i have a freelander 2 2013 automatic sd4.. when towing my sterling eccles quartz caravan i cannot seem to get into 6th gear in automatic mode until doing in excess of 62 miles per hour and, as soon as i touch the throttle it kicks down one gear when
really i want to cruise at 60 miles per hour in 6th gear to save fuel.
As anyone else experienced this problem?

Cheers Pete

Mine was the same, I used to put it in Command Shift for sixth, or get to 60 and just lift your foot slightly and it would change, but if you watch your instant MPG it uses slightly less leaving it in 5th. Your not quite in the sweet spot when towing for sixth at 60mph on the speedo, your doing about 58, should you push on a little bit to it drops in better,
I felt the SD4 was a little higher geared that the TD4. It would be pulling a couple of hundered revs lower at 60, but then the TD4 I had was manual. p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

Just get used to command shift, far more economical when towing, in normal auto my my14 gearbox is shifting all over the shop when towing and seems to sit at 4000rpm when getting up to speed. As you say it won't hold 6th at 60. in command shift you can take 6th at plus 49mph and it is fine, if it struggles the car will select a different gear anyway.

You will get used to command shift if you persist, makes the gearbox seem far more refined.

Mine seems to hold 6th at 60, perhaps it's a weight issue, my van is only 1345Kg and does run at that weight. I can actually hold 6th at 50mph on a level road in command shift, I do try not to brake for corners as it makes it more economical.  my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Hi Guys

Thanks for replying quickly to my query. Okay thats made my mind up (I will use command shift in future when towing) - i was thinking along those lines anyway

I spoke to local Landrover and they hadn't a clue and never heard of this problem - so this forum is
great to get good advice.

Not sure I can see it as a problem, we tend to think that a 6 speed auto runs best and economical when in its 6th gear which it will at the appropriate speed. When towing, mine has a preference for 5th at 60 so I either tow at 65 or let it run in 5th, and yes I do know the limit.

EYorkshire - If your speedo is like mine then you are probably only doing 60 when it says 65 anyway. I might get some 19" wheels to see if it makes it a bit closer to the actual speed as they are only 17" at the moment.

I have 19in wheels as standard and I reckon my speedo reads higher than actual speed. However, I haven't tried it over a measured mile yet. The circumference should be pretty much the same with 17 or 19 tyres (providing recommended profile fitted and pressures correct). I have a RoadHawk camera fitted and might check speed against gps playback sometime but I don't know how accurate that is meant to be.
I tow a Sterling Moonstone and pull away in auto but often change to Command Shift for cruising. It all seems quite effortless when underway. I definitely don't get the same fuel economy as with my old SE TD4 manual but certainly wouldn't choose to go back to that after SD4. 2007 SE Manual : Gone and missed but 2013 HSE Lux is better!
Series IIa : Gone but hopefully still alive.

There should be no difference in speedo reading as long as you are running the correct tyres.

In answer to the original question. Put simply, there isn't a problem with the car. Mine does just the same and my caravan is 1600kg's fully laden. But when I towed by brother in laws van home for him which is 1300kg's it tended to cruise in 6th with relative ease.

The car simply feels that it is more efficient in 5th than 6th. You could run it in command in 6th, but you will be labouring the car more which in turn will use more fuel. Just because you are in 5th, doesn't mean it's using more fuel.

If the car is towing with less effort in 5th than 6th, it will use less fuel.

On my old manual TD4 (190bhp), it would run at 60mph in 6th but it was on boost all the time which drank the fuel, but in 5th the engine wasn't working as hard, so didn't use as much fuel. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........