Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Step tronic gears?

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
Post Reply
User avatar
Spartanx5
Member
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 9:13 am
Location: Stamford

Step tronic gears?

Post by Spartanx5 » Fri Jun 27, 2014 11:24 am

Besides the usual problems I am curious to know if:
I have the auto 4.4 but it has the option to use the gears if u wish so, you just move the shifter over into the slot next to drive, then u can go up and down as u wish, BUT can I switch between drive and what I once heard called step tronic switching whilst driving? Or do u need to be at a stand still, that's how I have been doing it, I had nightmares of clicking it over whilst doing 80 and it actually being in 1st, I would guess what ever speed you switch at it will just stay in the gear it's in? This may be obvious but I just need it confirming before I attempt it, also what is the button for which has a picture of the car going down a hill with what to me looks like a clock near it? And finally the pdc button. What does it actually do?  Bare in mind I have only had the thing 4 weeks and it spent 3weeks 5 days of that in the garage!!!!
4.4  silver on chrome 22s

Denis O
Member
Member
Posts: 545
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:26 am
Location: Maidstone

Re: Step tronic gears?

Post by Denis O » Fri Jun 27, 2014 11:34 am

No problem to switch over to steptronic at any speed. I believe it drops 1 cog (I never use it) as it goes into sport mode but that's it.

As for pdc button it switches them off when you don't want them i.e. pulled into parking space, finished parking, still have engine running and front pdc  continues to beep even though you're in neutral. Hit pdc switch and no more beeps till next time.
06 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.2 SC
05 Mercedes SL350

User avatar
X5Sport
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 19069
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: Planet X6......

Re: Step tronic gears?

Post by X5Sport » Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:08 pm

As above, you change change modes as you feel you need.  All it does is change the shift profile to allow use of higher rpm and the car holds the gears much longer.  Otherwise called 'Sport' mode.  It will not allow you to do anything stupid as the gearbox has a self preservation function.  At 80mph it will drop a gear.  Mine would not use 6th until the car was doing 100+ in 'Sport' auto though of course in Manual it goes when you tell it.

You should see an 'S' come up on the dash for Sport, and a 'M' in manual.

The 'duck' as my wife calls it is Hill Descent Control for use on very steep hills or bad slopes where you need the car to drive itself down.  It's only ever used a very low speeds - walking pace.  It uses the ABS to control the speed and the cruise control buttons to change it.  I never used it on mine.

The PDC button manually turns the parking sensors on and off.  Normally selecting reverse brings them on, but you might want them on when driving forward....

It should all be in the Owners Manual.

Richard
Last edited by X5Sport on Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

Post Reply