steve0]

Mine is unoticable and silky smooth on all gear changes. It is a 3.0 l V6 with a six speed box.

[Vectra Meldrew]

Hi Dave, I've got a '55 CDTi auto with EXACTLY those symptoms!
It's ok for about the first 5 minutes of driving from cold. But after that the shift from 2nd to 3rd is nasty. The gearbox seems to slip a bit, revs go up, then Bang! it kicks into gear. Only really does it on that gearchange and otherwise the gearbox feels great. I'm only driving it with the manual shift now and it's fine as long as I'm careful changing up to 3rd and I can live with it like that for a while.
I think you'll find there's not much can be done about it except a new/recon box but I can't afford £2500 !!!
Although the AF40 autobox is supposed to be filled for life, dealers say fluid can be changed at around 70k in extreme operating conditions. I've changed most of my fluid recently but it's not made much difference.
(btw mine has done 156,000 miles so not expexting it to be perfect)
Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.

[dave04]

thanks for the input guys! How do I check the fluid level in the gearbox, I don't see a dipstick? (except when I look in the mirror! ha ha)