Land Rover Range Rover Owners Handbook Lrl180255501 Rover

							141
Fuel Filling
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Methanol/unleaded fuel blends
In some areas, it is possible to buy unleaded 
fuel that is blended with up to 5% Methanol 
(Methyl or wood alcohol) and cosolvents and 
corrosion preventatives. Using these blends 
can cause driveability problems and damage 
the fuel system components. Their use may 
also invalidate the vehicle warranty.
WHEREVER POSSIBLE, AVOID USING FUEL 
CONTAINING METHANOL!
WARNING
Automotive fuels can cause serious injury and 
even death if misused.
Methanol/unleaded fuel blends, even in small 
amounts, can cause blindness and possible 
death if swallowed. Additionally, take 
precautions to prevent methanol from coming 
into contact with the skin.
FUEL FILLING
Gas station pumps are equipped with automatic 
cut-off sensing to avoid fuel spillage. Fill the 
tank SLOWLY until the filler nozzle 
automatically cuts off the supply. DO NOT 
attempt to fill the tank beyond this point or 
spillage could result due to expansion of the 
fuel.
The fuel filler neck will accept ONLY a narrow 
filler nozzle of the type found on pumps that 
deliver UNLEADED fuel. A flap lies across the 
filler neck; insert the nozzle sufficiently to fully 
open the flap before filling.
Filling difficulties
The fuel delivery rate of gas station pumps can 
vary significantly. This, coupled with the fact 
that modern pumps are equipped with a sensor 
which automatically cuts off the supply as soon 
as turbulence is detected in the upper part of 
the vehicle’s filler neck, could result in isolated 
fuel filling problems.
EMPTY FUEL TANK
Caution: DO NOT run the fuel tank dry! 
Running the fuel tank dry could create an 
engine misfire capable of damaging the 
catalytic converter. DO NOT RUN THE FUEL 
TANK DRY!
FUEL FILLER FLAP EMERGENCY 
RELEASE
If the vehicle battery has been disconnected or 
has discharged, the fuel filler flap can be 
opened manually. Open the rear loadspace 
access hatch (see REAR LOADSPACE ACCESS 
HATCH, 120). Pull the green release handle (as 
illustrated in the insets) to open the filler flap.
H4050 
						

							Park Distance Control
142
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P ark  Distan ce  Contro l
USING PARK DISTANCE CONTROL 
(PDC)
WARNING
The parking aid is not infallible, it is for 
guidance only. The sensors may not be able 
to detect certain types of obstruction (narrow 
posts or small narrow objects, small objects 
close to the ground and some objects with 
dark, non-reflective surfaces, for example).Park Distance Control (PDC) is a system that 
assists the driver when manoeuvring the 
vehicle into a parking space, or anywhere there 
are obstacles that need to be avoided, warning 
the driver accordingly.
The vehicle is fitted with four ultrasonic sensors 
on each of the bumpers.
The range of the front sensors, and the two 
sensors on the corners of the rear bumper is 
approximately 0.6 metres (2 feet). The two 
centre rear sensors have a range of 
approximately 1.5 metres (5 feet).
WARNING
Keep the sensors free from dirt, ice and snow. 
If deposits build up on the surface of the 
sensors, their performance may be impaired. 
When washing the vehicle, avoid aiming high 
pressure jets directly at the sensors at close 
range.
H5275 
						

							143
Park Distance Control
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Activating PDC
PDC is automatically activated whenever the 
reverse gear (R) is engaged. When the starter 
switch is turned on, the indicator light in the 
switch illuminates and a short tone sounds 
after 1 second as confirmation.
PDC can also be manually selected by pressing 
the switch (illustrated) on the centre front facia 
(the indicator light in the switch illuminates and 
a short tone sounds as confirmation). A second 
press of the switch deactivates the PDC system. 
If PDC has been manually switched off by 
pressing the switch, it will not activate 
automatically until either the switch has been 
pressed again, or the starter switch has been 
turned off and on again.Note: The confirmation tone only sounds the 
first time that PDC is selected (either by 
selecting reverse, or by pressing the switch), 
unless the starter switch has been turned off 
between uses.
If a long, high pitched tone sounds and the 
switch indicator light flashes when PDC is 
activated, then a fault in the system has been 
detected - contact your dealer for assistance.
PDC in operation
The distance from an obstruction is identified 
by an intermittent tone sounding (higher pitch 
for the front sensors and a lower pitch for the 
rear). As the vehicle moves closer to an 
obstruction, the frequency of the tone increases 
proportionally.
When the distance between the sensor and the 
obstruction is less than approximately 0.30 
metres (1 foot), the tone becomes continuous.
PDC will remain active until the vehicle speed 
exceeds approximately 32 km/h (20 mph) or 
until the vehicle has travelled approximately 50 
metres (165 feet), when it will automatically 
deactivate.
H4879 
						

							Automatic Transmission
144
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A uto m ati c Tr ans m is si on
GEAR SELECTOR
The CommandShiftTM transmission provides 
both automatic and manual operation of the 
gears.
Automatic operation
The transmission is naturally in automatic 
mode. With the engine started, gear selection 
can be made by moving the selector backward 
or forward to the appropriate position in a 
similar manner to other automatic gearboxes.
GEAR SELECTOR LEVER
Selector release button
The gearbox is fitted with a locking mechanism, 
designed to minimise the risk of accidental 
selection of the P (Park) and R (Reverse) 
positions.
The selector release button (see inset) must be 
pressed while selecting P and R, and also to 
enable the lever to be moved between the P 
and R positions.
Note: With the engine running, or the starter 
switch in position II, the selector lever cannot 
be moved into a drive position unless the foot 
brake is applied.
Caution:  DO NOT select P or R if the vehicle 
is moving.
DO NOT select a forward drive gear when the 
vehicle is moving backwards.
Keep engine speed as low as possible when 
moving the selector between R and a 
forward gear.
Note: The gear selector lever MUST be in the P 
position before the starter key can be removed.
H3916 
						

							145
Automatic Transmission
R
Selector lever positions
An indicator light on the selector panel and a 
number or letter on the gear selector display in 
the instrument panel, identify the selected gear 
position.
P - Park: This position mechanically locks the 
transmission and should be selected before 
switching the engine off. To avoid transmission 
damage, ensure the vehicle is completely 
stationary, with the parking brake applied, 
before selecting P.
The selector release button MUST be pressed, 
in order to move the selector lever into, or out 
of, the Park position.
R - Reverse: Before selecting reverse, ensure 
the vehicle is stationary, with the brakes 
applied. Press the selector release button in 
order to move the selector lever into Reverse.
With the selector lever in the R position, Hill 
Descent Control can be selected, see HILL 
DESCENT CONTROL, 160.N - Neutral: Select neutral when the vehicle is 
stationary and the engine is required to idle for 
a brief period (at traffic lights, for example). In 
neutral, the transmission is not locked, so the 
parking brake must be applied whenever N is 
selected.
Press the selector release button to move from 
neutral to reverse.
D - Drive: Select for all normal driving; full 
automatic gear changing occurs on all five 
forward gears, according to road speed and 
accelerator position. 
						

							Automatic Transmission
146
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Sport modeIn Sport mode, full automatic progression 
through the gear ratios is retained. By selecting 
Sport mode, however, the power transmitted to 
the road wheels is increased by making lower 
gears more available. This results in improved 
mid-range performance, as the vehicle stays in 
the lower gears for longer. Sport mode also 
makes the lower gears more available for 
kick-down operation.
To select Sport mode, move the gear lever 
sideways across the gate from the D - Drive 
position towards the left hand side of the 
vehicle (see illustration). The word SPORT will 
appear in the transmission message centre (for 
approximately 6 seconds), the LED in the 
selector display to the rear of the selector lever 
(arrowed in inset) illuminates and SPORT 
MODE is displayed in the main message centre 
for 6 seconds.
Sport mode can be deselected at any time, by 
returning the lever to the D position.
N
DM
S
RANGEROVERRANGEROVER
DM
SN R P
H4894 
						

							147
Automatic Transmission
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MANUAL CommandShift™ GEAR 
SELECTION
CommandShift gear selection can be used as 
an alternative to fully automatic transmission 
and is particularly effective when rapid 
acceleration or engine braking into corner and 
descents are required.
There are five gears, all of which are selected 
sequentially by a single forward or rearward 
movement of the gear selector lever, as follows:
1.With D (Drive) selected, move the gear 
selector lever sideways from the D 
position towards the left hand side of the 
vehicle (this is exactly the same as 
selecting Sport mode).
2.The transmission then automatically 
selects the ratio most appropriate to the 
vehicles road speed and accelerator 
depression.3.A single forward (+) movement of the 
selector lever will change the transmission 
to a higher gear, while rearward (-) 
movement of the lever will change down to 
a lower gear. Repeated forward or rearward 
movements of the lever can be made until 
the desired gear ratio has been selected. 
The selected gear will be indicated in the 
digital display in the instrument panel (see 
inset).
4.To deselect manual mode, simply move the 
selector lever sideways, back to the D 
position. Automatic gear changing will then 
resume.
Note: In manual mode, kick-down is still 
available for increased acceleration. See 
Kick-down, 148, for more information.
Using CommandShift in HIGH range
If manual mode is selected in HIGH range, 1st 
gear must be selected to move off from 
stationary, normal sequential gear changing 
can be utilised once the vehicle is moving.
Using CommandShift
 in LOW range
If manual mode is selected in LOW range, the 
vehicle can move off from stationary in 1st, 2nd 
or 3rd gear - this is particularly useful to 
improve traction when driving off-road. See 
Off-road Driving, 179, for further details.
RANGEROVERRANGEROVER
DM
SN R P
H4187 
						

							Automatic Transmission
148
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USING AN AUTOMATIC GEARBOX
The following information is particularly 
important for drivers who are unfamiliar with 
the techniques required to drive vehicles with 
automatic transmission.
Starting
The engine can only be started with the selector 
lever in the P (Park) or N (Neutral) positions.
•ALWAYS apply the parking brake and foot 
brake before starting the engine.
•KEEP THE BRAKES APPLIED while moving 
the selector lever into a drive position (the 
selector lever cannot be moved from the P 
position unless the foot brake is applied).
•DO NOT rev the engine or allow it to run 
above normal idle speed while selecting D 
or R, or while the vehicle is stationary with 
any gear selected.
•ALWAYS keep the brakes applied until you 
are ready to move off - remember, once a 
drive gear has been selected, an automatic 
will tend to creep forward (or backward if 
reverse is selected).
•DO NOT allow the vehicle to remain 
stationary for any length of time with a 
drive gear selected and the engine running 
(always select N if the engine is to idle for 
a prolonged period).
Driving in D or Sport mode
When driving, the transmission will 
automatically adjust to the most appropriate 
gear ratio, according to accelerator position, 
vehicle speed and terrain (whether the vehicle is 
driving uphill, downhill or on the flat).Gear change speeds
With D selected, the road speeds at which gear 
changes take place will vary according to the 
position of the accelerator pedal: minimum 
acceleration will result in gear changes at low 
road speeds, while larger throttle openings will 
cause the gearbox to delay gear changes until 
faster road speeds have been reached (thereby 
increasing the rate of acceleration). Depending 
on vehicle speed, moderate pressure of the 
accelerator pedal may result in a downshift in 
gear, further increasing the rate of acceleration.
With practice, gear changes can be made to 
occur at a wide range of road speeds depending 
on the accelerator position.
Kick-down
To provide rapid acceleration for overtaking, 
push the accelerator pedal to the full extent of 
its travel (this is known as kick-down), a click 
will be felt through the accelerator pedal. Up to 
a certain speed, this will cause an immediate 
downshift to the lowest appropriate gear, 
followed by rapid acceleration. Once the pedal 
is relaxed, normal gear change speeds will 
resume (dependent upon road speed and 
accelerator pedal position).
Note: Moderate accelerator pressure may also 
result in a downshift in the transmission, 
depending on vehicle speed.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This vehicle can NOT be push or tow 
started. 
						

							149
Automatic Transmission
R
Kick-down in manual CommandShift mode:
When in manual CommandShift mode, 
kick-down overrides the manual gear selection, 
to provide increased acceleration. The 
characteristics of kick-down operation differs 
according to the gear range selected (HIGH or 
LOW).
In HIGH range, with manual mode selected, 
kick-down will cause a downshift of at least two 
gears (5 to 3, for example). When in LOW 
range, the downshift will only be one gear (5 
to 4, for example).
Parking
After bringing the vehicle to a stop, ALWAYS 
apply the parking brake and select P, before 
releasing the foot brake and switching off the 
engine. The starter key can only be removed if 
P is selected.ELECTRONICALLY SELECTED 
AUTOMATIC MODES
The transmission control system electronically 
selects different gear change modes, listed 
below, designed to suit a variety of driving 
conditions.
Note: The electronic modes described below 
cannot be selected by the driver and will not 
operate if Sport mode is selected.
Hill ascent, trailer and high altitude mode
A suitable gear change pattern is selected 
which retains lower gears for longer, to counter 
momentum loss caused by more frequent gear 
changing, which can occur when climbing hills 
or when towing a trailer or caravan. This gear 
change pattern is also selected at high altitudes 
to combat reduced engine torque.
Hill descent mode
When in manual CommandShift mode, with the 
optimum gear for engine braking selected, the 
selector lever can then be moved across to the 
D position. The transmission will retain the 
previously selected manual gear until the 
descent is completed, then the transmission 
will automatically change to D.
High coolant temperature mode
In high ambient temperatures, during extreme 
load conditions, the transmission will select a 
gear change pattern designed to aid the cooling 
process, whilst enabling the gearbox to 
continue performing normally. 
						

							Transfer Gearbox
150
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T ran sfer Gea rbo x
TRANSFER GEAR SWITCH
The second gearbox (known as the transfer 
box) is used to select either the high or low 
range of gears.
High range (H)
The high range ratio should be used for all 
normal road driving and also for off-road 
driving across dry, level terrain.Low range (L)
Use the low range ratio ONLY in situations 
where low speed manoeuvring is necessary, 
such as reversing a trailer or negotiating a 
boulder strewn river bed; also use low range for 
more extreme off-road conditions where 
progress in high range cannot be maintained. 
DO NOT attempt to use the LOW range ratio for 
normal road driving.
USING THE TRANSFER GEARBOX
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronically 
controlled transfer gearbox. There are two ways 
of operating the transfer gear switch; the 
stationary method - recommended for 
inexperienced drivers - and the on the move 
method for experienced drivers.
Caution: DO NOT attempt to use LOW range 
gears for normal road driving. Doing so will 
limit the vehicle’s top speed and may damage 
drivetrain components.
Stationary method
With the vehicle stationary and the engine 
running, apply the foot brake and then move the 
automatic gearbox selector to the N (neutral) 
position before moving the transfer gear switch 
(arrowed) fully rearwards. When the switch is 
released, it returns to the default position.
H4951