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BMW X3 hesitation on acceleration

232 messages,  Last post on Mar 16, 2011 at 6:25 PM

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What is this discussion about? BMW X3, SUV

Messages Page 19 of 24

#177 of 232 Re: x3 tranny problem [daddyman] by pp2009pp

Sep 13, 2009 (11:24 am)

Replying to: daddyman (Jun 08, 2009 8:55 am)
New X3 2009. Super bouncy ride at low speeds which I now think is the GM6 AT problem that is in the 2007-08 models.
 
When coasting to a stop it shifts abruptly into low gear and can almost stop itself. When going over minor road imperfections it bounces around like a carnival ride.
 
Apparently there are some software fixes as this appears to not be a mechanical problem and not a problem on the manual transmission. The fixes may or may not work and there doesn't appear to be a complete fix for the problem.
 
Since there have been a number of s/w updates, BMW obviously knows about the problem but chooses to, what, ignore it? This is outrageous.
 
I am livid.
 
I will take it in (again) and see what can be done but if one other person tells me that this incredible jostling, teeth knocking ride is 'normal' I think I will sentence them to ride in the cargo compartment where they can hit their head on the ceiling.
 
  ????????? !!!!!!!!!!

#178 of 232 Re: Concerned about being burned [xrayd55] by pp2009pp

Sep 13, 2009 (11:30 am)

Replying to: xrayd55 (Jan 27, 2009 8:11 pm)
If you didn't buy then you are lucky.
 
I did. I am furious.
 
This is ridiculous. It is less than a month old and has had problems from the very beginning. I thought it was a very stiff, sporty suspension but that is it. It is probably the same, ridiculous transmission problem that BMW has seen fit to inflict on paying customers.
 
 

#179 of 232 Re: Sad to Hear [kesnow] by pp2009pp

Sep 13, 2009 (11:34 am)

Replying to: kesnow (Oct 28, 2008 7:22 am)
What I have heard:
 
1. It is just the difference between a smaller wheelbase and a taller car.
2. It is just bouncy but in a refined bouncy way.
3. It is in your head.
4. It is your driving.
5. It is a brand new car, it will settle down.
6. You will get used to it....I would have to be numb and blind because I can both feel it and see the effects of things falling to the floor and things hitting the ceiling...at low speed.
7. It is what you put up with in order to get the handling - most ridiculous statement ever.
8. IT IS NORMAL.
 
If this is NORMAL then NORMAL is UNACCEPTABLE.
 
This is ridiculous. I guess it is time to find a lemon lawyer.
 
 

#180 of 232 Re: Sad to Hear [pp2009pp] by roadburner

Sep 13, 2009 (12:47 pm)

Replying to: pp2009pp (Sep 13, 2009 11:34 am)
I vote for reason number 3.
Anyone else?

#181 of 232 Re: Concerned about being burned [topherh] by pp2009pp

Sep 13, 2009 (9:45 pm)

Replying to: topherh (Feb 04, 2009 10:24 am)
"live in Colorado so when it's really slippery, I use the manual transmission anyway, and it hugs the road."
 
Apparently it isn't a problem with the actual MT car or when you use the manual shifting but who wants to do that in city traffic?

#182 of 232 Re: Persistent [Bait] by pp2009pp

Sep 13, 2009 (9:51 pm)

Replying to: Bait (Nov 25, 2008 8:28 am)
" I've have numerous 'near misses' with other cars and I've almost ended up on someones trunk when the car surged while stopped at a red light. "
 
New problem just showed up today. Driving along at 30 mph then sudden acceleration that comes and goes for no reason. The car surges forward, luckily no one in front, and then backs down.
 
This is weird.

#183 of 232 Warning! by roadburner

Sep 14, 2009 (7:30 am)

My wife has reported that her X3 speeds up when she pushes on the accelerator(far right) pedal and slows to a stop when she pushes the left pedal.
Be careful out there!

#184 of 232 Re: Free Fix [daddyman] by pp2009pp

Sep 14, 2009 (12:10 pm)

Replying to: daddyman (Mar 31, 2009 10:33 am)
I didn't hear about the AT problem before I purchased. Sometimes it is Google's luck of the draw as to what comes up and what does not.
 
I am now documenting the entire sorry experience and will post what happens next. Since this is the end of the style, I would think they would bother to test drive these cars and see if they exhibit these problems rather than selling them to the unsuspecting and having the problems come out in the first days of ownership.
 
They might end up with a handful of extra cars but now they end up with tons of irate customers who are so irate (most people just suck it up after all) that some actually complain to the NHTSA....in public. I don't get the bad PR.
 
 

#185 of 232 2009 having the same issues as 2007 by pp2009pp

Sep 14, 2009 (12:26 pm)

" On the evening of 4/22/2007, I was traveling over the GW Bridge when the X3 lost all forward mobility and started to slow completely down in the middle of traffic. I pushed the gas pedal and the engine revved but it didn’t help. I noticed that the D indicator wasn’t showing. I also noticed a transmission waning indicator was amber on the console. I shifted the X3 into S for sports drive and the D came back up (not the S) and the vehicle continued to move staying in one gear until I was able to exit off of the bridge. When I pulled next to the curb and attempted to put the X3 in reverse it wouldn’t move. After turning the X3 off and letting the vehicle rest for 10 minutes, I was able to resume driving and the warning indicator did not appear again.
  
“In DRIVE mode the trans software is programmed to start off in second gear as an economy measure to help save gas. BMW did that on purpose. If you're fairly light on the throttle it will stay in Second, accelerate, and eventually shift into Third, Fourth and Fifth. Try it out and count the shifts. (You may need to watch the tach to notice the shifts, this trans can be really smooth at very light throttle and the higher gear shifts may only vary a few hundred rpm)
   
But if you put a little more foot into the throttle on take-off (i.e.: from a dead stop) the trans will shift down from Second to First to give you better acceleration. This is what it is supposed to do. It happens in an instant but you can still feel the car start to move, then "hesitate" from the shift, and then take off. If you have a light enough foot it may never even happen to you. If your foot is rather heavy you may notice it more at first but it will "teach" your trans really quick that you want a fast start most of the time.
   
Now in SPORT mode the trans ALWAYS starts in first, thus no "hesitation". The drawback to always using SPORT mode to avoid the "hesitation" (gear change) is that it almost NEVER shifts into Fifth gear in city driving. The vehicle has to reach a certain speed before it will upshift to Fifth. That can really hurt your mileage in town if you never get over 35-45 mph. AND your trans never gets a chance to "adapt" to your style in DRIVE mode.”
  
Nevertheless, what really sticks out is the concern about how dangerous many of the X3 owners feel the hesitation problem is. I have experienced it first hand and am afraid to pull out of a gas station onto a highway without a very large open window in the road – people honk at me, but I can’t trust the car. Moreover, my wife feels she cannot put our grandchildren safely in it.
  
Next, let’s discuss the other issue – I hit the jackpot – I have both of the major, hidden problems that BMW has with this vehicle. The transmission failure I experienced and the resulting inability to shift into reverse. It’s all over the place, Consumer Affairs knows it and it’s been there for several years – good job BMW on the PR front, if a potential buyer doesn’t do their homework on the internet, they’d never know there was a problem.
  
By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.Com
  
=====================
 
I am light on the throttle with my new X3 because of the stuttering acceleration. A regular push on the pedal caused it to lurch and stop, lurch and stop until it hit a gear it liked and then went forward. There was no lead footing going on as would be indicated by the: Down to 1st fear and then up to 2nd gear fuel saving idea.
 
That fuel saving idea doesn't make much sense either as how much fuel can it save by being down 1 gear for a second or two? It still uses fuel to change the gears and why would saving a penny on gas would be worth hesitating while making an unprotected left turn or hesitating while merging into traffic or avoiding a collision?
 
I do not buy this explanation as it makes no sense trading safety for a few pennies in gasoline.

#186 of 232 Re: updates [kesnow] by pp2009pp

Sep 15, 2009 (12:42 pm)

Replying to: kesnow (Apr 04, 2009 10:00 am)
You must be done on your lease next month.
 
Unfortunately, I bought mine...outright. What a ridiculous situation.
 
It has under 400 miles on it and it was a problem right off the bat. It went in for a drive last week and is now in the shop after another drive. I might have gotten a red light ticket (don't know if there is a camera there) as it wouldn't accelerate through the intersection to make the left turn until the light had turned red. Couldn't go backward, had to go forward.
 
I get much more bucking motion than others have experienced and all of this fun in a BRAND NEW CAR.
 
What is up with this?
 
 

Messages Page 19 of 24

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