[stlgirl]

28i, automatic transmission--when i brake softly the car seems to lurch forward. have searched this on the internet (see below) and found similar complaints several years back related to "soft stop" feature. apparently disabling this feature helps to avoid this situation. do our x3s have this soft stop feature? i seriously hate how this car brakes--no matter what i do, i can't come to a smooth stop. thanks in advance for any info!

here is a thread i found in another forum--it's from 2009 and is in regards to someone's 2006 325i:
******************
"There's been a lot of threads about this topic, but I just wanted to let you guys know that this is definitely a resolveable issue. I just got my car back from the dealership, after complaining to them that:

1) The car does not come to a smooth stop, even if I'm rolling very slow to a complete stop. The brakes seem to "bite" hard at the very end no matter how soft i step on the pedal.

2) The car will sometimes lurch or jerk forward after letting go of the brakes from a complete stop.

They addressed the issue, and I'm happy to report that my car does not lurch or brake wierd anymore! Here is what the SA wrote on my invoice:

"TEST DROVE VEHICLE WITH SHOP FOREMAN. FOUND MORE THAN LIKELY WHAT THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT IS DUE TO THE SOFT STOP FEATURE. AS PER FEBRUARY ROUND TABLE, REMOVED SOFT STOP AS PER PROGRAMMING."

There was some discussion about this being a torque converter issue, but if you're experiencing this problem, you might want to look into having the soft stop feature disabled. I have absolutely no problems now coming to a soft, complete stop, and the car also does not lurch foward now after releasing the brakes."[/COLOR]

[04S]

When I have the autohold feature activated on my X5 I have a similar problem. Turn it off and the problem goes away. Maybe you have your autohold on ?

[stlgirl]

what's autohold? is that the feature that allows you to take your foot off the brake when you come to a stoplight? i don't have that on.

[MA78]

Good info. Thanks for sharing.

[Nahoa]

Can you describe what happens? Surprised to hear it's not working for you. For me, these cars stop smoothly and easily. Have to feather pressure on brake, but that's standard. If keep constant pressure, will grab as if you're trying to stop short.

[stlgirl]

Originally Posted by Nahoa

Can you describe what happens? Surprised to hear it's not working for you. Fr me, these cars stop smoothly and easily. Have to feather pressure on brake, but that's standard. If jeep constant pressure, will grab as if you're trying to stop short.

This is hard to explain but I'll try. When I am approaching a stop sign for instance, I lightly touch the brakes and the car appropriately slows but right before it stops all the way, it sort of jerks. This happens even though I am barely tapping the brakes. (I just took it out in our neighborhood--no one around--and reproduced this with every stop).

It's driving me nuts. I feel like a crappy driver and I know if I was a passenger in my car, I'd be ready to toss my cookies. Have not had this experience with my past 3 series sedan.

[Nahoa]

On starting, I find the BMWs different ta many other cars. With others, an initial stab of power followed by a bit of feathering smooths take-off and shifting. Not so here. Better to steadily apply the power with no lift-off -- gradually or aggressively depending on situation. Lift-off confuses the system about what you're trying to do, goofs the shifting, and creates lurching.

Not sure that relates to your situation, but just in case . . .

[Nahoa]

Hmmm, can't think of anything to suggest if you were good with a 3 series sedan. For me, they react very similarly -- different than other cars, but similar to each other.

[stlgirl]

Originally Posted by Nahoa

On starting, I find the BMWs different ta many other cars. With others, an initial stab of power followed by a bit of feathering smooths take-off and shifting. Not so here. Better to steadily apply the power with no lift-off -- gradually or aggressively depending on situation. Lift-off confuses the system about what you're trying to do, goofs the shifting, and creates lurching.

Not sure that relates to your situation, but just in case . . .

What do you mean by "lift off?" Do you think braking with an X3 is diff't from a 325xi? Or maybe since this car is so new, the brakes are touchy? Maybe I forgot what it's like to drive a new BMW?

[Nahoa]

Oh wait, page 374 of the manual -- "Menu", "Settings", and remove the chek from the "weird braking" box . . .

[04S]

Helpful response.

OP, yes autohold is the thing that allows you to take your foot off the brake pedal when you come to a stop and the car will 'hold' itself. There will be a green light on your dash to let you know it is on. If you do not have that turned on i'm afraid I don't have an explantation for you.

[JamesBimmer]

I've noticed that the transmission downshifting causes a lurch when coming to a slow stop. It is most noticeable in sport mode, but also in regular. Not sure if this is your issue (do you hear the transmission downshift?), but either way on slow stops it is really noticeable and causes my head to jerk forward.

[Nahoa]

Originally Posted by stlgirl

What do you mean by "lift off?" Do you think braking with an X3 is diff't from a 325xi? Or maybe since this car is so new, the brakes are touchy? Maybe I forgot what it's like to drive a new BMW?

Sorry, meant reducing pressure on the pedal. Just making up random terms.

[stlgirl]

Originally Posted by JamesBimmer

I've noticed that the transmission downshifting causes a lurch when coming to a slow stop. It is most noticeable in sport mode, but also in regular. Not sure if this is your issue (do you hear the transmission downshift?), but either way on slow stops it is really noticeable and causes my head to jerk forward.

Yes JamesBimmer, this is what I'm talking about. I do hear the downshift. Does this bother you or am I just crazy? I feel like I can't come to a nice, easy stop.

[stlgirl]

Going to BMW today; they're going to look at it. SA says they HAVE had a couple of complaints like this....

[Nahoa]

Let us know what you find out!

[JamesBimmer]

Yes, please let us know what you find out. It does bother me, but not enough to take in yet...

[stlgirl]

Okay, took it out with the SA. He didn't think it was very noticeable, though he did acknowlege it was there. He thought the brakes might just be a little "touchy" since they are so new. He told me that the service foreman who has been there for 15 yrs would be the right person to assess it. Of course that guy wasn't there today. I'm supposed to call on Monday and talk to this foreman.
In the mean time, since I was there I asked him to have the service guys who were there to check it out. They couldn't find any problem.
I explained the "soft stop" feature that I mentioned above in the original post and he told me that he'd never heard of this and that maybe it is something with an Audi or Mercedes. Ummmmmm, NO. I showed him the internet with all of the mentions about the BMW soft stop feature and he still wasn't convinced. He was kind of a tool.
Maybe I'll just try to drive it a little longer and see if it gets better. Good God, this car is exhausting me.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by stlgirl

I showed him the internet with all of the mentions about the BMW soft stop feature and he still wasn't convinced.

They don't like the internet because it exposes just how little they know or how little they bother to research issues with the cars they are paid to look after. I'm sure there are some good ones but there are far too many bad ones who are very good at bullsh!tting but little all else.

Good luck with this issue. At the end of the day, you're driving the car all of the time. You know there's a problem. It shouldn't be down to you to persuade them. They should express concern, apologise, try to investigate and reproduce the problem and then sort it out for you.

[stlgirl]

Thanks sfax. I will let you all know if I find anything else out. No doubt at least one other person will encounter this issue sooner or later.

[Upgrade15]

I'm sorry this is happening to you! This worries me about ordering a car instead of buying one from the lot...and like others have said I don't think you can get a real feel for the car when you've got the sales person sitting there jabbering at you. Keep us updated.

[MrPoorchawa]

@stlgirl
Did you solved your problem? I have probably a similar problem. I stop the car, I keep foot on the brake pedal in the same position, pedal begins to soften (falls) and the car begins to move.
WTF?