How do I set the M-DCT to default to "D" instead of "1"?

[Go Autobahn]

I used to own a 2008 M3 DCT, and now I have a 2011 M3 DCT. With my 2008 M3, I'm pretty sure there was a setting that when you first start the car and poke the stick to the right, it would go directly into "D" (auto) instead of "1" (manual). With my new 2011 M3, I have to bump it a second time to the right to change it from "1" to "D".
I just searched all over the i-Drive Vehicle settings, and could not locate it.

[jrin21]

Originally Posted by Go Autobahn

I used to own a 2008 M3 DCT, and now I have a 2011 M3 DCT. With my 2008 M3, I'm pretty sure there was a setting that when you first start the car and poke the stick to the right, it would go directly into "D" (auto) instead of "1" (manual). With my new 2011 M3, I have to bump it a second time to the right to change it from "1" to "D".
I just searched all over the i-Drive Vehicle settings, and could not locate it.

you can change it under the m settings in the idrive !

[Go Autobahn]

Originally Posted by jrin21

you can change it under the m settings in the idrive !

I thought the "M Drive" screen in the iDrive was only to configure what the car does after you press the "M" button on the steering wheel.
Here's a screen shot of my M Drive screen. Which setting are you talking about?

[BMW3R]

There is another setting in the menu outside of the "M Drive" where you make the changes. I will look and post back.

[Go Autobahn]

Originally Posted by BMW3R

Bump it over to S spin wheel to D click again and then press back.

I can do that, but isn't that just configuring what mode the car goes into when I press the "M" button on the steering wheel? When I press the M button, I want it to be in S5 mode so that I can work the paddles in sequential mode, with an aggressive shift pattern (5).
What I'm trying to do here is find out how to configure the "default" mode that the DCT goes into when you first start the car and poke the stick to the right. I don't want to have to cycle through "1" (manual) to get to "D" (automatic).
Thank you for your patience with me!

[BMW3R]

If you bump it to the right again in the "M Mode" screen there is the key settings, but there is only power, EDC and shift light settings. I don't believe that you can set the car to "Auto" at startup. I have just been bumping the shifter twice like you. It is annoying, especially when you forget and hit the rev limiter.

[Go Autobahn]

Originally Posted by BMW3R

If you bump it to the right again in the "M Mode" screen there is the key settings, but there is only power, EDC and shift light settings. I don't believe that you can set the car to "Auto" at startup. I have just been bumping the shifter twice like you. It is annoying, especially when you forget and hit the rev limiter.

Well, I can put up with it, but I'm kind of worried about my wife hopping in the car and not remembering to bump it twice!
What a shame. Such a nice configurable car, but it has this one oversight.
Do you know if there's any official BMW forum that I can send this issue over to the BMW people so that maybe they can fix this in a future software release for the car?

[AMP]

I swore that there was a setting for this under the "options" pane of the M Drive screen.

The interesting thing is that every time I put my 2010 E92 into gear it's defaulting to D. IIRC it was the opposite before I had the software updated but I may be wrong.

[Go Autobahn]

Originally Posted by AMP

I swore that there was a setting for this under the "options" pane of the M Drive screen.

The interesting thing is that every time I put my 2010 E92 into gear it's defaulting to D. IIRC it was the opposite before I had the software updated but I may be wrong.

Well, I guess I better not assume that just because this is a brand new 2011 M3 that it has the latest software load. I'm going to ask my BMW SA about this.

[technik1]

Hey guys

On a related note, my 2010 DCT not only defaults to manual after start up, it defaults in S3. I have to adjust it to my prefered S4 or 5 every time I start the car. Curiously, it remembers the "D" Drivelogic setting. (my E46 SMG remembered the drivelogic setting for both auto and manual on start up).

I've searched here, and thouroghly exhausted all the owners manuals.
There is no reason why it remembers the D setting but not the S setting.

I also share Go autobahn's concern that it defaults to manual when we put it in gear. Or is this something the dealer can program?

Thanks in advance!

[kpneverdies]

from what i heard, i thought you can't change the default setting.
if there is, please let me know too (i have 2010 nonidrive)

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by Go Autobahn

I used to own a 2008 M3 DCT, and now I have a 2011 M3 DCT. With my 2008 M3, I'm pretty sure there was a setting that when you first start the car and poke the stick to the right, it would go directly into "D" (auto) instead of "1" (manual). With my new 2011 M3, I have to bump it a second time to the right to change it from "1" to "D".
I just searched all over the i-Drive Vehicle settings, and could not locate it.

Originally Posted by Go Autobahn

Well, I guess I better not assume that just because this is a brand new 2011 M3 that it has the latest software load. I'm going to ask my BMW SA about this.

Guys, you can't change the default selection upon startup. The default is different in different countries, but it's locked in. This topic, like many others, has been covered pretty extensively . I was able to find many a thread by using search and "DCT Default" in the key words.

Here are some of the results that should provide more info on this topic:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...ht=DCT+default
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...ht=DCT+default

You can, as one of the posters above suggested, use the M drive to configure what you want, and then simply hit the M button after you start the car. That's the best that can be done. Frustrating? Yes. Annoying? Yes. Silly? Yes. Should be configurable? Yes. Par for the BMW course on electronics? Yes. Hey, at least you don't have the pre-2009 I Drive! Be very thankful for that!

[Go Autobahn]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Guys, you can't change the default selection upon startup. The default is different in different countries, but it's locked in.

The first link you provided, the posting states "So, US cars remember the setting for D mode across restarts while UK cars remember the setting for S mode across restarts."
The funny thing is, I am in the U.S., and it is defaulting to "S" for me, not "D". I want it to default to D !
Very discombobulated indeed!

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by Go Autobahn

The first link you provided, the posting states "So, US cars remember the setting for D mode across restarts while UK cars remember the setting for S mode across restarts."
The funny thing is, I am in the U.S., and it is defaulting to "S" for me, not "D". I want it to default to D !
Very discombobulated indeed!

Hmm... I think what that post is saying is that if you change things from D3 to say D4, when you start the car again and put it in "D" it will remember the D4 setting. It's not saying it will remember to go into "D", just the drivelogic setting for D will be remembered.

Try it. If you set the car to D5, then turn it off (all the way, as in exit and lock), it will go back to D5 upon restart and moving back to D mode. Now try changing the S mode drivelogic setting to S5. Turn off the car. Exit and lock. Restart. What S mode is it in?

[Go Autobahn]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Hmm... I think what that post is saying is that if you change things from D3 to say D4, when you start the car again and put it in "D" it will remember the D4 setting. It's not saying it will remember to go into "D", just the drivelogic setting for D will be remembered.

Try it. If you set the car to D5, then turn it off (all the way, as in exit and lock), it will go back to D5 upon restart and moving back to D mode. Now try changing the S mode drivelogic setting to S5. Turn off the car. Exit and lock. Restart. What S mode is it in?

OK, I will experiment some more.

[BMW3R]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Hmm... I think what that post is saying is that if you change things from D3 to say D4, when you start the car again and put it in "D" it will remember the D4 setting. It's not saying it will remember to go into "D", just the drivelogic setting for D will be remembered.

Try it. If you set the car to D5, then turn it off (all the way, as in exit and lock), it will go back to D5 upon restart and moving back to D mode. Now try changing the S mode drivelogic setting to S5. Turn off the car. Exit and lock. Restart. What S mode is it in?

It will remember the D and S modes, but will still start in manual and need to be double bumped to auto and the last mode setting.

I just went out and double checked the M-Mode options and it does not allow selection of auto vs. manual in the key settings.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by BMW3R

It will remember the D and S modes, but will still start in manual and need to be double bumped to auto and the last mode setting.

I just went out and double checked the M-Mode options and it does not allow selection of auto vs. manual in the key settings.

Hmm, pretty sure mine forgets the last S mode setting on startup and defaults to S3. Have to check that....Maybe they "fixed" that on the 2011.

[BMW3R]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Hmm, pretty sure mine forgets the last S mode setting on startup and defaults to S3. Have to check that....Maybe they "fixed" that on the 2011.

You know, I think you are right. Now that I have had some time to review, the car does go into S3 in default. It will stay in D5. My 2008 stayed in whatever S mode was last driven. I wonder why the change was made?

[Finnegan]

Dunno, maybe to annoy us?

Seriously, so many things are ultra configurable these days. PC desktops, Macs, phones, etc. I don't think BMW really "gets" this concept and you can see it in the implementation of their interface. Small beef however, I like so much about the cars it's not a dealbreaker. I'd buy a Lexis if this was all a I cared about.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by BMW3R

My 2008 stayed in whatever S mode was last driven. I wonder why the change was made?

I honestly wish you had some video to prove that because if it is true then you were the only one with a car like that and it would be great to see how you got it to do that.

Like I said in the thread pointed out by Finnegan (and I an others have also said similar ones), by design, the car only remembers the drivelogic setting for the mode (mode being D or S) that is doesn't start up in. And the car always starts up in the mode that it was set to start up in from the factory. If there is a way to change that behavior then it hasn't been discovered yet.

[GT3 Tim]

I asked the same question of the dealer back when I got my car (July 2008). What I was told was it cannot be changed, period.

Apparently it is factory programed and the dealer cannot (or will not) alter it.

What's strange though is that many owners in Europe report their cars default to D upon start-up. Go figure.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by GT3 Tim

What's strange though is that many owners in Europe report their cars default to D upon start-up. Go figure.

Yep, not every region has the same startup mode. People have speculated this is related to fuel economy or emmisions testing procedures in various parts of the world, but those things are unconfirmed and somewhat debateable. As with many of the "Why the f**k did they do it this way?" questions surrounding BMW products, it might boil to the marketing folks and their apparent quest to sell as much product they can while seemingly listening to the consumer as little as possible .