Gearbox Fault - Terrain System Disabled

[MadJax]

OK, I have just had my first off-road trip. I've had the car 6 months (secondhand 2.7 10MY) and it's done 38000km's https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/02/551.jpg

The drive was only 25km, but did do some steep climbs and descents in 30C temps. Averaged 9km/hour.

Around 18km in we went down a very steep rocky slope, around 60m long, stoped at the bottom to take some photo's - engine left running for around 10minutes. Then headed back off. When I next change from mud to rok-climb I got a gearbox warning and terrain system disabled itself. At the next oppertunity I stopped the car and switched the enging off, restarted and no errors. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/02/552.jpg

It happend again about 10 minutes later. Restarted the engine and the fault cleared. No issues on the way back home (42km).

Was it just a glitch in the system, or something else need investigating https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/1203.jpg
Thanks

[DiscoWeb]

MadJax,

I have had similar messages, transmission Fault, limited TR and gear selections available on a couple of occasions.

Generally I found it only occurred when, like you noted I was climbing very steep hills, one time from Tom Groggin up to Mt Pinnibar in VHC for example.

My best guess is that for some reason the steep incline limits the ability of the transmission fluid to circulate properly and a long hill will make the transmission overheat and cause a failure message. I guess it is better than a massive failure from overheating.

Luckily each time I have either been close to the summit or at a place I was happy to stop and have a cuppa and after 2 -30 min of cooling down everything returned to normal and fault did not reappear.

Had it check at the dealer the first time it happened and whilst they confirmed their was a fault logged they could see no issue of problem with the transmission.

As I said my assessment is at best a guess and at worst a very bad guess but I have done plenty of miles since with no issues.

Funnily did a 2 day trip in the VHC over Christmas, climbed some steep hills but did not get the message ?

Not sure this is helpful and if you do a search I am sure there is a thread on this some time ago.

Regards,

George

[MadJax]

Thanks. I'll have a search and also mention it when I have my next service, but that will not be for a while as the last one was 6 weeks ago.

[101RRS]

A few people have reported the same issue with no long term faults - maybe a temporary overhead issue.

Garry

[NavyDiver]

Saw a similar warning while towing a trailer which might fit your steep climb issue. Enjoying magnificant scenery I had left my D3 in Automatic. On a long steep climb saw BING with a gear box overheating warning. Shifting to command shift 2 or 3 in low range saw no other issues. I had about 120000km on mine at that point. Now at 230000km.
Were you using command shift or auto?

[MadJax]

I was playing around, most of the time in command shift, about 1/3 in full auto. Will see what happens next time I get off-road.:)

[NavyDiver]

Lots of people suggest the brake controler is worth replacing as one older version of it caused lots of odd errors. Look in this post for some details (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/136629-hdc-transmission-suspension-failure-indicator.html)I switched my brake controler. Or this post if you might do it yourself (http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5082)

[outasight]

It's not the brake "controller" they talk about - it's the brake light SWITCH.

Regards,

Les.

[MadJax]

I'll check it out, but not sure it is related. Only the gearbox fault and terrain control disabled. Everything else was fine. Suspension, HDC etc all working as expected.

Car kept climbing up the mud ruts happy as:D

[SWH]

I have a MY 11 2.7 D4

Had a similar issue around Mt Pinnibar in Jan 2011. At the time I was in auto mode. Turned the vehicle off and then restarted. Cleared fault immediately.

When I used command shift on the rest of the trip, the problem did not reappear.

The dealer also did a software update later and not had any further such issue.

[DiscoWeb]

I have a MY 11 2.7 D4

Had a similar issue around Mt Pinnibar in Jan 2011. At the time I was in auto mode. Turned the vehicle off and then restarted. Cleared fault immediately.

When I used command shift on the rest of the trip, the problem did not reappear.

The dealer also did a software update later and not had any further such issue.

MOST people I have talked too advise that off road, unless you are rolling a long a flat section of track then command shift is the best option, particularly in low range.

Gives you greater control going up and down hill and limits the stress and therefore heating of the transmission/torque converter etc.

Despite this I was using command shift and still had the transmission fault issue that as noted I put down to steady climbing limited fluid movement and then overheating.

George

[NavyDiver]

It happend again about 10 minutes later. Restarted the engine and the fault cleared. No issues on the way back home (42km).

Was it just a glitch in the system, or something else need investigating https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/1203.jpg
Thanks

Just had some work done by the nice ladies and gents at Ritter. Picked up saturday and drove to Ballarat Sunday. Hill desent, traction control, gear change, transmission errors+++++. Some or most resloved with a restart.

Problem found by the ever helpfull gents this morning. I was wondering if it was thier work but thankfully just asked them to take a look:angel:. My brake/stop light globe was blown. This little sod has caused me the same trouble before several times now and I must get "CHECK Brake/Stop light bulb" tattooed inside my eyelids:D.

A BMW bike I had in 1985 had a warning when a globe blew. Our D3s do to but is is not as transparent as the Hazard light indicator on my K100 as may it kick multiple systems out of wack:o.

[oldsalt]

You should consider getting some LED bulbs, fit 'em and forget 'em.....:)