Interesting function on 8 speed auto 'box

Z

Z4monster

Member
I was washing my 28i Auto the other day and wanted to move it a few feet to finish cleaning the wheels. I started the car and put it into reverse but left the drivers door open so I could judge how far i'd gone (only wanted half a wheel revolution.)

As the car started to move, it suddenly stopped dead and went back into park on the gearstick. I also got a bong! and an alert on the dash display of a car and two arrows above it.

I tried it again and the same thing happened. I also tried going forwards with the door open and this was exactly the same. It would appear that you can't move the car with the door open.

Pretty nifty safety feature BMW have built into the car but slightly annoying if you want to do what I did. At least it stopped me doing a Brian Harvey!
 
It only locks the parking brakes on during reverse when the door is open. When on drive, it just gives a big warning sign on the iDrive that the door is open but doesn't lock up or go into drive, at least that is the case with mine. I could imagine it being being very dangerous if it locks up and goes to parking brake all of a sudden from the drive position.
 
I found this when delivering brand new X3 to a colleague the other week, whilst reversing I opened the door even though it had PDC just to be double sure and as reported the car stopped.

I would hope there is a way you could turn this off though.
 
srhutch said:
I found this when delivering brand new X3 to a colleague the other week, whilst reversing I opened the door even though it had PDC just to be double sure and as reported the car stopped.

I would hope there is a way you could turn this off though.
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I'd find another way to do what you want like an open window. It's a safety feature, best not to turn it off so a 1.5 ton plus out of control machine can't kill you or someone else!
 
rfx45 said:
It only locks the parking brakes on during reverse when the door is open. When on drive, it just gives a big warning sign on the iDrive that the door is open but doesn't lock up or go into drive, at least that is the case with mine. I could imagine it being being very dangerous if it locks up and goes to parking brake all of a sudden from the drive position.
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Deliberately tried going forwards in mine and it does a complete stop and back to park. It even moves the lever back to the centre position if you are in sport/manual. It does thunk a bit when it does it. I assume it's to stop you getting out with it in drive and the car going off.

I thought it was quite cool to be honest.
 
My old 35iS (DCT) would not let you reverse with the door open, the first time I found this out I was reversing next to a kerb and decided to open my door, the car came to a sudden halt and I banged my head on the head-rest!
 
Did you have the seatbelt on?? My 5 seems to allow door open if seatbelt fastened. Have to say its a frustrating 'safety' feature
 
jaRED said:
Did you have the seatbelt on?? Have to say its a frustrating 'safety' feature
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Yes I did, and I agree it was a flustrating feature, :headbang: my 991S has no such problem :)
 
Not really a problem to me. Have tried it with the seatbelt on and you get a Bong warning and a display icon but it does move.

Seems like a clever idea to me.
 
Actually this reminds me of a little accident I had with an automatic Mk3 Escort a few years ago.

My driveway went down the side of my house, I had just booked in for MOT so reversed it only the drive and down the side of the house so the drivers door was just in front of the house enabling me to get out. I switched lights on etc and got out to do checks with the engine still running, did the checks and then for some reason or other stood outside the car and blipped the throttle. I had of course not realised that the car was in reverse so it proceeded to quickly move backwards pinning me to the house by my arm with the drivers door. I couldn't move but luckily my wife was there so I had to talk her through moving the car forwards as she had never driven an automatic before.

Luckily the car was only worth a couple of hundred quid and I straightened the door out enough to use although it was never perfect around the window.

Bottom line is even though that happened I still think this is the nanny state gone made, it doesn't stop you mowing down a street full of pedestrians at 70mph if you wanted to. It's just another thing to go wrong, like a colleagues Passat that wouldn't move because the car would not recognise that he had his seatbelt done up.
 
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