4 modes of the 135i DCT?

[GeneralZod]

I don't have a 1 yet, so please help me understand something-
It appears there are four modes to the DCT:
D (sport button off)
S (sport button off)
D (sport button on)
S (sport button On)
Is that correct? In my test drives I couldn't really get a feel for all 4 combinations. I'd be curious to hear how readers would characterize them.

Thanks!

[Aries932]

Originally Posted by GeneralZod

I don't have a 1 yet, so please help me understand something-
It appears there are four modes to the DCT:
D (sport button off)
S (sport button off)
D (sport button on)
S (sport button On)
Is that correct? In my test drives I couldn't really get a feel for all 4 combinations. I'd be curious to hear how readers would characterize them.

Thanks!

D - Basically just automatic the car controls the shifts like a normal car

S - Car basically holds the revs higher although still controlling all of the shifting...So it will downshift sooner and upshift later. Basically this is more for the track...seems ridiculous to use for daily driving

M- Manual mode...this is where you have to shift yourself. You can either do this by the paddles on the steering wheel or by the shifter. The only time the car will shift is if you let the revs drop below 1k it will automatically downshift...or if you let the car hit the redline it will automatically upshift.




Sports Mode - This for any mode basically makes it so you have sharper throttle response...essentially say you push your pedal down 1 inch...with sports mode off the throttle will be at 30%...with sports mode on the throttle will be at 50% if that makes sense..

Also sports mode adds quicker shift times to any of the modes. You will be getting very fast shift times with this mode engaged.

[TreDirtyFive]

"S" basically changes boost scaling so tip-in is more abrupt and hits earlier. It also makes DCT gear shifts faster and harsher. The new DME has made the scaling between "D" and the "S" button musch more apparent. It was scaled closer on earlier cars. Hitting the lever over to "S1", alone, shifts later and holds revs but does not shift as hard as "S" and tip-in is similar to "D" (It won't feel that way since you're always on lower gears most the time based on load). If you hit the lever to "S1" and have the "S" button pressed it's just a combination of all those attributes...and it kills gas :P

[GeneralZod]

ok, duh- FIVE modes counting manual.

I'm not sure what "tip-in" refers to.
Also didn't notice shifts in "sport" being faster--you mean that "sport"-off inserts extra lag between gears to make the transitions gentler? Wow. Plain "D" seemed plenty fast.

Thanks!

[bogart]

Originally Posted by GeneralZod

I don't have a 1 yet, so please help me understand something-
It appears there are four modes to the DCT:
D (sport button off)
S (sport button off)
D (sport button on)
S (sport button On)
Is that correct? In my test drives I couldn't really get a feel for all 4 combinations. I'd be curious to hear how readers would characterize them.

Thanks!

There are actually 6 modes:
D sport off
D sport on
S sport off
S sport on
M sport off
M sport on
The car also behaves slightly different, in terms of not cutting power, when the traction control is in DTC mode or with the traction control off.

[bogart]

Originally Posted by GeneralZod

ok, duh- FIVE modes counting manual.

I'm not sure what "tip-in" refers to.
Also didn't notice shifts in "sport" being faster--you mean that "sport"-off inserts extra lag between gears to make the transitions gentler? Wow. Plain "D" seemed plenty fast.

Thanks!

In sport mode you will notice a difference in throttle response and time between shifts.

Just a little test for yourself: Put the car in Manual so that it won't shift on its own until redline, and keep sport OFF. Accelerate down the road in 1st gear and then about halfway through the RPMs turn the sport ON. You will notice that the throttle is more responsive to your input. You can try this in each gear.

Another test: Put the car in Manual again with sport OFF. Drive up to about 4500-5000 rpm in 1st gear, and shift up to second, take note of the little bit of lag. Now turn sport ON and drive up to about 4500-5000 rpm in 1st gear and shift up to second... hear that blurp in between shifts? It will feel a lot more aggressive. The blurp is extra fuel in between shifts.

BMS has proven on a dyno that there is no loss of power as long as the car is shifted around 6000 rpm through all the gears. If you ever install an exhaust and downpipe, that blurp becomes a pop when the exhaust burns off extra un-burnt fuel.

[TreDirtyFive]

Originally Posted by GeneralZod

ok, duh- FIVE modes counting manual.

I'm not sure what "tip-in" refers to.
Also didn't notice shifts in "sport" being faster--you mean that "sport"-off inserts extra lag between gears to make the transitions gentler? Wow. Plain "D" seemed plenty fast.

Thanks!

"tip-in" refers to initial touch of the pedal. boost ramping starts earlier and 100% throttle position is earlier as well in the pedal range with the "s" button pressed. with it off, the scaling moves farther down the pedal range so it feels softer on tip-in.

with the new DME/DCT updates, or if you purchased a newer car post 02/10, makes the DCT shifting speeds on "S" less apparent. mine used to change harder and louder with nice obvious exhaust blips on "S". Most of that is gone with the updates but it still shifts faster than regular "D" mode.

[Coloradocurt]

Resurrecting an old thread - but just got my 2011 135i DCT a week ago and trying to understand it all.
Forgetting for a minute about the "Sport Mode" button, is the "M/S" position on the shifter a single mode incorporating rowing your boat yourself with a measure of sportiness in the process (i.e., sort of "M+S")?
Thanks.

[smrtypants44]

Originally Posted by bobdavisnpf

And another thing... how do I enable S instead of M when moving the shifter left to control shifting with the paddles? The shifter's left-side template says "-" above and "+ M/S" below, but I don't know how to select M vs S when I move the shifter left. On the cluster, Sometimes I see M3, M4, etc; sometimes I see S3, S4 etc - without the Sport button depressed - and it does seem more aggressive in S3, S4 etc than in M3, M4 etc.

D=Automatic
S= sport automatic
M= manual

[dtla1]

M is for you to change gears yourself either by using the paddles or flicking the gear changer (selector, knob, whatever) up or down. S on the drive selector will be the same as M, but the car changes gears itself, holding the revs higher typically.

What no one has mentioned yet, and what really annoys me is the combination of these modes (any, but I usually drive with sport mode on in just regular D) with either the DSC on or off (single regular press of button). Even if I go sport mode on, and M (manual shifting), the throttle response is super delayed and lazy. I really hate this as I'm trying to have a bit more fun and let the car get closer (closer, not to. Like 6 or 7/10) to the limit but the throttle response is DEAD. Dealer has always maintained this is normal (a "safety feature" even) but makes no sense to me.

/EndRant

[dtla1]

Originally Posted by bobdavisnpf

hmm, I've found in manual sport mode throttle response has been all I want it to be... at least for the short bursts I'm asking of it... but I'm just doing occasional bursts of 0-50 not floored, and not even trying for under-8-sec 0-60 times. I've got a Car Control Clinic session out at Pacific Raceways on 5/17 - maybe I'll see if I can note the response when (if?) I get a few parade laps at end of day.

Yup, Manual Sport Mode is not the problem. Just accelerate from a light like you would normally, then at the next light hit the DSC button once and now take off from that light normally. You'll feel that the point where it feels like you're actually giving the car gas (Tip-In point) is much later or further along the travel of the gas pedal.

[bobdavisnpf]

Ahh the DSC button - one more feature I have not even ventured on to yet. I'll try your described sequence, bet I hit that same "safety feature" ha ha

[Esteban]

Only 'mode' for me: gear selector to the left, sport button pressed, and shifting with the paddles. Not as engaging as a standard manual, but an advantage is faster shifting. Best I can do in my current state, and have grown to love the DCT.

[Gangplank]

D vs Sport Mode vs. Sport Button

* D = Automatic

* Sport Mode = shifter to the left.
Car uses higher RPM shift point, upshifts later & downshifts earlier. If you want to shift manually, move shifter to left then use paddles or use the shifter joystick.

* Sport Button = "Driving dynamics control" which is like an /M mode. Car will use (1) higher RPM shift point (upshifts later/downshifts earlier), (2) Increased throttle response & (3) faster DCT shifting.

You can engage Sport Button in automatic or while in Sport Mode to stack them.

Personally I prefer Sport Mode shifter to the left but Sport Button off. I like the higher shift shift points, but don't like the increased throttle response from Sport Button. I wish there was a way to get the faster shifting w/out the increased throttle response.