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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 20 of 24

#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?
 
 

#187 of 232 Re: BMW accident [hb92647] by pp2009pp

Sep 15, 2009 (12:46 pm)

Replying to: hb92647 (May 29, 2009 6:13 pm)
As in the post above, I have experienced the inability to accelerate from a stop and a small surge of acceleration going down a flat to slightly hilly road at moderate speed.
 
What is up with this car?
 
The problems seem to center on the transmission although mine may actually have a problem with the suspension or something else entirely.

#188 of 232 Re: What should we do? [Bait] by pp2009pp

Sep 15, 2009 (3:29 pm)

Replying to: Bait (Nov 28, 2008 8:35 am)
Wow, I wish you guys were still active on this thread as it would help those who purchased to have NOT.
 
Someone with IIRC a defective LR plastered it with signs and left it parked on the road in front of the dealership. It really isn't the dealership's fault if they get a defective car although it is their fault if they string a customer along hoping they will just go away. This kind of thing has a mind of its own especially in premium brands.
 
If those with the 07-08 problems are still active on Edmunds, it would be great to hear what your resolutions of the X3 AT problems have been. It seems as if most were leased and so people just toughed it out until the end of the lease and gave up.
 
Those of us who own them do not have that option.

#189 of 232 Another BMW GM transmission by pp2009pp

Sep 20, 2009 (8:41 am)

So in doing more research, here's an interesting thing. Other BMWs are/were having severe transmission problems using another GM transmission! In this case, people couldn't get their cars into REVERSE.
 
Now, who needs reverse on a car after all? Is it a requirement of safety laws for cars to actually go in reverse? Just park on the street or ask the kids to push you back out of the driveway...will that work?
 
Decades of being a BMW customer...D-O-N-E. What does it cost to put in a new transmission?
 
http://noreverse.org/
 
"This is the ONLY website that is solely dedicated to helping BMW owners voice their opinions and gather data on the KNOWN reverse transmission issue that prevents the cars from going in reverse. Oh, the wonderful feeling of no reverse.
 
Consumers from all over the U.S. are reporting the failure. Without notice, the reverse gear stops working in BMWs, many of them the popular 2000 323i luxury sedan."

#190 of 232 Slowing while turning without any brakes by pp2009pp

Sep 20, 2009 (5:02 pm)

The X3 is doing this again.
 
While turning and decelerating from a 35 mph road into a side street, the X3 is downshifting hard and slowing itself down to nearly a stop. In order to complete the turn and go the 15 feet to the stop sign (another turn ahead) you have to put your foot on the accelerator.
 
This is bizarre. One answer is that the X3 figures that if you are slowing down at lower speeds you want to slow down and brake. What? X3 as nanny car? The real answer is that no one knows why this is acting in this odd manner.
 
From my experience, any other AT car would just coast itself to a stop and you have to apply brakes to stop, not accelrate into a stop. Defect? Beginnings of the AT problem emerging again? Feature? Operating within specs?
 
 

#191 of 232 Almost got hit. by pp2009pp

Sep 25, 2009 (7:40 pm)

Almost got hit today. From a stop, no acceleration, no acceleration then acceleration.

#192 of 232 Re: Horrendous Transmision [capc] by pp2009pp

Sep 25, 2009 (9:35 pm)

Replying to: capc (Jun 10, 2007 7:40 pm)
How absurd is this?
 
I have a brand new 2009 X3 AT and was almost hit tonight due to the car's refusal to move forward until it darn well decided to.
 
The last s/w update appears to be in late 2007, what has happened since then?
 
 
------------------ reprise
 
"This issue has nothing to do with the gas pedal. What is happening is that the car acts like it has run out of gas at times. Other times it simply shifts with a jolt. You are fortunate tha tyours doesn;t act that way, but many others wish they had never purchased this vehicle. "
 
"Adjust your driving style vsaxena? Cmon! I think that something fishy is going on here. Vsaxena sounds like a BMW representative to me!
  
We all know how to drive! I am 42 and all of my previous cars where fine. And yes, one was a BMW. I do not think the accelerator pedal is any different than most cars.
  
The X3 has transmission problems-period.
  
It hesitates from a dead stop, and also while going if you take your foot off the gas, then reapply it, it will sometimes hesitate. Also the downshifting could be quite rough. Mine was in twice already for programming. The first time it seemed okay for 3 days, then got much worse. The second time in...well I just got it back. Seems okay, but I cannot tell yet since I have to wait a week or two.
Dont jump to conclusions on this after you get your service software update done. It takes a few hundred miles to adapt. I already had it hesitate twice. I will let you know. I have my doubts. If it gets bad again, then I will definitely be looking into Lemon Law rights before the third service attempt.
I hope this is fixed! "
 
"Well is has been 450 miles since my 2 month old x3 has been in for service 2 times for the transmission hesitation problem. To be honest, it is MUCH better than it was, but it still hesitates intermittently. Unfortunately the hesitation pops up in the worst place-right in the middle of an intersection while making left hand turns-did it again yesterday! I guess it would do it on right hand turns as well. THe sd mode in my opinion has gotten worse on this program update-seems terribly erratic and rough.
I guess I will wait awhile until they get another software update-(or if they do). I think twice before pulling out in traffic, and that sucks, because this is a BMW, its expensive, and it is SUPPOSED to work properly every time! "
 

#193 of 232 Re: Horrendous Transmision [pp2009pp] by tidester

Sep 26, 2009 (11:46 am)

Replying to: pp2009pp (Sep 25, 2009 9:35 pm)
If you're going to quote people, even if it is from two year old postings, I think you should at least indicate whom you are quoting or provide a link to the message. Dropping anonymous quotes without context tends to be confusing.
 
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

#194 of 232 Re: Horrendous Transmision [tidester] by pp2009pp

Sep 26, 2009 (4:35 pm)

Replying to: tidester (Sep 26, 2009 11:46 am)
OK, here is a link for my last post. I would add it to the post but I don't think I can edit it any longer. I am looking at postings from June of 2007 but, how odd is this, I am having similar (not exactly the same) problems in my brand new 2009.
 
What a mess.
 
http://townhall.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f11ffdc/29

Messages Page 20 of 24

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