DCT problems

[ILoveChess100]

I just finished reading this entire thread and would now add my own frustrations with the DCT.

Bought my 2011 135i with DCT, (sport, prem pkg) on Aug 1st 2011 at 25 miles. Drove it home (35 miles) and then the fun began:

Put the car into reverse to back up into my garage, and while my foot was still on the brake as soon as the shifter returned to middle the car started to violently jerk backwards as if the dct is trying to drop the clutch. After 3 jerks within about 1.5 seconds the engine stalls (which is usually the behavior of dropping the clutch in a manual while holding the brakes, except this is an automatic. LOL). Of course the dash lit up like a cristmas tree with all sorts of warnings.
Foot still on brake, push the start button, car turns on and within half a second wham again starts to violently jerk backwards and again stalls itself (this time I didn't even touch the shifter). I am assuming the second time the tranny was still somehow left in reverse gear since the car stalled the first time.
3rd time, as I turn the car on I was frantically pressing the P to try and get the tranny out of whatever mode it was stuck in and thankfully that worked so then I put it in neutral and rolled the car back into my garage.

Next morning, off to the dealership, D works, pull forward out of garage, figured what the heck lets try R again, works like a charm this time around. Went to the dealer, described the problem, they refused to give me a loaner because I hadn't scheduled an appointment and said they need the car the whole day to diagnose. Well sorry but I kinda have to get to work so I drove off. No problems for the rest of the day.

3rd day, car is fine in the morning, but in the afternoon it decides to act up again. This time I was filling up gas (the dealership that sold me the car kinda forgot to put gas in it...) and as I got back into the car, turned it on, tranny will not shift into anything, D, M, R, N, just sits there in P. Tried turning the car on off about 4 times and trying to get the tranny to do anything without any luck. Foot off the brake, moving the shifter gave the audible warning that you need to press on the brake so I know the shifter is working fine, but the DCT would just not shift with or without your foot on the brake. So I just turned on the flashers and started apologizing to the line of cars behind me waiting for their turn to gas up.
Went in the car about 15 minutes later, turned it on, and viola, everything works fine again. Drove straight into another dealership, and they took the car in. I didn't even bother with requesting a rental, just told them to get the damn dct fixed - I arranged for alternate transportation myself.

Now at this point in time I should mention (eventhough this is a DCT specific thread) that also prior to getting gas on day 3 I had seen a low-battery warning as well as a random service needed warning, but I figured hey the gas station is on the way and I might not even make it to the dealership cuz I am driving practically on empty). Anyways the battery and service needed were completely separete issues repaired at later service so I am going to ignore describing those and focus just on the DCT.

So rather than describing the service done, I figure its best to just post it here: Postings of the 1st and 3rd services of the car, as I didn't get any paperwork on service 2 O__o






So the overall outcome is that service 1 seemed to correct the DCT issues through software reprogramming, but totally botched the service on the battery and the 'service needed' warning, the second service supposedly they just reset all service intervals (thus no paperwork) which 'fixed it' for only 1 day, and the last service replaced the battery and seems to have done some CBS reprogramming.

After the reprogramming, the DCT hasn't had the stalling problem or inability to shift out of park, but has been extremely sluggish in response, just as many others have expressed in this thread. Mashing the gas pedal would sometimes take 1 to 1.5 seconds before the car responds... This kind of hesitation is just downright dangerous. It happens from a dead stop (about a 1s delay from mashing the gas pedal and the car actually starting to move) and if coasting in 4-7 or only slowly accelerating in 2-4 mashing the gas pedal results in 1.5s delay before the downshift occurs and the car starts moving as expected. Driving in sport D, or S, or Sport S doesn't help at all in response in the above conditions. Only in M at least you get instant response *in the currently selected gear*, but manually downshifting while pressing the accelerator results in about .75s of delay when the power delivery just stops right before it hooks up the gear and glues you to the seat.

Oh and somewhat irrelevant to a DCT thread, but recently (about 800 miles on the car) started getting an annoying rattle in the roof rear area as well as longer cranks. One thing after the next... Almost no full week has gone by without a need for a visit to the dealership. Car isn't even past the 1200mi break in period yet, but it sure is borken !!!!

[JB135MDCT]

Why is the dealer blacked out? What dealer jerked you off?

Taking off from a stop should be instantaneous, for that reason alone you should take it back to the dealer for service. Report stated your DCT over heated without reporting it to you, this deserves a new DCT. If it were me, I would ask for a new car.

[ILoveChess100]

Well I figured I would give the dealer a chance to make up for all the trouble I have had with this car, but even with my complaints and a call to BMWNA not much seems to be happening so pretty soon I am just going to open a new thread in the maintenance section and post all my eletronic correspondance with service advisors/managers, customer relations, BMWNA, and service descriptions without any censoring of the dealerships and people involved - prb won't do me any good, but it would at least help others that are considering purchasing cars from the same place I did.

The fight with dealers/BMWNA is basically coming down to the fact that the dealerhsip that sold me the car has had it on their lot for about 10 months and in that time they didn't bother to do *any* inspection of the car and just ended up selling it to me. Because of the long period of time the car was just sitting there, its battery (never being recharged) was basically on its last breaths and needed replacement, 2 recalls were missed as the SIBs were distributed after that dealership got the car from the factory, and not to mention that the fluids like oil/brake were halfway through their 'calendar' life, eventhough the car has no miles on it. They were prb happy to get rid of the car off the lot and I got stuck with a 135i that passed the 3 mile test drive and started showing its first problems another 10 or so miles after all the paperwork was signed Unfortunately in CA a "new car" is defined as one that hasn't been titled before, so technically a dealership can sell you a car thats 1 year old after it rolled off the factory floor as brand new.

[fusion01]

Originally Posted by BuddhaPilot

They drove the piss out of it (as evidenced by the single digit mileage the trip computer recorded)

Not entirely contributing to this thread other than to agree on the above. Car went in on Friday for slight rattle to sunroof and creaking rear suspension (which went away on its own) and I noticed worse fuel consumption figures than even I've managed when running the car very hard on psycho runs. Most effin pissed off and will call the dealer principal tomorrow to give them some shit. They should respect owners' cars and fuel - all ends up costing me money.

[gmartan]

Originally Posted by ParkNuts

My car just got the new software and was clearly run through its paces at the dealership - mpg was terrible and the trip odo was reset. My mpg has been suffering 1-2mpg ever since I got the new software. However, it does seem to shift smoother. Either non sport mode was softened up or the sport mode was made more aggressive, but there is definitely more of a performance gap between sport / non sport mode. It also doesn't have a 'push' feeling upshifting in sport mode - in a good way. Just solid, fast shifts. I am happy with that respect to the new tuning.

What I'm not happy with (and the reason I took the car to the dealership) is the throttle lag from a slow roll. Don't tell me this is turbo lag - I know what that is. Rather, there is literally no motor response for a full second regardless of throttle. It seems like they didn't even address this problem when I took the car in for that reason, and they just put the new software on it and let me go.

I agree tha the transmission might be prone to problems and am eager to see if BMW offers more fixes down the road.

I've hated the lag since the day I got it, that and the RFTs. Tires are changed out but can't seem to find a way to fix the lag. It is annoying froM a dead stop but it is twice as annoying when you have taken your foot off the gas going into a corner and hope to power out of it. By the time it comes on the corner, and the fun, is long gone.

[BuddhaPilot]

I didn't have as much of a lag problem until the first software update. Before then, you could still get a good launch out of it even in normal drive. When you rolled on the throttle hard, you would hear the engine bog just a little like you would with a normal manual and it would build quickly from there. After, the update, it was just soft, nearly unpredictable, and didn't have the crispness it did before. It wasn't even as good a launch as I got out of the 328i loaners with a real slushbox. The consistency was just not there any more. What was even more annoying was rolling on the throttle, nothing happenning, so you roll on it more and more until something did. All of a sudden, you were off an running and getting a lot more than you really wanted.

[BuddhaPilot]

Good and bad news today

-The Bad- I had a car inbound on the boat and BMW decided the trade assist didn't work for that one. I'd already tried to locate another 135i with 6sp and Sport/M-Sport and there was nothing out there at the time. My salesman started looking for a 3er coupe or sedan and found me a silver on black 335i performance edition sedan/nav/premium/hk/6sp/sport pack. Thought that was the end of the search until today when I got the call that the deal didn't work the same unless I was going into another 135i.

-The Good- I said fine, lets try to find one. He'd already found an AW on black/premium/hk/comfort access/6sp/MSport. I said that sounds pretty good, but it'd be better if it had heated seats or coral red. Within 10 minutes, he'd found the car just coming out of production. AW over coral red butt warmers/hk/nav/6spd/MSport. I've got the build sheet in hand with my name on it! Someone must've been watching me configure a car on the BMW USA website one day since I built the same car. I can't wait to be a 1 owner again!

[ILoveChess100]

Originally Posted by BuddhaPilot

-The Good- I said fine, lets try to find one. He'd already found an AW on black/premium/hk/comfort access/6sp/MSport. I said that sounds pretty good, but it'd be better if it had heated seats or coral red. Within 10 minutes, he'd found the car just coming out of production. AW over coral red butt warmers/hk/nav/6spd/MSport. I've got the build sheet in hand with my name on it! Someone must've been watching me configure a car on the BMW USA website one day since I built the same car. I can't wait to be a 1 owner again!

Good luck - hope it works out for you !!!

[abirmaher]

Was having similar issues a few months ago but for me it was just when slowing to low speed it would like stall and go into neutral. When I turned the car back on and into drive it would just go. No issues with crunching noises and lost gears like you. But after one of the time I took it to the dealership for one of the recalls with the computer I have not had the issue again.

Hope your issue get resolved.

[mbzgirl]

Originally Posted by BuddhaPilot

Well, less than a month later my car ended up back on the flatbed. While the DCT is still giving some problems, it wasn't the primary reason it's at the dealership this time. I was driving to work and the brake pedal went to the floor. Luckily, I like following distance so I managed to get the car stopped with the e-brake and downshifting with a couple of feet to spare from the car in front of me. Tried pumping the brakes back up and they didn't regain pressure. I managed to get it into a parking lot using the e-brake and called BMW roadside. I shut the car down for a few minutes and voila, brake pressure returned the next time I started it. Either way, I wasn't about to drive it.

As for the DCT, it's still got some quirks that have gotten worse the more miles I've put on it since it was last at the dealer. It's gotten where I drive it almost exclusively in manual now and most of the time with DTC turned off. I rolled on the gas pulling out of my neighborhood this morning and waited...nothing. Little more gas and the car is barely inching out as that car that was far away has gotten alot closer. The revs finally jump up and WHAM, we're in gear and off to the races. That's happened several times over the past week along with a couple of occasions where it thought I wanted launch control. I'm not a two foot driver, so I don't believe I gave the car any indication that I wanted launch control. Not to mention I didn't have sport mode engaged or the DTC off which I believe have to be set to get launch control. Kind of startling to step on the gas and all of a sudden see the checkered flag and hear gear engagement reminiscent of an SMG equipped E46 M3 slamming home 2nd and 3rd.

I'm seriously considering asking BMW for a buy back on this car or pursuing lemon law coverage. I just know as soon as I say the word lemon law, then I'm out a loaner vehicle and who knows how long it'll be before the issue is resolved. The DCT problems are enough at this point, but brake failure is a serious safety issue. Especially considering how often I have 1 or all of my kids in the car. Anyone have any experience with BMW on a buyback or lemon law claim.

MD Designs- I've been following your trials and tribulations. How did you initiate the process of your car getting replaced? I wasn't clear on if that's what you pushed for or if BMW offered that. I'm afraid of ending up in that position and having to "accept" a car with options or a color combo I really don't care for. My car is fairly low on options to begin with as it was the only silver and black 135 with sport pack that I found within 500 miles of here. Don't care to end up having to pay for premium packs, etc. just to get a replacement.

I have a 2011 135i with the M Sport package and I am having a similar problem with my DCT. Of coarse when I take it in to the shop it doesn't have a problem. It started with just a slight lag which I attributed to the turbo. It is progressively getting worse and this weekend when I started from a red light I had the lag and when the transmission engaged the it made a thunk noise. Needless to say it is going into the shop tomorrow. Unlike some other posters who just drive their car in manual, I live in Houston and during rush hour manual is a huge pain. Besides, why have the DCT if you are never going to drive in auto? I also have one of the first 135's with the DCT, having purchased my 2011 car late June 2010. I really hope they can correct this as otherwise I love the car. I considered an M-3, but it isn't significantly faster and a lot more money. Also I prefer a smaller car.

[mbzgirl]

[QUOTE=gmartan;10363020]I've hated the lag since the day I got it, that and the RFTs. Tires are changed out but can't seem to find a way to fix the lag. It is annoying froM a dead stop but it is twice as annoying when you have taken your foot off the gas going into a corner and hope to power out of it. By the time it comes on the corner, and the fun, is long gone. Feeling your pain!
I am having exactly the same issues with my DCT. It goes in tomorrow as I now have noise in the transmission when it engages. Of coarse, not every time. I am seriously considering taking the car across the street and trading it in if they tell me nothing is wrong with the car. I have had BMW, Mercedes and several Porsche so I am experianced driving sports cars. My father raised a car girl and I know when something is wrong with my car. I also have lost all power when accelerating to avoid a problem on the road. VERY dangerous!

[bogart]

I also lost power while trying to avoid a problem... that is definitely an issue to look out for. Now I make sure I'm in the optimal gear at all times. I always drive in manual mode to be sure I can select the gear. Now avoidances are not a problem and around turns I get all the power I need. The DCT is a great transmission, it just has it's quirks that you have to learn and also learn how to use it correctly. Software problems are an issue on some cars, but sometimes I also wonder if this is partially user error.

[mbzgirl]

Originally Posted by bogart

I also lost power while trying to avoid a problem... that is definitely an issue to look out for. Now I make sure I'm in the optimal gear at all times. I always drive in manual mode to be sure I can select the gear. Now avoidances are not a problem and around turns I get all the power I need. The DCT is a great transmission, it just has it's quirks that you have to learn and also learn how to use it correctly. Software problems are an issue on some cars, but sometimes I also wonder if this is partially user error.

I agree with you that a large portion of the problem is driver error. Road this morning with the mechanic. He seems to think it is a software issue. We will see. I don't mind driving in manual mode, actually prefer to, but in stop and go rush hour traffic it is a pain. Otherwise I love the car. Handles better than the last Porsche I had, and plenty of power when not acting up. thank you for your response.

[drufe]

Originally Posted by bogart

I also lost power while trying to avoid a problem... that is definitely an issue to look out for. Now I make sure I'm in the optimal gear at all times. I always drive in manual mode to be sure I can select the gear. Now avoidances are not a problem and around turns I get all the power I need. The DCT is a great transmission, it just has it's quirks that you have to learn and also learn how to use it correctly. Software problems are an issue on some cars, but sometimes I also wonder if this is partially user error.

This isn't the 'correct' way to use DCT. You've found a workaround for a problem (not a quirk) with the auto mode of the transmission. I use the same workaround as well to alleviate the problem, but there are many times where I want/need to use auto mode. Stepping on the gas in 1st gear in auto mode should not take 1-2 seconds for the transmission to engage and the car to start accelerating. What I've been experiencing with my car is definitely not user error, I can assure you.

[mbzgirl]

Originally Posted by drufe

This isn't the 'correct' way to use DCT. You've found a workaround for a problem (not a quirk) with the auto mode of the transmission. I use the same workaround as well to alleviate the problem, but there are many times where I want/need to use auto mode. Stepping on the gas in 1st gear in auto mode should not take 1-2 seconds for the transmission to engage and the car to start accelerating. What I've been experiencing with my car is definitely not user error, I can assure you.

I agree with you, mine is not user error either. Still haven't heard back from the dealership on what they think is wrong or what they are going to do. If they do decide to pull the transmission I think I might trade it in when they finish on a true manual. I know this transmission is supposed to be faster, but it isn't faster when you are having these problems. Why pay extra for the DCT if you are going to drive it in manual all the time?

[bogart]

I drive it in manual mode all the time, because it's fun and I like to be able to control what gear I'm in. I must have gotten one of the good ones

Just curious, what are the build dates for some of you that are having problems?

Mine was built 5/10.

[mbzgirl]

Originally Posted by bogart

I drive it in manual mode all the time, because it's fun and I like to be able to control what gear I'm in. I must have gotten one of the good ones

Just curious, what are the build dates for some of you that are having problems?

Mine was built 5/10.

The car is in the shop and I haven't checked yet, but I took delivery of my 2011 in June of 2010, so it is an early build for 2011

[drufe]

Originally Posted by bogart

I drive it in manual mode all the time, because it's fun and I like to be able to control what gear I'm in. I must have gotten one of the good ones

Just curious why you bought an auto vs manual if you are driving in manual mode all the time?

If you never drive in full auto mode, you're not going to see the lag problem that many of us are describing. You could still have a 'bad' one and just not know it.

[bogart]

Originally Posted by drufe

Just curious why you bought an auto vs manual if you are driving in manual mode all the time?

If you never drive in full auto mode, you're not going to see the lag problem that many of us are describing. You could still have a 'bad' one and just not know it.

I like to have the option if I need it, plus it sounds awesome when shifting with the exhaust setup I have. Sometimes I drive in auto mode. Long distance road trips and heavy traffic on the highway. The lag when stopping at a stop sign and then immediately accelerating again is normal and should happen that way so you don't burn the clutches out and/or spin the tires since we reach max torque at about 1200 rpm. It happens in both auto and manual mode. Yes, it is annoying, but I can understand why BMW engineers built it into the software.

Just curious, do you all have the new DME update? I didn't get it yet. Take it in for an oil change on Monday.

[BuddhaPilot]

I no longer know since I don't have the car anymore. I purchased it in Dec '10, so I think it was a Sep '10 production. I got the new DME update in May '11 when it first starting having lag problems around 5500-6000 miles. Notice that it wasn't until then that it became pronounced. I was never excessively hard on the car and had used launch control once to just for the heck of it.

I agree there's got to be a little lag for clutch engagement, but taking up to several seconds is a little ridiculous. Especially when it wasn't evident in any mode I drove the car in prior to accumulating several thousand miles. The car was consistent in how it pulled off the line whether in manual, auto, or sport and whether I rolled on the throttle slowly or aggressively. It just got downright dangerous puling out of my neighborhood and made me rethink what I was doing anytime there was a car within 300 yards or so. This doesn't even go into the other weird things that happened such as the "unwanted" launch control without being setup for it, shifting into park while the vehicle was moving, etc.

[JB135MDCT]

Built April 2010. Let my girl drive it this weekend while I'm fixing her daily. It's making me sick. I feel worse off than the unlucky DCTers.

[mbzgirl]

Here is the update on my 2011 135i Sport DCT. Two weeks ago I picked the car up from service. Again was told there was nothing wrong with my car. As I pulled out of the drive I paused. Go right, head home. Go left trade the car in. I turned left and traded the car in. Yes I took a hit as I traded rather than sold myself which I usually do, but I can't sell something I don't believe in. I bought a 2011 (2012 wasn't out yet) 335i Sport, auto with paddle shifters. Never thought I would have a four door sedan, but I have been surprised how much I like it. The car is great. Lot's of power, but none of the DCT issues. I love a manual, but not for a daily driver in Houston traffic.