BMW 840Ci Owner's Handbook Manual page 72

Automatic transmission with STEPTRONIC
d The kick-down facility selects the
lowest gear which can still be used
without risk of the engine over-
speeding.
d The car may move away from a
standstill in 2nd or 3rd gear if the
situation demands, for instance in
winter driving conditions.
Shift electronics
O
If the warning light comes on or
the "TRANS FAIL-SAFE PROG"
appears on the Check Control,
there is a malfunction in the shift electro-
nics or in the automatic transmission.
All selector lever positions can still be
selected, but in any forward gear posi-
tion, only 4th and 5th gears are actu-
ally available.
Avoid severe loads and take the car to
the nearest BMW Service point.
a
Never work inside the engine
compartment if a gear has been
selected at the automatic transmis-
sion. Never leave children unattended
in the car.c
For tow-starting, towing away and start-
ing with a flat battery, see Pages 108,
109, 110.
Adaptive program (AGS)
In selector lever position D the Adap-
tive Transmission Control system auto-
matically chooses the most suitable
shift program from those at its dis-
posal. The control system responds
sensitively to the driver's wishes (e.g.
relaxed or more dynamic driving
style), to road influences (e.g. slippery
surfaces or steep uphill gradients) and
to the current driving situation (e.g.
twisting road, descending steep hill).
Special functions
In selector lever position D the Adap-
tive Transmission Control system influ-
ences the shift points by means of
various special functions.
This has the effect of suppressing cer-
tain shifts that would normally have
occurred, and may cause others to
take place in certain circumstances
although the driver would not have
expected them.
Selection of winter program
When driving on slippery surfaces
(snow and ice), a winter shift program
is selected automatically. The car
moves away from a standstill in 2nd
gear and shifts up to higher gears as
early as practicable. This makes
progress over slippery surfaces easier
and enhances the car's traction and
dynamic stability.
The transmission moves out of the
Winter program when the AGS
detects a higher-grip road surface or if
DSC is switched off.
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