Tickover/idle speed too high 340i M Sport

[buddys dad]

Engine idles around 1300-1400 revs during 1st 20 mins.
Its an auto so you take your foot off the gas & the car barely slows down.
Checked over by BMW Sytner Leicester (I know!) & they say its a characteristic of the car which sounds B#ll#cks.

Going to tear thro brake pads at this rate, plus its not nice to drive.
HELP!

[Wills2]

buddys dad said:

Engine idles around 1300-1400 revs during 1st 20 mins.
Its an auto so you take your foot off the gas & the car barely slows down.
Checked over by BMW Sytner Leicester (I know!) & they say its a characteristic of the car which sounds B#ll#cks.

Going to tear thro brake pads at this rate, plus its not nice to drive.
HELP!

Seems odd but then some of your post doesn't add up, if you're idling then your stood still without your foot on the gas, you say it doesn't slow down, well autos don't have much engine braking compared to a manual but if you're off the gas (but still moving) then the engine isn't idling (back to your first point those two aren't related.)

You'll always be using more brake pedal on a modern auto that will coast compared to a manual car (if that's your frame of reference)

But back to the point around idling and 1400rpm after 20 mins, if we dismiss the other stuff you say and zero in on that, a car in the summer after 20mins minutes of driving which is then brought to a stop at the lights shouldn't be at a 1400rpm idle, but I'm not entirely sure that's what is actually happening, if you showed that to a BMW tech they'd say that's not right. Did you demonstrate that to them?

Edited by Wills2 on Thursday 16th September 23:36

[buddys dad]

Been to BMW with a full description of the issue.
They say its a "characteristic" of this engine.
First auto I've ever driven that has this characteristic, so I dont believe them.

Back in again in a fortnight for end of warranty check/1st MOT so will try again.

[hawker1986]

Do you have the car in sport or anything - wife's golf R idles higher in sport mode - presumably for better take off.

Otherwise assuming as Will has said you mean the car is ticking over at that rate with you stopped dead foot on the brakes then I agree it doesnt sound right. How long have you had the car - if youve had it some time has it always done this or is it new to you?

[Dinoboy]

Try putting it in Eco Pro, when you take your foot of the gas when decelerating it should drop to below 1000rpm,effectively free wheeling. My 2019 car does this.

[c3m]

I've got a 340i as well and it idles at around 600pm after around 40s (essentially after cold start is over).

[buddys dad]

Idle speed is high irrespective of Eco/Sport mode

[MikeM6]

Could it be that the car is idling high to increase the battery charge? It could be the sign of a weak battery / alternator if it is.

[david-j8694]

I've got a 440i with the same B58 engine and it does not idle that high. On ignition the revs jump to ~1500rpm and it growls away a bit, but then the revs drop to under 1000rpm within about 30 seconds.

[Pistonheader101]

cold start