Engine Revs High From Idle & DCT Idling Questions PLEASE HELP

[Dcase2025]

An update from Austin. 135i still in shop. Talked to service advisor relating forum discussion on similar issues and repairs made fixing the rev problem--you would think I was a heretic. I asked to have the DME replaced. Rather than take my advice or request they are replacing the valvetronic solenoid. I'll let you know once that is completed.

[Chill Hill]

lets us know!!

[Joaco135]

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

An update from Austin. 135i still in shop. Talked to service advisor relating forum discussion on similar issues and repairs made fixing the rev problem--you would think I was a heretic. I asked to have the DME replaced. Rather than take my advice or request they are replacing the valvetronic solenoid. I'll let you know once that is completed.

Who is your SA?

[Dcase2025]

Andy....

[one30five]

Originally Posted by Chill Hill

Hey Guys, I'll get the facts out of the way first.

2011 135i M-Sport @ 36K miles w/ the 7 speed DCT (warranty ends 7/21)
Had it at the dealership last week and told me there was nothing wrong.

My RPM's are jumping from idle to 2000 RPM's. I've tried to replicate but had no luck. Every time it has happened, it's been while pulling into a parking space or when you move forward like in a drive-thru line. So I'm going to do my best to describe it...

It's seems to happened after I've been stopped for over 3-4 mins with my foot on the brake (Oddly never at a red light, only once at a stop sign, and almost always in a drive-thru line?). The car in front will pull forward a short distance. I take my foot off the brake and idle forward slightly and press the brake again to stop. The moment I press the brake, the RPM's will shoot up to 2K RPM's and sometimes higher and causes my car to actually jolt forward but I've always been pressing the brake. The other situation is pulling into parking spaces except it doesn't follow the same pattern. I'll slowly nudge my way into a space, with my foot on and off the brake slightly, and then it will happen. I had a guy walking on the side walk in front of the space when it happened once and he looked over like he thought I was going to hit him...It's embarrassing sometimes because it revs high enough for people to notice it. The engine will rev with or without my A/C on, although it happens substantially more with A/C on...


The other question was about general idling with DCT. To those who have the DCT, when you idle forward from a stop or go in reverse from parked is it delayed? I've never driven a DCT before this car, but I've worked valet before so I've driven TONS of cars, even the Lexus 8 speeds and none have seemed to feel like this. I guess I just want to make sure its normal lol. It doesn't really bother me, but I met a guy with a 6 speed automatic 135i and we drove each others. Just like any other car, his felt normal or "responsive". He also thought mine felt much different or delayed.

I don't know enough about cars mechanically to have much of an idea of what it could be other than maybe the compressor..? Since sometimes it seems related to the A/C being on but still happens with it off.. Sorry for the long post and thank you to whoever reads through it all! I would GREATLY appreciate ANY ideas or thoughts!! I want to try and get everything I can fixed before my warranty ends!

I get the delay from D to R and I've had some stalling issues as well but I'm FBO + e85. It's hard to remember if I had the stalling prior to jb4 and CAI which were first mods done after just a month or so. But the delay always seems to be there. And when the idling acts up it makes the delay worse. Like the 2 symptoms play off each other.

One thing, though, my CAI was filthy. Did a K&n cleaning and idling revs seem to be 80-90% better. JB4 ISO seems to help too. But that's probably just clearing up some of the glitchyness that came with the tune.

AC being on means a clutch activates the ac compressor. This, in theory, takes some power from the motor as it takes Hp to turn the pulley on the compressor just as it takes hp to turn the driveline. So of your having revving issues especially at low Rpm and or Idle it does not surprise me that you notices changes in the symptoms when the ac is turned on or off.

BMW did an update that was supposed to rectify the symptoms you describe. I have the update and I noticed minimal improvement. My symptoms seem to come and go though. Sometimes it doesn't act funny for a long time. Then for 2 days it wants to stall every time I pull into garage

[one30five]

Originally Posted by e36addict

Nope, never seen any issues with the N54/DCT combo. The N55 is already a stubborn motor with a lot of idle issues, I guess when paired with the DCT it just gets that much worse..

Agree. Lol. Sad but true.

No problems like this in my 335xi 6AT
I have a buddy who had a z4 N54 DCT and he said he hadn't experienced this

[-c-]

Had a similar issue and it was found that the DCT had a slight leak and was low on fluid. They replaced the seal and refilled it and all worked great again. When the DCT gets low on fluid all sorts of weirdness happens.

[Chill Hill]

Originally Posted by -c-

Had a similar issue and it was found that the DCT had a slight leak and was low on fluid. They replaced the seal and refilled it and all worked great again. When the DCT gets low on fluid all sorts of weirdness happens.

What was your issue?

[Joaco135]

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

An update from Austin. 135i still in shop. Talked to service advisor relating forum discussion on similar issues and repairs made fixing the rev problem--you would think I was a heretic. I asked to have the DME replaced. Rather than take my advice or request they are replacing the valvetronic solenoid. I'll let you know once that is completed.

Any update?

[mdputnam]

I've got a 2012 135i with the performance engine option and DTC. We hit 38k miles and are getting similar symptoms. When idling sometimes the idle will jump up to 1,500 rpm then down to 500 two or three times as if it was rev matching. In addition after initially pulling away from a stop the car will occasionally hesitate, it will disengage the clutch and drop the revs to idle. The car just sits there for a fraction of a second regardless of throttle position. After the third trip to the dealer, first time they said there was nothing wrong, we took their mechanic out for a ride and it misbehaved badly. The mechanic said "You know we have two other 135i s with DTCs in here with similar problems and all of them have around 40k miles" (it's a big dealership, there were over 200 cars in for service that day and they were running 3 repair shifts ). The dealer's service rep said they notified the factory service reps. He reported that the factory reps were familiar with this ongoing problem. Their estimate is that a software upgrade specifically addressing the problem will be available in approximately 2-3 months. I have no verification of this, it's just what I was told by the San Diego BMW service rep.

[Dcase2025]

BMW had the car 2 weeks. Here's what they did....an update at the end.
------------------------------------------------------------------
RESET CLUTCH ADAPTATIONS BUT RPMS WERE STILL SURGING. REPLACED MECHATRONICS UNIT. DRAINED AND FILLED ENTIRE TRANSMISSION & TOPPED OFF TRANSMISSION WITH 7 LITERS OF FLUID. TEST DROVE VEHICLE AND JOLT WAS NO LONGER FELT. WHEN RPM'S RAISE SLIGHTLY AT A STOP IS CONSIDERED NORMAL. PROGRAMMED AND CODED VEHICLE SOFTWARE VERSION 2.52.5.

MATERIAL FAILURE OF VANOS ADJUSTMENT UNIT ASSEMBLIE BOLTS. CONNECTED ISIS AND BATTERY CHARGER. INTERROGATED FAULT MEMORY F/C 2D61 VANOS EXHAUST CONTROL FAULT POSITION NOT REACHED. PER SIB 12-14-12 REMOVED VALVE COVER AND INSPECTED VANOS ADJUSTMENT UNITS. FOUND VANOS ASSEBLIE BOLTS HAVE BROKEN. PER SIB REPLACED BOTH VANOS ADJUSTMENT UNITS. INSPECTED HEAD FOR BROKEN BOLTS. BOLTS NOT PRESENT IN HEAD. R/I OIL PAN TO FIND BROKEN BOLTS. FOUND ALL BOLTS IN OIL PAN ASSEMBLED VEHICLE, CLEARED FAULT AND VERIFIED REPAIR. FILLED WITH 7 QTS OIL.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

1 month post service. Problem has returned. In stop and go traffic when braking transmission periodically gives BIG BUMP...car lurches forward. Also a long accelerator lag has developed. Taking in again next week......ANY SUGGESTIONS????

[Joaco135]

BMW NA has to come with a solution for this problem. I took mine to the dealer last week to replace the A/C condenser and ask about any updates to the DCT problem (they also had my car for 2 weeks and did the same as yours) and my SA told me that nothing from BMW NA. He also said that they start to see a lot more complains from DCT owners in the past few months. Go figure!

[Chill Hill]

Been a month or so since I posted in here so just an update with my issue

-Factory Warranty has ended
-I do have an extended warranty through my credit union...but you know how that goes.


The rpm surging issue for my DCT has been so inconsistent. Purchased in November 2013 and noticed the first surge in December 2013. From then to March the surging wasn't terrible but an annoyance that was happening 5-6 times a week. Starting in April/May it got much worse and began surging multiple times a day and sometimes it would surged 3-4 times within 1 min. Then from the end of June and all of July the surging was completely absent...only to start surging again now in August.

I did install a BMS intake and Cobb AP, but this was in July after the surging had been absent for several weeks. So I have no clue. Hopefully those still in warranty can continue to take issue up with BMW until they find a fix, and hopefully my extended warranty will cover it.

DCT DRIVERS KEEP YOUR SPIRITS UP! WE WILL PREVAIL!!

[Dcase2025]

Chill....did you have BMW check your VANOS bolts? There was a recall a few months back. BMW should extend your warranty to 100k. My bolts had broken off and they found them in my oil pan. Just thought I'd mention it.

[XHRL]

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

Chill....did you have BMW check your VANOS bolts? There was a recall a few months back. BMW should extend your warranty to 100k. My bolts had broken off and they found them in my oil pan. Just thought I'd mention it.

BMW is still working on those bolts, unless yours are broken, they're telling everyone to wait until they have enough supply, what a load of bull...

[Dcase2025]

Originally Posted by XHRL

BMW is still working on those bolts, unless yours are broken, they're telling everyone to wait until they have enough supply, what a load of bull...

That is BS!!! The vehicle was recalled because of those!!!

[hatepotholez]

Maybe time for a class action lawsuit?

[Joaco135]

Originally Posted by hatepotholez

Maybe time for a class action lawsuit?

[hatepotholez]

How do we get this started? I am so serious about this!!

[JimUlrich135]

BMW has released updated software for dct n55 e82s. If you didn't already have the dealer program the car that is..

[JimUlrich135]

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

That is BS!!! The vehicle was recalled because of those!!!

Too answer your question, the bulletin is out but BMW has not shipped to the regional dealers yet. Parts will be in this month for the vanos adjuster recall. Woohoo!

And if your adjuster bolts were broke, you would have a cel and a car that will barely run, and sound almost like a diesel lol

[lo-tek]

Originally Posted by JimUlrich135

BMW has released updated software for dct n55 e82s. If you didn't already have the dealer program the car that is..

Is there a TSB I can quote?