Yo!

My question is: Is there a way to force the car to use first gear only and not change to second even if I rev it all the way?

I live in the UAE, and here we have HUGE sand dunes... the problem is that when I put the car in first gear and attempt to climb one... the car changes to second gear at around 6000rpm half way from the top which causes the car to sink in immediately.

I used to have the same problem with my Hummer h3 but found out that if I don't use the 4x4 high gears, the car just revs all the way and sticks to its gear.


Oh yeah.. its a 2006 Range rover sport supercharged.

Welocme to the forums.

I assume that you also have the DSC switched off and the sand mode selected on the TR? Also are you in low box? If you don't have the DSC off then try again with it inhibited it will make a big difference.
Why are you using 1st and not a higher gear, like 2nd or 3rd low and utilising the torque of the engine?
I'm not experienced in driving offroad in sand - we have loads of mud and water here!

There are other members here in the Emirates - I know Sportman in Dubai takes his Supercharged off into the sand and has never complained of problems 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
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DSC is switched off and I'm using sand mode.

First gear is the best gear when trying to climb sand dunes, second is also good if you have space... using 3rd+ is impossible because you lose your revs immediately which kinda sucks.

Also, you need momentum to climb sand dunes, and the act of changing gears mid climb means that you lose most of your speed and momentum which sinks the car in the sand right away.

Here is the exact dune I'm trying to climb



Also, in this video you can hear the cars using first gear only.



Yes... its a bumpy ride lmao.


*Edit*
A better angle &feature=related

Here is the exact dune I'm trying to climb



There are some rather 'interesting' other videos from the person who added the film..... kind of makes me wary of Utube for the very exact reasons...... perhaps its just me!

The dune looks good though!

Daz 2017 4.4 Autobiography FFRR - love this car
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If you truly want to stay in 1st only, then you have to shift the car into Sport mode, then manually downshift to 1, it will stay there. Suggest trying it on a flat surface first so you get the hang of it, and then charge up the dune.

Also...I presume that you have aired down your tires appropriately to "float" on the sand or you will dig in.

Sand Mode, DSC off all good...almost there.

Send a video once you make it up the hill...

 PJPR
Cairns Blue HSE
180k Miles of Adventure

Shifting the car to sport mode and then manually downshifting to first will not force the car to stay in first gear....
As soon as you reach 6000rpm the car automatically shifts to second gear.


I'm not sure if its clear in the vids or not, but the hill is around 45 degrees up hill. Even if the tires are at 10psi, you still need speed to climb that hill.

Well then Mr. TeMoony...I suggest you buy another vehicle, or keep the RPM's to 5990 or accept the fact that you won't make it up the hill with your current driving technique. PJPR
Cairns Blue HSE
180k Miles of Adventure

Moony, and what about to try ONLY second gear? from beginning till the end of the dune  RANGE ROVER, MORE THAN A CAR, LESS THAN A KITKAT

Can't do it. Even in CommandShift mode, there are "safety" shift point maps used by the ZF tranny, which will either upshift at high revs (you mention 6K RPM, I'll buy it... Never really tried to push any gear that high in manual) to protect the engine from overspeed damage, or will downshift to avoid the engine from stalling if you are in the opposite situation. 

PJPR01... what "Current driving technique"?


Anyway... is it possible to disable that safety function? Because I've seen a couple RRS's climb that hill. I even saw one climb it in reverse. But i think that one had extra power anyway.

Could probably climb it in 2nd gear, but that would probably destroy the car because of all the bumps on the way up.

Your own answer just provided a clue to the "driving technique".

If other RRS's are making it up the hill, why not ask them how they did it? PJPR
Cairns Blue HSE
180k Miles of Adventure

I intend to ask them this friday