Horrid Drive-By-Wire

[teamdfl]

abominable, alarming, appalling, atrocious, awful, bad, detestable, disheartening, dismaying, dreadful, execrable, frightening, ghastly, grim, harrowing, hateful, hideous, horrid, horrific, loathsome, lousy, obnoxious, odious, offensive, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, rotten, shocking, terrible, terrifying, unnerving


I have used most of these terms to describe the DBW throttle system used on 2001 and later E46s on multiple phone calls to BMW NA. Every time I was on the phone trying to schedule the steering retrofit for my 2001 325, I expressed my dislike of the lag programmed into DBW. At every annual NJ BMW(space, no space?)CCA meeting at BMW NA, I explain to the nearest vice president of whatever that I hate the throttle response of DBW. Is there any hope of reducing or eliminating the DBW lag on future BMWs? The "sport" mode available on M cars is an improvement over the normal K-car-with-a-blown-slushbox mode. Will my next BMW have that magic "sport" button? (This assumes that I have not given up on BMW after changing control arms every 18 months.)



Ed

[TD]

:thumbup:

[Plaz]

Pshaw.

[TD]

Oh yes it will. I'll still have my E36.

[Kaz]

Can someone with intimate hate relationships with this lag PLEASE drive my car and find it for me? I have been searching in vain for 2 years with no luck.

[JPinTO]

The sport mode is virtually useless... it is hyper sensitive to the slightness pedal movement. It's fine on the highway as that gives you the sensation of instant acceleration, but unusable on the street.

[Plaz]

Can someone with intimate hate relationships with this lag PLEASE drive my car and find it for me? I have been searching in vain for 2 years with no luck.

Thank you.

[doeboy]

Can someone with intimate hate relationships with this lag PLEASE drive my car and find it for me? I have been searching in vain for 2 years with no luck.

Come to think of it.... I didn't really notice it when I drove your car.... :dunno:

But I know you have that incessant throttle float/cutting thing like everyone.... now THAT pisses me off. When I'm going up a slope or something like that it bugs the heck outta me. :banghead:

[Kaz]

But I know you have that incessant throttle float/cutting thing like everyone.... now THAT pisses me off. When I'm going up a slope or something like that it bugs the heck outta me. :banghead:

Yes, that truly sucks. But that is NOT 'throttle lag.' If it is, a bunch of people need to relearn their English.

[doeboy]

Yes, that truly sucks. But that is NOT 'throttle lag.' If it is, a bunch of people need to relearn their English.

No, that's not the throttle lag... mine definitely has it... but I don't hate it like some of the others seem to.... but it does annoy me a lot...

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Can someone with intimate hate relationships with this lag PLEASE drive my car and find it for me? I have been searching in vain for 2 years with no luck.
We just found out that throttle response is a hidden option, listed in BMW literature as "cloth seats."

[Plaz]

We just found out that throttle response is a hidden option, listed in BMW literature as "cloth seats."

:rofl:

[doeboy]

We just found out that throttle response is a hidden option, listed in BMW literature as "cloth seats."

Damn... I knew I should've changed the seats.... :cry:

[SupraRZ]

Is it me or the DBW response times are different between the M3 and the regular 3 series? Seems like M3 lags a little more.

[doeboy]

Can you expand on this?

The more I drive my car the more I get annoyed with the throttle. I haven't figure out all the details yet though...

Well... it happens when you are feathering the clutch trying to creep up a hill or something... most people seem to experience it when reversing too.

My conditioned reflex when I feel the car bogging a bit when I'm doing that is to give it some gas to keep it from stalling... when you do this on the E46 DBW system, the darn computer gives it a little more, then cuts throttle even though you are not intentionally doing that... a lot of times people stall as a result of the throttle cutting out like that... it's also what makes a lot of people have such a hard time getting smooth starts...

To really see this, start the car and while idling, give it some gas to bring the revs to like 1200 rpm and try and hold it there... the computer will cut the throttle bringing it back down to idle. You can't hold it there.

That's what bugs me. It cuts throttle when you don't want it to, sometimes causing you to stall... I've since "learned" the quirks of this system and I haven't stalled since and have gotten much better with it, but it still annoys the heck out of me when I don't get a smooth start because it is cutting the throttle and making the car buck... :mad:

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Turn your car off for ten seconds. Then turn the key to the on position for ten seconds, but DO NOT start. Then turn the car off for ten seconds. Then start the car.

I think you may be able to omit the first step, but I'm not totally sure.

[mquetel]

Turn your car off for ten seconds. Then turn the key to the on position for ten seconds, but DO NOT start. Then turn the car off for ten seconds. Then start the car.

I think you may be able to omit the first step, but I'm not totally sure.

I'm sorry, but what does that do? :dunno:

[doeboy]

I'm sorry, but what does that do? :dunno:

It's supposed to reset the "adaptive"-ness of the DBW throttle mapping... it supposedly works for a while... until the "adaptive"-ness gets ahold of it again...

[mquetel]

It's supposed to reset the "adaptive"-ness of the DBW throttle mapping... it supposedly works for a while... until the "adaptive"-ness gets ahold of it again...

Got it. Thanks!

[m3bs]

I'm with you on the DBW, but it doesn't have to be this bad. It didn't bother me at all on a Z06 that I drove.

I spoke with someone at Road Atlanta earlier this month who did the Dinan software for his 330, and he said it made a world of difference. I'm holding out for the JC version.

[Mr. The Edge]

my DBW is great!

[Alex Baumann]

my DBW is great!


:slap:

you also have the Sport button.

[SARAFIL]

:slap:

you also have the Sport button.

Hehehe... I'll stand up for ATYCLB here...

As you all know, I get the opportunity to drive different BMWs every day. I must say, the only ones that have DBW programming that actually bothers me are the E46 models. I have no problems with E39's, E53's, or any M model. In fact, I think the M3 has fantastic response, even with sport off. I've never had any problems driving an E46 M3.

We've had at least one of each generation of the 3 series since the E21 in our house, and I've driven most of them extensively. I have never had any problem driving an E30, E36 or non-DBW E46. Our '02 325i is a different story-- I experience the abnormal "bucking" when launching that was described a few posts above very often. The car is fine once moving, far better than any of the other 3's we've had, if you ask me. My only problem is launching the car, and even then, it is quite intermittent. Many times it'll be fine. Then, it'll buck and nearly stall. Other times it'll rev way too high (and much higher than I "told" it too). If I could rip out this damned DBW, I'd be 100% satisfied with the rest of the car. It is the best 3 series we've owned, and the most reliable, too. I'm hoping I can come up with some solution to help overcome the DBW issue.

[Alex Baumann]

Wait until you drive the E60 with Steptronic :eeps:

Horrible !

[xspeedy]

Can someone tell me if the problem is not as bad with the 325, or maybe not as bad with the 330 6-spd compared to the 5-spd?

I've driven several variants, and the worst has been the pre-March build 330 with the five speed. I've never had major problems with the 325 and the 330 6-speed/ZHP seemed to be better.

[nate]

Dinan S/W (or maybe Conforti)

The Dinan DBW response on the E39 M5 is excellent....