[Turbotyler]

Alright, so I remember reading the horror stories of the SMG trans associated with city driving when I was first researching this car. For any new owner anyone interested in buying E60, but afraid of the "sluggish trans", there is HOPE!!

So during my research on the E60, I read about how the vehicle adapts to your driving style etc. etc. After I got used to driving my E60 I reset my transmission by holding down the paddle shifters at 50 mph. For the next 300 miles, I ONLY used the paddle shifters(also read online that it takes 300 miles to adapt after resetting trans).

Since then, when driving in D, the car seems to drive ALOT better in the city. It literally picked up my driving style, and predicts my shifts VERY accurately(very amazed as this is my first BMW). From my first test drive on this car, to after 300 miles on the SMG reset, there is a noticeable difference when driving in D. No more complaints!!! I actually use D mode now when cars cold or in traffic without getting frustrated.

Also, has anyone noticed that when in D, if you just let your foot off the gas pedal slightly (but still accelerating), it will upshift as you press your foot back down ? This may be a hint to the car that you want to shift.

Hope this helps !

 

[Skills]

Never use "D"...

 

[DocsV10]

Alright, so I remember reading the horror stories of the SMG trans associated with city driving when I was first researching this car. For any new owner anyone interested in buying E60, but afraid of the "sluggish trans", there is HOPE!!

So during my research on the E60, I read about how the vehicle adapts to your driving style etc. etc. After I got used to driving my E60 I reset my transmission by holding down the paddle shifters at 50 mph. For the next 300 miles, I ONLY used the paddle shifters(also read online that it takes 300 miles to adapt after resetting trans).

Since then, when driving in D, the car seems to drive ALOT better in the city. It literally picked up my driving style, and predicts my shifts VERY accurately(very amazed as this is my first BMW). From my first test drive on this car, to after 300 miles on the SMG reset, there is a noticeable difference when driving in D. No more complaints!!! I actually use D mode now when cars cold or in traffic without getting frustrated.

Also, has anyone noticed that when in D, if you just let your foot off the gas pedal slightly (but still accelerating), it will upshift as you press your foot back down ? This may be a hint to the car that you want to shift.

Hope this helps !

I've never heard about the "transmission reset".

Perhaps others can elaborate more on this.

 

[jcolley]

I've never heard about the "transmission reset".

Perhaps others can elaborate more on this.

The "paddle pull" is documented on P.180 of the Owner's Manual and recalibrates the transmission layshaft speed sensor's input to the SMG. It should be done any time the rolling diameter of the rear wheels changes (new/different tires, etc) to allow the proper math to occur in the SMG module when calculating the rev-match for a shift.

 

[Turbotyler]

I've never heard about the "transmission reset".

Perhaps others can elaborate more on this.

Simple typing error as I meant SMG reset, you don't gotta call me out on it!

 

[Donald-M5]

"Paddle Pull" Is located on page 180 i think.

 

[ADA]

Alright, so I remember reading the horror stories of the SMG trans associated with city driving when I was first researching this car. For any new owner anyone interested in buying E60, but afraid of the "sluggish trans", there is HOPE!!

So during my research on the E60, I read about how the vehicle adapts to your driving style etc. etc. After I got used to driving my E60 I reset my transmission by holding down the paddle shifters at 50 mph. For the next 300 miles, I ONLY used the paddle shifters(also read online that it takes 300 miles to adapt after resetting trans).

Since then, when driving in D, the car seems to drive ALOT better in the city. It literally picked up my driving style, and predicts my shifts VERY accurately(very amazed as this is my first BMW). From my first test drive on this car, to after 300 miles on the SMG reset, there is a noticeable difference when driving in D. No more complaints!!! I actually use D mode now when cars cold or in traffic without getting frustrated.

Also, has anyone noticed that when in D, if you just let your foot off the gas pedal slightly (but still accelerating), it will upshift as you press your foot back down ? This may be a hint to the car that you want to shift.

Hope this helps !

I do this exact thing all the time. Even Tiff Nedell from Fifth Gear has commented on this type of shifting when reviewing the M5.

 

[Skills]

Simple typing error as I meant SMG reset, you don't gotta call me out on it!

...get used to being called out.
It is what we do around here, besides sharing a wealth of experiences about our beasts.
But, oh yeah... a thick skin and a good sense of humor is mandatory.
If you can't stand the heat...

 

[mdyaman]

well documented on m5board

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e6...t-smoother-gear-changes-highly-recommend.html

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e60-m5-e61-m5-touring-discussion/161664-smg-reset-really-works.html

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e60-m5-e61-m5-touring-discussion/162853-smg-reset-tips.html

 

[cfrishman]

I would never use D when the car is cold, I keep the RPMs under 3K till oil temp is near the 210 mark, D sometimes likes to take RPMs up too high which is bad for a cold engine.

 

[TheRacerBoss]

I would never use D when the car is cold, I keep the RPMs under 3K till oil temp is near the 210 mark, D sometimes likes to take RPMs up too high which is bad for a cold engine.

Your shift speed levels determine how long the car will hold the gear and how high the engine rpm will need to be, to trigger a gear change.

If you have the car in D mode with shift speed 1, it will change gears a lot sooner at lower RPM's Vs

If you have the car in D mode with shift speed 3, it will delay gear change resulting in higher RPM shifts (if that makes any sense).

You can manage up-shifts by easing on the gas pedal just a little bit, which signals the SMG to change gears
(provided you reach the minimum speed in miles for each gear)

I always use D mode when car is not warm enough.
Its fun to learn and manage the transmission in D mode as it takes skill and practice.


Another thing I would like to add is that the SMG on the D mode has proven to be extremely dangerous at times. I have encountered a situation (twice) where I had the shift speed set to 2 bars and was yielding to upcoming traffic trying to make a left turn.

When i thought i had enough room, I started to make the turn but half way in the STUPID SMG upshifts, causing the car to reduce speed during the turn, which could have resulted in upcoming traffic running into my car.

So be careful !

DCT is a thousand times better than SMG any day.

 

[mdyaman]

I would never use D when the car is cold, I keep the RPMs under 3K till oil temp is near the 210 mark, D sometimes likes to take RPMs up too high which is bad for a cold engine.

Um, adjust your drive logic settings, you can put the car in D1 or D2 and the car will shift at lower RPMs.

I've done this all the time - mostly in D2. No issues


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[142569]

I just don't use D. My wife does because she doesn't know how to drive a manual.

 

[MTV10]

First off.. Never use D. The SMG was not designed for that.

I would always have everything set to full race.
DSC OFF
P500S
S6

Shift around 4k RPM in every gear, not lower.

At red lights or when stopped in traffic for longer than 10-15 seconds, put the car in neutral. This way you will avoid premature wear on your release bearing.

Other than that.. hit 8400RPM every day and bang off the rev limiter!!!

 

[mdyaman]

First off.. Never use D. The SMG was not designed for that.

Why else would BMW engineers offer the option if not to offer both a manual and auto-manual experience? The SMG was around before the e60 M5, as with the e46 M3.

At red lights or when stopped in traffic for longer than 10-15 seconds, put the car in neutral. This way you will avoid premature wear on your release bearing.

There is no hard evidence to support this, at all. This is just anecdotal.

See the discussion/debate here, and what member jcolley has stated

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e6...-clutch-release-bearing-put-neutral-poll.html

Specifically, see post #67. Bottom line, by putting the car in N at a stop, you're cycling the SMG transmission to go through an extra, and unneeded movement.

 

[Turbotyler]

Your shift speed levels determine how long the car will hold the gear and how high the engine rpm will need to be, to trigger a gear change.

If you have the car in D mode with shift speed 1, it will change gears a lot sooner at lower RPM's Vs

If you have the car in D mode with shift speed 3, it will delay gear change resulting in higher RPM shifts (if that makes any sense).

You can manage up-shifts by easing on the gas pedal just a little bit, which signals the SMG to change gears
(provided you reach the minimum speed in miles for each gear)

I always use D mode when car is not warm enough.
Its fun to learn and manage the transmission in D mode as it takes skill and practice.


.

on point! I have noticed this while driving, I found D with shift speed low prefect for letting the engine warm up, also no lag.. when you expect it to upshift, it upshifts.

I quoted you because you might have an answer to this, Does anyone know why sometimes the Gear on the screen blinks when shifting ?
If im upshifting, sometimes the number changes to the gear, then blinks. Doesn't happen all the time, but I have noticed it. Can anyone chime in ?

 

[TheRacerBoss]

on point! I have noticed this while driving, I found D with shift speed low prefect for letting the engine warm up, also no lag.. when you expect it to upshift, it upshifts.

I quoted you because you might have an answer to this, Does anyone know why sometimes the Gear on the screen blinks when shifting ?
If im upshifting, sometimes the number changes to the gear, then blinks. Doesn't happen all the time, but I have noticed it. Can anyone chime in ?

I am not a 100% sure on this but I have noticed this happen to me -- My interpretation was that if I am trying to downshift to a gear that would harm the gearbox, the computer will prevent me from down shifting by blink the gear number.

Same thing happens when I am trying to upshift to a higher gear without reaching the minimum speed to engage the gear.
For example if I am going 40 miles an hour in the 3rd gear and upshit three times trying to send the car into gear 7 -- It will go up say to 5 and blink preventing me from going to 7)

Again,
Not a 100% sure as I have never read the M5 bible (user manual).

 

[Turbotyler]

I am not a 100% sure on this but I have noticed this happen to me -- My interpretation was that if I am trying to downshift to a gear that would harm the gearbox, the computer will prevent me from down shifting by blink the gear number.

Same thing happens when I am trying to upshift to a higher gear without reaching the minimum speed to engage the gear.
For example if I am going 40 miles an hour in the 3rd gear and upshit three times trying to send the car into gear 7 -- It will go up say to 5 and blink preventing me from going to 7)

Again,
Not a 100% sure as I have never read the M5 bible (user manual).

hmm that's a good thought, maybe the shift point is too early which is why it blinks into the new gear its in. I will mess around with this idea today as im driving.

as long as the blinking isn't a sign of clutch slipping or anything of that sort Im okay.

 

[mdyaman]

on point! I have noticed this while driving, I found D with shift speed low prefect for letting the engine warm up, also no lag.. when you expect it to upshift, it upshifts.

I quoted you because you might have an answer to this, Does anyone know why sometimes the Gear on the screen blinks when shifting ?
If im upshifting, sometimes the number changes to the gear, then blinks. Doesn't happen all the time, but I have noticed it. Can anyone chime in ?

Have you tried searching and/or google search?

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e6...fting-observation-has-anyone-experienced.html

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e60-m5-e61-m5-touring-discussion/77445-meaning-smg-gear-blink.html

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e6...d-blinking-gear-number-after-rough-shift.html


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