I'd never really experienced any downshifting hesitation in my car and I used to think the folks posting about it were just crazy. Well, you're not crazy.

Our highway entrance/exits are always right next to one and other here in San Antonio (because we're idiots) with people entering the highway first and you trying to exit (or get on the highway) within a few hundred feet while cars criss cross one and other.

Anyway, I'm coming up the entrance ramp which turns into the entrance/exit lane and there are a ton of cars that just won't get over one lane. So I pull out into the next lane and I see traffic coming fast. I floor it as I'm getting into the next lane. Nothing happens for about a half a second and then BAM! it downshifts and I fly off into the distance. I was in regular drive mode.

The ONLY thing I can think of is I was turning the wheel to change lanes as I floored it. But I didn't think there was any sort of a yaw sensor in the wheel that would possibly interrupt downshifts. I've never experienced anything even remotely like this situation. I've now started driving around in manual mode.

Bigfoot is real (and I'm bored at work).

 

This happens to me sometimes too. Its annoying and slightly dangerous.

 

Same here I hate it! It is dangerous

 

i never drive in D mode any more. either in DS or manual.

 

Same here, DS or bust.

 

I've been experimenting with the VDC traction control in the off position for the past two days and I have to say traction is somewhat improved and the power never gets killed. I'm wondering if, when I changed lanes and punched it at the same time, that I lost traction and the ECU killed the power momentarily. I didn't notice the dash light but I don't most of the time.

 

I had the same thing happen to my 2011 when I first bought the car used. The transmission computer update fixed my hesitation entirely, have you checked into this?

 

I have not. It's only happened once and I have a 2013 which I believe already has the updated software.

 

DS is great until you see a cop on the side of the road and hit your brakes

 

Where do you get this done? And how much? I have a 2010

 

LOL and then the car downshifts to assist and the cop hears you haha

 

My 2011 had this constantly in firmware rev A. Reflashed to rev C and much less frequent. I think it knows you are cornering from wheel speed sensors and tries to keep you from using too much power. I got smoked by two fatties on a Harley once due to this silliness.

Rev C also fixes the aggressive downshifting when coasting that annoys many people.

If you are certified pre-owned this is free at dealer. If not maybe like 300 bucks.

 

Yeah I'm convinced this is traction/stability control related after experimenting a bit. The only time the hesitation happens is when you're trying to pass or get on the accelerator hard. I've not experienced it with the VDC off (yet).

 

I drove with traction control off. The car felt like I had put it in sport mode. It is almost scary that when you take off traction control, the car wants to be more aggressive. I went around a corner and hit the gas, it was holding onto gears and revving higher. I was annoyed, because it is faster to just upshift. I got off the gas and it went into third. I wonder if the switch truly defeats tc, my old 330i had two stage tc. I am surprised that we don't have it on a much more modern car.

 

Sounds like it's hunting for gears. there is updated programming to fix that.