[DonC]

Anyone notice that the transmission will down-shift even in manual mode when you floor the pedal?

[lbjgh]

... not in manual mode. I'll have to try it and see.

[n55x3]

Ours does that and I do find it annoying. It does seem to hold the specific gear longer but if I floor it it will downshift.

[540gone]

It will also upshift at redline in sport/manual mode. If you want total control, shift into sport plus, then it won't do either of these things. Read more at p. 68 in your owners manual.

[philtrick123]

Originally Posted by 540gone

It will also upshift at redline in sport/manual mode. If you want total control, shift into sport plus, then it won't do either of these things. Read more at p. 68 in your owners manual.

So what happens if you don't have Sports Plus mode? I tried this on my 30d SE yesterday, and the gearbox does kickdown if you floor it (while in manual mode). Is there no way for me to force the car to stay in gear (except if the engine was going to stall and it downshifted)?

[HighlandPete]

Why use kickdown? Just use full throttle and keep the box in full manual mode.

Kickdown is an override, when you need it in an emergency.

I don't see anything wrong here, BMW autos have been like this, even before paddles were added as an option to steptronic.

HighlandPete

[n55x3]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Why use kickdown? Just use full throttle and keep the box in full manual mode.

Kickdown is an override, when you need it in an emergency.

I don't see anything wrong here, BMW autos have been like this, even before paddles were added as an option to steptronic.

HighlandPete

Full throttle (pedal to the floor) in manual mode yields a downshift. Nothing wrong it is just a little annoying. When I am in manual mode I want to be locked into the gear I choose. Similar to my manual transmission cars.

What does 'kickdown is an override' mean?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by n55x3

Full throttle (pedal to the floor) in manual mode yields a downshift. Nothing wrong it is just a little annoying. When I am in manual mode I want to be locked into the gear I choose. Similar to my manual transmission cars.

What does 'kickdown is an override' mean?

Pedal to the floor must pass through WOT to kickdown... just go to full throttle position, don't go through the resistance position.

Manual doesn't down change (unless the X3 has some different software than other BMWs) at full throttle.

HighlandPete

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by n55x3

...What does 'kickdown is an override' mean?

You use kickdown to override full throttle... to induce a downchange. Seems that is what many are doing, rather than just use full throttle, the action which annoys them in manual mode.

It is intended for when you are in a gear and want to enforce down changes, as an example, for instant acceleration.

HighlandPete

[Teemo Panda]

Uhm, I'm guessing that using kickdown a lot would deteriorate the engine in the long run right?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Teemo Panda

Uhm, I'm guessing that using kickdown a lot would deteriorate the engine in the long run right?

No reason why it would, it is only a switch linked to software. It doesn't mean you are revving an engine out to full rpm, every time you kickdown. You can kickdown at any revs and ease off before you reach maximum rpm. So no more load on the engine than driving a manual box, when you snatch a lower gear and floor it at lowish revs. Obviously if you drive hard you can wear out the drivetrain faster than if you are more moderate with your driving.

Remember with the latest 8-speed auto, it will induce 'block changes' if you are hard on the pedal, so lots of variations, according to how you work the pedal.

HighlandPete

[xDrive35i]

It's because of the kickdown detent at 95% depression.

[Teemo Panda]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

No reason why it would, it is only a switch linked to software. It doesn't mean you are revving an engine out to full rpm, every time you kickdown. You can kickdown at any revs and ease off before you reach maximum rpm. So no more load on the engine than driving a manual box, when you snatch a lower gear and floor it at lowish revs. Obviously if you drive hard you can wear out the drivetrain faster than if you are more moderate with your driving.

Remember with the latest 8-speed auto, it will induce 'block changes' if you are hard on the pedal, so lots of variations, according to how you work the pedal.

HighlandPete

Thanks Pete for clarifying,
I sometimes use kick down with sport mode when merging in the highway.

[Dechy]

Originally Posted by 540gone

It will also upshift at redline in sport/manual mode. If you want total control, shift into sport plus, then it won't do either of these things. Read more at p. 68 in your owners manual.

Finally remembered to try these things yesterday after work; and either I'm not understanding the annoyance correctly or 2011 is different because my manual mode (M1-8 gears using paddle shifters) doesn't downshift in ANY circumstance unless at a dead stop (goes down directly to M1) and never upshifts... no matter if I'm in Normal, Sport or Sport+ mode.

I did it on purpose to upshift quickly to M7 at like 60KM/h and started playing with the pedal; 50% throttle, 75% throttle and WOT and it just stayed in M7 sluggishly trying to gain speed lol

I also put it in M2 at 40KM/h and played with the throttle trying to see if it would upshift... and nothing; it just kept being obnoxiously loud (drone at that gear+speed is loud since doing the exhaust flap mod) and it seems I could hold it forever a tad in redline (didn't hit rev limiter, so maybe I didn't go high enough).

If I don't use full manual mode (with paddles) but just throw the shifter on the left for tiptronic (or whatever it's called for BMW), THEN it seems to have a mind of it's own, it holds gears for maybe 4-5 seconds and then it'll decide if it wants to down or up shift, even sometimes going back to full normal drive even with the shifter still in the left position (so back to D). I never use that mode though.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Dechy

If I don't use full manual mode (with paddles) but just throw the shifter on the left for tiptronic (or whatever it's called for BMW), THEN it seems to have a mind of it's own, it holds gears for maybe 4-5 seconds and then it'll decide if it wants to down or up shift, even sometimes going back to full normal drive even with the shifter still in the left position (so back to D). I never use that mode though.

But are you using the stick as a manual shifter, (up and down the box), or just flicking it across and leaving it in the sport auto position?

Will make all the difference for holding gears, you must move it into a gear, up or down, to hold. Otherwise it is simply in the sport auto programme.

HighlandPete