2012 Vantage S - Sportshift II issue or worse?
Discussion
New 2012 Vantage S owner here. I took delivery about 2 weeks ago and the car spent it's first week having paint correction and protective film appled - it looks great and the drive is sublime. Unfortunately I have run into a problem.
Last week, after driving my Vantage S for about 45 minutes I shut the engine down in my driveway to move one of my other cars so I could get the Vantage in the garage. I tried to restart the car and it wouldn't start. No error messages at all, just a small hum when the key was depressed. After about 45 minutes I tried again and the car started with no apparent problems.
Today I was driving and put the car into neutral with the paddles at a light. I tried to re-engage 1st with the paddle but it wouldn't engage so I selected "D" on the dash and all was fine.
Tonight I was driving behind some traffic which slowed to a stop. When traffic began to move I went to pull ahead but the car would barely move. At this point it felt like the clutch was slipping. A few seconds later I had no forward motion at all, although the car showed first gear on the selector and the engine was revving. A few seconds later the car shut down and I got a transmission fault message (although the car was not in limp mode) saying that the gear could not be engaged.
I attempted to start the car again with no luck. Someone helped me push the car to a safe place. I periodically tried to start the car and after about 45 minutes it started. When it started the indicator light on the "N" button was flashing and I couldn't get the lights on the "R" or "D" buttons to light if depressed. I also had no way of getting out of neutral with the paddle shifters. I shut the car down and there was a knocking/ticking sound coming form the rear of the car. Approximately 4-5 knocks followed by a whirring noise. This kept repeating. I started the car and shut it down again and the sound stopped. It seemed that every other time I started and stopped the car the ticking/whirring would return.
After another 30 minutes or so I started it up again and was now able to get the selector lights on the "D" and "R" buttons to work, as well as see "1" on the gear indicator if the right paddle was used but had no clutch engagement at all.
When the tow truck came we got the car secured. Again I noticed the tick-tick-tick-tick-whir sound coming from the rear of the car. I tried to start the car and shut it down a few times to get the the noise to stop but this time I couldn't.
I took delivery two weeks ago, but it was flatbedded to my paint correction specialist/detailer. The first week it was in for paint correction/protective film and didn't move from the shop where it was being worked on. The car has 203 miles on the odometer and I've driven it 4 times since delivery two weeks ago.
Anyone have a guess as to what's going on here?
Last week, after driving my Vantage S for about 45 minutes I shut the engine down in my driveway to move one of my other cars so I could get the Vantage in the garage. I tried to restart the car and it wouldn't start. No error messages at all, just a small hum when the key was depressed. After about 45 minutes I tried again and the car started with no apparent problems.
Today I was driving and put the car into neutral with the paddles at a light. I tried to re-engage 1st with the paddle but it wouldn't engage so I selected "D" on the dash and all was fine.
Tonight I was driving behind some traffic which slowed to a stop. When traffic began to move I went to pull ahead but the car would barely move. At this point it felt like the clutch was slipping. A few seconds later I had no forward motion at all, although the car showed first gear on the selector and the engine was revving. A few seconds later the car shut down and I got a transmission fault message (although the car was not in limp mode) saying that the gear could not be engaged.
I attempted to start the car again with no luck. Someone helped me push the car to a safe place. I periodically tried to start the car and after about 45 minutes it started. When it started the indicator light on the "N" button was flashing and I couldn't get the lights on the "R" or "D" buttons to light if depressed. I also had no way of getting out of neutral with the paddle shifters. I shut the car down and there was a knocking/ticking sound coming form the rear of the car. Approximately 4-5 knocks followed by a whirring noise. This kept repeating. I started the car and shut it down again and the sound stopped. It seemed that every other time I started and stopped the car the ticking/whirring would return.
After another 30 minutes or so I started it up again and was now able to get the selector lights on the "D" and "R" buttons to work, as well as see "1" on the gear indicator if the right paddle was used but had no clutch engagement at all.
When the tow truck came we got the car secured. Again I noticed the tick-tick-tick-tick-whir sound coming from the rear of the car. I tried to start the car and shut it down a few times to get the the noise to stop but this time I couldn't.
I took delivery two weeks ago, but it was flatbedded to my paint correction specialist/detailer. The first week it was in for paint correction/protective film and didn't move from the shop where it was being worked on. The car has 203 miles on the odometer and I've driven it 4 times since delivery two weeks ago.
Anyone have a guess as to what's going on here?
saxguy said:
When it started the indicator light on the "N" button was flashing and I couldn't get the lights on the "R" or "D" buttons to light if depressed. I also had no way of getting out of neutral with the paddle shifters.
It does this when doing the "clutch learn" if it's not coming out of it after ~15 seconds it sounds like its struggling to sort out the bite point.What's the battery like?
They can flatten enough to cause issues after a few weeks of no use.
Battery is fine. When I was having the problem last night and I could finally restart I probably ended up turning it over 10-12 times with no issues. Car is only two weeks old. If it were the battery I would expect that I wouldn't have been able to start it up again.
Interesting about the clutch learn, but it still doesn't explain the lack of engagement suddenly after driving for a bit or the inability of the car to turn over for 45 minutes.
Interesting about the clutch learn, but it still doesn't explain the lack of engagement suddenly after driving for a bit or the inability of the car to turn over for 45 minutes.
Back to dealer double quick me thinks. This oh so clever gear box takes a little bit of learning when you do it is sublime. I think at handover more attention to making us aware of its abilities should be made clear.
I am sure whatever problem you have will be quickly resolved. I wonder , in the short time of ownership and so few miles have you used more electricity than you have made. Have you spent nights in the garage with music playing , using all manner of spark then driven a few miles with lights on , seat heating and heated rear screen all giving their all?
I do not profess to be Dr. Diagnosis but buy and use a battery conditioner. Our wonderfull Astons use loads of electricity. I look forward to reading the prognosis.
I am sure whatever problem you have will be quickly resolved. I wonder , in the short time of ownership and so few miles have you used more electricity than you have made. Have you spent nights in the garage with music playing , using all manner of spark then driven a few miles with lights on , seat heating and heated rear screen all giving their all?
I do not profess to be Dr. Diagnosis but buy and use a battery conditioner. Our wonderfull Astons use loads of electricity. I look forward to reading the prognosis.
saxguy said:
Battery is fine. When I was having the problem last night and I could finally restart I probably ended up turning it over 10-12 times with no issues. Car is only two weeks old. If it were the battery I would expect that I wouldn't have been able to start it up again.
Interesting about the clutch learn, but it still doesn't explain the lack of engagement suddenly after driving for a bit or the inability of the car to turn over for 45 minutes.
OK so battery is good Interesting about the clutch learn, but it still doesn't explain the lack of engagement suddenly after driving for a bit or the inability of the car to turn over for 45 minutes.
but the flashing neutral is saying it cannot make the gear selections.
From the other details it sounds like an actuator playing up maybe over heating?
Back to the dealer with it.
Service manager called me on wednesday to say they got the problem to repeat itself and were sending the data to AML for analysis.
Today I was told that AML wants a second set of data so the service departments needs to get it to happen again. It took them three days to get it to repeat the first time.
Needless to say I'm slightly annoyed that my brand new car will probably have more service miles than actual driving miles. They could only get the car to repeat the symptoms after driving it hard for 30 minutes - similar to the experiences I had.
Today I was told that AML wants a second set of data so the service departments needs to get it to happen again. It took them three days to get it to repeat the first time.
Needless to say I'm slightly annoyed that my brand new car will probably have more service miles than actual driving miles. They could only get the car to repeat the symptoms after driving it hard for 30 minutes - similar to the experiences I had.
Service Manager just called. Car needs a new ASM. From what I understand it will entail a new TCU plus the unit that houses all the hydraulics for the transmission. They are also going to be physically inspecting the clutch to make sure there is nothing else going on. They should have the parts on monday.
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