New BMW owner, Help please!!!
Discussion
Hi, I recently bought a 2018 BMW 420i mSport automatic. I am having trouble driving it to be honest.
When I put my foot down to the floor on the accelerator, it drops several gears and revs to death, rather than just getting the most out of the current gear. It can be pretty hard to manage when you are at a round about and trying to get in quickly and suddenly there is a large pause and then you fly into the moon. Is this normal behaviour?
My second question is when in manual mode (pushing the gear shifter to the left and using the flappy paddles), it still seems to change gear by it's self. Again I'm having a bit of fun, floor it, and it drops gears by itself. I wasn't expecting it to do that in manual mode I thought I'd get complete control? And when I'm trying to get the most of the gear I'm in it still changes automatically.
I've always driven manual and this is my first auto box with BMW. Some help would be divine in understanding what's going on!
When I put my foot down to the floor on the accelerator, it drops several gears and revs to death, rather than just getting the most out of the current gear. It can be pretty hard to manage when you are at a round about and trying to get in quickly and suddenly there is a large pause and then you fly into the moon. Is this normal behaviour?
My second question is when in manual mode (pushing the gear shifter to the left and using the flappy paddles), it still seems to change gear by it's self. Again I'm having a bit of fun, floor it, and it drops gears by itself. I wasn't expecting it to do that in manual mode I thought I'd get complete control? And when I'm trying to get the most of the gear I'm in it still changes automatically.
I've always driven manual and this is my first auto box with BMW. Some help would be divine in understanding what's going on!
Edited by morg92 on Saturday 15th May 15:09
If you’re flooring it, it will kick down a number of gears as you are effectively telling the car you want it to go as fast as possible.
If you are in manual mode the same applies. It will hold the gear at the top end if you are in sports +, well it did when I had my 435i
You can’t drive everywhere in 6th like a manual taxi.
If you are in manual mode the same applies. It will hold the gear at the top end if you are in sports +, well it did when I had my 435i
You can’t drive everywhere in 6th like a manual taxi.
morg92 said:
bigandclever said:
Stop flooring it would be a good start.
Thanks for that excellent suggestion. Very helpful. 
I’m not even having a dig. What do you think will happen with WOT? The gearbox will kick down as low as it thinks it needs to; the engine will give as much power as it thinks it needs to; the traction control will allow as much power as it thinks it needs to; and then physics has a word.
morg92 said:
What is kick down? I'm coming from 10 years of driving manual here. Where you can put your foot to the floor.
"Kickdown is a downshift in an automatic transmission triggered when the driver pushes the car’s accelerator to the floor.Automatic transmissions kick down to a lower gear to make use of the greater power delivered at the engine’s higher rpm; this typically occurs when the driver attempts to accelerate from a constant speed, as if to pass."
The way you are driving tells the car you want more power, so it obliges.
In some autos there's a tactile "button" the end of the pedal travel (merc for example) that activates this, but not all.
Just don't press the pedal so far.
(Or buy an Aston, they hold gear)
Completely agree with that comments above. Plus, and with respect, bear in mind that it's only a 20i engine - hardly a torque monster. But any car will have to find the correct gear to provide maximum go. I thought that was pretty straightforward!
I know you've been used to a manual car, but if you wanted maximum acceleration from that, you'd have to drop down to increase the revs as much as possible. You wouldn't keep the car in 6th or so and just plant it. That would be silly.
Manual mode will change up/down here and there if it thinks you're not going for the appropriate gear for the speed being travelled at (I think).
It isn't a problem with the car, it's a problem with the driver you need to learn how to regulate the throttle. It'll come. And the gearbox will 'learn' your type of driving soon (and hopefully compensate!)
I know you've been used to a manual car, but if you wanted maximum acceleration from that, you'd have to drop down to increase the revs as much as possible. You wouldn't keep the car in 6th or so and just plant it. That would be silly.
Manual mode will change up/down here and there if it thinks you're not going for the appropriate gear for the speed being travelled at (I think).
It isn't a problem with the car, it's a problem with the driver
you need to learn how to regulate the throttle. It'll come. And the gearbox will 'learn' your type of driving soon (and hopefully compensate!) Edited by OnTheSauce on Saturday 15th May 15:37
Edited by OnTheSauce on Saturday 15th May 15:38
As other have said this will be kick down. If you push the accelerator right down hard it will change down a few and then Rev high. Gently pressing it will normally keep it in the current gear and rev slower.
I also suspect you have some driving modes on your new BMW. This will also change the way the car reacts.
Possible that there is something wrong of course
I also suspect you have some driving modes on your new BMW. This will also change the way the car reacts.
Possible that there is something wrong of course
Thanks for all of the useful information.
To give clarity, I'm not flooring it in a school zone. When I was in my previous car in 6th and wanted to pass someone on the motorway, I'd then put my foot to the floor and it would just give me enough power to pass comfortably. Where as now it turns into racer mode and sends me flying.
I'm still trying to understand the accelerator and how to use it. I tend to be in comfort mode most of the time, sport mode maybe 5% of the time when I do want to have a bit of fun!!
To give clarity, I'm not flooring it in a school zone. When I was in my previous car in 6th and wanted to pass someone on the motorway, I'd then put my foot to the floor and it would just give me enough power to pass comfortably. Where as now it turns into racer mode and sends me flying.
I'm still trying to understand the accelerator and how to use it. I tend to be in comfort mode most of the time, sport mode maybe 5% of the time when I do want to have a bit of fun!!
I do get what you mean.
The type of engine does make a difference in some regards.
My Civic roundabout (2.2 CTDI) will happily spool up and take off in 6th gear (at motorway speeds of course). But that car is a torquey manual diesel.
What was the last car you had?
The 20i engine has quite a lot of weight to haul around and is a more revvy unit in its nature. also, I think these modern gearbox's have 8 gears - so the box may be up and down the gears more.
Still don't think there's a problem with the car - it's just now what you're used to.
The type of engine does make a difference in some regards.
My Civic roundabout (2.2 CTDI) will happily spool up and take off in 6th gear (at motorway speeds of course). But that car is a torquey manual diesel.
What was the last car you had?
The 20i engine has quite a lot of weight to haul around and is a more revvy unit in its nature. also, I think these modern gearbox's have 8 gears - so the box may be up and down the gears more.
Still don't think there's a problem with the car - it's just now what you're used to.
morg92 said:
Thanks for all of the useful information.
To give clarity, I'm not flooring it in a school zone. When I was in my previous car in 6th and wanted to pass someone on the motorway, I'd then put my foot to the floor and it would just give me enough power to pass comfortably. Where as now it turns into racer mode and sends me flying.
I'm still trying to understand the accelerator and how to use it. I tend to be in comfort mode most of the time, sport mode maybe 5% of the time when I do want to have a bit of fun!!
It sounds like you have lead feetTo give clarity, I'm not flooring it in a school zone. When I was in my previous car in 6th and wanted to pass someone on the motorway, I'd then put my foot to the floor and it would just give me enough power to pass comfortably. Where as now it turns into racer mode and sends me flying.
I'm still trying to understand the accelerator and how to use it. I tend to be in comfort mode most of the time, sport mode maybe 5% of the time when I do want to have a bit of fun!!
Throttle position sends drivers wish to ECU (in nm)
Car tries to generate that amount of NM
If it can't meet that demand it will drop gears so it can meet that demand
Maybe you should have bought a manual, if you apply a sensible amount of throttle you will still proceed in a speeding fashion, no automatic gearbox on any car will remain in top gear on a motorway if you floor it , if left in it's automatic drive modes
morg92 said:
Thanks for all of the useful information.
To give clarity, I'm not flooring it in a school zone. When I was in my previous car in 6th and wanted to pass someone on the motorway, I'd then put my foot to the floor and it would just give me enough power to pass comfortably. Where as now it turns into racer mode and sends me flying.
I'm still trying to understand the accelerator and how to use it. I tend to be in comfort mode most of the time, sport mode maybe 5% of the time when I do want to have a bit of fun!!
You have to learn to control the gearbox via your throttle inputs, by varying the speed of and length of your input you can control what the gearbox does, slamming it to floor will engage kickdown (it'll drop to the lowest possible gear) but there is the entire length of the pedals range of motion to work with, you can as an example work the throttle for it just drop one or two gears gain the acceleration required then lift off and it'll shift back up.To give clarity, I'm not flooring it in a school zone. When I was in my previous car in 6th and wanted to pass someone on the motorway, I'd then put my foot to the floor and it would just give me enough power to pass comfortably. Where as now it turns into racer mode and sends me flying.
I'm still trying to understand the accelerator and how to use it. I tend to be in comfort mode most of the time, sport mode maybe 5% of the time when I do want to have a bit of fun!!
It'll also try and get into the highest gear possible in auto so it'll always want to drop a cog or two when you press the accelerator but this should be pretty seamless and not feel like you're revving the tits off it.
Some-one else posted this here before, but I think it's time to play it again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S3mzAzOl6o
(BMW prank, customer complains about auto gearbox, very funny)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S3mzAzOl6o
(BMW prank, customer complains about auto gearbox, very funny)
Edited by Locknut on Saturday 15th May 22:51
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff