Engine Revs High From Idle & DCT Idling Questions PLEASE HELP

[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!

[Overpar56]

See if you have this update: SIB120912

[Chill Hill]

Check in iDrive?

Thanks!

[e36addict]

My car still has these same symptoms after the latest software update. Also much worse with A/C on. We have a BMW buy-back heat case in the dealer right now, and the engineers have decided to put a new DME in it.. Haven't heard the results of that yet, but i'll probably know later on today. On my car, I cleared all adaptations with the JB4 and it seemed to help a lot. Hasn't done it in a few days now...

[mike@x-ph.com]

My car has been doing that for more than a year...i let it idle for 10 seconds, it goes back down to 800... Car runs fine no problem at all.

[Chill Hill]

Where do find my software version? Can I check in iDrive?

I don't have a chip or AP or anything like that..

[Overpar56]

Dealer has to pull the history I think. Maybe BMW customer service can pull up the service history for you.

[gmartan]

Originally Posted by e36addict

My car still has these same symptoms after the latest software update. Also much worse with A/C on. We have a BMW buy-back heat case in the dealer right now, and the engineers have decided to put a new DME in it.. Haven't heard the results of that yet, but i'll probably know later on today. On my car, I cleared all adaptations with the JB4 and it seemed to help a lot. Hasn't done it in a few days now...

A new DME is what fixed mine finally. It was making me crazy because throttle tip in was also unpredictable. Now it is still a tad slow off the mark, but no worse than any auto transmission BMW, but at least it's constant so I'm not stepping on the gas wondering what will happen. I'm liking it again, a lot.

[e36addict]

Originally Posted by gmartan

A new DME is what fixed mine finally. It was making me crazy because throttle tip in was also unpredictable. Now it is still a tad slow off the mark, but no worse than any auto transmission BMW, but at least it's constant so I'm not stepping on the gas wondering what will happen. I'm liking it again, a lot.

Which still confuses me, because I would think the old DME updated to the latest software level would be exactly the same.. I guess it's the newer hardware that fixes it? I dunno..

[gmartan]

Originally Posted by e36addict

Which still confuses me, because I would think the old DME updated to the latest software level would be exactly the same.. I guess it's the newer hardware that fixes it? I dunno..

Yes, new hardware. I had the latest flash then I had some custom code uploaded by BMW. That code banished most of the surging issues for two months before it came back. Only the new DME fixed both the surging problems and the unpredictable throttle delay.

It needs to be said that the BMW dealer where I bought the car was completely useless in addressing this issue at all, calling it normal. Fortunately, there is a really great dealer in town that was willing to acknowledge the problem and work with BMW to resolve it. I hope that you have one where you live too.

[Chill Hill]

Originally Posted by gmartan

Yes, new hardware. I had the latest flash then I had some custom code uploaded by BMW. That code banished most of the surging issues for two months before it came back. Only the new DME fixed both the surging problems and the unpredictable throttle delay.

It needs to be said that the BMW dealer where I bought the car was completely useless in addressing this issue at all, calling it normal. Fortunately, there is a really great dealer in town that was willing to acknowledge the problem and work with BMW to resolve it. I hope that you have one where you live too.

Did you just go into a dealership and tell them you thought it was the DME? After reading what you said I feel like that could be my issue as well. My pedal is so delayed!!! On a few tries with me messing with it, I had enough time to blip the gas and hit the brakes before the engine reacted..

I'm in College Station and I don't trust the dealership here AT ALL plus there extremely lazy. I only take it to dealerships in Dallas or Houston

[gmartan]

Originally Posted by Chill Hill

Did you just go into a dealership and tell them you thought it was the DME? After reading what you said I feel like that could be my issue as well. My pedal is so delayed!!! On a few tries with me messing with it, I had enough time to blip the gas and hit the brakes before the engine reacted..

I'm in College Station and I don't trust the dealership here AT ALL plus there extremely lazy. I only take it to dealerships in Dallas or Houston

It's always the DME. After I bought the car the throttle response delay went away only after I added the PPK but it came back a year later after an update was done. The surging appeared later and was not resolved until the DME was physically replaced.

[Chill Hill]

Originally Posted by gmartan

It's always the DME. After I bought the car the throttle response delay went away only after I added the PPK but it came back a year later after an update was done. The surging appeared later and was not resolved until the DME was physically replaced.

How did you explain this to the dealership?

Thanks for all the input!

[Joaco135]

Originally Posted by e36addict

Which still confuses me, because I would think the old DME updated to the latest software level would be exactly the same.. I guess it's the newer hardware that fixes it? I dunno..

e36addict,

Since you work at BMW of Dallas, have you seen either the Z4 or the 335is with similar DCT problems? A friend of mine has a 2012 335is and has not experience any of the problems we are having and as far as I know the Z4, 335is and the 135 uses the same DCT, only difference is our N55 VS their N54.

[e36addict]

Originally Posted by Joaco135

e36addict,

Since you work at BMW of Dallas, have you seen either the Z4 or the 335is with similar DCT problems? A friend of mine has a 2012 335is and has not experience any of the problems we are having and as far as I know the Z4, 335is and the 135 uses the same DCT, only difference is our N55 VS their N54.

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..

[Dcase2025]

Same identical issue with my '11 135i. It has 40k (Certified). It's in the shop now. I'll post more after I get it back, but BMW has issued a solution.

[Chill Hill]

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

Same identical issue with my '11 135i. It has 40k (Certified). It's in the shop now. I'll post more after I get it back, but BMW has issued a solution.

will yours do it in reverse also? Yesterday mine "surged" or whatever were calling it 3 times while in a parking lot. Once in reverse. Really wish I could replicate somehow...

When will it get out of the shop? I've only got about a month and half left of warranty..

[Joaco135]

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..

Thanks, thats what I figured.

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

Same identical issue with my '11 135i. It has 40k (Certified). It's in the shop now. I'll post more after I get it back, but BMW has issued a solution.

I took mine to BMW of Austin which think is were yours is at, they had my car for almost three weeks and after even a PUMA was started, BMW NA came back and said that this is a normal behavior of the DCT. They update the software on the DME and DCT as well. Hell they even change the tranny fluid, lol. Hopefully you have better luck and let us know if it gets fixed.

[Dcase2025]

It is in the Austin shop, and yes, they said I had a leak in my transmission. This sounds almost like a "canned" response to this problem. I'm going to demand they replace the DME. It's never reacted in reverse, and only with the AC on. First time my wife drove the car it surged. I've only had the vehicle 2 weeks and I'm already fed up with it. I'll keep you all posted.

[Chill Hill]

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

It is in the Austin shop, and yes, they said I had a leak in my transmission. This sounds almost like a "canned" response to this problem. I'm going to demand they replace the DME. It's never reacted in reverse, and only with the AC on. First time my wife drove the car it surged. I've only had the vehicle 2 weeks and I'm already fed up with it. I'll keep you all posted.

Yeah at first mine only did it with A/C on max. Then it happened without A/C and now it does it in reverse...probably happens like 3-5 times a day and I don't drive much..

[Joaco135]

Originally Posted by Dcase2025

It is in the Austin shop, and yes, they said I had a leak in my transmission. This sounds almost like a "canned" response to this problem. I'm going to demand they replace the DME. It's never reacted in reverse, and only with the AC on. First time my wife drove the car it surged. I've only had the vehicle 2 weeks and I'm already fed up with it. I'll keep you all posted.

yeah, mine starting to do it in reverse mode also. One thing it helps for a few weeks or so is resenting the gas pedal as mentioned on another thread, the jump on the RPM still there but the surge forward is minimum..
Keep us posted.

[Chill Hill]

Can we at least assume this is related to an issue with programming, DME, etc.? And not related to problems with the DCT or engine itself? If so, that would take some weight off.

BTW, I sorta found a way to replicate my issue.

Tested it in my driveway with A/C on and going back and forth between reverse and drive. I would repeatedly brake then roll at an idle every few seconds. While rolling I would aggressively turn the wheel left and right and that made it surge twice. It's like it needed more power to do the A/C and the power steering...Weird.