I4 - car revs "high" and sudden "launching/sudden thursting" in low gear

[docron]

Mine does this as well, less so when fluids heat up. But yeah, seems like Lotus needs DCT update. I think this is called “lugging” when we researched it.

 

[Dean76]

I have the same issue and it's not a technical issue, it's an issue of pedal and foot mechanics: as the revs pile on, the turbo kicks in suddenly and the car launches a bit forward. Foot lets off the gas as the car lurches forward and then as it slows your foot reconnects with the gas pedal, recreating the cycle and the lurching happens. If you switch the gears quickly before the turbo boost kicks in on each gear it doesn't happen.

 

[shownmops]

I got the same "Lotus engineering is working on an update" info when I got mine back from servicing last week for this issue. And the Andriod Auto disconnect. And the right turn signal fault, though they may have a jumper wire to fix that in the next few weeks/months.

I don't think it is just a pedal/foot mech issue. I've tried pinning my foot to the floor when it happens to power through it and it just bucks harder. The bucking certainly is made worse by the physics you described, but there is a software function that starts it.

 

[okyou]

Agreed, the car is starting it, but then the human keeps it going/makes it worse.

 

[mzobian]

My 2024 I4 with 400 miles has same "bucking" behavior. Only happens occasionally, at low speeds while pulling away (eg from an intersection). To a passenger or observer, they'd think I was bad with a clutch or needed to downshift. Wondering if it's a fueling issue, and not the DCT.

 

[lynchy73]

My 2024 I4 with 400 miles has same "bucking" behavior. Only happens occasionally, at low speeds while pulling away (eg from an intersection). To a passenger or observer, they'd think I was bad with a clutch or needed to downshift. Wondering if it's a fueling issue, and not the DCT.

Doesn’t seem like an issue with the DCT when I’ve experienced it, the car stays in the same gear when it’s occurring from memory.

Maybe fueling, maybe throttle related (it’s DBW I’m guessing and only very slightly open when this issue occurs), not too sure TBH.

 

[harleyujoe]

My 2024 I4 with 400 miles has same "bucking" behavior. Only happens occasionally, at low speeds while pulling away (eg from an intersection). To a passenger or observer, they'd think I was bad with a clutch or needed to downshift. Wondering if it's a fueling issue, and not the DCT.

I was feeling same issue for few months ..It seemed to be more from green light startup and if there were few bumps and my foot was
like giving gas and letting up quickly...I found that I was to light on giving it gas and I seemed to work myself out of feeling this
bucking behavior......I think the shifting and sensitive gas pedal play the big part in this behavior...

 

[TheMotizzle]

Anyone know if we have a software update to fix this yet?

 

[NE12SD8]

Wondering if anyone with I4 experienced this. My car is basically brand new and less than 200 miles. Not sure how best to describe it, but this happens occasionally when accelerating from stopped or in slow traffic (all in automatic mode and in tour). I'd press on the gas (lightly and not hard at all), and the car sometimes get into a high rev (from sound but not necessarily seeing high on tach), so then I'd let off the gas a quickly and then would press again, but only for car to thrust forward and jerks like it's about to launch, which then would cause me to hesitate to press further and try to let go and repeat, and then the "launching" would shoot me off again. All happens quickly so it shakes me like 3-4 times before I almost have to press full on brake and then re-engage. It's almost like when drive a manual and the jerking when you can't work the clutch correctly, but this is an automatic...

Anyone has experienced this or any idea? Thinking if I should stop at dealership, but at the same time can't guarantee that I can duplicate this issue there since it happens occasionally, but frequent enough where it's pretty annoying/concerning when happening (not to mention makes me look like someone that don't know how to drive a manual car in traffic ).

Thanks in advance!

You are absolutely right. It appears like you are a new driver on a manual shifting clutch. I read it's a known issue hoping at some point software updates would take of it. I'm in California and had performed aside from one, all the updates but no resolution regarding this matter or the slow paddle shifting, or the slow gear shifting in F and R. I have a 2024 i4 but have to say after the break in period of about 3K miles, it drove smoother and after 6k even better. However it still does this especially if a new person drives it like an automatic transmission. Perhaps I got used to adjusting to how it drives to avoid this.

 

[Wiz33]

It also help to stay in tour mode while in town with traffic. The DCT map for sport is a bit aggressive when you're running in slow traffic.