Steptronic 1st gear usage

[Dave1027]

I've read on different forums that the 5 speed automatic steptronic transmission does not use 1st gear unless manually shifted into 1st. I went about testing this because it seemed odd to me that BMW would put a 5 speed into a car that only uses 4 gears. My testing confirms the transmission does use all 5 gears and does start in 1st gear.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl_EbC5PTQA&feature=youtu.be

[WOLFN8TR]

Yes it does in Auto but if you have it in SD and shift it manually and you are cruising in say 4th gear and slow down to a complete stop it starts off in 2nd gear. That might be what they are referring to.

[Dave1027]

Correct about manual mode. You can manually shift it into 1st. I believe that starting off in 2nd may come in handy if driving on snow or ice.

But actually, many people were stating the car normally does not use 1st in any auto mode and the only way to get it into 1st was to use manual mode and manually shift it there. This is the problem with forums where everybody has an opinion whether or not they are based in fact. They post their ideas as if they are. Some posted that the transmission uses 1st gear depending on adaptations.

[stephenkirsh]

It's a learning transmission. If you're punching it off the line every time it'll kick down to 1st at every stop. If you're gentle off the line, it'll stay in 2nd every time.

I drive mine in manual 100% of the time. Always kicks down to 2nd in any mode im in.

[Dave1027]

It's a learning transmission. If you're punching it off the line every time it'll kick down to 1st at every stop. If you're gentle off the line, it'll stay in 2nd every time.

That's not what my testing proves. My video clearly shows I am barely in the throttle and it does shift 4 times. That's the way I normally drive it. I guess I'm kinda of a granny driver for the most part.

I almost always drive it in regular D mode. I sometimes use manual mode when I'm idling through the neighborhood and want to keep the revs down. I sometimes pop it into manual and downshift when I want to quickly accelerate like say a traffic light turns yellow. I never use Sport mode. I think it's only useful for racing. If I tracked my car I'd use it. For regular street use D is plenty fast.

[terraphantm]

ZHP tranny software is probably calibrated differently. I'm positive my mom's 330xiA typically started in 2nd

[stephenkirsh]

ZHP tranny software is probably calibrated differently. I'm positive my mom's 330xiA typically started in 2nd

There's no difference. My zhp and my 325 transmissions behaved the same.

[stephenkirsh]

That's not what my testing proves. My video clearly shows I am barely in the throttle and it does shift 4 times. That's the way I normally drive it. I guess I'm kinda of a granny driver for the most part.

A single video on an old car doesn't prove much. How long have you owned the car?

I've never paid attention to the "learning" aspect of it, especially since I've never driven the car in auto mode. I assume there's not much in the way of learning from it.

[Avetiso]

In my sister's E90, it always starts in second, manual or auto. However, if you give it a decent amount of throttle off the line, it will go 2->1->2->3456. If you start lightly, it remains in second.

[terraphantm]

There's no difference. My zhp and my 325 transmissions behaved the same.

325s pretty much have to start in 1st since they're so underpowered. A 330iA non-ZHP may very well start in second in more circumstances. I know for a fact the software is different

In manual mode they all default to 2nd unless you shift down. But in D and DS, the behavior can be different.

[stephenkirsh]

I had my 325 for 2-3 years. It started in second. They're not "so under powered." I autocrossed it and it was competing just as strong as any other stock e46 out there.

[E_Rak]

Mine definitely goes into first when in drive. Second if in manual mode in a higher gear. An easy way to test this is to stop on a hill in drive, so the car can just barely idle forwards. Quickly pull the lever sideways and gear up into second with no pause, bypassing "sport" mode. The car will no longer have the torque to idle forwards, proving it was in first gear initially.

[Dave1027]

ZHP tranny software is probably calibrated differently. I'm positive my mom's 330xiA typically started in 2nd

Maybe that is the reason for the differing opinions. Different software calibration. But on the other hand, I don't understand why you would want a tranny to start in 2nd gear at all? To reduce torque? For what? For driving in the snow? The tranny is quick shifting. It rips through the gears quickly so I don't see what there is to gain from skipping 1st gear. Did you actually count the shifts like I did?

[stephenkirsh]

I've wondered that too. Never understood why it does that. The bmw tech who told me how they work didn't have an answer to the "why" part.

[TigerTater]

Mine definitely goes into first when in drive. Second if in manual mode in a higher gear. An easy way to test this is to stop on a hill in drive, so the car can just barely idle forwards. Quickly pull the lever sideways and gear up into second with no pause, bypassing "sport" mode. The car will no longer have the torque to idle forwards, proving it was in first gear initially.

This. Mine definitely starts in first when in drive mode, but when switched over to manual mode and coming to a stop will start in 2nd gear. Why I'm not sure?...I usually just push it forward and make it start in first. The first gear is very short and you almost must shift immediately upon applying throttle. As far as adaptive or learned behaviors it does this better in the S-D mode and depend show hard you apply throttle/brake. I don't notice it much in normal drive mode.

[Dave1027]

Now that my tranny is working better since this fix (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?14200-Automatic-transmission-shifting-problem&p=410465#post410465), it's easier to track what it's doing because it's operation is more consistent.

I now can tell this tranny is actually pretty smart and makes decisions on the fly. It does not always use 1st gear. It depends on how much throttle is applied and how fast the car is rolling. In other words, let's say you come to a stop sign and you leisurely accelerate, the tranny will use 2nd gear. But if you hit the gas harder it will quickly grab 1st. It seems to do it's best to do whatever the driver needs. It's pretty slick.

[stephenkirsh]

For an auto of that age, it's pretty good. I'd be 100% sold if it had 6 gears!

[Jon D]

For an auto of that age, it's pretty good. I'd be 100% sold if it had 6 gears!

Ditto.. that 6th gear would be great on the hwy at 70+

[wsmeyer]

I'm pretty certain all relatively new autos start in 2nd gear from full stop with light throttle. This has been the norm for at least 10 years because a car must be driven within a very specific set of parameters for the EPA mpg test. All the manufacturers figured out long time ago that by programming the tranny to start in second within those parameters is an instant mpg bump.

Lots of articles about this in car magazines and how this "loophole" could very well mean the end of stick shifts as they are required to start in first for the test.

[Rovert]

My dad's 540iA starts in 2nd when in D. But when you put it in sport, it'll always start in 1st.

My ///M in the lowest auto mode starts in 2nd but any other mode auto or manual is in 1st from a stop.

[terraphantm]

I had my 325 for 2-3 years. It started in second. They're not "so under powered." I autocrossed it and it was competing just as strong as any other stock e46 out there.

I didn't mean it as an insult to 325 owners, but auto-x means nothing since power doesn't matter much there. My friend was doing better in his ZHP than I was in my M3. Just a better driver than me.

A 330 has 40 hp and torque on a 325. That's not insignificant when you're starting with only 184.

[Jon D]

Mine starts in 2nd on the indicator when in manual mode[which is where I drive most of the time]. It is not first as if I manually put it there car has much more grunt off the line at the same throttle. I rarely use first unless want to be sure get a jump on other traffic when off the line or making a U turn. FWIW

[Dave1027]

I'm pretty certain all relatively new autos start in 2nd gear from full stop with light throttle. This has been the norm for at least 10 years because a car must be driven within a very specific set of parameters for the EPA mpg test.

I have found that my car, it always starts in 1st gear from a dead stop no matter how little throttle I give it. From a dead stop I cannot make it start in 2nd gear in D. If I'm rolling a little bit then it depends on how much throttle I'm into. There is a definite feel when it grabs 1st. Snaps your head back and shocks the drive train.