[AP]

All,
prompted by a recent thread about steering in sport mode and the fact that questions about these driver modes seem to popup regularly, I thought it might be worth trying to record these settings.

I've started to fill out an excel spreadsheet listing the driving modes and the affect on gearbox, throttle, steering, DSC and ASS.
I'm basing this upon my experiences in my 2012 530d msport with passive suspension and am aware that there are other combinations out there such as adaptive suspension. This is my take on it so obviously shout if you think I have any of this incorrect or am missing something.


Not sure of the best way to show this, don't think we can attach excel files so have posted as an image initially.
I thought this might (once finished with additional input) be a good reference for those of use who already have an F10 and those who have just purchased one trying to work out what all the possibilities are!

Some explanations.
I've listed in the first column the driver modes, ecopro, comfort, sport and sport+ - some people will have less or additional modes depending upon equipment.
I've also listed the same mode but this time with the gear lever in the D/S mode (over to the left) for manual gear changes. again assumes an automatic gearbox.
The rest should be obvious . In teh case of ASS, if the car is in D/S mode then ASS won't kick in even if its enabled as its one of the parameters that prevent it from doing so (along with about anotehr 10 possible reasons)



welcome comments and additions / changes

[HighlandPete]

I think line 4 has an error with the sport setting, DTC is not activated in my car unless in sport + mode.

This subject is an interesting one, as clearly we do have differences across the builds and the build dates. I'm pre ECO PRO, so have a 'normal' setting/mode.

Observations in my car.

1. Even if my car is configured to chassis only and I toggle to sport +, the autobox automatically moves to the sport program, dropping gears. I've the sport automatic (SAT), don't know if the same applies with the standard auto.

2. Driving in sport mode and you switch DSC off (long hold), car goes back to normal mode 'automatically' by default. You can't drive hard with DSC off, it reins in your driving mode, overrides the settings.

Expanding on the first point.... I was out in my car the other day (after a comment in another forum) so experimented a bit more, to see if in my car there are any discernible differences when in sport mode, and I move the stick to DS.

Everything I explained in the previous description is correct, but add the following which I though happened, but confirmed it this morning.

OK, so I'm in sport mode travelling along at 50 - 60mph, with drivetrain+chassis configured ahead of switching to sport, (or can do it real time as the display comes up and I have the option to configure). I Have noted the gearbox change down to 7th on switching to sport mode, and the throttle becomes more sensitive. Now I flick the stick across to DS and the gearbox changes down another gear, I'm now in 6th. So there is a change in the programming. If I'm in sport with the stick in D and then go to sport+ and I flick to DS, the same happens, it drops to 6th again. I also note if I'm in normal mode and flick the stick it will drop the 2 gears in one go.

HighlandPete

[AP]

I believe youa re right re line 4 , and have corrected it.
It looks like its quite a complex set up when you add in all of the combinations. The manual doesn't really go into anywhere near enoguh detail as we would like in these forums.

I wonder if BMW have a technical article on the matter?

[K-A]

Has Sport + been only available on SAT cars during the whole F10 run so far? I know now that on 2013 cars this is the case.

[eripers]

Originally Posted by K-A

Has Sport + been only available on SAT cars during the whole F10 run so far? I know now that on 2013 cars this is the case.

I have a 2011 without sports automatic, and it has sport+ mode. Sport+ always enables drivetrain+chassis+ DTC.

I haven't been able to find any difference in gear change between enabling drivtrain in sport, selecting sport + or moving the stick to DS. So the extra 2 down mode described above when moving the stick might be a feature of the sport automatic.

[Zaman]

Thanks,
I was trying to do tests to put together something similar. You made my life easier. I would make a note up top for cruise control activated: the gearbox will pop into auto mode even if d/s mode is selected.
I also think the car behaves slightly different while in cruise mode, but I don't know what exactly is the difference.

[K-A]

Originally Posted by eripers

I have a 2011 without sports automatic, and it has sport+ mode. Sport+ always enables drivetrain+chassis+ DTC.

I haven't been able to find any difference in gear change between enabling drivtrain in sport, selecting sport + or moving the stick to DS. So the extra 2 down mode described above when moving the stick might be a feature of the sport automatic.

Maybe on 2013's then you need SAT, or some drivetrain or suspension option to get it. I do know I've heard that even with the M Sport Package, at least in 2013, you don't automatically get the Sport + option.

[R N M]

Originally Posted by K-A

Maybe on 2013's then you need SAT, or some drivetrain or suspension option to get it. I do know I've heard that even with the M Sport Package, at least in 2013, you don't automatically get the Sport + option.

You need DDC to get Sport+ for 2013.

For Passive Msport susp there is no Sport+.

[K-A]

Ah, ok that makes sense. So it's either got to be SAT (which I have and have Sport +) or DDC to get Sport +.

[tnikolov]

I have the Sport+ mode (I have DDC) and I don't have SAT. So my guess its a DDC thing only.

[AP]

I've revised the spreadsheet and ask otehr to fill in the gaps as I don't have DDC on my car so unsure as to what the effects are
Hoping this is proving useful to both current owners and those thinking of speccing out new cars?
If not, I'll give up!