Anyone notice steptronic (in DS) sticking in gear too long with the engine staying at high rpms?

This happens sometimes when the accerelator is pushed to say 75 to 80% of max and the throttle is then either backed off slightly or held constant. Its feels funny because the car is reving high say at 4.5K and its not really accerelating anymore. It seems indecisive or just plain stuck. Generally in DS the best results are achieved just slamming the throttle wide open.

Could this be the learning stages of the tranny and its adjustment to the lead foot coming out?

Overall, I really like the steptronic box and this is just a minor quirk. Nevertheless, it would be nice to know how to avoid this. Any thought my E60ers?

CVT Benhogan

 

Yes, I have the same thing happen in my car. It happens for example, when I am taking off from one stop sign, but the next stop sign is not too far away. So I gun it, get some good speed, but then back off the throttle a little to start slowing down - it seems to hold the gear at a high RPM.

I don't mind the feeling though, cause it is how I drive a manual. I may keep it in a low gear, knowing I am downshifting soon aways.

 

I think it's actually supposed to do this in DS. It may "think" you have released the gas because you are about to enter a bend, so rather than upshifting it's holding on - which one would if driving hard.

 

I don't have too much experience with the step but it seems to me that what you describe would be desirable in sport mode -- more like a manual or SMG, right?

 

Maybe thats it. But, one could argue that the steptronic shouldn't assume it needs to be holding on (high revs in lower gear), or at least not right off the bat. If the car is alternating between throttle on and off, I can see the value of it holding on. I suppose you can never really train a autobox. Of course it knows what to do with full throttle. I'm being picky here with the E60, as this is nothing compared to quirks of my CVT tranny in the Audi. That thing is a moron.

CVT Benhogan

 

this is absolutly not a problem and the design of the sport option on the steps. It will hold the gears out as long as you are riding hard on the gas, all the way to redline really if you are agressive enough. no issue though, it is as intended

 

Yep, I have the same experience. Just after some slight spirited driving, the step holds the gears high (usually 2nd & 3rd) almost indecisive..it's expecting to continue with the spirited driving I guess.
Right after, it realises it's back to "normal driving (shifting)".

There's definately no technical issue.

 

Yes, same thing. I've played around with backing off the throttle more aggressively, or alternatively rolling off, but in the end the best solution is to flick the lever to change the gear and drive it in manual mode. On the other hand, I have a very slight grade near my house, which taken in regular drive requires a bit more throttle to maintain pace. And of course this always causes a needless downshift, followed by an immediate upshift.

More and more, I wish I had ordered a manual.

 

The Step control program is sensitive to how fast you depress the acclerator as well as how far you you depress it. If you depress it quickly and/or far it will go into a very agressive mode where it will not upshift until you are quite high in the rev range, even if you back off, for reasons stated above. If you want it to shift less agressively, you need to find a rate at which you apply throttle that avoids this mode. It takes some practice, but it can be done, and once you learn how to control it, you can have a lot of fun without the "drive like a lunatic" behavior. Of course, that can be fun too, in the right situations.

 

Most of the time I have my steptroinc in DS it more fun and better handling too.