DCT default Drivelogic mode on startup

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by sameh

Can you post a video?

I can if it will help the thread, but at this point I would urge you to try it a couple times yourself to make absolutely sure that your car does not do the same exact thing.

you're saying your DCT M3;
1) would go directly from R to D bypassing N and S3
2) Without touching the brake
3) doesn't give you the chime and the message with the foot pushing the pedal

Absolutely, yes.

did you need to go to a complete stop from R?

No.

what if you you push the stick just back without pushing right in one motion? does it go to N?

I'm sure it will go to N.

is that only new? or do you think you just discovered this new?

Not sure what you mean, but I can say with 100% certainty that my car never - under any circumstance - went to D mode after startup until I got the latest software. I have always gone from R straight into gear without stopping in N. And until the latest update, it would go to S3 in that case every single time, whether I was on the brake, stopped, rolling, not braking at all - whatever.

[sameh]

So I tried what you said, one motion from R to D and Damn it worked!! now I'm not sure if my car could have done that all along (it's a 2011 that I bought in 5/2010). I have not had that last "September service call" done yet. The question now is, are we doing the car any harm by bypassing brake pedal and N?

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by sameh

So I tried what you said, one motion from R to D and Damn it worked!!

Thank you for testing it out.

now I'm not sure if my car could have done that all along (it's a 2011 that I bought in 5/2010).

I think it probably has had this behavior all along. I think this "bug" was a part of the same update that provided the final lag-fix, and that was released in early 2010. So your car probably shipped with this version of the software.

The question now is, are we doing the car any harm by bypassing brake pedal and N?

No it won't harm the car at all. In fact, I am surprised people are taking the time to stop in neutral to begin with. I've never even considered doing that myself. If you think about it, it's essentially equivalent to doing the same thing with a manual transmission - you move the stick from the "R" gate straight to the "1" gate. You pass through neutral in order to do this, yes, but you don't stop the car while in neutral. As long as you are not moving at a ridiculous speed (i.e. you are backing up slowly) you are not going to harm the clutch. In fact, the owner's manual specifically instructs you to move the stick directly from R to the forward gear without your foot on the brake if you are stuck in snow, for example.

[sameh]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

No it won't harm the car at all. In fact, I am surprised people are taking the time to stop in neutral to begin with. I've never even considered doing that myself. If you think about it, it's essentially equivalent to doing the same thing with a manual transmission - you move the stick from the "R" gate straight to the "1" gate. You pass through neutral in order to do this, yes, but you don't stop the car while in neutral. As long as you are not moving at a ridiculous speed (i.e. you are backing up slowly) you are not going to harm the clutch. In fact, the owner's manual specifically instructs you to move the stick directly from R to the forward gear without your foot on the brake if you are stuck in snow, for example.

Man, I'll need to re-train my brain on the new procedure. I had the brake pedal plus pushing the stick to the right twice all in the "auto memory".
I 'll feel much better if we can make sense out of that. I don't understand this behavior?? for example this morning coming out of my driveway on R. I automatically depressed the brake pedal slightly to slow the car but not to stop, I tried the one motion move (let's call it RD) it didn't work as long as the brake pedal is touched...why?? for the RD to work you'll need to completely clear the brake pedal. BTW, using the original RND method, I used to shift at a slightly faster back roll than with thr RD. slow the car with brake, and while rolling (faster) I kick the shifter twice and move forward, so I'm gonna test both procedures and find out which gets the fastest back to forward transition.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by sameh

I don't understand this behavior?? for example this morning coming out of my driveway on R. I automatically depressed the brake pedal slightly to slow the car but not to stop, I tried the one motion move (let's call it RD) it didn't work as long as the brake pedal is touched...why??

I am surprised by this. I am pretty sure mine will go into gear whether the brake pedal is pushed or not. So are you saying yours gave you the gong with the foot-on-brake-pedal icon instead? I'm about to go to lunch, I'll make sure I have the brake pushed when I shift to gear. I'll be surprised if it doesn't go. The only issue I have with it at this point is just that it goes to D* instead of S3 depending (apparently) on how hard the brake is actually pushed. It's annoying. Though I've mostly adjusted to it at this point, I sometimes get it wrong and end up in D instead of S.

[sameh]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

I am surprised by this. I am pretty sure mine will go into gear whether the brake pedal is pushed or not. So are you saying yours gave you the gong with the foot-on-clutch-pedal icon instead? I'm about to go to lunch, I'll make sure I have the brake pushed when I shift to gear. I'll be surprised if it doesn't go. The only issue I have with it at this point is just that it goes to D* instead of S3 depending (apparently) on how hard the brake is actually pushed. It's annoying. Though I've mostly adjusted to it at this point, I sometimes get it wrong and end up in D instead of S.

No don't get me wrong. basically with brake a little down it'll go to S3 first as usuall, but without brake at all it can go to D directly. wasn;t able to go to D directly as long as brake is touched.

[mkoesel]

Ok I see what you mean. Yes, this is exactly the issue. Prior to the software it used to go to S3 whether you were on the brake or not. I think that probably a lot more people have this issue than realize it (probably everyone who has the latest software does).

I don't know why it behaves like this now, I can't think of a good explanation for it. I just hope they fix it.

Originally Posted by sameh

No don't get me wrong. basically with brake a little down it'll go to S3 first as usuall, but without brake at all it can go to D directly. wasn;t able to go to D directly as long as brake is touched.

[sameh]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Ok I see what you mean. Yes, this is exactly the issue. Prior to the software it used to go to S3 whether you were on the brake or not. I think that probably a lot more people have this issue than realize it (probably everyone who has the latest software does).

I don't know why it behaves like this now, I can't think of a good explanation for it. I just hope they fix it.

To be honest, I don't want them to fix it I usually drive on D unless I'm "provoked" I switch to S5. so this new issue is helping me bypassing N and S3, I just need to remember lefting my foot off the brake. But for you "assumed that you're an S driver" I can see why it's annoying you.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by sameh

To be honest, I don't want them to fix it I usually drive on D unless I'm "provoked" I switch to S5. so this new issue is helping me bypassing N and S3, I just need to remember lefting my foot off the brake. But for you "assumed that you're an S driver" I can see why it's annoying you.

Fari enough

Actually, even though I always use S mode, as you guessed, I am fine with D being the default. I just want it to be consistent. Sometimes I shift with the brake applied and sometimes I let off before shifting. All it takes is letting off a split second too soon to change which mode it goes to. Like I said, it used to always go to S mode no matter what. If they want it to always go to D mode now, that's fine - just pick one or the other please, BMW.

[CheapBastard]

I just googled this issue and was brought here -- I just had my 2009 in for 15k service and asked them to update the DCT software which they did. Ever since, it has been inconsistent about going into D or S when I start it up. Glad to see others are having the issue too so maybe they will hear about the issue and fix it.

-cb

[ThunderMoose]

Mine always goes into S mode if I start car and pull forward first. It always goes into D mode if I reverse first and then go forward. 100% of the time.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by ThunderMoose

Mine always goes into S mode if I start car and pull forward first. It always goes into D mode if I reverse first and then go forward. 100% of the time.

Next time you start up try this: go to reverse, keep your foot firmly on the brake and wait until the car stops completely. Now, doesn't it go to S mode? Please let me know if it doesn't.

And CheapBastard - glad you found this via Google. I am more convinced than ever that anyone with recent software has this issue, but some don't notice it due to different start up rituals.

You know it really makes you think - if results for something so basic are this varied, no wonder it took BMW so long to figure out why some people had such lag issues why others didn't. I can't imagine the test suite for this transmission and its software. It could be virtually infinite and still not cover all the baisc scenarios. The reality is that those folks at BMW will test what they know, but real world use might be completely different and vary wildly. Just my 2cents on that.

[ThunderMoose]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Next time you start up try this: go to reverse, keep your foot firmly on the brake and wait until the car stops completely. Now, doesn't it go to S mode? Please let me know if it doesn't.

I did as you asked and sure enough it went into S instead of D.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by ThunderMoose

I did as you asked and sure enough it went into S instead of D.

Ok good to know. Thank you for trying it and reporting back.

[outie]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Fari enough

Actually, even though I always use S mode, as you guessed, I am fine with D being the default. I just want it to be consistent. Sometimes I shift with the brake applied and sometimes I let off before shifting. All it takes is letting off a split second too soon to change which mode it goes to. Like I said, it used to always go to S mode no matter what. If they want it to always go to D mode now, that's fine - just pick one or the other please, BMW.

Exactly. I sometimes have to press the lever 3 times because I thought it's in a mode I expected it to be and pushed it 2 times ending up in the wrong mode, and a 3rd time to correct it. Frustrating.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by outie

Exactly. I sometimes have to press the lever 3 times because I thought it's in a mode I expected it to be and pushed it 2 times ending up in the wrong mode, and a 3rd time to correct it. Frustrating.

Yeah, it sure is annoying.

Despite my best efforts, I still cannot consistently get it to go to S mode every time. I suppose I sometimes begin moving my foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator just a tiny fraction of a second before I shift from reverse. So I've adapted by simply watching the gear indicator in the guage cluster when I click the shift lever to the right to see where it lands. Then, I know whether I need to hit it a second time or not to get to S.

If I did not prefer S5 vs. S3, there would be no issue since the transmission will automatically go from D to S the first time you pull a paddle anyway. However, I want to get it frin S3 to S5 before I take off rather than messing with the Drivelogic switch when I am already driving.

[sameh]

I know i digged out an older post, but I found this interesting:
I had my oil change and the software update (bulletin from 10/2010) done few days ago and since then if I shift from R directly without touching the brake, my car would go to S3...it used to go to D5 before that dealer visit.
My new sequence is as follows:
Start up on P. right shift to S3
start up on P, up shift to R then if I use brake to stop and right click it goes to S3
if I bypass the brake and right click it still goes to S3 (was D5)
Like it like that since Ive been driving S3-4 almost exclusively.

[mkoesel]

Thanks sameh. It sounds like the latest software has fixed this bug then. Your car is back to operating the way my had always had from the time I bought it up until I had the software updated last year.