[Anjadekar]

My fiancée bought a Swift Automatic (VXi) in July 2020 and has been very happy with it. Recently though we have been facing a rather strange issue. Sporadically, the car refuses to go past/gets stuck in the second gear when in D mode. We are able to shift up and down by switching to the manual mode when this happens and the issue doesn't present itself always. There are times when the car drives just fine, even in D mode. We are about to send the car for servicing as that is due and are going to mention this issue. Any ideas from the community here on what might be the issue/recommended steps would be greatly welcome! Thanks

[abhishek46]

The suspect here could be the sensors, which detect things like rpm and vehicle vehicle.

Since you are able to shift manually, the shifter/actuator assembly itself seems to be fine.

Does this problem go away if you restart the car or start/stop the car?

[Anjadekar]

Thanks for looking into this, @abhishek46. The issue presents itself completely randomly. It doesn't always go away immediately on restarting the car but has done so at times. There are days when it doesn't crop up even once.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Anjadekar

Thanks for looking into this, @abhishek46. The issue presents itself completely randomly. It doesn't always go away immediately on restarting the car but has done so at times. There are days when it doesn't crop up even once.

Since it is random, why not get all the wiring checked and see if rodents have entered the engine bay and spliced some wires (may not be completely cut).

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by Anjadekar

My fiancée bought a Swift Automatic (VXi) in July 2020 and has been very happy with it. Recently though we have been facing a rather strange issue. Sporadically, the car refuses to go past/gets stuck in the second gear when in D mode. We are able to shift up and down by switching to the manual mode when this happens and the issue doesn't present itself always. There are times when the car drives just fine, even in D mode. We are about to send the car for servicing as that is due and are going to mention this issue. Any ideas from the community here on what might be the issue/recommended steps would be greatly welcome! Thanks

As the other members have suggested, get the wiring checked. When you give the car for service, they will certainly check the wiring.

Since the issue is random, have it recorded on a video so that you can demonstrate the same to the service station.

Besides the problem with wires / sensors, it could be a problem with ECU or gearshift control module (if this is a separate module other than ECU). Since your car is under warranty, ask for replacement of this module. And communicate the problem to the company in writing (email).

Sometimes the dealer / service center may deny the problem to avoid warranty claim. Hence having a video proof and a written complaint is essential. Get the email id of the company's service engineer (assigned for your city) from the service station / dealer

[Anjadekar]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Since it is random, why not get all the wiring checked and see if rodents have entered the engine bay and spliced some wires (may not be completely cut).

Oh wow, yes definitely a possibility and thanks for the suggestion! I hope the brake wires are intact as we've been using the car!

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhalgat

Since the issue is random, have it recorded on a video so that you can demonstrate the same to the service station. Besides the problem with wires / sensors, it could be a problem with ECU or gearshift control module (if this is a separate module other than ECU). Since your car is under warranty, ask for replacement of this module. And communicate the problem to the company in writing (email).

Excellent suggestions, thanks! A very noob question, is the warranty generally good for a year or does it last for longer?

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by Anjadekar

Oh wow, yes definitely a possibility and thanks for the suggestion! I hope the brake wires are intact as we've been using the car!



Excellent suggestions, thanks! A very noob question, is the warranty generally good for a year or does it last for longer?

The brakes are hydraulic. So you will have hoses containing the hydraulic oil, going to the wheels (instead of wires). So no problem.

Warranty is usually 2 years from the date of purchase. If you have purchased extended warranty, it will be for another 2 years.

[Agarwal_Aayush]

By any chance your car engine bay was pressure washed and water seeped into one of the connections or connection got loose due to water pressure.
Please get all the connections checked thoroughly at the MASS.

Also try to think when does this issue occur, is it while going over a speed breaker or a pothole or after standing for a long time like a jam or something with gear slotted into D.
Identifying after what the issue occurs can also lead to pinpointing the exact reason of this issue and a faster resolution.

[Anjadekar]

Thank you all for the very valuable inputs. The car went for the service before I got a chance to record the video and the service manager couldn’t replicate the issue, or find anything amiss, and so it’s back now. However, we ran into it again and have taken a video. We will be sending it back and writing to the local Maruti service head as advised. Thanks again and will keep you guys posted.

Quick question: Is the down-shifting of the gears supposed to be automatic even in the M mode? As described earlier, we’ve been using the M mode whenever this issue comes up and have been surprised to find that the gears down-shift automatically.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Anjadekar

Quick question: Is the down shifting of the gears supposed to be automatic even in the M mode? As described earlier, we’ve been using the M mode whenever this issue comes up and have been surprised to find that the gears down shift automatically.

Yes, the car will downshift automatically even in 'M' mode if the driver doesn't downshift as required.

EDIT: Quoting the same from Alto K10 Offical Review: AMT Section:

In manual mode, you can redline all day and the AMT will still not upshift automatically. Conversely, if the rpm drops too low, the AMT will downshift to prevent the motor from stalling. If you try to upshift at too low an rpm or downshift at too high an rpm, the AMT will ignore your instructions and flash the gear indicator in protest