2013 BMW Z4 transmission

Before leaving the vehicle, ensure that the
transmission position P is engaged; otherwise,
the vehicle may begin to roll.
Engaging transmission position▷Transmission position P can only be disen‐
gaged if the engine is running and the
brake pedal is pressed.▷With the vehicle stationary, press on the
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N;
otherwise, the shift command will not be
executed: shift lock.
Press on the brake pedal until you start
driving
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after you
select a driving position, maintain pressure on
the brake pedal until you are ready to start.◀
Engaging transmission positions D, R,
N
Briefly push the selector lever in the desired di‐
rection, beyond a resistance point if necessary.
When shifting out of P or into R, simultane‐
ously push the unlock button 1.
The engaged transmission position is dis‐
played on the selector lever.
After releasing the selector lever, it returns to
its center position.
Engaging transmission position P Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
Press button P.
Sport program DS and M/S manual
mode
Activating the Sport program DS
Push the selector lever to the left out of trans‐
mission position D.
The Sport program is activated and DS is dis‐
played in the instrument cluster.
This position is recommended for a perform‐
ance-oriented driving style.
Activating the M/S manual mode
1.Push the selector lever to the left out of
transmission position D.2.Push the selector lever forward or back‐
ward.
Manual mode becomes active and the gear is
changed.
The engaged gear is displayed in the instru‐
ment cluster, e.g., M1.
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When the maximum engine speed is reached,
the transmission automatically shifts up when
in M/S manual mode.
Shifting in manual mode▷To shift down: press the selector lever for‐
ward.▷To shift up: press the selector lever back‐
ward.
The gears are only shifted at a suitable engine
and vehicle speed, e.g. a downshift is not car‐
ried out at excessively high engine speeds.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
Avoid automatic upshifting in M/S manual
mode
Gears are not shifted automatically, for in‐
stance at maximum engine speed, if one of the
following conditions is met:
▷DSC is deactivated.▷TRACTION is activated.▷SPORT+ is activated.
Dynamic Driving Control, refer to page 100
In addition, kickdown is disabled.
Ending the Sport program/manual
mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
D is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Shifting gears using the shift paddles
on the steering wheel
The shifting paddles make it possible to
quickly change gears since both hands can re‐
main on the steering wheel.
▷If the shift paddles on the steering wheel
are used to shift gears while in automatic
mode D, the transmission temporarily
switches to manual mode.▷If the shift paddles are not used and the ve‐
hicle is not accelerated for a certain time,the system switches back into automatic
mode if the selector lever is in transmission
position D.▷Shift up: pull right shift paddle.▷Shift down: pull left shift paddle.
The vehicle only shifts up or down at appropri‐
ate engine and road speeds, e.g., it does not
shift down if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
Displays in the instrument cluster
The transmission position is displayed and the
engaged gear, such as M4, is displayed in
manual mode.
7-gear Sport automatic
transmission with dual clutch
The concept This transmission is an automated manual
transmission with two clutches and two gear‐
box components in which the gears are
changed without loss of torque.
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The transmission is operated using the selec‐
tor lever and two shift paddles on the steering
wheel.
Functions:▷Choice of manual or automatic operation:
manual mode or drive mode.▷Automatic downshifting and protection
against selecting the wrong gear, even in
manual mode.▷Acceleration assistant, Launch Control, re‐
fer to page 68.▷Automatic throttle blip.
System limits
This transmission is equipped with an over‐
heating protection system that protects the
clutches against extremely high loads.
The indicator lamp lights up yellow if
the transmission becomes too warm.
Avoid high engine loads and driving
off frequently.
If the transmission overheats, the indicator
lamp lights up red and power flow to the en‐
gine is interrupted. You can only continue driv‐
ing after the transmission has cooled down.
Avoid driving off frequently with high accelera‐
tion and do not hold the vehicle on inclines by
depressing the accelerator lightly; otherwise,
the transmission may overheat.
Transmission positionsP R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
The gear position and the engaged gear, such
as M4, are displayed.
Engaging transmission positions N, D,
R
▷Transmission position P can only be disen‐
gaged if the engine is running.▷Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, depress the
brake; otherwise, the transmission will not
shift.
Press on the brake pedal until you start
driving
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after you
select a driving position, maintain pressure on
the brake pedal until you are ready to start.◀
Briefly push the selector lever in the desired di‐
rection, beyond a resistance point if necessary.
When shifting out of P or into R, press button 1
at the same time.
The engaged transmission position is also dis‐
played on the selector lever.
When you release the selector lever, it returns
to its center position.
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N is NeutralThe vehicle can roll.
N remains engaged after the engine is
switched off if the remote control remains in
the ignition lock. This function can be used in
an automatic car wash, refer to page 255, for
example. P is automatically engaged after ap‐
prox. 30 minutes.
D drive mode
In drive mode, all forward gears are shifted au‐
tomatically.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
P ParkThe rear wheels are locked.
P is engaged automatically when the following
conditions are met:▷The driver's door is opened while the en‐
gine is running, the safety belt is not fas‐
tened and neither the brake pedal nor the
accelerator is activated.▷The engine is switched off unless N is en‐
gaged and the remote control is in the igni‐
tion lock.▷The remote control is removed from the ig‐
nition lock, refer to page 55.
Before leaving the vehicle, ensure that the
transmission position P is engaged; otherwise,
the vehicle may begin to roll.
Engaging transmission position P Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
Press button P.
Kickdown Kickdown is used to achieve maximum driving
performance. Press the accelerator past the
resistance point.
Sport program and manual mode M/S
Press the selector lever from gear position D to
the left to activate the Sport program.
Sport program
This position is recommended for a perform‐
ance-oriented driving style.
The gear position and the engaged gear are
displayed in the instrument cluster, for in‐
stance S1.
Manual mode
When you press the selector lever forward or
backward, or when you pull one of the shift
paddles, manual mode is activated and the
gear is changed.
The gear position and the engaged gear are
displayed in the instrument cluster, for in‐
stance M1.
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The transmission provides assistance in the
following situations:▷Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combi‐
nation of engine and vehicle speed; thus,
for example, a downshift that would cause
the engine to overrev will not be executed
by the system.▷When the vehicle stops, the transmission
automatically shifts down to first gear.▷Shortly before the vehicle slows down to
below the minimum speed of the gear cur‐
rently engaged, the transmission automati‐
cally shifts down without requiring your in‐
tervention.
Shifting down rapidly: even in manual mode,
you can skip several gears to achieve optimal
acceleration. Do so by pressing the accelerator
past the resistance point.
Changing to drive mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
Shifting gears via the selector lever In manual mode:
▷To shift up, pull back the selector lever.▷To shift down, push it forward.
Shifting gears using the shift paddles
on the steering wheel
The shift paddles allow you to shift gears with‐
out taking your hands off the steering wheel.
You do not need to raise your foot from the ac‐
celerator when doing so.
▷Shift up: pull right shift paddle.▷Shift down: pull left shift paddle.
Gears can be shifted using the shift paddles in
drive mode or in manual mode.
Gear change in manual mode
When manual mode is active, refer to page 67,
gears can be changed using the shift paddles
or the selector lever.
Gear change in drive mode
The shift paddles can be used to change gears in drive mode as well.
Afterwards, if the shift paddles are not used for
some time and vehicle acceleration is insuffi‐
cient, the forward gears are changed again au‐ tomatically.
Launch Control
Launch Control enables you to drive off with an
optimal vehicle acceleration on a high grip road
surface.
Do not use Launch Control too often
Do not use Launch Control too often, as
the higher loads on the vehicle lead to prema‐
ture component wear.◀
Launch Control is available when the engine is
at operating temperature, i.e., after driving con‐
tinuously for at least 6 miles/10 km.
1.With the engine running, depress the brake
pedal with your left foot.2.Activate the SPORT+ program of the Dy‐
namic Driving Control, refer to page 100.3.With the vehicle stationary, activate manual
mode and select first gear.4.Press the accelerator all the way down.
The engine speed when driving off is con‐
trolled. A flag symbol appears in the instru‐
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5.The vehicle accelerates when you release
the brake pedal. Keep the accelerator
pressed all the way down.6.The transmission shifts up automatically as
long as the accelerator is pressed all the
way down.
Launch Control only becomes available again
after a certain distance has been driven.
Launch Control can only be used after the
break-in phase, refer to page 128.
To maintain driving stability, activate DSC
whenever possible.
Manually releasing and engaging the
transmission lock
If a power failure occurs, e.g., if the battery is
discharged or disconnected, the transmission
lock must be released manually, otherwise the
rear wheels are blocked and the vehicle cannot
be towed.
Release the transmission lock manually for
towing only and set the parking brake before‐
hand to prevent the vehicle from rolling. After
parking the vehicle, engage the transmission
lock again manually, refer to page 70.
Manual release
1.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.2.Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out.3.Unclip and raise cover frame.4.Insert an Allen wrench of the right size into
the cap.5.Turn the cap with the Allen wrench, ar‐
row 1, and remove it, arrow 2.6.Insert the Allen wrench into the opening,
arrow 1.
Turn the Allen wrench in the correct
direction
Do not turn the Allen wrench in the oppo‐
site direction as this may damage the
mechanism.◀7.Turn the Allen wrench as far as it will go,
arrow 2. The transmission lock is released.8.Draw the Allen wrench out of the opening.
Locking the transmission lock again
After parking the vehicle, lock the trans‐
mission lock again to prevent the vehicle from
rolling.◀
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Driving comfortVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems.
Cruise controlThe concept
Cruise control is available for use at speeds of
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h and higher. The car
then stores and maintains the speed that you
specify using the lever on the steering column.
In order to maintain the specified speed, the
system brakes the vehicle when the engine
braking effect is insufficient on downhill gradi‐
ents.
Do not use cruise control
Do not use the system if unfavorable
conditions make it impossible to drive at a con‐
stant speed, for instance:▷On curvy roads.▷In heavy traffic.▷On slippery roads, in fog, snow or rain, or
on a loose road surface.
Otherwise, you could lose control of the vehi‐
cle and cause an accident.◀
Manual transmission
You can shift gears while cruise control is acti‐
vated. An indicator lamp notifies you that you
should shift gears when you drive for an ex‐
tended period at very high or very low engine
speeds, or the system is deactivated.
One lever for all functions1Storing and maintaining speed or acceler‐
ating2Storing and maintaining speed or deceler‐
ating3Deactivating cruise control4Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Maintaining current speed
Push the lever, arrow 1, or pull it briefly, ar‐
row 2.
The car's current speed is stored and main‐
tained. It is displayed on the speedometer and briefly in the instrument cluster.
On uphill gradients, it may prove impossible to
maintain the set speed if current engine power
output is insufficient. If the engine braking ef‐
fect is insufficient on downhill slopes, the sys‐
tem will brake the vehicle slightly.
Increasing desired speed
Repeatedly press the lever to the resistance
point or beyond, arrow 1, until the desired
speed is reached.
▷Each time the lever is pressed to the point
of resistance, the desired speed increases
by approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.▷Each time the lever is pressed beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is in‐
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The system stores and maintains the speed.
Accelerating using the lever Accelerating slightly:
Press the lever to the resistance point, arrow 1,
and hold until the desired speed is reached.
Accelerating significantly:
Press the lever beyond the resistance point,
arrow 1, and hold until the desired speed is
reached.
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on
the accelerator pedal. The system stores and
maintains the speed.
Decreasing speed
Repeatedly pull the lever to the resistance
point or beyond, arrow 2, until the desired
speed is displayed.▷Each time the lever is pulled to the resist‐
ance point, the desired speed is decreased
by approx. 1 mph/1 km/h.▷Each time the lever is pulled beyond the
resistance point, the desired speed is re‐
duced by up to 5 mph or 10 km/h until the
minimum speed of 20 mph/30 km/h is ach‐
ieved.
The system stores and maintains the speed.
Interrupting the system
Push the lever upwards or downwards, ar‐
row 3.
The displays in the speedometer change color.
In addition, the system is automatically inter‐
rupted in the following situations:
▷When the brakes are applied.▷In cars with manual transmission, when
gears are shifted very slowly or if neutral is
engaged.▷In cars with Sport automatic transmission,
when transmission position N is engaged.▷When DTC is activated or DSC is deacti‐
vated.▷When DSC or ABS is intervening.
Cruise control is not deactivated by depressing
the accelerator pedal. Once the accelerator
pedal is released, the stored speed is achieved
again and maintained.
Warning lamp A message appears on the ControlDisplay.
The warning lamp comes on, for ex‐
ample, when cruise control has been deacti‐
vated as a result of DSC intervention.
Deactivating the system
▷Press the lever upward or downward twice,
arrow 3.▷Switch off the ignition.
The stored speed is cleared.
Resuming a speed stored beforehand Press the button, arrow 4. The last stored
speed is resumed and maintained.
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Stored speed2Selected speed is displayed briefly
If --- mph or --- km/h temporarily appears in
the instrument cluster display, it is possible
that the system prerequisites for operation are
currently not met.
Call up Check Control messages, refer to
page 83.
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