Clutch

An ordinary manual transmission car has 3 pedals: gas, brake, and clutch. How about the DCT? Does the DCT only have gas and brake? Does it have paddle shifters? Please answer all questions and how do you drive it? Is the procedure just like the SMG in the BMW M5 and M6?

From a driving perspective yes it’s the same as the M5 and M6 with SMG as there is no clutch pedal. The biggest difference is the uninterupted flow of power.
The M DCT with Drivelogic combines two gearbox
components in one common housing with the same compact dimensions as a conventional manual gearbox. The “heart” of the new M double-clutch transmission in technical terms is formed by the two oil-cooled wet clutches.
One of the two clutches is for the even (2, 4, 6), the other for the uneven (1, 3, 5, 7) gears and, in addition, for the reverse gear. While driving, one of the two clutches is always closed, the other is open.
When accelerating – and when shifting down – the clutches are activated in an alternating process, one after the other. When shifting gears, the first clutch opens just as the second clutch is closing. This ensures an absolutely smooth and comfortable and at the same time an incomparably
fast gearshift without the slightest interruption in the flow of power.
This interaction of two clutches ensures a super fast rate of gear change in particular because the transmission control unit pre-selects the next gear with the transmission ratio matched ideally to engine and road speed and keeps this
gear waiting for immediate operation.
So when you’re accelerating, say, in third gear, an immediate flow of power is ensured by the appropriate clutch and the gearbox component controlling the uneven gears.
While all this is happening, the gearbox segment responsible for the even gears shifts to the gear required, in this case to fourth gear. The only operation required for this purpose is to close the clutch for fourth gear, at the same time opening the clutch for third gear, the power of the engine then being transmitted through the new gear with its different ratio to the wheels.
This entire process takes only a few milliseconds, meaning that in the time a skilled driver takes to press down the clutch pedal the DCT has easily completed the entire process of shifting gears, continuing to accelerate in the next gear higher up.
There are also 11 programs of driving styles ranging from auto comfort to super sport.

Oh – and of course launch control! Houston – we have lift off….

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I just purchased an ‘04 BMW X5 with Steptronic. I am a former manual transmission driver but have found the "shifting" of the steptronic rather odd. I keep wanting to reach for the clutch but of course there isn’t one and cannot get the transmission to shift smoothly regardless. How exactly do you do it!? I do think it is neat and I am sure it will be more fuel efficient I am just new to it. Any pointers or tips?

i too went from a manual car into a BMW w/ Steptronic..

i release the gas pedal between shift points… but i mainly use it to down shift… it works great when your on the highway and traffic comes to a rapid stop

overall you’ll just gotta practice w/ it. Its not going to feel like a real manual tranny.. but it not too bad

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it seems fairly hard to go past the gate and get into reverse all the other gears seem fine to go into what is the problem?

Is it the gear that’s difficult to get in, or just that you have a tough time getting it past the spring-loaded detent that stops you selecting reverse by mistake?

If it’s the latter, change your technique a little. Actually wind up (only a little!) and slap the lever over to the left, through the detent. It’s easier than trying to push it sideways.

While it’s possibly it’s your clutch on the way out, I’d suggest changing your transmission fluid first. It may help, and it’s much cheaper! Use a quality synthetic: BMW’s own fluid, Redline D4ATF, Mobil 1 ATF or Royal Purple Syncromax. When you do this, be sure to loosen the fill plug before the drain plug! You don’t want to drain the fluid only to find you can’t get it back in.

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Well make sure you have the clutch all the way down and push real hard to the left and up. Put some muscle into it . I drive one and I use two hands to pull it over and up sometimes.

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