1. Is it normal to get a 1 second delay when putting your foot down from stanstill?
2. Should I be sticking to any basic rules on driving habits for the first 1000 miles or so whilst running engine in?

 

A brand new one? No it aint.

Keep it cool for some 2k miles.

LCI auto?

 

Unfortunately it is not unusual since the gas pedal is "drive by wire" technique and uses electronics.

 

530D 2007 (not LCi

 

It's even worse when slowing down and then trying to accelerate quickly. My hypothesis is it's a combination of the torque converter and initial turbo lag. Is this your first automatic? Maybe if you grow up with it you don't mind. I hate it.

 

1. Yes. I have had mine for just about 3 months now, and it's the same. I think it's some combination of gearing, turbo lag and the fact that, in normal driving, the auto box starts you going in second. It takes some getting used to, and I think I recall another post on here somewhere suggesting gettin around it. You may also want to try the throttle reset (see http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=40018&st=0), coz it made things smoother for me overall.

2. Yes, if your car is brand new. If it isn't, and has already got more than the 1,000 or so miles on the clock, then you should not need to.

 

Yes, I suffer from the same problem so now I tend to put the auto in 'sport' mode when pulling away from junctions or traffic lights just to get the gearbox into first rather than second gear. Too many times I've attempted to pull out of a side road into a gap in the traffic and the car just seems to bog down.

I agree with the idea that's partially down to turbo lag and the effects of the torque convertor because my last car, a 330Ci with auto gearbox, didn't suffer any kind of delay.

 

Southerncomfort, an 'official' response I recevied from BMW on this issue:

"The perceived throttle delay you have experienced while driving is in fact the result of the compliance of the Diesel engine control system and the automatic transmission with EU regulations of the particulate emissions. It only occurs in limited engine operating conditions at high torque requirements when a gear change is imminent. It is only apparent in certain driving styles."

To continue quote, "The system builds acceleration at a rate that prevents the excessive formation of soot particles that would be generated should full fuelling be permitted. Because of this control, the throttle is actually applied electronically by the engine management system and not directly by the driver. The effect is that the operation of the accelerator pedal can feel different due to the normal linear correlation between driver requirement and the throttle application being replaced by the necessarily non-linear system control. The system applies the throttle slower than expected at first, and then builds to the drivers load requirement. It is not possible to alter the throttle application under these driving conditions, as compliance with EU regulations must be maintained"

Quote "A slight alteration of driving style minimises the control necessary and avoids the effect." Very helpful this last part is it not! Of course there is no actual advice as to what driving style to use, you'll need to experiment to achieve a result that you're happy with (or not!); pre-loading the revs from standstill/low speed (as when entering roundabouts) is one method, using manual (sport) another - all of which are not ideal perhaps, however this is how it is......enjoy!

Nb: Not one to preach - however I've always driven automatic transmission cars by increasing pressure on the throttle, never 'jumping' on the throttle as you might with manual transmissions, this helps.

 

+1. I never thought about this until you described it in this way, but I think you are right on the money with this comment!

MacSid

 

Fair comment, thanks for info.