SMG Problem

[Jen K]

Hi everyone! sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been very busy. I'll fill you all in later. But, today, my car almost sent me to the ER with a neck injury. My SMG when in automode and on the middle settings(3 lights) has always 'clunked' hard from 2nd into 1st when stopping and then bucking like a manual shift when starting. It's has gotten worse over the past few weeks. Tonight on the way home, I got off the interstate and while at traffic light it downshifted from 2nd to a HARD 1st. So hard, in fact, it threw me against the back of the seat. My neck is still sore! Then, as i accelerated, it bucked again. it only does it from 1st to 2nd and vice versa. When I drive in maual mode and shift, it hesitates. Anyway, i called the dealer and they never heard of that at all. They want it for at least a day. Have any of you had that problem. My car is a 2007, does anyone know of any issues in that model year for SMGIII?

BTW, it has 23,755 miles.

[Richard in NC]

Hi everyone! sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been very busy. I'll fill you all in later. But, today, my car almost sent me to the ER with a neck injury. My SMG when in automode and on the middle settings(3 lights) has always 'clunked' hard from 2nd into 1st when stopping and then bucking like a manual shift when starting. It's has gotten worse over the past few weeks. Tonight on the way home, I got off the interstate and while at traffic light it downshifted from 2nd to a HARD 1st. So hard, in fact, it threw me against the back of the seat. My neck is still sore! Then, as i accelerated, it bucked again. it only does it from 1st to 2nd and vice versa. When I drive in maual mode and shift, it hesitates. Anyway, i called the dealer and they never heard of that at all. They want it for at least a day. Have any of you had that problem. My car is a 2007, does anyone know of any issues in that model year for SMGIII?

BTW, it has 23,755 miles.

I can't help, but have you tried the SMG reset procedure? It's well documented on m5board.com and supposedly dramatically smooths out the way it shifts.

EDIT: I found this over there:
Did you try the SMG reset? Going somewhere between 20 and 90mph, throwing the car in neutral and simultaneously pulling both paddles for 2 (or 3) seconds and throwing it back in drive? This resets the tolerances for the clutch and most users report it helping significantly in smoothness of a normal off-the-line acceleration and gear shifts.

[InsidiousSpeed]

Maybe one for the dealer . It ain't normal, what you described.

[boxboss]

I can't help, but have you tried the SMG reset procedure? It's well documented on m5board.com and supposedly dramatically smooths out the way it shifts.

EDIT: I found this over there:
The SMG reset supposedly helps a lot of people with rough shifting problems (per M5/M6 board.)

Also, GT reminds us to upshift when approaching a stop (counter-intuiative) to smooth out that 2-1 jerk.

Try the reset and if it doesn't fix the problem, see your dealer.

[mjames]

SMG sucks in automatic mode. Drive it like a manual, it is!

[Gran Turismo]

Also, GT reminds us to upshift when approaching a stop (counter-intuiative) to smooth out that 2-1 jerk.

Yes, I do remind to upshift in some situations like driving in 1st in parking lots. But the situation described above seems to be SMGIII specific, as the 6-speed SMG is automatically downshifting 2-1 (also in manual mode) only when the car has already stopped completely.

[Jen K]

Thanks for the help! I'll let the dealer reset and check it out. I'd feel alot better. I do drive it in manual mode alot. It just seems the more I leave it in the automode, the worse it gets! I'll keep you all posted.