M-DCT Lag issue. Owners please post your car info here

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by nitramsen

I do not know if this is a new rumour here in the forum but there will be a fix for this in march according to my sources........

Come on tell us something about your secret sources.

Footie: I told you so! As well you still have not told us the software version you have.

[nitramsen]

Originally Posted by swamp2

Come on tell us something about your secret sources.

Footie: I told you so! As well you still have not told us the software version you have.

I do not want to be a dick but for reasons I cannot dicuss right now I cannot disclose where I have it from nor why but I can tell that I am 100% sure on the source. The release of the new engine/gearbox management software maybe delayed but they are working on it as we speak and expect to roll it out in march.

[footie]

Originally Posted by swamp2

Come on tell us something about your secret sources.

Footie: I told you so! As well you still have not told us the software version you have.

swamp,

Fun you should mention it but I got a phone call for a BMW customer survey asking question about the work carried out and if I was happy with the service provided. Nothing strange there you may say but then the final question was 'how is your car driving now the work was completed?'

P.S.
Still don't know if there was a software upgrade done but the car does drive much better. I have taken the corner which always caused the lag about 50-60 times since the car came back from the dealers and only once (in D4) did I experience any lag and even then it was no more than 0.3s (at a guess).

[AZ-BMW]

Originally Posted by nitramsen

I do not want to be a dick but for reasons I cannot dicuss right now I cannot disclose where I have it from nor why but I can tell that I am 100% sure on the source. The release of the new engine/gearbox management software maybe delayed but they are working on it as we speak and expect to roll it out in march.

[footie]

Bad news guys,

The lag is starting to appear more and more frequently so it looks to me that the gearbox is has an adapting (learning) software. So for almost three weeks I was bug free and while it lasted things were bliss.

You fully appreciate something until you lose it.

[gr8000]

My DCT is in today for a software update. Whether it is a "new" one which we don't know, or one of the latest ones that does not solve the lag issue remains to be seen. I will keep you posted.

PS. I made another round of complaints to BMW Greece and they arranged a(nother) meeting with the tech guys of my dealership to "explain & demonstrate" to them what I have been talking about. Anyway I went in today, demonstarted the lag fine (I was even surprised that the tech acknowledged it and didn't give me crap like "oh, its normal behaviour" etc) and I was then told that there is an update for the DCT (probably one of the known ones that does not resolve the lag issue). I told them that if the lag issue that has kept bugging me over the past 8 months of ownership does not go away with the update then I will launch an official complaint in writting towards BMW Europe with cc to BMW Greece. I even have the letter ready and standing by.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by footie

The lag is starting to appear more and more frequently so it looks to me that the gearbox is has an adapting (learning) software.

Sorry to hear it footie.

That is an interesting theory, BTW. I haven't seen much talk about how the M-DCT transmission might learn your driving habits. In fact, do we even know for sure that it does? I know it has been speculated before, but I don't recall what was concluded. The thing is, even if it does this in D modes, I doubt it would effect S modes. So, if you had been driving in S modes at all in the past three weeks and not experienced any lag then it should continue unchanged.

[footie]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Sorry to hear it footie.

That is an interesting theory, BTW. I haven't seen much talk about how the M-DCT transmission might learn your driving habits. In fact, do we even know for sure that it does? I know it has been speculated before, but I don't recall what was concluded. The thing is, even if it does this in D modes, I doubt it would effect S modes. So, if you had been driving in S modes at all in the past three weeks and not experienced any lag then it should continue unchanged.

It more and more convinced it is a learning system and here is why, the system seemed to be holding on to third gear instead of shifting to second and this was happening on corners that it definitely shifted to second gear before.

Since Tuesday I have noticed the gearbox shifting to second gear on these corners now and the lag is present more and more often, at start I only found it in D4 ( maybe because I used it almost exclusively since the car returned) but now it's present on all D-modes again as before.

It's funny but before the car went in and this was fixed (so I thought) though it was there and present all the time it never really got it me in the same way as some of the rest of you but now that I have experienced a fault free DCT I am fucking pissed off like you would never believe.


I don't give a shit what people are saying that there will be a fix and it might be here in March sometime, I feel now that there will never be a fix because the f'ing gearbox will revert back and do what ever it bloody well wants.

[gr8000]

Originally Posted by footie

I don't give a shit what people are saying that there will be a fix and it might be here in March sometime, I feel now that there will never be a fix because the f'ing gearbox will revert back and do what ever it bloody well wants.

I don't think so and I hope this is not going to be the case. I don't know but I remain optimistic that we may not be too far from a proper software update addressing the lag.

PS. I just stepped in home after taking the car from the dealer having installed the very latest software that is out there (don't ask which progman version - I am clueless). It doesn't take more than a few stop & go's in city trafic to conclude that the lag isn't fixed - not by the wildest stretch of imagination. The box feels a bit different (like the clutch is more modulated in low rpm / 1st & 2nd gear) but the lag is there. I am neutral to this update although havent driven long to draw solid conclusions. Anyway, on Monday I am shooting off my extensive email complaining about the lag issue to BMW Europe with cc to BMW Greece.

[swamp2]

Footie the M-DCT gearbox does not adapt in the way you claim. Such a feature has not been mentioned in the press anywhere and it is pretty obvious after driving the car for a week in what way it adapts. It is very short term adaption and it is limited to extending the gear hold time in D modes (delaying upshifts) for a period after a very heavy application of the gas pedal.

You did not get a software version that included transmission software that is any newer than any of us. It did not fix the lag problem and the software and tranny are not long term adaptive. All of these facts are pretty crystal clear.

I don't suppose you will even share your software version number with us? That would lay rest to all of your drivel on this topic.

[Neil McRae]

chaps what rpm does this happen at?

[footie]

Swamp,

I am unhappy and hurt by you suggestions.

I honestly thought that my car was fixed, I asked if there was any new upgrade to cured the lag when it was in getting the other fault fixed. When the car return (it was delivered to my work after I had left for dinner) it was driving better than before and appeared to be lag free. I sincerely doubt given my experience for those first few days they would have acted any differently.

Call me stupid for assuming that it had a new upgrade but please don't call me a liar. I didn't deserve that.

[nitramsen]

Originally Posted by footie

Swamp,

I am unhappy and hurt by you suggestions.

I honestly thought that my car was fixed, I asked if there was any new upgrade to cured the lag when it was in getting the other fault fixed. When the car return (it was delivered to my work after I had left for dinner) it was driving better than before and appeared to be lag free. I sincerely doubt given my experience for those first few days they would have acted any differently.

Call me stupid for assuming that it had a new upgrade but please don't call me a liar. I didn't deserve that.

This may sound completely nuts, but was the outside temp below -1C and trips shorter than 20 mins when you did not feel the hesitation?

[footie]

Not below 1C but almost all of my trips are less than 10miles.

[nitramsen]

Originally Posted by footie

Not below 1C but almost all of my trips are less than 10miles.

Okay, so my theory is not correct. But I can only say that most days where I drive and it is cold enough(-2 to -10) the lag is not there for about 20 mins even when the oil temp readout is 80-100c.

I think that too many are complaining about the gearbox but if you ask me it is more an engine management issue. (Which is adaptive I think)

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by footie

Swamp,

I am unhappy and hurt by you suggestions.

I honestly thought that my car was fixed, I asked if there was any new upgrade to cured the lag when it was in getting the other fault fixed. When the car return (it was delivered to my work after I had left for dinner) it was driving better than before and appeared to be lag free. I sincerely doubt given my experience for those first few days they would have acted any differently.

Call me stupid for assuming that it had a new upgrade but please don't call me a liar. I didn't deserve that.

Look foot, I did not call you a liar. I only question you powers of observation and your attention to key details like determining which version of the software you actually have and of course whether or not this version has known DCT software changes. Of course my frustration with the bug itself and my anxiousness for a fix contributes to me being very curt on this topic. Sorry about that.

[footie]

Honestly, for 3 weeks my car was lag free and driving perfectly, there is no doubt the gearbox has changed when it decides to shift into second instead of staying in third. It may have been this that was fooling me into thinking everything was A-OK.

I know there is nothing about it learning driving styles but based on my experience over this last 4 weeks I can conclude that I am no longer sure on that opinion.

[Juano11]

09 DCT Coupe Oct 08 Build
PY43902

Just got my 1200 mile service. I notified the tech of the problem and took him for a drive to demonstrate it.

I was in a hurry when I picked the car up so I didn't really talk to anyone when I got it back. Less than a mile from the dealership I tried to replicate the problem...yep still there...not fixed...crap...

The situation that concerns me most with this problem is in making a rolling left hand turn. You slow as you approach the turn, assessing if you have a gap in oncoming traffic to turn through, the DCT has downshifted to 2nd as you approach your turn, before coming to a stop there is a gap to turn through, you step on the gas and turn into traffic and...nothing.

Additionally, this is just a wickedly annoying fault in an expensive performance car. If I go pick up some cheap econobox, I still wouldn't accept this problem, but could understand its existence a little better. I cannot understand it in a $70K M3.

[gr8000]

Originally Posted by Juano11

09 DCT Coupe Oct 08 Build
PY43902

Just got my 1200 mile service. I notified the tech of the problem and took him for a drive to demonstrate it.

I was in a hurry when I picked the car up so I didn't really talk to anyone when I got it back. Less than a mile from the dealership I tried to replicate the problem...yep still there...not fixed...crap...

The situation that concerns me most with this problem is in making a rolling left hand turn. You slow as you approach the turn, assessing if you have a gap in oncoming traffic to turn through, the DCT has downshifted to 2nd as you approach your turn, before coming to a stop there is a gap to turn through, you step on the gas and turn into traffic and...nothing.

Additionally, this is just a wickedly annoying fault in an expensive performance car. If I go pick up some cheap econobox, I still wouldn't accept this problem, but could understand its existence a little better. I cannot understand it in a $70K M3.

Pretty similar story here too. I was complaining about the lag issue over time to my dealer, then last week I felt like sending a formal letter to BMW. Before doing so I went by the dealer to check whether there is a new update or anything solving the damn thing. The dealer had an updated software which was uploaded (under warranty of course) and in the evening I got the car back. The same old crappy lag was there - I could tell instantly after the first corner I had to take. This morning I let out my letter to BMW Europe with cc to BMW Greece.

PS. The dealer has been very professional in their handling of the case and never sold me the "normal behaviour" story. To the contrary they said they can see this being a real issue, however for as long as there is no software of hardware solution there isnt anything they can do. In all this process I have very much valued them as they have been honest about this. This is of course also mentioned in my letter to BMW.

[BMW3R]

MY2008 VIN: E216161

I have been told that the complaint was found legit by BMW and that they were working on a fix 3 months ago. I too am thouroughly annoyed by this lag. I have not even driven the car now for 4 months and have been driving my 2007 335i which is a lot more fun without annoying tranny issues.

By the way, with my two children in the back seat, I approached an intersection with a dump truck coming towards me. I had enough time to make the turn left. I coasted up into the intersection and applied the gas only to have absolutely no response! The dump truck slammed on his brakes and my tranny finally engaged. This scared the crap out of me! This is the worst event, but there have been many other close calls.

[ase2dais]

I guess my 09 DCT is okay, I havent been affected by the recall and yes
I've observed slight dealy during shift start from Park-D or P-R but not during on gear changes

Isnt it just oxymoron for us to keep boasting that our DCT is .004 Faster-Shifts
and yet observed ourselves saying "but there is a Delay"

[BMW3R]

Originally Posted by ase2dais

Isnt it just oxymoron for us to keep boasting that our DCT is .004 Faster-Shifts and yet observed ourselves saying "but there is a Delay"

Actually... no. The car shifts great from stop to full acceleration. What we are talking about is when you are coasting to a turn and the car drops into second and then stalls upon acceleration. It does it in auto and manual modes and is very annoying and completely reproducible.

I had expected a lot better from a $72,000 car!