[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by 22andcounting

... My car is a bit of a guinea pig owing to the very extensive data collection they have done from the car - some 80 miles or so now.

BMW think the problem is caused by the efficient dynamics software allowing power to be taken from the engine to recharge the battery (as it does on overrun or braking) at the incorrect time. This causes a momentary very small loss in drive power which is felt as a mild hesitation or little jerky feeling.

This is their theory and so over the next week or so I will test this theory out in my car with the revised software.

At least this is making some sense, explains the braking feeling you have mentioned. I'm all for BMW interacting with customers in this way, (hope you are) rather than stall you off while they huddle in corners.

Awaiting your comments on the new software.

HighlandPete

[Krill]

Originally Posted by SpikeUK

I am looking forward to the delivery of my 520d Auto in September so I really appreciate you guys providing data and fix in advance.

Krill - not sure what our American friends make of you jerking until September

I hear you, I´ll have to jerk discretely until September

[Krill]

I too am looking forward to comments on the new software!

[Z4C_luvver]

Originally Posted by 22andcounting

Off on my 320 mile trip tomorrow so I will report back with good or bad news!

Thanks 22!! I hope all's well. Mine is getting worse, and starting to hesitate on the flat as well as in higher rev ranges. I was going to ask also, is anyone experiencing some droning around 1700rpm? This is on the flat as well. Not sure if it's related.

Whatever the case, I'll be booking mine in for a September makeover!

[SilentHawk]

Got mine back from the dealer this afternoon. Although the tech details are apparently in German, the dealer spoke to BMW and was led to believe that the software patch amends the EGR valve operation parameters on my car (which is different to what they've told 22 interestingly). On a final test drive subsequent to the patch being applied the senior tech could no longer observe the fault, and neither could I on the journey home. Maybe this is it now solved ?????

Will monitor it VERY CLOSELY over the next few days !

[itf joegun]

Thanks for your info. This is good news! I hope the problem was solved now!

[22andcounting]

So the road test is complete and.......its gone, no sign of the hesitation. So it looks like the September software release will cure the problem. There are other changes which I noticed, mainly in gear changing patterns, all for the better. Gone is any hesitation to down shift when you quickly want a lower cog, gone is that no mans land you can sometimes find when you brake into an island, see a gap, press the throttle and......and then you get a down shift and a squeaky bum moment. Oddly change ups from cold are much more noticeable and not as smooth, but on the whole the drivetrain feels totally sorted with engine and gearbox really tightly integrated now.

Plus the dreaded jerk/hesitation appears to be a thing of the past.

I have reported back to the dealer my findings, they will let BMW technical know tomorrow, so they may bring the release forward for you guys suffering the same symptoms as mine

[22andcounting]

Originally Posted by SilentHawk

Got mine back from the dealer this afternoon. Although the tech details are apparently in German, the dealer spoke to BMW and was led to believe that the software patch amends the EGR valve operation parameters on my car (which is different to what they've told 22 interestingly). On a final test drive subsequent to the patch being applied the senior tech could no longer observe the fault, and neither could I on the journey home. Maybe this is it now solved ?????

Will monitor it VERY CLOSELY over the next few days !

The new release addresses many issues and changes lots of parameters and is a complete car software update not a patch. It's basically the software version which will be loaded into all new builds from September, I think the dealer said it's version 43. Data taken from my car indicated an issue with the efficient dynamics and the battery charge system. As it was a complete car software Update it took two days to do from Germany, as
BMW will not release the software to be loaded on the dealer's system until September.

[Krill]

That´s great news that the new software has cured this pain of problem! Thanks to all for keeping the thread updated with interesting input! I can´t wait to get my car updated now!

[SilentHawk]

Originally Posted by 22andcounting

The new release addresses many issues and changes lots of parameters and is a complete car software update not a patch. It's basically the software version which will be loaded into all new builds from September, I think the dealer said it's version 43. Data taken from my car indicated an issue with the efficient dynamics and the battery charge system. As it was a complete car software Update it took two days to do from Germany, as
BMW will not release the software to be loaded on the dealer's system until September.

Agree, mine did have the full software update (which included the hifi system too !) as I posted a few days ago, but apparently a patch was applied over the top of this.

Like you, I noticed the difference in gear changes and response. Let's hope it stays fixed and it's not just the adaptive elements that have been re-set (I don't think so, though, because mine was jerking from new with just 8 miles on the clock).

[22andcounting]

I can't tell you how happy I am with my car now. It drives so much better. The throttle response is sharper, steering feels less vague but the biggest difference is in the power delivery, I swear it's more powerful - perhaps it's just the sublime coordination of gearbox and engine performance which I am now experiencing, but it feels like a totally different car - well done BMW I am blown away by this car!

[Darkeeboy]

Booked mine in tomorrow for an upgrade via Germany. Hope I'm as pleased as 22!

[22andcounting]

a little chat with my man at the dealership has revealed the software in my car is not actually due for general release until November, although the 'patch' for the judder is in the September release we have discussed here. So BMW have asked that i continue to monitor the car's behaviour and characteristics and feedback to them, so here goes, one word "Brilliant" .

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by 22andcounting

a little chat with my man at the dealership has revealed the software in my car is not actually due for general release until November, although the 'patch' for the judder is in the September release we have discussed here. So BMW have asked that i continue to monitor the car's behaviour and characteristics and feedback to them, so here goes, one word "Brilliant" .

That's what we want to hear. Joined the R&D team.

HighlandPete

[22andcounting]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

That's what we want to hear. Joined the R&D team.

HighlandPete

Lol, yeah, I am waiting for them to drop me off a 1m I hear the turbo s/w needs a tweak or two

[Darkeeboy]

So far so good, run the car for 700 miles with the new software and no hiccups at 1700/1800rpm at all. Best news is the fuel consumption has gone up - did 750 miles on 64 litres of diesel. This equates to 53mpg!

[22andcounting]

Originally Posted by Darkeeboy

So far so good, run the car for 700 miles with the new software and no hiccups at 1700/1800rpm at all. Best news is the fuel consumption has gone up - did 750 miles on 64 litres of diesel. This equates to 53mpg!

Same here darkeeboy, consumption much improved.

[Charliemingpot]

Hi - new to the forum and have read this thread with interest.

Does anyone know if the software update can be done from the car (ie remote software update from the idrive myself), or does this need to be done at a dealership.

Also - is this something that will be done automatically as and when services are undertaken, on the basis the issue is somewhat commonplace?

Thanks

Stephen

[Z4C_luvver]

Originally Posted by Charliemingpot

Hi - new to the forum and have read this thread with interest.

Does anyone know if the software update can be done from the car (ie remote software update from the idrive myself), or does this need to be done at a dealership.

Also - is this something that will be done automatically as and when services are undertaken, on the basis the issue is somewhat commonplace?

Thanks

Stephen

From what I know (but 22 is the best person to answer) the software package isn't an update but a complete reloading of the software to a new version - like windows xp to vista. It can only be done at the dealership.

Also, no, as far as I'm aware from discussions with my service guy, it won't be done automatically. You need to have a valid reason for the update (ie jerky behaviour), as BMW service centres get audited and this update costs them significantly.

Things may change though if as you say, it becomes commonplace. So far it doesn't seem to be.

[Bluestraw]

Originally Posted by 22andcounting

I can't tell you how happy I am with my car now. It drives so much better. The throttle response is sharper, steering feels less vague but the biggest difference is in the power delivery, I swear it's more powerful - perhaps it's just the sublime coordination of gearbox and engine performance which I am now experiencing, but it feels like a totally different car - well done BMW I am blown away by this car!

Hi 22,
I saw previously you said how much better the sports auto you tested had felt, compared with the regular auto. Do you think these latest changes have brought the regular auto on a par? I drove a regular and sports back-to-back and found the steering very (too!) light on the regular, whereas the sports even in 'normal' mode was much better. I'm hoping to order a new 520D in a couple of days, and seeing the results of the latest software am now not sure which way to go!

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Bluestraw

Hi 22,
I saw previously you said how much better the sports auto you tested had felt, compared with the regular auto. Do you think these latest changes have brought the regular auto on a par? I drove a regular and sports back-to-back and found the steering very (too!) light on the regular, whereas the sports even in 'normal' mode was much better. I'm hoping to order a new 520D in a couple of days, and seeing the results of the latest software am now not sure which way to go!

Look at it this way... if BMW are improving the standard setup, surely they will be making the sport setup even better, with any software upgrades for that as well.

For me, the sport auto is the way to go, much better to have 'options', you can change the feel, as you drive, if you so desire.

HighlandPete

[Bluestraw]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Look at it this way... if BMW are improving the standard setup, surely they will be making the sport setup even better, with any software upgrades for that as well.

For me, the sport auto is the way to go, much better to have 'options', you can change the feel, as you drive, if you so desire.

HighlandPete

Good point Pete. Though I see they now added the same 'options' for the regular auto, i.e. you can change from Comfort (new name for Normal) to Sports with the associated impact. But having driven a sports auto I'm inclined to go that way - as you say, in theory that will be better too...