530D: No power below 200RPM
08-23-2004, 11:45 PM
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I'm really upset about my new automatic 530D (May2004). Lots of software gremlins: preset radio stations disappear from the display although they remain in memory, lights fail to go out on auto mode, passenger seat belt warning comes on when passenger leaves the car. All of these faults disappera by doing a "hard reset": switching engine offand on again. Perhaps BMW has hired too many Microsoft developers!
The worst problem, which makes the car dangerous, is the lack of power below 2000RPM, felt most accutely when power is needed for a fast take-off: gaps in roundabouts, busy street corners and crossings in general. I floor the accelerator and the car sits there thinking what to do for perhaps 2-3 seconds while the revs slowly build up. Once it reaches 2000RPM, as it inches forward slower than my vintage 1984 75HP automatic Golf, you get a tremendous surge in power that literally shoots the car forward. If you managed to survive entering into the traffic flow, you are OK until the next roundabaout.
This problem when the car was delivered. However, BMW dealers may know about mechanics but don't have a clue about software and electronics. Within 48 hours of taking delivery, the car would fail to start. I'd leave it for a few hours and then it would start normally. Until one morning when the car's battery was aboslutely dead and the car even failed to start with an external battery. It was towed to the dealer, where it promptly started with an external battery. They had it for over one week and changed a "light module". It ceratinly fixed the starting problem but brought with it the loss of power at low RPM. It's been back and, according to the dealer, fixed. But of course it hasn't. They said that there was a problem with not enough fuel injection boost at low RPM and they reprogrammed the system. Reality is that apart from erasing all my personalised settings and preset radio stations, plus leaving a lot of grease on the leather seats (which they very kindly didn't charge me for) the problem remains.
The worst problem, which makes the car dangerous, is the lack of power below 2000RPM, felt most accutely when power is needed for a fast take-off: gaps in roundabouts, busy street corners and crossings in general. I floor the accelerator and the car sits there thinking what to do for perhaps 2-3 seconds while the revs slowly build up. Once it reaches 2000RPM, as it inches forward slower than my vintage 1984 75HP automatic Golf, you get a tremendous surge in power that literally shoots the car forward. If you managed to survive entering into the traffic flow, you are OK until the next roundabaout.
This problem when the car was delivered. However, BMW dealers may know about mechanics but don't have a clue about software and electronics. Within 48 hours of taking delivery, the car would fail to start. I'd leave it for a few hours and then it would start normally. Until one morning when the car's battery was aboslutely dead and the car even failed to start with an external battery. It was towed to the dealer, where it promptly started with an external battery. They had it for over one week and changed a "light module". It ceratinly fixed the starting problem but brought with it the loss of power at low RPM. It's been back and, according to the dealer, fixed. But of course it hasn't. They said that there was a problem with not enough fuel injection boost at low RPM and they reprogrammed the system. Reality is that apart from erasing all my personalised settings and preset radio stations, plus leaving a lot of grease on the leather seats (which they very kindly didn't charge me for) the problem remains.
08-24-2004, 06:51 AM
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Sounds like a nightmare. Mine is manual, and it starts to pull hard below 1500rpm, as I would expect it to do. That kind of behavior surely isn't normal... 
That's something your dealer should handle, and you shouldn't tolerate...
Go kick some dealer butt!
That's something your dealer should handle, and you shouldn't tolerate...
Go kick some dealer butt!
08-24-2004, 08:17 AM
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My Ride: [i][b][u]Since 19 august 2004[/u][/b][/i]: [color=red][b]530i[/b] High Executive[/color], Silvergray with beige interior, Popular wood, Servotronic, Sportssuspension, electric foldable and dimmed mirrors, dimmed interior mirror, pappelmaser braun wood, cupholders, styling 123 18" wheels, Logic 7, Steptronic, alarm class 3, electric sunscreen in the rear and suncreens for sidewindows, Comfort seats, heated seats, Xenon with headlightwashers, Adaptive corner lights ALC, Advanced airconditioning, lightpackage, Nav Pro, 6 cd changer, side airbags rearseats, bluetooth siemens S55, chrome kidneys, gearlever with wood, voice recognition retrofit, front windshield with green band.
Waiting for trunkopener button from Hobi :)
Where are you located?? Maybe someon can point you to a decent dealer that can solve your problems.
Anyway, welcome on board and I you keep up a bit you will find a lot of solutions over here that your dealer doesn't even know.
Anyway, welcome on board and I you keep up a bit you will find a lot of solutions over here that your dealer doesn't even know.
08-24-2004, 09:21 AM
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My 530D is comparatively sluggish below 2000 rpm. I assume that this is just the nature of the beast. I think 2000 is roughly when the turbos kick in.
Ar4e you comparing your 530 DIESEL with a PETROL golf? I believe they have completely different torque curves if that's the phrase.
Personally I have just adapted my driving to make sure I am in the appropriate gear and me and the 530D now get along beautifully.
Just a thought.
(Bummer about the rest of the problems)
Ar4e you comparing your 530 DIESEL with a PETROL golf? I believe they have completely different torque curves if that's the phrase.
Personally I have just adapted my driving to make sure I am in the appropriate gear and me and the 530D now get along beautifully.
Just a thought.
(Bummer about the rest of the problems)
08-25-2004, 01:34 AM
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jorge, fyi, i drove home w/sport mode (ds) instead of "d" and i found out that "lack of power below 2000RPM" feeling is gone or at least i didn't feel it. give it a try 
.
.
08-25-2004, 02:18 PM
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My Ride: 2001 BMW 316ti, 2004 BMW 530d, 2006 BMW 530xd, 2013 BMW 320d touring, 2014 BMW 520d touring, 2016 BMW X5, 2020 BMW 320da touring, 2020 BMW 540i
Model Year: 1974
Engine: Flat six
Jorge, how many kms do you have by now?
I have 11.000 kms and the engine is running much better than when was new.
I will wait for the ACS tunning chip for the 530d EURO IV ( with particle filter) because they remap the power and torque and the car will get more available at any engine revs.
Welcome to the board neighbour!!
I have 11.000 kms and the engine is running much better than when was new.
I will wait for the ACS tunning chip for the 530d EURO IV ( with particle filter) because they remap the power and torque and the car will get more available at any engine revs.
Welcome to the board neighbour!!