IanTeign wrote:

Hello all,
I've been reading these threads with interest as our 2014 FL2 SD4 XS Auto has started this same judder / vibration at between 1500 and 1700 RPM. Otherwise its fine, pulls like a train. As others have found if you put it in sport mode it is much better.

Nothing made much of a difference, only does it when going up a slight incline. It shudders for a bit just like being in a manual in the wrong gear, then kicks down no problem.

That is exactly what ours does. We've been testing it out this evening trying to work out a bit more about it. If you drive quickly and keep the revs up, its fine - up and down the gears no problem. On the way to our house there is a long slight incline in a 30 zone where you can't make it kick down without speeding. That is the only place it does it where its noticeable. In other places its so slight you'd only feel it if you were looking for out for it. Our old FL2 used to change down at the exactly the same spots that it does it.

It has to be a slight incline, 30mph (roughly) and 1500 - 1700 rpm. Just before it does it you can feel something similar to a manual when you are on the bite point of the clutch, the engine note then drops, the revs drop a little and the shudder / vibration starts. It will shudder / thump about 6 or 7 times and then kick down. if you try and hold it at the shudder point it will stay there until the hill gets a little steeper or the revs drop so much that it feels like it will stall - then it kicks down. Its almost like the gear ratio is wrong or the engine isn't mapped right - its very strange.

If IanMatro's has gone on for 5 years doing it and nothing has broken I'm minded just to live with it and save the money. if I have to tow I'll put it in command shift / sport mode. The last FL2 we owned had a similar but less violent vibration. I put 4 new tyres on and it stopped. Will keep you all updated. ____________________________

FL2 SD4 XS - Current
FL2 TD4 GS (Auto) - Gone
FL1 TD4 Freestyle (Auto) - Gone

Have you seen this thread of postings on the FL2 juddering problems.
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic20555-270.html

Also FL2s about MY2010 shared an autogearbox 'flaring' problem with other similar cars like the Volvo XC60. This seemed to have been solved in the final MY13 models.
https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=285772 FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)