Vito W639 towing issue

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Aceca

New Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2021
Messages
4
Location
Llanbrynmair, Powys
Car
Vito
My 2009 Vito 111CDI runs well and will rev to well over 3250rpm in all gears normally.
When I am towing my caravan, however, it won't go above 2100rpm in 6th gear, which I'd expect to use most of the time. It will rev above that in lower gears.
Are these vehicles fitted with some kind of governor which limits the maximum possible speed when towing?
 
Never had a problem towing with any of mine.
They were all 5sp auto and would do as asked, even a 115 towing 1.15 tonne of yacht.
 
Never had any problem towing with ours either, although it is the 3.0 V6 / auto.

What weight are you towing? Maybe the 111 just doesn't have enough torque to get above that RPM figure in 6th (what speed does that equate to?). Previously I had 2.8 V6 petrol and 6th gear on that (manual gearbox) was virtually unusable when towing the caravan ... I had to use 5th most of the time.

As an aside the 111 (and 115) had two different rear axle ratios - 3.273 as standard, 3.455 as an option. Do you know which you have as that could be a factor too.
 
I thought about the higher ratio diff. While it would rev to 60 earlier (the higher revs should be about 5.5%) that should compensate some for the reduced power / torque of the 111. Then there is the fact a manual will soak up less of it too., and I'll bet that is greater than a 5% saving (ignoring lockup).

Although a remap might be considered as a resolution I would assume the engine isn't running as designed and it's best to let an Indie' look at it before that.
 
Hi. It's quite a lightweight caravan, MIRO 1200kg so well under what it should be able to tow.
The speed at those revs is around 62mph, which of course equates to 100kph and according to the owners handbook that is the maximum permissible speed for towing in Germany. That's why I wondered about some sort of limiter.
Not sure what ratio axle we have
Never had any problem towing with ours either, although it is the 3.0 V6 / auto.

What weight are you towing? Maybe the 111 just doesn't have enough torque to get above that RPM figure in 6th (what speed does that equate to?). Previously I had 2.8 V6 petrol and 6th gear on that (manual gearbox) was virtually unusable when towing the caravan ... I had to use 5th most of the time.

As an aside the 111 (and 115) had two different rear axle ratios - 3.273 as standard, 3.455 as an option. Do you know which you have as that could be a factor too.
 
My thoughts were that there would be no restrictor,
but if the electrics were coded when fitted then I can see how easily this could be achieved by simply plugging in.

In truth if it gets to 100km/hr easily and maintains the speed well enough I would be happy anyway. If not it's back to my engine not running as it should.
Does 5th gear stop at 100Km/hr also?
 
Y
My thoughts were that there would be no restrictor,
but if the electrics were coded when fitted then I can see how easily this could be achieved by simply plugging in.

In truth if it gets to 100km/hr easily and maintains the speed well enough I would be happy anyway. If not it's back to my engine not running as it should.
Does 5th gear stop at 100Km/hr also?
It is something I can live with, as apart from the feeling that it's holding back, it tows well enough. It is just a bit of a pain when I want to speed up a bit to pass a slow lorry.
Interesting thought though, 5th gear will definitely rev higher but I've not noticed if it'll take me over that 100kph. I'll try it next time.
My wife's been looking at the owners handbook again and found something called ESP trailer stabilisation and reckons the van is taking what it considers to be corrective action.
 
ESP trailer stabilisation and reckons the van is taking what it considers to be corrective action.
ESP is traction control. That should remove power and potentially apply an opposite corner brake to the wheel that's lost traction.
It wouldn't restrict revs to my mind.
The orange triangle on the dash indicates that it's initiated.
 
The speed at those revs is around 62mph, which of course equates to 100kph and according to the owners handbook that is the maximum permissible speed for towing in Germany.

You can only do 100 kph in Germany if your trailer/caravan is TUV tested & approved for this (which requires it to be fitted with shock absorbers, for example). Otherwise the maximum is 80 kph.

As m80 suggested drop it into 5th and see how fast it goes then - also, will it go faster than 62 in 6th when travelling downhill?

Our Vito has a factory towbar & electrics and there's definitely no speed limiter when towing.
 
Have found that it will do more than 62 in 5th.
It will go just a little over 62 downhill in 6th.
Not had this van long, it replaced a Lwb Sprinter with exactly the same engine (CCs and quoted BHP) and that used to tow the same caravan well over 70mph in top gear.
You can only do 100 kph in Germany if your trailer/caravan is TUV tested & approved for this (which requires it to be fitted with shock absorbers, for example). Otherwise the maximum is 80 kph.

As m80 suggested drop it into 5th and see how fast it goes then - also, will it go faster than 62 in 6th when travelling downhill?

Our Vito has a factory towbar & electrics and there's definitely no speed limiter when towing.
 
Sounds like it's a bit down on power, for some reason? As an aside, your engine gives maximum bhp at 3800 rpm, but the torque drops off quite sharply from 2400 onwards.
 
Interesting to read this as I have a 2013 viano 2.2 diesel manual and I've always thought it seems to struggle to tow my caravan. Did appear to be an intermittent thing where I thought the caravan was slowing the van. Coild be driving along no probs then a little hill comes along and feels like its struggling and pulling abdead weight Done, next hill and its not an issue?
Done the usual and checked the caravans brakes etc. Had the viano remapped but I still feel something is not quite right when I'm towing.
Strange as it isnt all the time just sometimes feels like it's struggling either down on power and holding back, or the brakes on the caravan have come on. Both of which I've sort of eliminated with the remap, (should have more than enough grunt to pull the caravan, pulls well without the caravan on) and the caravan having a once over...
Maybe they just don't like towing? But only sometimes 🤔
 

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