Thank you, thank you, thank you...I have to reach for duct tape to wrap my head to keep it from exploding everytime I read this "fake" reset procedure...you are absolutely correct that it's just a convoluted procedure to get ATC (adaptive transmission control) to go into the adaptive sport mode instead of the normal "economy mode"....or the "extreme economy" mode for those with the "timid toe" syndrome (aka "granny-foot").
Let me state for the record...if done correctly...your car WILL shift differently for a while...but if you are NOT an agressive driver...it will eventually "re-adapt" to how you are currently driving the car...and if the car is still in the adaptive sport mode at the end of your journey...when you turn the ignition off...the car will resume it's normal operation and be ready to "adapt" to whatever type driver gets behind the wheel next.
I've explained this in several threads...and just posted it again back on 2/2/08...here it is explained again below...plus the links at the bottom refer back to a previous thread from June/2007 that has some BMW tech info on how the ADAPTIVE transmission works (its' an adaptive tranny...which has a slightly different connotation from "learning"). The driver influenced evaluations picked up by the tranny control module does NOT store the information after the ignition is cut off....anyways...just read the info below and check out the links.
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(reprint of post from 2/2/08)
Geez gotta explain the "great thread of misinformation" again from Bimmerfest...it's actually NOT a "reset" as they "assume" that it is.
All they are doing is forcing ATC to choose the (adaptive) sport mode which is different than than manually selectable EXTREME sport mode. ATC (adaptive transmission control) has 3 basic "driver influenced" modes that are chosen based on the "KICK FAST FEATURE"...where extreme economy, economy, or sport mode is chosen based on the speed and depth of the accelerator pedal versus the amount of "throttle" that the driver uses .
In a normal circumstance, an aggressive driver will press the accelerator pedal fast and further than a more timid driver...an aggressive driver will usually maintain pressing the pedal further, thus the system evaluates an agressive driver and chooses sport mode.
The "tranny reset" (fake trick) that is proposed on Bimmerfest imitates the movments of an aggressive driver by following the procedure that was just typed:
key in the ACC mode
(this turns on all electronics thus accelerator pedal movement and throttle information is ready to be interpreted)
hold gas pedal to the metal (kickdown switch depressed as well) for 30 seconds
(ATC is interpreting this action as aggressive driving behaviour)
take ur foot off the gas and hit brakes
(ATC is continuing to read this as aggressive driving...pedal to the floor then strong braking)
start up the car
(since the ignition was not turned off...the information previously detected is not erased, thus the adaptive sport mode will be retained)
The major thing is...this does NOT reset the transmission because the driver influenced evaluations of AGS are not stored after the ignition is turned off. You would have to do this everytime you restart the car, or just drive agressively, or move your gear select lever into the (extreme) manually selected sport mode.
Again, I've posted a response to this "reset" trick with the technical information from BMW to explain it...but I guess not enough people have read it because the false rumor persists.
