Strange DCT incident

wellee · 02-20-2011, 12:44 AM

Tonight as I was turning right after a stop sign in the rain, I heard a loud pop towards the back of the car. As I accelerated I realized my transmission had changed from D mode to S mode on its own, remaining in 1st gear. After switching it back to D mode, I saw that the right side of my NAV split screen went blank.

I have no idea whether any of those things were inter-related. The car drove fine the rest of the way home. I looked at the tires and they were inflated. No visible damage underneath.

Right now I am quite perplexed (and worried something's wrong with the transmission or computer systems). Has anyone experienced this? I've always driven in D mode. 5,000 miles on the car only. I'm taking it to the dealer on Monday to have it checked out.

Thoughts?

tlav17 · 02-20-2011, 01:08 AM

hmmm that's weird. best case, maybe you just ran over something in the road

Mjolnir · 02-20-2011, 06:04 AM

Car's trying to tell you to give S mode a try.

No idea. But why would you not try S mode once in awhile? Lot more fun?

ns2000x · 02-20-2011, 08:26 AM

Perhaps a breaker or a fuse? Something your car was able to recover from obviously but perhaps introduced by some unexpected electrical load.

My 10th BMW · 02-20-2011, 09:10 AM

Limited slip differential slipping on one side in the rain ?
That would'nt explain the shift to S or the split screen though.

PKL · 02-20-2011, 10:04 AM

OMG, 5k miles and only driven in D. YESS, this guy gives DCT a great name!!!

PS - 6MT FTW!

geneatals · 02-20-2011, 10:09 AM

blame it on the monsoonal rain we had last night.....

BKMK5 · 02-20-2011, 02:22 PM

If he by accident hit the paddles would it turn into sport mode? Still wouldnt explain the navigation though if hitting paddle does put it into sport mode.

donovan · 02-20-2011, 03:15 PM

Is the warranty still good? Take that shits in asap..have them run a computer diagnostic.

wellee · 02-20-2011, 04:52 PM

For sure. I hope they can find out what caused it. The transmission malfunction indicator didn't come on. The darn thing just had a mind of it's own

Maybe it was some sort of blip in the system that switched it back to S and made the screen go blank. Can't imagine what the pop noise was though. It came from the back wheels area, like I ran over something.

Thanks for all the feedback, guys.

emthreeboy · 02-20-2011, 05:06 PM

I remember reading about two other guys on the forum had same problem a year ago, fixed by software upgrade for one, the other one didnt do anything and he never had the problem again, probably just a temporary clitch.

Lowest_Frequency · 02-20-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ns2000x

Perhaps a breaker or a fuse? Something your car was able to recover from obviously but perhaps introduced by some unexpected electrical load.

Coming from an EE...
I thought the same when I read OP.

wellee · 02-22-2011, 10:01 AM

Thanks for your replies. I took it to the dealer and they couldn't find any faults. Hopefully it won't happen again.

1sikbmr · 02-22-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PKL

OMG, 5k miles and only driven in D. YESS, this guy gives DCT a great name!!!

PS - 6MT FTW!

Ha

Lodaka · 02-22-2011, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKMK5

If he by accident hit the paddles would it turn into sport mode? Still wouldnt explain the navigation though if hitting paddle does put it into sport mode.

I think so. If the paddles were used when in "D" mode, it will change to "S" mode and stay there, I believe. Again, doesn't explain the rest of the symptoms.

ss134 · 02-22-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mjolnir

Car's trying to tell you to give S mode a try.

No idea. But why would you not try S mode once in awhile? Lot more fun?

+1 - i've used D mode a couple of times in the snow.

DOUT · 02-22-2011, 12:41 PM

5k mi only in D mode, that says a lot about you....

You would have been better suited in an ISF or actually, a prius

OC3 · 02-22-2011, 01:18 PM

5,000 miles all in D mode? Why'd you even buy an M3?

Bananas92 · 04-13-2011, 08:06 PM

I have had a similar problem. Mine is exactly the opposite, minus the screen thing. I get in the car, switch to S5 mdm, take off in 1st, suddenly the dct makes a noise and it switches to D mode. Its done it a few times and only in the beginning of the drive. I have tried to re-create the event after it happens but I am unable to.

Gkap · 04-13-2011, 08:09 PM

dealer for warranty.

02-20-2011, 12:44 AM	#1
wellee Wellee 15 Rep 64 Posts Drives: Alpine White 535i M Sport Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pasadena, CA iTrader: (0)	Strange DCT incident Tonight as I was turning right after a stop sign in the rain, I heard a loud pop towards the back of the car. As I accelerated I realized my transmission had changed from D mode to S mode on its own, remaining in 1st gear. After switching it back to D mode, I saw that the right side of my NAV split screen went blank. I have no idea whether any of those things were inter-related. The car drove fine the rest of the way home. I looked at the tires and they were inflated. No visible damage underneath. Right now I am quite perplexed (and worried something's wrong with the transmission or computer systems). Has anyone experienced this? I've always driven in D mode. 5,000 miles on the car only. I'm taking it to the dealer on Monday to have it checked out. Thoughts?
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02-20-2011, 01:08 AM	#2
tlav17 Lieutenant 25 Rep 409 Posts Drives: F15 X5 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Central Jersey iTrader: (0)	hmmm that's weird. best case, maybe you just ran over something in the road __________________ 2015 F15 X5 Past: '08 Alpine White M3, '07 Titanium Silver Z4 M Coupe, '04 Imola Red M3 Coupe
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02-20-2011, 06:04 AM	#3
Mjolnir Second Lieutenant 8 Rep 264 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Le Mans Blue ZCP DCT Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Car's trying to tell you to give S mode a try. No idea. But why would you not try S mode once in awhile? Lot more fun?
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02-20-2011, 08:26 AM	#4
ns2000x Converted 30 Rep 920 Posts Drives: '11 E90 M3 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	Perhaps a breaker or a fuse? Something your car was able to recover from obviously but perhaps introduced by some unexpected electrical load. __________________ '11 BMW M3 E90 Jerez - Fox \| '17 BMW i3 BEV Protonic - Dalbergia
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02-20-2011, 09:10 AM	#5
My 10th BMW Private First Class 6 Rep 139 Posts Drives: 2011.5 M3 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: socal iTrader: (0)	Limited slip differential slipping on one side in the rain ? That would'nt explain the shift to S or the split screen though.
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02-20-2011, 10:04 AM	#6
PKL Brigadier General 861 Rep 3,272 Posts Drives: 2020 M4, 2022 X6 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Fernando Valley iTrader: (1)	OMG, 5k miles and only driven in D. YESS, this guy gives DCT a great name!!! PS - 6MT FTW! __________________
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02-20-2011, 10:09 AM	#7
geneatals Ninja 413 Rep 4,020 Posts Drives: 2019 530e Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: So Cal (SFV) iTrader: (3)	blame it on the monsoonal rain we had last night..... __________________ 2019 AW G30 530e l ZPP l ZMP l ZDH Retired: 2016 F80 M3, 2012 E90 M3, 2008 535i
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02-20-2011, 02:22 PM	#8
BKMK5 First Lieutenant 30 Rep 344 Posts Drives: 2019 MB C43 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	If he by accident hit the paddles would it turn into sport mode? Still wouldnt explain the navigation though if hitting paddle does put it into sport mode.
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02-20-2011, 03:15 PM	#9
donovan Brigadier General 377 Rep 4,167 Posts Drives: R8 - Ford Raptor Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: National iTrader: (17)	Is the warranty still good? Take that shits in asap..have them run a computer diagnostic. __________________ Audi R8 v10 Ford Raptor m3e46freak@yahoo.comfor all euro parts!! ebay/craigslist verified/ m3post/e46fanantics/m3forum/zpost/bimmerforum
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02-20-2011, 04:52 PM	#10
wellee Wellee 15 Rep 64 Posts Drives: Alpine White 535i M Sport Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pasadena, CA iTrader: (0)	For sure. I hope they can find out what caused it. The transmission malfunction indicator didn't come on. The darn thing just had a mind of it's own Maybe it was some sort of blip in the system that switched it back to S and made the screen go blank. Can't imagine what the pop noise was though. It came from the back wheels area, like I ran over something. Thanks for all the feedback, guys.
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02-20-2011, 05:06 PM	#11
emthreeboy Captain 37 Rep 917 Posts Drives: E92 M3 & E46 M3 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: socal iTrader: (2)	I remember reading about two other guys on the forum had same problem a year ago, fixed by software upgrade for one, the other one didnt do anything and he never had the problem again, probably just a temporary clitch. __________________ -09 e92 SPACE GRAY/// m3 w/ m-dct! -06 E46 JET BLACK/// m3 6MT!
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02-22-2011, 10:01 AM	#13
wellee Wellee 15 Rep 64 Posts Drives: Alpine White 535i M Sport Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pasadena, CA iTrader: (0)	Thanks for your replies. I took it to the dealer and they couldn't find any faults. Hopefully it won't happen again.
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02-22-2011, 12:41 PM	#17
DOUT Captain 56 Rep 783 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (2)	5k mi only in D mode, that says a lot about you.... You would have been better suited in an ISF or actually, a prius __________________ 2021 M3 6MT Brooklyn Grey/Silverstone Previous: 2009 335i ZMP 2013 M3 6MT ZCP Space Grey/Fox Red
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02-22-2011, 01:18 PM	#18
OC3 Havin' a blast! 125 Rep 4,847 Posts Drives: 2013 M3 E92 Jerez Blk DCT ZCP Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: SoCal iTrader: (1)	5,000 miles all in D mode? Why'd you even buy an M3? __________________ BRP 1:56 \| CVR 2:01 \| ACS 1:53 \| WSIR 1:34
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04-13-2011, 08:06 PM	#19
Bananas92 Member 0 Rep 42 Posts Drives: F80 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: TX iTrader: (1)	I have had a similar problem. Mine is exactly the opposite, minus the screen thing. I get in the car, switch to S5 mdm, take off in 1st, suddenly the dct makes a noise and it switches to D mode. Its done it a few times and only in the beginning of the drive. I have tried to re-create the event after it happens but I am unable to.
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04-13-2011, 08:09 PM	#20
Gkap BMF Movement 51 Rep 3,024 Posts Drives: Women Crazy Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: GTA iTrader: (1)	dealer for warranty.
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