Upshifts by itself on manual sports mode
Thread Starter
Contributors
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
My Ride: 2007 530i | Silver Gray/Blk | Step-Tronic | Sport/Premium Package | Logic 7 | PDC | Fold-Down Rear Seats
I was entering a freeway on-ramp this morning in manual sports mode(M2) and the car upshifted by itself to M3...M4...M5 at around 5k rpm!!?? 
Needless to say, it was a scary moment when I lost all tq/hp because I was on the wrong gear and the sudden pause almost got me rear ended. Haven't driven the car since and crossing my fingers it won't happen again. Anybody unlucky to experience this before?? My car is out of manufacturer warranty... 
Needless to say, it was a scary moment when I lost all tq/hp because I was on the wrong gear and the sudden pause almost got me rear ended. Haven't driven the car since and crossing my fingers it won't happen again. Anybody unlucky to experience this before?? My car is out of manufacturer warranty...
Thread Starter
Contributors
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
My Ride: 2007 530i | Silver Gray/Blk | Step-Tronic | Sport/Premium Package | Logic 7 | PDC | Fold-Down Rear Seats
Yah, my initial reaction was to quickly throw it into D mode. Drove in DS for rest of the way to work. I'll see what happens tonight and report back.
Contributors
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,084
Likes: 0
From: Thousand Oaks, California
My Ride: 2008 550i Jet Black on Black Leather, SAT with Paddles, Logic 7, Comfort Seats, NAV, Sport Package, PDC, Xenons, Sirius, Trinity 12W LED Angel Eyes, RPi GT Exhaust, M rear spoiler, ACS Roof Spoiler, Tinted Tail Lights, Bimmian Carbon Fiber Pillar Trim, Bimmian Shadow 550i emblem, RPi Scoop, E60 Forum Cling, Mtec bulbs in fog lights, Mtec 2W LED for License Plate Light Bulbs, K&N Filter, Bimmian LED Smoked Side Markers, Blackout roundels, Carbon Fiber Kidney Grills.
Retired Rides - 1989 325i convertible, 1995 M3, 2002 X5, 2005 545i, 2008 X5 (Lemon)
With my car when I am in Sport and manual, it WILL upshift on it's own if I don't manually shift FIRST! 
I think it's a self-protective feature so you don't over-rev etc. 
I think it's a self-protective feature so you don't over-rev etc.
Contributors
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,672
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans, LA USA
My Ride: E90 M3
Model Year: 2011
Yes, the car will shift for you but 5k rpm seems low... Red line is somewhere around 6,500 as I recall. Was the engine fully warmed up? A cold engine might have caused the earlier shift.
Senior Members
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 957
Likes: 0
Yea but if youre gassing it but not too much and you're in the higher RPMS, it will upshift(in the lower gears I've noticed 1& 2)
Contributors
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,672
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans, LA USA
My Ride: E90 M3
Model Year: 2011
That's true! Flooring it, the car will let you approach red line before shifting. Somewhat less pressure on the gas may cause the car to shift earlier...
Thread Starter
Contributors
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
My Ride: 2007 530i | Silver Gray/Blk | Step-Tronic | Sport/Premium Package | Logic 7 | PDC | Fold-Down Rear Seats
Thanks for all the feedback guys. I also thought the car only upshifts by itself when it gets close to redline? It is weird that it automatically upshifts when on manual shift mode? It happened again yesterday afternoon. The car was driven 1.5 hrs and after a pit-stop, the issue occurred again. Luckily, I was on city streets. So this time, I didnt throw it into D mode to see what would happen. It just kept upshifting from M2 to M5 while I was only doing about 40mph. And the super weird thing was when I came to a stop, it downshifted itself all the way to M1. We all know the car never does that and will only auto shift down to M2 when you come to a complete stop while in manual mode. Wondering if its the ECU and if so, can I get it re-flash at indy shops?
Wondering if its the ECU and if so, can I get it re-flash at indy shops?