Have 530 for less than a week and tested DS mode in Steptronic.
Went through manual shifts etc. all worked as expected.
Shift down from 3 - 2 - 1 before stopping; then, taking off again, gear was at M2. The transmission automatically shifted to M2 for start from standstill. Then kept it there until I shifted up. What gives? Can stop car while in M3 and transmission starts in M2. Books don't mention starting from M2 is standard procedure if in DS mode. I thought manual mode was manual unless rpm gets too high. Why no start in M1?

 

Almost all transmissions with manual/automatic start in 2nd gear. Including the innovator (Porsche Tiptronic). I'm coming off of driving a Porsche with Tiptronic and it's standard fare.

When shifting into a manual mode, you're free to shift down into 1st. Although, the car will start fine with plenty of "get up and go" in 2nd. But as we all know, moving into 1st will give you that initial pure acceleration if you want it.

 

Sorry, negative on that comment with my new 530. I shift to M1 before stopping or after full stop and it goes back to M2. That is one reason why I posted the query. One detail i need to add is that the shift to m2 occurs after a slight delay from stopping. I have tested more times and if you stop and hold still long enough, then shift to m1, it will stay in m1. If you don't stay still long enough, it shifts back to m2 if you were in m1 as you stop. Interesting design feature that all such tranmissions start in 2. Does it do same in D for this transmission? In other words, what use is 1st gear for a standing start?
Will it kick down to 1 from start in M2?
Lots of unknowns here for a novice BMW owner.

 

Best bet is to ask the dealer. With my car, they have compared it to several other new cars on the lot to determine what is "normal".

They're new at this also with the E60 series.

I'll check mine sometime this weekend but I don't seem to remember is changing to M2 after selecting M1.

 

Hmmmm....That's strange then. I thought you were asking whether it was normal for it to try to start in M2. But now I understand. Even though you move it into M1, it's moving back to M2 by itself.

I'll have to check this myself also. That does seem "unique".

 

definitely should not shift back into M2 after manual selection. sounds as though the computer thinks it's in winter mode where this is the norm. Get to the dealer to have it checked out.

jonboy

 

That is not normal. The manual sport mode of my 530 is also acting up so it's off to the dealer.

I has a 330 before this and manual sport worked correctly, so I'm 100% sure that some 530's are having software issues with the shifting.

 

just a semi-related comment... i drove a 4.2l nissan patrol 5 speed for 3 years, including a lot of time up and over sand dunes, etc... the shift from 1st to 2nd was so short that, like many other drivers of the Patrol, NEVER actually starting in 1st gear... aLWAYS from a standstill in 2nd gear

the only connecting point is 'don't worry about m1'

 

It never happened on my 545i...I think we share the same gearbox..I only tried in the manual mode for a few times..similarly, if I downshift from 3-2-1,and eventually engage the first gear before full-stop,sometimes it would jump back to 2nd gear before full-stop,but if I change it back to the 1st then it stays in the 1st,in my service guy's opinion,it's very harmful to tranny if often vary the the engine speed only using the 1st gear...especially for auto tranny,the 1st gear seems more just like a transitional gear to move the car from standstill.....

 

more over,I also noticed that you've just received the car("less than a week")...In my opinion, your car needs break-in..leave the car in auto mode and don't rev it over 4500rpm for at least 2500km,than you may try other modes!! be very gentle initially...using manual mode to kickdown at the beginning is not that serious but still might leave damage..