How To Use The BMW Steptronic Transmission And Select Drive Modes
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- UPDATED VERSION
Please see the newer and much improved video here: • How To Use The BMW Ste...
How To Use The BMW Steptronic Transmission And Select Drive Modes
In this video I show you how to use the BMW steptronic transmission and how to start and select Drive, Reverse, Neutral, Park, Sports, and manual. In addition I show you how to select eco pro, comfort, and sport modes.
Please refer to the updated video in the link above where I answer a lot of your questions that have been posted here as well as a large reduction in me saying "so". Hope you enjoy!
To answer many of your questions about how to use the transmission while driving I made another video explaining the drive modes and transmission settings. The link: th-cam.com/video/vKdPJfpALKo/w-d-xo.html
And the P is for Pu**y mode for the ppl that don’t like speed but still have bmw’s
Ok ok wait…..So they don’t stand for all of that??
😂😂😂😂😂😂
2025 this is a great video for anyone new to the BMW gear shift. Whats funny is ppl who claim they already know this information still decided to watch. Big thanks for the views 😂
Real. I'm getting a 3 series tomorrow as a temporary car and I've basically only used VW auto transmissions
Many BMW owners are unaware of this feature thank you for posting
LoL u are ryte ..I am a bmw owner steptronic bt I don't know lots ..is true
I'm an Audi guy (manual transmission born and bred), but I've always wondered how the BMW shift stick works. Now I have my answer...neat. Nice, useful video you got here.
Robert Petrea u look very smart in the picture bro
I just got the 2016 model x 35i drive. I've been hating it, because the dealership did not tell me anything about this "race car" !
And I've searched so many videos to find out wth is the deal with the transmission shifting so effing hard. You have now assisted me in learning how to drive this thing and not cuss it all the time. THANK YOU!
Out of all videos urs is the most detailed, good job
A hint: Shift into N; apply handbrake: release the brake pedal that the car itself fixes into the final positon; press the P. This way you won't stress the gearbox.
Why press P when i pull up handbrake?, you can stay in N and pull up handbrake
Going from a manual 320i F30 SE (pre-lci) to a semi-auto 340i F30 M Sport (lci), so this video was surprisingly supee helpful, haha! It'll take me a few hours to get used to not engaging my clutch foot, but it's worth the adjustment for a sweet 3.0 twin turbo teehee
"...this is a critical part...you push the unlock button..". Shit...that's critical.
Neutral if for revving at the guy next you....lmao.. love it.
vicgar02 I was looking for this comment lmao
why are yal so mad 😂 some people may have found this video useful, atleast he's helping someone instead of talking shit under comments
Your probably the only American who uses the handbrake. Proud of you bruh.
I just try and keep the tradition alive.
What’s a handbrake
Jk
I use it too lol. It is pretty rare. My parents are born and raised in Romania, and they don’t even use it
BaeThe3rd i’m one of the americans who drives a real manual!
The parking brake is really a safety device to keep the car from moving it the car slips out of park and takes tension off the park mechanism when on a hill.
Saved my ass brother! I just got this via car sharing service, time running and in 5 minutes I couldn’t figure how to start the damn thing! 😀
Thanks for the detailed video as i'm looking to get a BMW, by the way you should always put the handbrake on first before putting the car in Park as this means no pressure is put on the parking pin which is more expensive to repair than the handbrake once worn out.
Thanks for the vid, I’m going from a manual Skoda to automatic bmw 430d soon so this has been very helpful 👍🏻👍🏻
When you change from R to D how is the best way to change? Is it to change from R to N and then to D or is it best to go directly from R to D in 1 push?? Which is the best way for the transmission?
I’ve had mine for almost 2 years and I finally decided to find out what that M/S does. Thanks for this video.
M/S a.ka. "passing lane mode".
I’m glad for this video because I will be buying a BMW soon and I did not know how to put it in drive and reverse and I did not want to ask dealer how to drive it because that will make me look stupid
I'm glad it helped you.
Thank You, I like how you explained it, you give so many details I appreciate it
what is the difference between Sport mode activated in the gearbox and activated by a button
Watch my updated video
So like can you also make a video on how to make a left and right hand turn?
TheAangzoe how to use turn signals 😂
I drove a friends 5 series this weekend. This shifter took a minute to get use to. And what is with not being able to drive the car when the driver's door is open? I often open the door when I back in to parking places to see how far I am away from a wall.
to keep people from jumping out, and saying "just like in the movies"
I was looking for this for so long thanks 👍👌👍👍
Good looks man 💪🏻💯, iam 12 years old and my mom has a Bmw X5 like yours , i’ve started to drive it , and i didn’t know which way to put it in to drive , Thanks man💫💯💪🏻‼️
Ellis Goat make sure u ask her before u take it out!
Ellis Goat im 12 and im going to get one when im 16 😁😁😁
Be safe little men ✌
I still dont have mine but learning first, thank for share it 👍
“u can rev at someone next to u” 😂😂😂😂😂🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️
Can u make a video on how to have money for a BMW
I'll see what I can do. It does take a lot of money to own and maintain these cars.
kaka koshear A lease?
Thanks dude, really helped me
first time you must use hand brake, after you must press Park button.. is better for gearbox
THANK YOU for this video lol i tried to take my parent''s 740i for a ride (they were out of state) and i couldnt get the car to change gear. turns out i was supposed to press brake at the same time as i press the start button. i was trying for like an hour before your video saved me!
Glad I could help!
great video, very informative - thank you
Sorry if this a stupid question, but do you always have to shift the car? Or is it automatic?
No you do not always have to shift the car, if you want it in automatic just select D.
Hope this helps.
Do you have paddle shifters?
whats the difference between sport and sport transmition?
The sport MODE changes the settings for the gears so you get more performance and torque as well as locking down the suspension for a more road feel/tight ride.
The sport TRANSMISSION is basically letting you shift gears either using the center stick or the paddle shifters so you can drive in a clutchless manual shifting fashion. FUN times!
Thanks for the video bud, it did help
i am new to this i have a bmw 335i m sport 2016 how should i go about learning to paddle shift it has sport and sport + mode
With the paddles all you have to do to engage them is click up or down and it then it is in manual mode or you can move the gear lever to S/M and push forward or pull back and then use the paddles. Now the modes sport and sport+ are just suspension and engine settings, also sport+ partly disables traction control.
Hope this helps.
As a european this is helpful thanks
Incredible video
What is incredible about it ?
@Dacia Sandero guys where the fuck is sarcasm in this comment
@@jeffsafawi7947 just leave if you dont understand sarcasm
I Like it man!! thx for the Training,always want to buy Bmw :( but never had a chance ..Thx Btw
Thank you, Glad I could help!
I hope you dont start in 3rd gear in your E36 lol.
So you said if you're in too high of a gear and you come to a stop it will go to the highest gear possible (second). What if you're just cruising and the RPMs go too low, will it downshift for you? And do you know the answer to that same question in the last generation 3-series, E92?
If you are cruising at lets say 35 MPH and try to go into 6-8th gear most likely the car will lower the to 4th or 5th. Now on the E90,91,92, and 93 model's I am not quite sure on how it works exactly, but I am for the most part sure that it will be similar to the current setup. Also i will be making a video fairly soon on how the whole manual thing works sense I have a lot of question's about it.
Brandon Belanger I tried to see if it would downshift on it's own but the revs were getting pretty low and I was afraid of stalling so I gave in and did it myself. The revs got to like 700rpm.
can you describe difference between two design joystick gear shifter on F10 5 series( preLCI just like your video and LCI )? that is same 8 gear ? or 6 gear and 8 gear for LCI?
I believe the main difference is design and function. I'm sure that they both are 8 speed gearbox's
I’m in city a lot lots stop/go traffic this is when an auto comes into its own gets tiring working pedals manual shift all the time, means the road gets your full attention also. Wouldn’t want a manual again, and the gear changes are so smooth.👍but then Im a cabbie in Edinburgh city all day driving a tx auto, driving manual working gears all day and clutch gets tiresome
Beautiful lesson. Thanks
bmw makes nice cars
What is the + and - on wheel drive for ? For shifting gears ?
Its for manual mode/ sport
Hey what year model is the bmw ?..Im surprised its a manual hand break & not electronic....Thought they dont have those anymore with newer model ?
I was a 2015 320i, most new cars have the manual handbrake, only the SUVs and the cars with the executive package don't have a manual handbrake.
Brandon Belanger ...Thanks for the fast reply...
I was looking @ a 2008 X5 v8 & it had electronic handbrake.....Manual handbrake much better & reliable i think
maximusEagle yes the manual handbrakes are much more reliable plus you can do cool stuff like a handbreak turn.
I've watched the video with foucing on all steps without being BMW owner 😂😂😂
me too lol.
same lol i was just curious how that transmission works.
Great vid I tried on my dads car to drive it and nearly crashed into a river but we saved it so it was okay 👍🏻
I got a 2015 328i last week.. when I choose sport and then move it into manual. Do I HAVE to shift over in manual / what happens if you choose sport but don’t move the gear shift to the left 🤗
Correction* obviously I move it to the left but do I have to manually shift up and down or will it do that if I don’t...
You don’t hav to put a it in manual
@@Hohmodepot if you want it to shift for you then don't push it to left. Left is MANUEL mode. So you can manually shift.
Thank you. Worked on my e60
Glad it helped.
Why is this in my suggested box, plus BMW's gear lever is so simple to use.
For real, it's self explanatory.
can i use the DS in comfort mode??? if yes does it interfere with the gear changes?? or it is entirely up to me to decide when to change gear???
Yes you can use DS or Manual mode in any driving mode. The only difference is when it is in comfort or ECO then the rpm shift point will be a little lower.
Brandon Belanger so in eco and comfort ... the gear will change automatically???
which mode do i have 100% control on the gears without the car changing it for me??
and does the same apply to the shift paddles?
So you want to change the gears yourself whether it be in sport, comfort, or ECO, no problem. So all you need to do to select gears yourself is, put the shiftier in DS, then push forward or pull back on the shiftier as shown at 2:10-2:30, and you can do this in any driving mode. Now with shift paddles it is a little different, the only thing you need to do is be in drive and at any point in time you can click the left or right paddle and then you are in control of the gears. Quick tip if you want to go back to drive click both paddles at the same time.
Brandon Belanger ok thanks a lot sir :) that helped a lot :)
i hope i can contact you if i have other questions
No problem! Just let me know if you have any more questions.
I already know about my word problem with "so", please hold your comments about it. Thank you!
I was stuck in the car dealership for 15 days nw .. thanks
Quick question does any BMW 1 series has a head up display please
yes 2020
wow i had no idea now i can drive my bimmer
It’s a regular automatic with a button for park you’re welcome
@nyssia angel you’re welcome
When you are in M (after pressing the sequential shifters), how go you go back to D mode?
Check out my video on how to use while driving, should answer your questions.
@@brandonbelanger_Official it didn't answer.
To go back to D mode just toggle the shift back to drive, and if it already there but you are using the paddles, just move the shifter to the left and back to the right and it will reset to drive.
Do I have to have my foot on the gas pedal when shifting up ward to make it go faster?
thanks
Yes, unlike in a manual where you have to pull out of the gas to shift, the automatic in the BMW will allow you to stay in gas while shifting upward. Also if you would like it to feel more like a manual you can pull out if the gas right before you shift up, then get back in the gas for a more manual feel like shift. Best to test both ways to see how how your car will respond.
Let me know if you have anymore questions.
thanks
The car automatically stops giving gas when you shift but in some cars you will find the transition between gears seems more natural/fluid when you also let go of the gas pedal.
In manual mode in a automatic transmission, obviously.^
No clutch pedal at all? Sorry I don't own a BMW but I'm looking to get one
unfortunately no clutch pedal on this one. But if you want a manual just ask the salesman that you want a manual and they will find the perfect car for you.
Hope this helps.
Gio Abad no clutch because its an automatic transmission
Omg..........
Do you know how to shift it to neutral "N" while the battery is completely dead?
No, you cannot shift the car into neutral without the battery or car being on. This is because it is a automatic and the transmission need electronic power to operate. If you ever have any car problems contact the BMW assist center and they will be able to help you.
Brandon Belanger thanks for your respond. It happened to me yesterday but the car comes back to live after a few jump start.
well I'm glad that you were able to get your car working again.
Actually there is a way to switch the car into neutral even without battery......!!!!!! there is a key hold underneath the shift cover......come on now....
u can just push one time because u will feel there is 2 level , ca u can just to rev or D without passing N
thanks for your review I appreciate it
I think if you buy that car you know how. But nice video bro 😅
thanks.
So if I'm in manual mode do I have to manually shift of will it do it for me?
Yes, if you are in manual mode you need to shift manually. One thing is that if traction control is not fully turned off the car will automatically shift up at redline when in manual mode. Know that you can turn this off by turning traction control off completely (hold down the sport and traction buttons at the same time for three seconds) after that DTC is completely off at which point you can run the engine at redline for as long as you want(not recommended). This means you can shift as late as the engine will let you, therefore full manual mode reached.
So, Mr amateur. Shocking video. Back to school for you.
Thanks for the video. It helped us.
Why would you want to rev at the person next to you?
Cuz it's a BMW!
I thought R: was for Racing mode. And N: for Night driving mode. D: day driving mode. Ha.
Dumb ass
CARAMEL PAPI you obviously don’t get the joke
😂😂😂😂😂
Old joke.
OMG lol
can you teach how to drive an automatic transmission car and what is 4X4 , AWT
Yes I can, I just bought a 4X4 SUV so I will get that together.
I am wondering how to switch from manual mode to automatic in sport trasmision. I push back to D and then back to left but I assume there is also diffrent way how to do it?
I am uploading a video to explain just that.
In sport mode, ex s1,s2, is only automatic shifting ?
Yes, you can watch my video on how to use the transmission while driving here th-cam.com/video/vKdPJfpALKo/w-d-xo.html
Sir what is different S1and M1 mode please reply me pls
"to park, you press the P button"
Me: _giggles_
Hi, is it more economical to drive the vehicle in manual? I have a 320i sport and noticed that it's drinking a lot, even on eco pro.
No, at least not in the city. But if you use Manual mode on the highway/expressway it should save gas.
Brandon Belanger Thank you Brandon
Ebay2016videos R if you have a lead foot (like me), your mileage will always be shit. Use the MPG indicator on the dash to teach yourself how your accelerator habits affect your gas mileage.
So with ms we can take control of car Like shifting and downshifting of gears?
AhmeD SaiF yes. When you first push it to the left, it prepares a sportier algorithmfor gears. When you push or pull it once in that mode it enters the manual
Can i active or driving in sport mode by simply push the sport mode button without shifting the gear to the left (M/S)?
Yes
@@brandonbelanger_Official if I'm in neutral and I don't have my foot on the brake, does the car go in front?
Itl roll
Hey, can I change from "D" to "m/s" while driving? Its that safe for gearbox?
Yes you can it’s safe I do it all the time
Thanks for this man
All of us people in the UK are having to watching a TH-cam video to learn how to drive an automatic. I've only ever driven a manual transmission.
Sad days are upon us in the automotive world... but make sure you check out my updated video on the transmission as I answer a lot of questions I received on this one.
Hahaha yes I'm watching so I don't embarrass myself when I go test drive a bimmer
Can you drive in sport without having to shift yourself????
christoper ramirez yes as long as you don’t up or downshift the stick it’s in sport without being in manual
Exactly like mine. What year .
Ok good morning could you show me how to use the plus and minus paddles on the steering wheel
can i change to sport etc while in motion?
yes, you can change the modes while in motion.
Hope this helps.
Brandon Belanger what car is that?
It is a 2015 320i with the M-sport package.
Okok don’t know if you’ll still answer to these questions but how do you know when to shift when your in sports mode
If you're using the manual function when you shift depends on where you like the rpms to stay but never shift at or above the redline continuously. If it's just sport mode and still in drive it will shift on its own.
@@brandonbelanger_Official ohh Okok so if I put sports mode I don’t have to move anything if I just leave it in drive alright thank you been wanting to use it like that but didn’t want to mess up the engine
@@Carlo_reliac_and_jorge_reliac hey thank you for commenting your question I had the same exact one and was worried i was gonna mess up my engine as well
This guy is teaching us how to screw up our gear...dude
How exactly 😂
You can’t , it’s simple Put into D or R , release handbrake - off you go ( Youl never use neutral - no need.
Come to a stop 🛑- Press P lift Handbrake…
I have 3 questions...
1) Once i'm in shifter sport mode and go manual, is that also when i can shift using the paddles on the steering wheel?
2) If i'm sport mode for the shifts and went manual, how do I reset it to auto?
3) How do I engage sport+ in a bmw?
1) Yes you can shift using the paddles or the shifter itself.
2) You will put the shifter back into drive and that should put it back to auto.
3) To engage sport plus you will press the sport button on the drive mode selector until sport+ is activated. Some models only come with sport and not the +, so if you don't see it then the car doesn't have it.
@@brandonbelanger_Official what if you see it but can´t activate it? When i change mode from comfort to sport i can see sport+ above it. Do i need to turn off some traction setting?
Try pressing sport again, In BMWs to get to the higher performance modes you have to hit sport a few times to keep going up the list. It's weird but it should work. If not try holding the traction and sport button at the same time until you get the advanced trac sport mode on the screen, this turns all the aids off and makes it the most track like setting.
@@brandonbelanger_Official okay, I will try this when I recieve the car this weekend. I only had a very short go in it and was so busy figuring everything else out I didn´t really try anything else to get it in sport+. Thanks man!
Bmw that has sports mode can use paddle shifters ?
so you have to put on sport mode to use the manual shifting mode?
No
Hey pal , you used the stick to switch into sport ….can’t you just press the button instead of doing that ? What’s the difference or are they both the same ?
If you want your car to be the most sportiest push the sport button and put the stick into sport
You never should do that !! Either one ☝️ is sufficient… I stay in comfort until I hit the 🛣 then Sport 🏎
@@nikko7507 no, its two different things, sport MODE revs up the car a bit more for faster acceleration responses and the stick changes to sport transmission which makes faster gear changes
sweet car dude , did u ever own an e60?
Thanks, no I haven't owned a e60 but would like to have one in the future. And it would be the M5 of course with straight pipes.
Is sport mode still automatic?
yes, you can change the modes while in motion.
i bought automatic car, but i receive manual book. where is the Auto Book?
just search up your model of your car and the serial code. and then put manual book
You shoud bull the handbrake first then put in park
You could damage the transmission if you put it in park first
So this has a normal handbrake but a fancy ass shifter? While some cars are out that have normal gear levers put EPB
To drift dumbass
Imagine babysitting rich kids and the parents leave you the car and you can’t get them from school because you can’t get out of park
what happens if i am on sport mode and go up to 6th gear than put it on 1stgear while still on 110+kmh..
The cars transmission will prevent the car from over revving by only letting you go to the lowest gear possible at that speed. Even though your in manual mode the car can still override you to make sure no damage is done to the car.
That is true, i have just tried it 15 mints ago :)
What year and model is the car used in the video?
2015 320i
How disable start/stop as default behaviour. I am turning it off everytime.
You need to code in auto start stop memory
Wow I love this
Thanks!
Good explanation!!
Nice car nice drive. I use this one in my work BMW 2017 use automatic and car is amazing :)