530ISPORT

WILL this work on a SMG car???????

Brettski

I'm a soon-to-be BMW owner, and can't wait. However, it's a bit troubling to read this thread! So many of you have chimed in here that this simple trick fixes issues that have troubled you guys for, in some cases, years! Also, many of you have commented that your cars (expensive, sport-performance cars!) drive rough, shift rough, etc.....and none in this forum are more than five years old!

I have always been all-for technology/automation, etc. but do you think BMW's are overly complex? It sounds as though an adaptive transmission worsens the driving experience instead of improving it.

Comments?

barry325

Apprently, if you drive the car one way during break-in, or a previous owner/driver has babied the car, and then you drive it significantly different, you will notice the 'quirk'. If an owner (like me...) is/was not aware that the fix can be employed, then yes, you will 'deal' with it for a couple years thinking that's how the trans works. I'm in my robe drinking coffee... will be in the garage as soon as I hit the "ADD REPLY" button.

Barry

hibberd

When I had my Audi TT the same story was bandies for resetting the throttle valve. It never worked and I spoke to a friend who was a mechanic (a good one) and he just laughed when I told him about it.
I spoke to my BMW garage about this reset and they said to me that the gearbox in mine 530d 2004 auto is in effect 2 x 5 speed gear boxes. The one box is normal mode and uses 2nd to 6th gear and can work in economy and extra economy mode where it will try to optimise fuel use. The second box is sport mode and this uses 1st to 5th gear and has sport and extra sport mode where in the later it will not only change gear in another shift pattern but will go for maximum performance via throttle sensitivity. According to them there is no learning system everything is programmed into the controllers and these can only be altered by a program update, not driving style. If there is a difference over time this they say is due to the MAF needing replacing as it can overfuel and this in turn causes particulates that cause the DPF and Catalyst to adjust their working. If you disconnect the MAF and feel how it drives if its an improvement then it needs replacing, I just had mine replaced and must admit i was amazed how much difference it made to the perfomance , the fuel consumption and the general quietness of the car and shifting smoothness. I am not trying to burst bubbles just relaying what I was told.

maybe of use to someone.

Rog

Richard in NC

I need to try the "25 second trick" since my 550i seems less response when shifting then when new.
I have definitely read about the adaptive nature of the transmission. Many manufactures claim that, even older mid 90's Chryslers.
What I wonder for my car, is I do a lot if city driving in traffic. Most drivers around here seem to be very lethargic taking off from a stop, taking 20 seconds just to reach 45mph, even on a freeway merge I think my transmision has adapted to this lazy acceleration and shifting. When I can take off (when in normal modes), it pauses i shifting more than I remember when new.
Sport mode (or manual mode, obviously) does take care of this.

gregg2gs

Just did my 550i 2006...I didn't hear anything...Did it 3 times to make sure. I think I may notice a difference in the peppiness; however, I am not sure cause I am looking for it too much...

dirksqjaw

Let me give you some advice about BMW people. I'm a new one myself and I had the same thoughts you did. I don't have a spectacular history of cars so my 545 is by far the nicest thing I've ever driven. The commentary about rough shifts and all this comes from one thing - high expectations.

I get what they all say. Before I reset, the shifts were strange, not smooth. Odd downshifts and odd upshifts, it all has calmed down and it's smooth. The Runflat tires are noisy. The cup holders stink, etc etc etc. But you know what? It's leagues better than anything else I've ever had the pleasure of stomping on the gas pedal.

I've got a 2006 Passat, and a 2008 Pathfinder and I would never ever consider complaining or hell, even noticing 90% of that crap on these cars, because there is no expectation there. No polish to make little things like those stick out. On a silk smooth surface, even a minor grain of sand feels coarse. My BMW is that silk smooth surface.

That's just my take on things . Of course, quite literally, your mileage may vary!

-Dirk

rah

I have a 525d '08 remaped and have "problems" with the downshift.
Will the 25 sec trick work on the new electronic gearbox in the LCI version?

RaveD

So, is everything I am reading about BMW transmissions not having any permanent adaptability just misinformation?

Based on what seems like credible evidence, the BMW transmission adapts to the driver, but this adaptation is not stored in any memory and is reset each time the ignition is turned off.

This would imply that the 'transmission reset' is just a trick that gets the car to adapt quicker for that journey, but that it will not have any lasting effect.

So, which is true? Does it work, or is it, as Judge Judy would say, BA-LONEY...

gwf545

RaveD, The transmission reset may actaully be a throttle response related reset that affects transmission operation. There is info. at other web sites suggesting that this throttle hold down reset operation has been around for several BMW generations. Do a search and decide for yourself what is going on.