DCT - Low speed manoeuvring

DCT - Low speed manoeuvring

Author
Discussion

kick buttowski

Original Poster:

68 posts

141 months

Sunday 6th June 2021
quotequote all
We have a 2021 M2 Comp. I seem to struggle with the low speed moving about of the car with the dct. Is it just me being hopeless or is it a characteristic of the transmission?

The main issue is moving off my driveway which has a very slight incline. I always tap the throttle to engage the creep mode, but it never moves the car. I have to increase the revs up to 2000 at which point the car starts to move up the incline, very slowly, at 2000 rpm, clutch slipping madly. The creep mode will not work on any type of incline and the car needs to rev its nuts off just to move at a few mph.

To be honest, I fear for the clutch life. It also makes a hell of a noise, revving hard to go so slowly. My other cars just move up the driveway on tickover.

The other thing is parallel parking where its really difficult to shunt the car a little bit forward or backward. It seems to only move at uncomfortably large throttle openings resulting in a sudden movement. Very difficult to finesse.

I mentioned this to the dealer but of course they said its normal. Doesnt seem right to me and if its normal I must be doing something wrong.

Thanks for any sensible advice.

FTW

532 posts

176 months

Sunday 6th June 2021
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Does it do this when it's hot as well as cold?

Might get a better response from it once it has warmed up.

GP87

9 posts

54 months

Sunday 6th June 2021
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DCTs don't really creep like automatics, or at least my M4 doesn't. The 2000 rpm does sound odd though- I've never had to rev mine abnormally high. Might be worthwhile getting a second opinion from elsewhere, like an independent BMW M specialist.

However, slow speed manoeuvres are a pain. You do have to give the throttle a little kick to get things moving, or at least that's what i've become accustomed to doing over the last 7 years. You generally end up looking like a learner trying to do three point turns and stuff like that, with the upside of being able to slam through the gears lightning quick the you feel like it!


Reg Local

2,680 posts

208 months

Sunday 6th June 2021
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I have the same issue when driving up my inclined drive. Setting off straight away from cold results in highish revs & some clutch slip.

If I let the engine warm for a short period - less than a minute until the cold start tickover drops - it usually sets off in a more civilised manner with very little clutch slip.

When manoeuvring, I gently press the gas pedal until it starts to creep, and then manoeuvre off the brake pedal as you would in a torque converter auto. Works fine with a little practice.

Leon R

3,206 posts

96 months

Sunday 6th June 2021
quotequote all
GP87 said:
DCTs don't really creep like automatics, or at least my M4 doesn't.
It does.

Next time you are stopped in 1st just lightly tap the accelerator and the car will creep forward with no further input.

Super useful for parking.

Pupp

12,225 posts

272 months

Monday 7th June 2021
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Leon R said:
GP87 said:
DCTs don't really creep like automatics, or at least my M4 doesn't.
It does.

Next time you are stopped in 1st just lightly tap the accelerator and the car will creep forward with no further input.

Super useful for parking.
Not on any sort of incline. I also have an awkward uphill reverse to get off the drive and recognise exactly what the OP describes.

boxxer7

54 posts

48 months

Monday 7th June 2021
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My comp is exactly the same, similar issue have a slight incline on my drive and sounds like its revving its nuts off.

As an autobox its not as good as the ZF in my old 235i, but when you are in manual mode its brilliant.

cerb4.5lee

30,614 posts

180 months

Monday 7th June 2021
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My M4 is a bit clumsy at low speed manoeuvres with the DCT, and I definitely prefer a full slusher auto for doing that sort of thing.

UmpaLoompa

1,789 posts

161 months

Monday 7th June 2021
quotequote all
I haven't had the same issue and i have an underground garage so drive up a ramp whenever i go anywhere. Try sport mode - gives better throttle response and i find around town that if you are in efficient mode it can make the jerkiness worse as the throttle response is backed off?


MDifficult

2,045 posts

185 months

Monday 7th June 2021
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I found in my M5 that it improves with experience. When I first got it, I found measuring the inputs for manoeuvring to be a bit frustrating as you describe. Discovering creep mode made a huge difference, but the throttle is v.sensitive particularly with so much power and torque.

But, after a few months it became a lot easier - you get pretty instinctive and in-tune with the car and it gets much smoother.

That said, reversing up a steep slippy incline will alway be a massive challenge. Creep mode won’t make it move, and touching the throttle with a feather touch still spins the rears as no TC in reverse. One to keep in mind when it snows… never park nose down laugh

cerb4.5lee

30,614 posts

180 months

Monday 7th June 2021
quotequote all
MDifficult said:
That said, reversing up a steep slippy incline will alway be a massive challenge. Creep mode won’t make it move, and touching the throttle with a feather touch still spins the rears as no TC in reverse. One to keep in mind when it snows… never park nose down laugh
I had a bit of an embarrassing moment on a gravel car park reversing in the M4, there were quite a few people about and I just touched the throttle and I wasn't expecting the rears to spin up quite so easily!

MDifficult

2,045 posts

185 months

Monday 7th June 2021
quotequote all
cerb4.5lee said:
MDifficult said:
That said, reversing up a steep slippy incline will alway be a massive challenge. Creep mode won’t make it move, and touching the throttle with a feather touch still spins the rears as no TC in reverse. One to keep in mind when it snows… never park nose down laugh
I had a bit of an embarrassing moment on a gravel car park reversing in the M4, there were quite a few people about and I just touched the throttle and I wasn't expecting the rears to spin up quite so easily!
Haha - exactly the same!

I’d gone to visit an engineering firm and I’d parked nose down into their loading dock. Not only was it steep, and not only was it wet, but it wasn’t used much so was covered in green algae!

Took me best part of 5 minutes to try and get the car up it when it came time to leave. In the end, the only thing that worked was to totally nail-it and smoke my way up it in reverse - must have looked an epic @rsehole!

My driveway is heavily sloped down, so I always park nose up! (Plus, it’s the classy choice)

Mr Tidy

22,334 posts

127 months

Monday 7th June 2021
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Great thread everyone!

It's another reminder of why I stick to manual gearboxes. laugh

MikeM6

5,005 posts

102 months

Monday 7th June 2021
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Interesting, I found with my SMG that gentle throttle inputs are fine for parking and manoeuvring, but would not want to slowly creep up an incline on cold start!

I'm sure that DCT is the same, just need to get the feel for it.

Pupp

12,225 posts

272 months

Wednesday 9th June 2021
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No experience of a BMW SMG but I dare say they share the characteristic given both have actual clutches and not torque converters.

For the DCT, I’ve been told several times now by folk who I regard as being reliable that a remap of the transmission software could improve this… CS map I think was the one.

I have no idea whether an AD could or would do this but will ask next service; it is a pain albeit soon forgiven once underway

pmr01

318 posts

150 months

Monday 14th June 2021
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Mr Tidy said:
Great thread everyone!

It's another reminder of why I stick to manual gearboxes. laugh
New to autos in an m4 comp coming from a a manual 140. Agree with you...this 'characteristic' is appalling. you are just trying to come out a housing estate and the car is bellowing leaving the driver looking like a dick.

Pupp

12,225 posts

272 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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In fairness, many BM drivers need little augmentation of that particular trait… rofl

Boyohhboy

245 posts

94 months

Sunday 20th June 2021
quotequote all
kick buttowski said:
We have a 2021 M2 Comp. I seem to struggle with the low speed moving about of the car with the dct. Is it just me being hopeless or is it a characteristic of the transmission?

The main issue is moving off my driveway which has a very slight incline. I always tap the throttle to engage the creep mode, but it never moves the car. I have to increase the revs up to 2000 at which point the car starts to move up the incline, very slowly, at 2000 rpm, clutch slipping madly. The creep mode will not work on any type of incline and the car needs to rev its nuts off just to move at a few mph.

To be honest, I fear for the clutch life. It also makes a hell of a noise, revving hard to go so slowly. My other cars just move up the driveway on tickover.

The other thing is parallel parking where its really difficult to shunt the car a little bit forward or backward. It seems to only move at uncomfortably large throttle openings resulting in a sudden movement. Very difficult to finesse.

I mentioned this to the dealer but of course they said its normal. Doesnt seem right to me and if its normal I must be doing something wrong.

Thanks for any sensible advice.
Give it a blip, tiny one and it will creep. Try and test and will become second nature.