[olneymd]

Maybe I shouldn't have read the Consumer Report mention of the X3 getting removed from the Recommended List.

Today, my M40i was in Sport mode, and with light acceleration, it wouldn't shift into any gear until 3500 RPM. And it was a mess on the downshifting, holding at high RPMs as well. It was almost like it was in manual mode.

When I tried hard acceleration, it rev'd to 5500 RPM before shifting into 2nd. I ended the test at that point.

There's a noticeable burning smell too. It's at the dealer and I'll report back their findings.

Having had 4 BMWs in a row and with my M40i in the shop for 2.5 weeks 2 days after buying it (failed amplifier), I have to say I'm very concerned that this is not the BMW product I'm been so fond of for 11 years.

Anyone else experience this issue?

[TxHornX3M40iGuy]

Originally Posted by olneymd

Maybe I shouldn't have read the Consumer Report mention of the X3 getting removed from the Recommended List.

Today, my M40i was in Sport mode, and with light acceleration, it wouldn't shift into any gear until 3500 RPM. And it was a mess on the downshifting, holding at high RPMs as well. It was almost like it was in manual mode.

When I tried hard acceleration, it rev'd to 5500 RPM before shifting into 2nd. I ended the test at that point.

There's a noticeable burning smell too. It's at the dealer and I'll report back their findings.

Having had 4 BMWs in a row and with my M40i in the shop for 2.5 weeks 2 days after buying it (failed amplifier), I have to say I'm very concerned that this is not the BMW product I'm been so fond of for 11 years.

Anyone else experience this issue?

Are you sure it wasn't in Sport Plus mode?? That sounds more like what happens in Sport Plus instead of individual. Or the settings in Individual were changed to be sport plus transmission?

[Neo1130]

I was going to ask the same about sport+ mode. It'll hold the RPM's higher for a bit better response.

[Yobyot]

Originally Posted by olneymd

Maybe I shouldn't have read the Consumer Report mention of the X3 getting removed from the Recommended List.

Today, my M40i was in Sport mode, and with light acceleration, it wouldn't shift into any gear until 3500 RPM. And it was a mess on the downshifting, holding at high RPMs as well. It was almost like it was in manual mode.

When I tried hard acceleration, it rev'd to 5500 RPM before shifting into 2nd. I ended the test at that point.

There's a noticeable burning smell too. It's at the dealer and I'll report back their findings.

Having had 4 BMWs in a row and with my M40i in the shop for 2.5 weeks 2 days after buying it (failed amplifier), I have to say I'm very concerned that this is not the BMW product I'm been so fond of for 11 years.

Anyone else experience this issue?

As the OP of the CR threads, I can only say, "I hear you." One of the things that says "premium car" to me is quality. My G01s are my third and fourth BMWs. And no matter how much I like them (and I really do), they're just not built as well as my E90 and F30 were.

Best of luck. Remember: BMW will fix it and if you really have trouble there's the lemon law in your state and, maybe, a buyback offer from BMWNA.

[Neo1130]

LOL! You said Lemon law... 7 months later and we still have our lemon... Albeit a Dodge but the process is the same. It's the 3rd party company we are waiting on... I don't even wish the lemon process on my worst enemies... Just keep that in mind...

[IM_ALL_IN]

Sounds like you were in sport+ as that's exactly how the transmission acts. If not, then no, I've only experienced buttery smooth shifting.

[freitz]

Would agree with others sounds like sports + but never had a burning smell.

[383vett]

How was it after returning to comfort mode?

[olneymd]

I was defintely not in Sport Plus mode when this happened. Even if I was, that wouldn’t explain the strong burning smell. Comfort mode seemed fine in terms of RPM revs.

Place your bets on the outcome.

[Neo1130]

What was the smell? Plasticy, oily?

[olneymd]

It smelled like a fluid burning. Not electrical, and definitely not plasticy.

[Gimmethecash]

Mine smelled for a while after I'd bring it home from a drive, but it went away. Probably just some protective coatings burning off - new catalytic converters also smell for a bit. How many miles are on yours?

[freitz]

How many miles on your car? All new cars have an engine burn smell. Related maybe?

[skier219]

The RPMs don't strike me as out of the ordinary at all. And the other thing to keep in mind is that if you bump the shifter and put the transmission into sport mode (separate from the iDrive sport and sport+ modes accessed via the buttons) then it's got its own effect on shift points. You can actually combine the iDrive sport/sport+ with the transmission sport mode and get even more unique combinations.

Not everyone knows about the transmission sport mode or the various combinations between it and iDrive sport modes. It would be super easy to overlook. If I put my shifter into sport and iDrive into sport or sport+, shifts are extremely abrupt (to the point of being rough) and RPMs are very aggressive. A driver that didn't know about this or expect it would likely think the transmission was malfunctioning.

Don't know about the smell or if it's related, but every new BMW I have owned will emit some light burning smell when driven hard or when pushed to high RPMs. It can take months for all of the "new" smell to go away. If you don't drive hard at high RPMs often, I wouldn't be surprised if the new smell is still around 6+ months later.

Sorry I'm not entertaining the CR BMW sour grapes bash fest (it's getting old guys) but I'd almost bet the shifter was bumped into sport, unrelated to iDrive sport, and it went unnoticed. Key question would be if the OP was even aware that the transmission has its own independent sport mode. If not, then we have a big unknown in the story.

[olneymd]

I have 4800 miles on it. I’ve been switching between comfort and sport on my prior 2015 x5 and the new M40i. While anything’s possible, I find it hard to believe that I was accidentally putting it into Sport Plus, or knocking the drive lever into manual. I certainly did those things years ago when I had my 1st BMW.

[Tchgrif]

I have had troubles with the drive control switch, it starts in comfort and I move it to sport or adaptive but I have had to press the switch as many as 20 times to finally get it to respond. I know this is an electrical issue not an actual transmission issue. Took it to the dealer first time and the "genius" saw what the problem was, he even called the "genius" hotline and they recommended replacing the switch. set up an appointment to have it fixed. showed up that day waited for 50 minutes even though not a single customer was there to finally be told they didn't have a loaner car for me. set up a second appointment to get it fixed, this time they were ready but called me the next day and they couldn't get it to happen. I left work went back to them, 20 miles round trip, made it happen repeatedly but the tech in the car with me said I was touching the button too much........so I called BMW NA told them about it. the sales manager called me about it, I sent him about 30 video's of it happening he said he would get into it......that was 4 weeks ago still nothing. I love this car even with this issue, I no longer care for my dealer and would never recommend them. BMW NA actually told me that I should take it to another dealer, yet another 20 miles away....40 total. Very disappointing. also .......about 50% of the time when you get in and start it, it says key fob not present even though you just unlocked it and started it, and when the center screen is in tile mode on start up and you touch the MAP button on center console it also does not respond. so three total electrical gremilns but a dealer unwilling or unable to provide satisfaction, which is the real problem.

[olneymd]

Update: I never thought to turn the car off and restart it when I experienced the high revs under Sport. When the dealer started it up and took it out on the road to replicate the problem, there wasn't any. They're attributing the issue to a one-time glitch that was resolved by a "reboot". As long as it doesn't reoccur, I'll take that over some mechanical issue.

[olneymd]

Update 2: On my m40i, when in Comfort mode, if I press the SPORT button, it will randomly activate either Sport, Sport Individual or Sport Plus. There's no consistency to the order of the 3 options. Each time I cycle from Comfort to Sport, I have no idea which mode will activate. I'm kicking myself because last week when I was suddenly revving high (Sport Plus) after hitting the Sport button once, I didn't look at the dash display to see that it must have said "Sport Plus". For years I've used Sport, but not Sport Plus, and now suddenly the car's randomly "choosing" the mode.

It would be great to hear from others if selecting "Sport" cycles through the 3 options (Sport, Sport Individual and Sport Plus) in the exact same order all the time. Because my M40i isn't doing that. Thanks.

[abcsoup]

I believe mine remembers the last selected Sport setting, and it will default to that when selecting it. So, if you last had it in Sport Plus, it would go back to Sport Plus the next time you switch to it from Comfort; same with Sport or Sport Individual.

[BMWZ4]

Originally Posted by abcsoup

I believe mine remembers the last selected Sport setting, and it will default to that when selecting it. So, if you last had it in Sport Plus, it would go back to Sport Plus the next time you switch to it from Comfort; same with Sport or Sport Individual.

Exactly right, as does mine

[HoustonEaDo]

Originally Posted by abcsoup

I believe mine remembers the last selected Sport setting, and it will default to that when selecting it. So, if you last had it in Sport Plus, it would go back to Sport Plus the next time you switch to it from Comfort; same with Sport or Sport Individual.

This is what mine does

[verysideways]

Originally Posted by abcsoup

I believe mine remembers the last selected Sport setting, and it will default to that when selecting it. So, if you last had it in Sport Plus, it would go back to Sport Plus the next time you switch to it from Comfort; same with Sport or Sport Individual.

Same here