Count down (up) to M-DCT Software Upgrade

[CMOS]

It's very interesting to hear that Car & Driver has picked up on this. Can anyone provide a quote where they mentioned the problem with the DCT?
TIA.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Androo

I know its pretty vague and i'm not up with all the technical stuff like you guys. My car is going in next Tuesday and i'll try and grab as much info as I can and post the outcome.

Yes, please get as much info as possible about the update. We need to know which issues it addresses and which ones it doesn't.

[footie]

Mine goes in to the dealers tomorrow morning for it's 1200 mile service so I will ask about the possible software upgrade.

Will report back a.s.a.p after this.

[e46e92love]

Originally Posted by GT3 Tim

Nonetheless, I must send that letter to BMW NA simply to cover my butt. It is a statutory requirement in California if one wishes to go down the Lemon Law path. Thus, I have to send the letter, just in case.

Smart, I would do the same thing.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by Sticky

You have to feel the lag.

The downshifting IS an issue.

Put the car in D5, floor it from a stop in first, watch what happens.

This one is not a bug. It has been discussed extensively. One of three things happen when launching and IMO BMW did a good job here.

1. No LC, low to medium throttle: Clutch begins to engage immediately upon throttle application
2. No LC, high and fast throttle application. There is a slight delay as revs build so that the clutch can be dumped improving acceleration.
3. LC: Absolutely no delay when stick is released.

The only additional choice, which would have been a good one, would be a LC "light" where you could be in N (S or D), rev, hold, pull lever and it would dump the clutch.

[swamp2]

Update based on this thread. GT3 Tim, sfbimmer13 and I have all experienced the last added issue. I was simply waiting for confirmation since it only happened to me once and there is always a chance of operator error or some other problem that can not be blamed on BMW.

1. Temporary loss of power at low (speed+gear+rpm) which happens just after some throttle "indecisiveness".
2. Infrequent ignored upshifts.
3. Engine stalling during take off.
4. Ignored downshifts during on limit braking.
5. Shifts from 2->6 and 3->7 in S mode occuring without shift requests during on limit cornering.
6. Random, temporary appearance that the car is in neutral while driving, it simply revs freely.

I am sticking to clear bugs here and personally do not consider the following to be part of this list above:

• Delay between paddle actuation and begining of clutch operation
• Low throttle sensitivity during low to moderate acceleration take off

[sfbimmer13]

it appears that a recall has been issued in the UK and Australia, so hopefully it will just be a couple of days until it is available in the US...

[swamp2]

Just got an e-mail from my SA. He said the software is available and I can make an appointment any time to get it installed. I did ask for a list of specific issues that the software addresses. I suspect they won't share that.

[MarksM]

Originally Posted by swamp2

Just got an e-mail from my SA. He said the software is available and I can make an appointment any time to get it installed. I did ask for a list of specific issues that the software addresses. I suspect they won't share that.

Mine is sitting in there now supposedly waiting to get on the machine.
Fingers crossed.

Good luck on getting true details.

[NavM]

Originally Posted by swamp2

This one is not a bug. It has been discussed extensively. One of three things happen when launching and IMO BMW did a good job here.

1. No LC, low to medium throttle: Clutch begins to engage immediately upon throttle application
2. No LC, high and fast throttle application. There is a slight delay as revs build so that the clutch can be dumped improving acceleration.
3. LC: Absolutely no delay when stick is released.

The only additional choice, which would have been a good one, would be a LC "light" where you could be in N (S or D), rev, hold, pull lever and it would dump the clutch.

Good points. I have noticed this in the M5. The clutch dumps arounds 3000 rpm with high and fast throttle application. How hight do the revs go up to in the M3 in this situation?

[watrob]

Just had a call from my dealer saying bring the M3 in for a software upgrade, so it is booked in for Wednesday next week.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by NavM3

Good points. I have noticed this in the M5. The clutch dumps arounds 3000 rpm with high and fast throttle application. How hight do the revs go up to in the M3 in this situation?

Good question, I don't know. I have not done a very rapid and absolutely full application of the gas pedal without LC as per my #2 above. I'm sure others have.

[Sticky]

Originally Posted by swamp2

This one is not a bug. It has been discussed extensively. One of three things happen when launching and IMO BMW did a good job here.

1. No LC, low to medium throttle: Clutch begins to engage immediately upon throttle application
2. No LC, high and fast throttle application. There is a slight delay as revs build so that the clutch can be dumped improving acceleration.
3. LC: Absolutely no delay when stick is released.

The only additional choice, which would have been a good one, would be a LC "light" where you could be in N (S or D), rev, hold, pull lever and it would dump the clutch.

You missed what I was trying to convey, in D5 it won't shift at redline, it shifts early in first gear at full throttle. It does not do this in any other mode or gear. My post had nothing to do with the clutch engagement from a stop.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by Sticky

You missed what I was trying to convey, in D5 it won't shift at redline, it shifts early in first gear at full throttle. It does not do this in any other mode or gear. My post had nothing to do with the clutch engagement from a stop.

Hmmm "lag" does not sound much like "early shift" at all. There is so much griping about two different kinds of lag with the transmission you can probably see why I responded.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by MarksM

Good luck on getting true details.

BMW told my SA the "3-2" downshift and stalling issues are corrected as well as numerous others. Not sure about the first one. They are recommending it for all M-DCT cars. I can sort of see where they are coming from, not wanted to be super specific about known problems. I guess we will see how it performs.

[michaeldorian]

Can't wait to hear more, when the US update arrives.

[footie]

Upgrade is here and it does improve the quality of the shift, plus quicken up the delay with the paddle. Only the downshift under extreme braking is unknown but I reckon that will be sorted soon and not already.

P.S.
My power loss when trying to pull away from almost being stopped has been logged with BMW UK so it's know now as a problem if it wasn't before. Don't know if this upgrade was a fix for this and if it happens to me again then we will know.

[Sticky]

Originally Posted by footie

Upgrade is here and it does improve the quality of the shift, plus quicken up the delay with the paddle. Only the downshift under extreme braking is unknown but I reckon that will be sorted soon and not already.

P.S.
My power loss when trying to pull away from almost being stopped has been logged with BMW UK so it's know now as a problem if it wasn't before. Don't know if this upgrade was a fix for this and if it happens to me again then we will know.

So you have the upgrade and are speaking from experience or is this what you heard?

[footie]

Received it yesterday and have been driving it most of last night and this morning. The big surprise was that it's less willing to downshift in D mode, even D5 and when it does you almost hear it going down the gears (though lightening quickly). The paddle lag is almost gone completely in normal driving and is totally gone when you are on it.

Also it's a lot smoother on downshift in auto mode and manual mode when you chose not to go down the gears yourself (i.e. coming to a stop).

I like the improvements.

[Ronin13]

Footie - glad to hear the update has been positive for you so far. Any change to the take off behavior from a standing start?

[Race_Doc11]

mine has 120 miles on it and I hear clunk noise when it goes down to 2nd and 1st gear either in automatic and manual modes...did you experience this before the upgrade

Originally Posted by footie

Received it yesterday and have been driving it most of last night and this morning. The big surprise was that it's less willing to downshift in D mode, even D5 and when it does you almost hear it going down the gears (though lightening quickly). The paddle lag is almost gone completely in normal driving and is totally gone when you are on it.

Also it's a lot smoother on downshift in auto mode and manual mode when you chose not to go down the gears yourself (i.e. coming to a stop).

I like the improvements.

[GT3 Tim]

I picked up my car with update. I posted comments in footies "DCT update differences" post. NICE improvement! Thus far (very limited driving), it ROCKS.