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What does the sport/comfort button do?

42K views 43 replies 25 participants last post by  KingpenM3 
#1 ·
I was looking at 535s at lunch and noticed that all of them have the comfort/sport button without the dynamic damper control option. What does this feature do and how is it different from the DDC option?

 
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#11 ·
This gets really confusing to newcomers, and even to me as a six month owner. My car is a 2012 550 M-Sport. I'll be damned if I still understand all the acronyms. I thought DDC was the option that automatically changes the damping of the shocks. My car has no other suspension options other than what is part of the M-Sport package. To be clear, changing from Comfort +, Comfort and Sport does change my shock settings, but my car does not have automatic suspension (damper) control.
 
#4 · (Edited)
There are three different shock absorber settings (comfort +, comfort, sport). There is also a fourth setting (sport +) that sets the shocks to sport, turns off traction control and puts the tranny in sport mode. The sport mode can be configured to put the transmission & shocks in sport mode or just the shocks in sport mode. BTW, I'll have to take "kssod"s word for the steering and throttle response changing because I don't feel it. Maybe a slight difference in steering "feel", but throttle response is really related to the transmission I think.
 
#5 ·
Actually, by itself it tweaks throttle, turns off part of the traction control. If you have the SAT it changes the settings and shift points.

It does not make any changes to suspension unless you have the adaptive control which allows for suspension changes.
 
#6 ·
Like others have already mentioned if you don't have DDC it changes the weight of the steering, throttle sensitivity and transmission shift points. If you have DDC it also adds suspension changes.

In my 2013 going from Comfort+, Comfort, to Sport makes a HUGE difference in the way the car feels. Its so big that Bmw should have label that switch "BMW" for the Sport and "Lincoln Town Car" for the Comfort modes :)

Alan
 
#8 ·
I second Alan L. comments. However I have the SAT and DDC options as well. Also, acceleration in sport is much faster then comfort. Now that I'm broken in and had the oppurtunity to launch it a few times, I question whether the factory numbers are somewhat understated. Glad I did not go for the 550, I feel like I have a true hybrid: luxury/economic or BMW sports sedan. In sport the car eats almost like a V8, however. I'm very happy with this design.
 
#9 ·
I guess all the cars are different.

I have SAT and have five settings:

D Eco Pro-turns ASS back on if you turned it off (which makes sense)
Comfort-always at startup
Sport
Sport+
D Traction
 
#14 ·
I have a 2013 535i M-sport. How do you reprogram the Sport mode to only adjust the shocks and not the (higher) transmission shift points?
Through the I drive. There should be A setting for sport mode. Select chassis only, instead of chassis and drivetrain.
 
#13 ·
DDC refers to Driving Dynamics Control. It is confusing because in the past it has also referred to the dampers. But on the F10...

It is very confusing, as it has changed throughout the years like all else,

In 2011, the switch only came if you had:

Sport Auto Trans
Dynamic Handling Package
M Sport

For the SAT only option, it had Three settings: Normal, Sport and Sport Plus. It adjusted the steering weight, throttle and transmission response. Sport Plus is the same as Sport as far as those three, but also adjusts the traction / stability control.

For M Sport or DHP (which was included with MSport and had both active dampers and anti roll) it added the fourth setting, comfort, and also adjusts both the shocks and anti roll settings

In 2012, the switch was made standard. It added Eco Pro. The settings now cycled from Eco Pro to Comfort Plus (the old comfort) Comfort (the old Normal) Sport (Same) and Sport Plus.

In addition for 2012, The sport package included active dampers whereas before it did not. M Sport dropped Active Roll but continued with the active dampers. The dynamic handling package went away and active anti roll ( ARS) became a stand alone option on either Sport or MSport. Now, here is what the switch does: If you have no sport or mSport, it will adjust steering, transmission and throttle. If you have Sport or MSport but no ARS, it will add damper adjustment. If you have ARS, it will adjust that as well.

For 2013, more changes. No more sport package at all. MSport now includes (supposedly) a static sport suspension. Active shocks are a stand alone option. Dynamic Handling Package, is back, bundling dynamic dampers and ARS. The switch is still there, settings the same for 2012.

There will be a quiz. Study hard!
 
#17 ·
I have done several road trips and played with this option. IF you keep the speed at 65 MPH or lower and don't use the AC you will see a big difference. I have gotten 38 MPG on some trips. When cruising above 65 MPH or street driving in Eco Pro mod I have seen no better MPG than in any other setting.
 
#18 ·
There is an article in this month's roundel comparing a journey from NJ to OH using Eco Pro vs. not in a 528. I believe the driver got about 3 MPG better. Including speeds up to 75 MPG.
 
#19 ·
We have DDC only in our 2013 F10. When I go from comfort to sport, or sport+, the center display highlights the steering, transmission and suspension areas. Because of this indication on the display, I would say with DDC, the dampers also stiffen up as well.

Any one with a 2013 without DDC, please select sport or sport+ and tell us whether the display highlights the suspension area.
 
#20 · (Edited)
We have DDC only in our 2013 F10. When I go from comfort to sport, or sport+, the center display highlights the steering, transmission and suspension areas. Because of this indication on the display, I would say with DDC, the dampers also stiffen up as well.

Any one with a 2013 without DDC, please select sport or sport+ and tell us whether the display highlights the suspension area.
It does highlight the suspension area no matter what options you have. This does not mean it adjusts it. It only adjusts the steering. If you do not have the comfort plus setting, you cannot adjust the suspension.
 
#22 · (Edited)
As always, impressive information Needsdecaf! I felt like I had to catch my breath and take a Beta-Blocker after reading your first post.

I know you did not agree with my thoughts on my 2011 535i VS a rental non M-sport 2012 535i. To me that 2012 felt so much faster than my 2011. I feel as if my current 2011 535i always drives like a 2012 535i in the COMFORT setting. I would kill for that SPORT button as I think it gives the car the dual personalities that I would want it to have. I do feel like I am missing out on the "BMW experience" with not having that SPORT button :/.
 
#24 ·
Programming Sport Mode

On my 2013 M-sport, once you select sport mode, the i-drive screen shows in red what is affected. This is no option to do anything further...after searching all over the i-drive for about an hour yesterday. You cannot tell it to leave the transmission alone. :(
 
#26 ·
On my 2013 M-sport, once you select sport mode, the i-drive screen shows in red what is affected. This is no option to do anything further...after searching all over the i-drive for about an hour yesterday. You cannot tell it to leave the transmission alone. :(
I'd be very surprised if that is the case. In my 2012 you most definitely can tell it to leave the transmission alone in sport mode (but not sport plus). I don't see them changing that. But I have found that it took me literally several months to find some menus that were not where I expected them to be. You might want to look some more if you are trying to get sport mode to only change the suspension and not the transmission.
 
#25 ·
I just got 2012 535xdrive 4 weeks ago, and I don't have DDC, SAT or ARS. So, I only have eco-comfort-sport and in the sport mode, there is no option that you can select. But last night when I export my profile and play around. It turn out that there are 3 things that you can select in the sport mode. So, now in my "sport" mode, it only adjust steering and leave the transmission and throttle alone. ^_^
 
#40 ·
I have the same car as you, when I put my car in sport mode, the hydrudlic steering feels the same, the transmission and throttle is different. What do you mean by exporting your profile and playing around with it. I sure would like to know how to adjust each setting individually on a non sport package 2012 535xi.

Thanks
 
#29 ·
you can goto

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/owners/navigation/pia.html

to edit your profile.

After upload your profile, then go to settings->transmission and technology, then you will see 3 options for "sport mode":

Drivetrain, Chassis and Drivetrain & Chassis

You can just select Chassis.

After download the file into the USB and import it back to your car then you can see in the idrive that when you select "Sport mode", it only highlight the chassis part.
 
#30 ·
OK- may be another variation here but when I select sport or sport+ my default is chassis and transmission (the shift points definitely are changed). I selected this and have no problem. When in sport or sport+ AND I move the gear selector over to the left- the transmission seems to become even more aggressive (it instantly drops a gear and per the same speed keeps the revs much higher).

Is this normal for everyone or is this what the sport auto tranny is for?? It is normal for me now, but at first felt like a preflight check with buttons and things to do before driving. My only gripe is remembering to shift the gear selector back to normal before trying to reverse.:thumbup:
 
#33 ·
It should drop a gear when you put it in sport + just the same as if you move the lever to the left when not in sport mode already. I can't imagine there are two levels of the sport settings in the transmission. I have not put my car in sport + in quite a while as I never have a need to. Next time I drive the car I'll try to remember give it a try and see if I'm remembering it correctly.
 
#31 ·
TL;DR entire thread, but yes, you can just selecting the chassis, drivetrain, or both. On the 2013, when you select sport, you have the option to configure. Select that and it will take you to the right page.

I drive in sport chassis mode the vast majority of the time. It tightens up the feel of the car, but doesn't kill the milage.
 
#32 ·
Again - chassis/suspension changes only come into affect if you have DDC.
 
#41 ·
^^ on my 2013 535xi the hydraulic steering is definitely different between Sport and comfort modes. I was surprised since i thought this was only limited to the non Xi models with the electric steering but i am 100% sure it is different between modes. In comfort mode the steering is feather light and Sport mode feels more heavier when you are about mid way into a turn. I noticed this because although its heavier it still feels artificial compared to how my E90 335 felt.

Alan
 
#43 ·
Profile Upload

Garfielddw,

I'm able to download the profile from the car to a usb drive (using the usb port in the center console compartment), plug it into my computer (MacBook), manipulate it using the BMW website (the link that you provided) and then I run into trouble. When I save the changed profile, it does so as a download that I then have to drag onto the usb drive. Once I do, it's in a format that (.do) that the car does not recognize and therefore I can't upload it back to the car. Any clues?
 
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