Hill descent
07-07-2005, 09:36 AM
#1
Contributors
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Rocklin, CA USA
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay, no where in the manual says the e60 has hill descent features but last weekend we took our 545i up throught the Sierra Nevadas via interstate 80.. normally we take the suv, this is the first time we took the 5er.. the highest elevation we hit was probably about 6100 ft..
on a few long downhill stretches (i think the grades were 10% and 5%) as i started to tap the brake to slow down and keep it under 80mph, the computer took over and downshifted a couple of gears (jumping the rpm's to between 4k-5k).. this kept the vehicle at a constant speed around 75mph on the down hill without using any brakes!
i didn't have to use any brakes as EVERYONE else was on theirs 
i'm going to have to take the 5er up highway 50 the next time we go up there; it's more winding and has steeper grades
btw, it was in D the whole time and my cip is 16.3.
on a few long downhill stretches (i think the grades were 10% and 5%) as i started to tap the brake to slow down and keep it under 80mph, the computer took over and downshifted a couple of gears (jumping the rpm's to between 4k-5k).. this kept the vehicle at a constant speed around 75mph on the down hill without using any brakes!
i didn't have to use any brakes as EVERYONE else was on theirs i'm going to have to take the 5er up highway 50 the next time we go up there; it's more winding and has steeper grades
btw, it was in D the whole time and my cip is 16.3.
07-07-2005, 09:45 AM
#2
Contributors
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Vacaville, CA
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 545i Orient Blue, Auburn Int. Sport Pkg, Premium Pkg, Satellite Radio, Logic 7 , Nav... European Delivery 3/21/05 Redelivery 6/1/05.
Originally Posted by huy' date='Jul 7 2005, 10:36 AM
Okay, no where in the manual says the e60 has hill descent features but last weekend we took our 545i up throught the Sierra Nevadas via interstate 80.. normally we take the suv, this is the first time we took the 5er.. the highest elevation we hit was probably about 6100 ft..
on a few long downhill stretches (i think the grades were 10% and 5%) as i started to tap the brake to slow down and keep it under 80mph, the computer took over and downshifted a couple of gears (jumping the rpm's to between 4k-5k).. this kept the vehicle at a constant speed around 75mph on the down hill without using any brakes!?? i didn't have to use any brakes as EVERYONE else was on theirs?
i'm going to have to take the 5er up highway 50 the next time we go up there; it's more winding and has steeper grades?
btw, it was in D the whole time and my cip is 16.3.
on a few long downhill stretches (i think the grades were 10% and 5%) as i started to tap the brake to slow down and keep it under 80mph, the computer took over and downshifted a couple of gears (jumping the rpm's to between 4k-5k).. this kept the vehicle at a constant speed around 75mph on the down hill without using any brakes!?
? i didn't have to use any brakes as EVERYONE else was on theirs? i'm going to have to take the 5er up highway 50 the next time we go up there; it's more winding and has steeper grades?
btw, it was in D the whole time and my cip is 16.3.
[snapback]146608[/snapback]
Left Vacaville and traveled to Reno via 80. Took 395 south into the Tahoe Basin and then traveled back to Vacaville via 50. What a blast! The car just ate up the turns and like you mentioned, I never needed to touch the brakes! The car would shift down as necessary. Didn't realize it would do that! Only issue we had were the stupid truck kicking up sand and pebbles... Ouch 
Fortunately I had a clear bra installed and there wasn't a single chip or dent! Looking to take the car on a trip north and see if I can straighten out of few of the turns on the coast highway! 
07-07-2005, 11:18 AM
#3
Senior Members
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 775
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: E60
Me too. Just took the 5 to Squaw Valley last weekend and took Hwy 50 to Lake Tahoe about a month ago. Good times.
My wife and I just did a similar trip in our new 5er. The Sierras are beatutiful Left Vacaville and traveled to Reno via 80. Took 395 south into the Tahoe Basin and then traveled back to Vacaville via 50. What a blast! The car just ate up the turns and like you mentioned, I never needed to touch the brakes! The car would shift down as necessary. Didn't realize it would do that! Only issue we had were the stupid truck kicking up sand and pebbles... Ouch Fortunately I had a clear bra installed and there wasn't a single chip or dent! Looking to take the car on a trip north and see if I can straighten out of few of the turns on the coast highway!
Originally Posted by PKandCK' date='Jul 7 2005, 11:45 AM
[quote name='huy' date='Jul 7 2005, 10:36 AM']Okay, no where in the manual says the e60 has hill descent features but last weekend we took our 545i up throught the Sierra Nevadas via interstate 80.. normally we take the suv, this is the first time we took the 5er.. the highest elevation we hit was probably about 6100 ft..
on a few long downhill stretches (i think the grades were 10% and 5%) as i started to tap the brake to slow down and keep it under 80mph, the computer took over and downshifted a couple of gears (jumping the rpm's to between 4k-5k).. this kept the vehicle at a constant speed around 75mph on the down hill without using any brakes!?? i didn't have to use any brakes as EVERYONE else was on theirs?
i'm going to have to take the 5er up highway 50 the next time we go up there; it's more winding and has steeper grades?
btw, it was in D the whole time and my cip is 16.3.
on a few long downhill stretches (i think the grades were 10% and 5%) as i started to tap the brake to slow down and keep it under 80mph, the computer took over and downshifted a couple of gears (jumping the rpm's to between 4k-5k).. this kept the vehicle at a constant speed around 75mph on the down hill without using any brakes!?
? i didn't have to use any brakes as EVERYONE else was on theirs? i'm going to have to take the 5er up highway 50 the next time we go up there; it's more winding and has steeper grades?
btw, it was in D the whole time and my cip is 16.3.
[snapback]146608[/snapback]
Left Vacaville and traveled to Reno via 80. Took 395 south into the Tahoe Basin and then traveled back to Vacaville via 50. What a blast! The car just ate up the turns and like you mentioned, I never needed to touch the brakes! The car would shift down as necessary. Didn't realize it would do that! Only issue we had were the stupid truck kicking up sand and pebbles... Ouch Fortunately I had a clear bra installed and there wasn't a single chip or dent! Looking to take the car on a trip north and see if I can straighten out of few of the turns on the coast highway! [snapback]146609[/snapback]
[/quote]
07-07-2005, 01:04 PM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco Bay area
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: '05 545i, silver gray, black leather with anthracite maple wood, sport package, premium sound, navigation, cold weather package, electric rear sunshade, folding rear seat, satellite radio prep, PIAA 4150K fogs, red rear reflectors, hardwired Valentine One
I live in the San Francisco bay are hills at around 500 ft. and one road out of my neighborhood is pretty steep, and I've also noticed the engine braking--pretty cool.
07-07-2005, 01:33 PM
#5
Senior Members
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: South Africa
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 545i Mystic Blue/Black Leather Type 124 Wheels
It just Engine braking, BMW's have done it forever on downhills
Hill Decent control on a 4x4 uses the brakes
Hill Decent control on a 4x4 uses the brakes
07-07-2005, 01:46 PM
#6
I was on vacation in Italy last month and noticed it to with a e39 2002. You can clearly feel the car braking on the engine by taking a lower gear on steep downhill stretches.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
07-07-2005, 02:40 PM
#7
Contributors
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Rocklin, CA USA
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by A90' date='Jul 7 2005, 01:46 PM
I was on vacation in Italy last month and noticed it to with a e39 2002. You can clearly feel the car braking on the engine by taking a lower gear on steep downhill stretches.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
[snapback]146687[/snapback]
not sure how BMW designed it to work, but it sure does work great!
07-07-2005, 04:36 PM
#8
Contributors
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: So Cal, USA
Posts: 14,776
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 545iSMGSilver GrayAuburn Dakota LeatherLogic 7 Premium SoundSports Package
Originally Posted by A90' date='Jul 7 2005, 02:46 PM
I was on vacation in Italy last month and noticed it to with a e39 2002. You can clearly feel the car braking on the engine by taking a lower gear on steep downhill stretches.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
[snapback]146687[/snapback]
07-07-2005, 08:08 PM
#9
Members
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So. California
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: '05 545 Sport Week 9
Originally Posted by EBMCS03' date='Jul 7 2005, 05:36 PM
[quote name='A90' date='Jul 7 2005, 02:46 PM']I was on vacation in Italy last month and noticed it to with a e39 2002. You can clearly feel the car braking on the engine by taking a lower gear on steep downhill stretches.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
very well done was my idea and wondered weither a kind of gyroscope system is on the car. Anyone knows ? or does the computer calulates the speed * revs * brakes or something.
[snapback]146687[/snapback]
[snapback]146749[/snapback]
[/quote]Well, the tranny is also designed to not shift in the middle of a corner, so it definitely has some type of left/right G sensor...so it shouldn't be much trouble to have the same thing for forward/back, but not sure.
07-07-2005, 08:39 PM
#10
Contributors
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: So Cal, USA
Posts: 14,776
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 545iSMGSilver GrayAuburn Dakota LeatherLogic 7 Premium SoundSports Package
Originally Posted by TitaniumGray5' date='Jul 7 2005, 09:08 PM
Well, the tranny is also designed to not shift in the middle of a corner, so it definitely has some type of left/right G sensor...so it shouldn't be much trouble to have the same thing for forward/back, but not sure.
[snapback]146801[/snapback]