Need advice on some minor start up issues

[G.R]

Since picking up my new M3 in October I have noticed a few issues i would like to eliminate. Anyway a few weeks ago I brought this up with the BMW guys at my first service but they were unable to help. I'm tipping some of you guys may be able to point me in the right direction.

When turning the car on the default is D2 with power off. How do I get it to start with D4 or S4 with power on?

The warning on Idrive at every start up - "Only use this when traffic conditions permit" then you are forced to press the button to clear the screen. This is ok to do the first few times I drove the car but its time to get rid of this now. How do I do that?

Anytime I jump in the car to go for any sort of decent drive I put my seatbelt on but sometimes when I only have to drive around the block I prefer to not put it on. In doing this I hear that seatbelt warning beep 25 times, which gets quite annoying. I would like to have this removed also, how do I do this?

[LateBraking]

Originally Posted by G.R

Since picking up my new M3 in October I have noticed a few issues i would like to eliminate. Anyway a few weeks ago I brought this up with the BMW guys at my first service but they were unable to help. I'm tipping some of you guys may be able to point me in the right direction.

When turning the car on the default is D2 with power off. How do I get it to start with D4 or S4 with power on?

The warning on Idrive at every start up - "Only use this when traffic conditions permit" then you are forced to press the button to clear the screen. This is ok to do the first few times I drove the car but its time to get rid of this now. How do I do that?

Anytime I jump in the car to go for any sort of decent drive I put my seatbelt on but sometimes when I only have to drive around the block I prefer to not put it on. In doing this I hear that seatbelt warning beep 25 times, which gets quite annoying. I would like to have this removed also, how do I do this?

I don't have DCT, but I'm guessing that the D2 S2 D4 S4 thing is what gear you are in when you turn your car on. Why would you want to be in 4th gear when your car starts? If you leave it in auto mode, it'll shift like an auto on its own, right?

As far as I know, you can't get rid of the message.

You can't remove the seatbelt chime unless you have your vehicle coded. Vendors that code are capable of doing it, but choose not to do so for safety reasons. Also, 1 in 3 accidents happen a mile from home, and crazy drunks tend to drive crazy through neighborhoods. Safety first, stay buckled up.

[G.R]

It's not 4th gear, it starts in 1st gear. It's setting number 4 which is the aggresiveness of the gear changes.

[LateBraking]

Originally Posted by G.R

It's not 4th gear, it starts in 1st gear. It's setting number 4 which is the aggresiveness of the gear changes.

Oh, ok. Like I said, I never had DCT, stuck with 6MT. Less confusing when you just do everything on your own.

See if you can change it in the key settings? Plug your key in, go to iDrive, go to M Drive options, then if you go like, 1 click up, you should be able to go into "Key-dependent settings" menu. See if it's in there at all?

[Polarstar]

Set the power on/off in the "M" key settings. In iDrive, go to settings, M, then toggle to the right to get to the M key settings. You can't change the D or S setting here; you can only set those in the M drive button mode. My car used to start in the default D2 mode, but after a week or so of consistently manually setting it to D5, the computer seems to remember it now and always starts in D5. You can, of course, use the M button for all your settings, and use it all the time, but I like to have the easy going daily driver key settings, and the M button settings for the fun zones.

The warning message goes off on its own after a minute or two. I think it's the iDrive powering up. I just drive normally and it goes away.

I agree, the seatbelt beeping is annoying.

[double_j]

Try pushing in the OBC button on the control stalk while the seat belt chime is going off. It might turn off the chime but leave the warning indicator on the control panel. I think I tried it once and it did seem to work.

[Ctm309]

Mine starts in S every time. If I'm at a long light I sometimes shift into N,
then when I shift back to go, it will go into whatever it was in at the time.

Start up S @ level 111 Shift to D ,stays @ level 111

Don't think you defeat the seatbelt bell or the safety advise on the screen.

[llis]

Originally Posted by G.R

When turning the car on the default is D2 with power off. How do I get it to start with D4 or S4 with power on?

This much is covered in your manual. Part of it is in your M key settings.

[cloud8r]

Originally Posted by G.R

When turning the car on the default is D2 with power off. How do I get it to start with D4 or S4 with power on?

This is default. It should actually be S3 if I'm not mistaken. This cannot be changed and is discussed in your manual. I agree though, it would be nice if this was set it and forget it, but that's a discussion to be had with BMW. EDIT: The M button is the alternative solution here, but you still have to push the button.

Originally Posted by G.R

The warning on Idrive at every start up - "Only use this when traffic conditions permit" then you are forced to press the button to clear the screen. This is ok to do the first few times I drove the car but its time to get rid of this now. How do I do that?

It'll go away on its own after a short while, 30-60 seconds. This is a legal disclaimer of sorts and cannot be defeated unless you modify your firmware aftermarket (if that's even done anymore).

Originally Posted by G.R

Anytime I jump in the car to go for any sort of decent drive I put my seatbelt on but sometimes when I only have to drive around the block I prefer to not put it on. In doing this I hear that seatbelt warning beep 25 times, which gets quite annoying. I would like to have this removed also, how do I do this?

I know you don't want to hear this.... FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT!!! Most lethal accidents happen within a few blocks of home. My mother was almost killed when I was young but her seat belt saved her life. Please wear it always. I can't even bring myself to drive across the street without putting it on, but that's me

But to answer your question without bias, as a safety matter and liability issue, I doubt anything can be done with this short of the possibility the stock switch can mute it, as someone already mentioned. There may also be some new law on the books that requires this too, not sure but remember vaguely.

[llis]

Originally Posted by G.R

When turning the car on the default is D2 with power off. How do I get it to start with D4 or S4 with power on?

Originally Posted by ramyar

This is default. It should actually be S3 if I'm not mistaken. This cannot be changed and is discussed in your manual. I agree though, it would be nice if this was set it and forget it, but that's a discussion to be had with BMW. EDIT: The M button is the alternative solution here, but you still have to push the button.

Okay, I'll answer more fully.

The D4/S4/etc setting actually can be set. It's something about setting it, then turning off your engine, then starting it again. I did it so now I get D6 by default.

The Power button default is set with your M key settings in the iDrive. I don't recall the exact screen, but if you're looking at the M-drive defaults you toggle right with your iDrive wheel and you get your M key settings, where you can set defaults for Power, EDC and I think DTC.

This is all by memory, so I may have missed a detail, and I don't have my manual in front of me. But these things can be set.

[llis]

The nifty new server keeps borking on me, so my fuller response is lost now.

M Key settings are in the supplmentary manual, p 22. Drivelogic settings are in the same supplementary manual, p 28 (although getting Drivelogic settings to actually save seems to be tricky).