What gear is your X in exiting a slow corner?

X5Jay · #1 02-16-2006, 08:37 AM

Didn't want to hijack LVR's thread so I thought I'd start a new one...

As I posted in LVR's thread, my X is in 4th gear exiting slow, quiet-type neighborhood corners, and that's too high as it causes the engine to "bog" quite a bit when gently accelerating out of the turn. If I accelerate a bit harder, i.e. asking for a kick-down, it'll kick down OK but it shouldn't be in such a high gear in the first place and it takes more pedal than I think it should. I think for driving leisurely around the neighborhood it should be in 3rd gear in this situation. I really haven't looked that closely, but I'd say I'm doing about 15 - 20 mph in this case - probably closer to 15.

How does your X behave in this situation? I can tell what gear it's in by dropping into manual and downshifting - and it downshifts into 3rd...

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Wagner · #2 02-16-2006, 08:45 AM

Well I think it is pretty much a fact that the X5 auto bogs down at odd times. Leave it in SPORT mode

X5Jay · #3 02-16-2006, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WagnerX5

Well I think it is pretty much a fact that the X5 auto bogs down at odd times. Leave it in SPORT mode

Sport mode is just awful around the neighborhood for me, especially after a stop or a near stop - it wants to wind 1st gear just about to red-line even if I'm fairly gentle on the gas. I'm trying to figure out if my X is a candidate for a tranny software upgrade. While it does misbehave as I've stated, I don't get some of the symptoms others are getting like hesitation and slamming into gear...

jditom · #4 02-16-2006, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5Jay

Didn't want to hijack LVR's thread so I thought I'd start a new one...

As I posted in LVR's thread, my X is in 4th gear exiting slow, quiet-type neighborhood corners, and that's too high as it causes the engine to "bog" quite a bit when gently accelerating out of the turn. If I accelerate a bit harder, i.e. asking for a kick-down, it'll kick down OK but it shouldn't be in such a high gear in the first place and it takes more pedal than I think it should. I think for driving leisurely around the neighborhood it should be in 3rd gear in this situation. I really haven't looked that closely, but I'd say I'm doing about 15 - 20 mph in this case - probably closer to 15.

How does your X behave in this situation? I can tell what gear it's in by dropping into manual and downshifting - and it downshifts into 3rd...

I liked my 03 autotranny better, 5 speed and seemed to be in the right gear all the time compared to my 05. My 05 is in the shop right now to get a tranny software upgrade. We will see if that will help it.

X5Jay · #5 02-16-2006, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jditom

I liked my 03 autotranny better, 5 speed and seemed to be in the right gear all the time compared to my 05. My 05 is in the shop right now to get a tranny software upgrade. We will see if that will help it.

Cool - let us know!

withidl · #6 02-16-2006, 04:43 PM

I've got a 2001 4.4i 5 speed, but the logic is the same whether 5 speed or 6 speed.

Drive - Upshift ASAP when throttle is lifted for fuel efficiency. Also puts fewer revolutions on engine which equates to less wear.

Sport - Upshifts later, downshifts earlier, holds in gear with abrupt throttle lift for running the "twisties" using engine compression braking; consumes more fuel.

Manual - Will start off in selected 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear. On my 5 speed with Dinan software will hold in 5th gear down to about 36 mph, then auto shifts to 4th; in 4th down to about 20 mph, then auto shifts to 3rd which will be held to a stop and restart. Used for manual running of "twisties" or towing.

Bottom line for neighborhood - Use Manual mode 3rd gear, i.e. start off in 3rd gear, as I do in neithborhoods from stop sign to stop sign; less power (shouldn't be racing through a neighborhood anyway) but never shifts AND gives you engine braking to stop signs. This won't hurt the transmission as the torque converter compensates (works like the old Buick "Dynaflow" slush box of years ago).

X5Jay · #7 02-16-2006, 08:13 PM

Very interesting withidl - thanks for the insight!

It just seems to me that a simple software change could fix these little annoyances. Does the Dinan tranny software fix these things? (yea, I know they don't have it for the 6 spds yet, but does it help on the 5 spds?) How hard would it be to modify the code to say something like "when you hit 25 upon deceleration, downshift to 3rd!"? The car's got all those sensors & such...

jditom · #8 02-16-2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5Jay

Very interesting withidl - thanks for the insight!

It just seems to me that a simple software change could fix these little annoyances. Does the Dinan tranny software fix these things? (yea, I know they don't have it for the 6 spds yet, but does it help on the 5 spds?) How hard would it be to modify the code to say something like "when you hit 25 upon deceleration, downshift to 3rd!"? The car's got all those sensors & such...

Dealer called and said the tranny software upgrade went fine but they are working on my blue tooth so I won't get it back until Friday.
Will report in when I do.

X5Jay · #9 02-16-2006, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jditom

Dealer called and said the tranny software upgrade went fine but they are working on my blue tooth so I won't get it back until Friday.
Will report in when I do.

Thanks - much appreciated!

Jeremy · #10 02-16-2006, 08:52 PM

X5Jay - for past few days while driving through my neighborhood I've been trying to pay attention to gear position as I have not previously noticed any symptoms akin to yours. The end result is that my X doesn't seem to run that way. Interestingly though, my 5 series does the same thing as your X. It is something that has long annoyed me.

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