Too slow when I start to go. Anything help?

[MsportyX35]

Hi all! I've got a 2014 X1 xDrive35i with the M Sport package that we purchased about 6 months ago, and we're mostly liking the car. But what's annoying us to no end (my wife and I both drive it, depending on who's hauling the kids somewhere), is the lag when starting from a standstill in normal drive mode. To avoid a far too long pause between throttle pedal engagement and the car actually moving forward, I need to mash the throttle and launch the car too aggressively for normal driving. A Dinan tune improved this slightly, but only slightly. Would a transmission software flash help address this? Or is it just the nature of the beast? Am I expecting too much after decades of driving only manuals?

From 5 mph on, it's a joy, but that 0-5 mph is driving me nuts. With all wheel drive and gobs of power at low rpm, you'd think it would be crazy-quick off the line, but our old 2003 Mini Cooper S with a huge power deficit and fwd, makes the X1 look like a grandma trying to get out of a lazy boy if you launch it with anything less than lead footed aggression. There has to be a way to get a response time that's somewhere in between a drag racing launch and 80's dial up internet. But after months of trying different amounts of pedal modulation, or trying to get used to the lag, neither my wife or I have managed any success.

When the shifter is in sport/manual, it is better starting off, and feels like the torque converter locks up much quicker, and there's less of the annoying lag, but the shift points in sport aren't always appropriate for casual driving around town. Is there a transmission flash that helps remove the huge lag from a stop in normal drive mode, while maintaining the more conservative shift points, and also allowing for higher rev and faster shifts in sport with rev matched downshifts? Alpina, xHP, other, or none of the above? Any other ideas? God, I miss my e46 330i!

Thanks for your help,
Michael

[Alfisti]

Its an absolute fucking joke that the Ultimate driving machine has this inherent MASSIVE throttle lag to save 1% on gas.

Infuriates me.

[Turbod]

Originally Posted by MsportyX35

Hi all! I've got a 2014 X1 xDrive35i with the M Sport package that we purchased about 6 months ago, and we're mostly liking the car. But what's annoying us to no end (my wife and I both drive it, depending on who's hauling the kids somewhere), is the lag when starting from a standstill in normal drive mode. To avoid a far too long pause between throttle pedal engagement and the car actually moving forward, I need to mash the throttle and launch the car too aggressively for normal driving. A Dinan tune improved this slightly, but only slightly. Would a transmission software flash help address this? Or is it just the nature of the beast? Am I expecting too much after decades of driving only manuals?

From 5 mph on, it's a joy, but that 0-5 mph is driving me nuts. With all wheel drive and gobs of power at low rpm, you'd think it would be crazy-quick off the line, but our old 2003 Mini Cooper S with a huge power deficit and fwd, makes the X1 look like a grandma trying to get out of a lazy boy if you launch it with anything less than lead footed aggression. There has to be a way to get a response time that's somewhere in between a drag racing launch and 80's dial up internet. But after months of trying different amounts of pedal modulation, or trying to get used to the lag, neither my wife or I have managed any success.

When the shifter is in sport/manual, it is better starting off, and feels like the torque converter locks up much quicker, and there's less of the annoying lag, but the shift points in sport aren't always appropriate for casual driving around town. Is there a transmission flash that helps remove the huge lag from a stop in normal drive mode, while maintaining the more conservative shift points, and also allowing for higher rev and faster shifts in sport with rev matched downshifts? Alpina, xHP, other, or none of the above? Any other ideas? God, I miss my e46 330i!

Thanks for your help,
Michael

I would look into MHD. I feel that there was a big improvement in throttle response from the stock flash when I loaded it on the 335i. The down side to having the newer DME is that it will need to be removed once for a bench flash.

XHP may lock the torque converter up sooner but IMO D mode isn't quite as nice. I also feel that your symptom would be better resolved with MHD.

[Njerts]

Try this, I do it fairly often to reduce my frustration.

http://e84.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=812743&highlight=Throttle

[MsportyX35]

Originally Posted by Njerts

Try this, I do it fairly often to reduce my frustration.

http://e84.xbimmers.com/forums/showt...light=Throttle

Thank You! I just did this, then drove it around the block, then told my wife to go drive it around the block. She came back in with a goofy grin on her face asking how I fixed the car.

It's not perfect, but it's dramatically improved. To everyone else who commented or offered suggestions, thank you as well. I still might try a transmission flash, and would love feedback from anyone whose had one installed, but I no longer feel desperate to get something done.

[Njerts]

Originally Posted by MsportyX35

Thank You! I just did this, then drove it around the block, then told my wife to go drive it around the block. She came back in with a goofy grin on her face asking how I fixed the car.

It's not perfect, but it's dramatically improved. To everyone else who commented or offered suggestions, thank you as well. I still might try a transmission flash, and would love feedback from anyone whose had one installed, but I no longer feel desperate to get something done.

I am glad it worked for you, I do every 1000 km.

[MsportyX35]

Originally Posted by Turbod

I would look into MHD. I feel that there was a big improvement in throttle response from the stock flash when I loaded it on the 335i. The down side to having the newer DME is that it will need to be removed once for a bench flash.

XHP may lock the torque converter up sooner but IMO D mode isn't quite as nice. I also feel that your symptom would be better resolved with MHD.

Thanks for the help. If I do try a different flash, it'll likely be after my factory warranty has expired. Part of the reason I went with Dinan was to preserve the warranty, and I've been more than pleased with power output. It's just the lag from start that was getting to me. If the throttle reset linked to above takes care of 90% of the problem, as it seems to have done so far, I'll likely just keep the Dinan flash, since I've already paid for it.

[MsportyX35]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Its an absolute fucking joke that the Ultimate driving machine has this inherent MASSIVE throttle lag to save 1% on gas.

Infuriates me.

Indeed

[Gamb1t]

My BMW dealer re-flashed my X1's transmission ECU when I complained about shift lag. They say the file was corrupted. Done under warranty. It is after all our family hauler. We don't drive the car too hard, but once in a while I'd give it the good 'ol Italian Tune-up.

[KWX1]

These will blow your mind at removing built in throttle lag. See Link.



https://bimmian.com/Accessories-for-...ttle-Remapper/

[Turbod]

At this point I would go MHD once warranty is over or just leave it alone. $320 for the product listed above doesn't make much sense.

[d1saster]

@OP

The transmission in your car has electronic control module that has the ability to adapt to your driving style. In your case two people drive the car and I doubt both have the same exact driving style. So the transmission is adapting to the less aggressive one.

When you did the transmission adaptations reset procedure the module became "virginized" and will learn from that point. To me in that mode the car is way too "jerky" and I perform that only as part of transmission fluid change.

Also those adaptations are not used in sport mode.

[Xdrive35i2014]

I wonder if the OP is experiencing slow throttle response from the car adapting to low speed city driving and turbo lag. If you get a JB4, the newest firmware allows you to make the pedal input more sensitive and you can adjust the default wastegate position to allow the turbo to spool quicker. My X1 seems to be able to get off from a deadstop without discernible delays.

[themishmosh]

Originally Posted by d1saster

Also those adaptations are not used in sport mode.

Maybe that's why I don't notice any lag. I use manual mode almost all the time with the Alpina flash and have never noticed any lag.

[Turbod]

The only "lag" I feel is when I am almost stopped or I stop for a split second and then hit the gas. It feels like a clutch slipping in the transfer case or torque converter slow to lock up.

[jinda]

Originally Posted by d1saster

@OP

The transmission in your car has electronic control module that has the ability to adapt to your driving style. In your case two people drive the car and I doubt both have the same exact driving style. So the transmission is adapting to the less aggressive one.

When you did the transmission adaptations reset procedure the module became "virginized" and will learn from that point. To me in that mode the car is way too "jerky" and I perform that only as part of transmission fluid change.

Also those adaptations are not used in sport mode.

This is my experience. I felt the lag during my 1st week and then I just didn't notice it anymore. I actually forgot about it until I read the same issue here in the forum. It adjusted to my driving style in no time.

My wife actually complains about it when she has to drive it, saying its scary driving my car due to the power on the pedal compared to her CX9.