X5 vs. X3: Sport mode logic
 

Hey everyone-

Got a question for you regarding the SPORT MODE shift logic between the X5 and the X3.

When I had the X3 rental a few weeks back, I decided to test it on Sunset Blvd in LA. Curious to see how the AutoSport worked without ANY manual intervention, I slipped the shifter into its appropriate slot and away I went.

Simply put, I was dumbstruck. The AutoSport functioned just like a video game in automatic transmission mode: as soon as the car realized I was driving hard through the twisties, it would keep the revs as high as possible in whatever gear it could manage, and then, EVEN when I came upon a straight section of road and had to brake or coast because of traffic ahead, it would *ASSUME* that I wasn't yet done with my spirited drive, and accordingly, it KEPT HOLDING the lower gear. It was only after maybe a minute or so of "normal" driving that it would finally allow itself to shift into higher gears for more casual driving. The result? It's the first time I've ever driven a car agressively without the need to intervene and shift manually: just as in a video game, the car's logic performed (nearly) as I would have done.

In contrast, my X5 in AutoSport only stays in true "Sport" mode if I'm actively carving up corners and getting on and off the gas and brake quickly: but as soon as I let up for a bit on a straight section, it stops holding gears and essentially drives like AutoNormal mode, simply shifting gears a bit later that's all.

So my question is this: is there anyway to upgrade the X5's AutoSport logic to function more like that of the X3?

Thank you,

--Marc :)

Our 01 3.0 behaves the way you described the X3 to be....maybe you need a software update.

hm, weird, esp seeing as how i have an 01 4.4. very strange. do i just ask the $tealer?

There is a way that you can reset your transmission software.

Try that. It was listed on this board a while back... I believe it was (stolen) from z4um.com