Irritating Auto Box !!!!!!!!!!

C

Coatzie

Member
 Warwickshire
Can anyone offer advice on the kickdown function of the Auto box in a 2006 3.0L.

I have one in which the kickdown function is driving me mad. I appreciate that an auto is perhaps a soft option in the first place but I "thought" having the steering wheel paddles and "SD" gear box option would provide the best of both worlds !!!

In fully automatic the two stage kickdown is fine and as you would expect however, in "SD" mode and using the paddles to select the gear, the Auto function will override my selection and kick down if the loud peddle is pushed all the way, which is really irritating, as sometimes you don't necessarily want a 6k rpm engine scream but that pleasant deep tone from the engine under load.

Can anyone advise if this might be a defect or is it just the way the box is ! can the kick down function be disabled in SD mode or only in all modes ?

Thanks
 
Coatzie - welcome to the forum. You might want to introduce yourself.

Sounds normal to me and the gearbox is just protecting the car by getting into the right gear at the correct engine rpm, load and speed, from what to me sounds like you are simply flooring it at low speed in a high gear - i.e. doing 40 in 'top', stick it in SD and it drops a gear, push the throttle to the floor and it determines it needs to be a gear lower.

Try pushing the throttle until it's fully open, but not so far as to press the kickdown switch if yo want to force it to hold a higher gear.

I run a 3.0i with auto, SD, sport button and paddles and never experience any auto changes unless i forget I'm 'manual and pull up at lights and it sorts itself out by dropping to 2nd.

BTW - not sure the auto is a soft option, taking it to 60 in 6 seconds :poke:
 
Absolutely right. Sounds like an over enthusiastic right foot!! As some one who has been driving for almost 50 years the BMW 6 speed auto is one of the best and most responsive auto boxes I've ever had - leaving aside the current crop of twin clutch systems. It's far from a soft option and used well suits the 3.0 engine much better than the manual - try two footing it and it's even better.
 
Know the scenario ,only happened once to me and I was following a cyclist at cyclist speed , hit the loud pedal to get out round him fast
and box did just that ,not sure who was more surprised me or the poor cyclist who suddenly found a screaming monster along side him
bit embarrassing really :oops:
aside from that all BMW auto boxes I have ever used have been superb esp the Z4's
 
Sorry CJ10Jeeper, very rude of me !

I have had my Z'd a week, given up company cars for something a lot more fulfilling. Judging by some of the comments sounds like I need to give myself the chance to get used to the auto box !!

I appreciate the box protecting itself - in what ever mode - by changing up if the engine is reving in the red say, actualy, even then why not a rev limiter ? I just expected that in "manual" mode the interference might have been programmed out, but for self preservation. I have to say though, I agree it is welcome when you forget to change at the lights !

Anthonyjr, fair comment, judging by my fuel consumption in the first week, covered 800 miles, I must be guilty as charged ! I'll give some loud peddle finesse ago....

Wegras, sounds like you think it could be common to newcomers? I'll suck it and see.

However continuing the query, does anyone know if the kickdown is activated by an electric switch or is it mechanical ? And can it be disconnected without affecting the running of the car ?
 
However continuing the query, does anyone know if the kickdown is activated by an electric switch or is it mechanical ? And can it be disconnected without affecting the running of the car ?
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i suspect totally electronic , linked to ECU and the all electronic engine management systems .
 
Kickdown is usually a mechanical switch. As cj10jeeper says, try using varying amounts of throttle without actually flooring it completely. Try the throttle with the engine switched off to get used to the feel.

Just the like the SLK and Audi TT, manual is never truly manual, and the 'box will always change up at the redline. Not sure why people complain at this, because in a manual car, you would 9/10 change up at the redline too.

The SLK55 AMG has a true manual mode which won't change up (but it will kickdown).
 
Feel the throttle pedal and you will notice than the last 1/2cm movement clicks a switch. Since it totally fly by wire that will be simply sending an electronic signal to the gearbox to drop a notch and engine to increase to match rpm (an no doubt several other things too)

I doubt it can be disabled (well not easily) and to do so would of course remove kickdown when you needed it.

I drive with the paddles and frankly unless your being stupid, then in SD and sport pressed it never changes gear from what you select and can go right tot he redline.
 
ZermattV said:
From the avatar looks like this could be a nice car.... go on lets see some piccies.... :thumbsup: welcome
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Cheers ZermattV

Pict6.jpg
 
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