GR86 revs hanging between shifts
Lift off, clutch in — and the tacho just sits there. It's not a fault, it's the factory throttle map.
After GR86/BRZ tuning and performance packages instead?
The symptoms
Is your GR86 doing this?
Rev hang shows up the same way in every FA24 manual:
Revs hold when you lift off mid-shift
Clutch in, foot off the throttle — and the tacho just sits there instead of falling. That's the hang.
Quick shifts lurch
Engage the clutch while the revs are still up and the car surges forward. Passengers notice.
Slow shifts are smooth — because you're waiting
Every GR86 owner learns the workaround: pause the shift until the revs finally drop. It works. It's also not how a sports car should shift.
Revs fall lazily back to idle
Same behaviour, standing still. Blip the throttle in neutral and watch how slowly it comes back down.
Why it happens
The throttle stays open on purpose
When you lift off the throttle, your foot closes nothing — the pedal is just a sensor, and the ECU decides what the electronic throttle body actually does.
What it does is close slowly, on purpose. Snapping the throttle shut mid-shift causes a spike in emissions, and a soft close smooths that spike out. Good for the certification test. Bad for every gear change you'll ever make.
That's why nothing you replace will cure it. The behaviour lives in the factory map, and it drives exactly the same on day one and day five thousand.
The fix
RZ dyno tune
Because rev hang is a throttle map, the fix is a throttle map. As part of custom dyno tuning w/ EcuTek we change the lift-off behaviour so the revs fall when your foot says fall.
Included in RZ Stage 1 — $1,895
- EcuTek licence
- Custom dyno & road tune for your fuel
- Lift-off throttle behaviour sorted
- Sharper throttle response across the range
FAQ
Common questions
- Why does my GR86 hold revs between shifts?
- It's programmed in, not a fault. When you lift off, the ECU keeps the electronic throttle open a crack instead of closing it, because a soft throttle close reduces the emissions spike that comes with a hard one. Every factory FA24 manual does it. Nothing is worn and nothing is broken — the car is doing exactly what the factory map tells it to.
- Can rev hang be fixed?
- Yes, because it's software. As part of custom dyno tuning w/ EcuTek we change the lift-off throttle behaviour so revs fall the way your foot expects. It's included in our RZ Stage 1 tune along with the power work — not a separate job.
- Is rev hang damaging my car?
- It won't hurt the engine. The cost is in the clutch: engaging while revs hang means the clutch has to drag the engine speed down, which is wear you don't need, plus the lurch that comes with it. Mostly, though, it just makes a good gearbox feel worse than it is.
- Will a lighter flywheel fix it?
- Not on its own. A light flywheel lets revs fall faster once the throttle actually closes, but the hang is the throttle staying open — hardware can't fix a software decision. Sort the tune first. If you want faster rev drop after that, then a flywheel makes sense.
- Does the gen 1 86/BRZ have rev hang too?
- Yes. The FA20 cars do the same thing for the same reason, and the fix is the same — it's tuned out. If you've got a 2012-2021 car, start at our Gen 1 86/BRZ page.
- Will tuning it out affect my warranty?
- A tune can affect warranty coverage on related components, same as any ECU work. The tune can be reverted to stock if needed. If your car's still under factory warranty, talk to us first and we'll give you the straight version for your situation.
Done waiting for the tacho?
Tell us about your car and we'll quote the tune — rev hang fix included, power gains included. We reply within 24 hours.