BMW Kickdown Switch Explained

Lots of confusion about what the kick down switch on many generations of BMWs is for.

I took a look at my footage frame by frame and my rough math works out to a 1.5 times increase to acceleration. I think it peaked around 5 km/second.

In my opinion this feature makes "manual" mode not suck. The one main thing you can't do in "manual" mode on an automatic compared to a true manual, is skip gears on down shift. You cannot go from 6th to say 4th in "manual" mode on an auto. Which kind of makes "manual" mode useless IMO other than the occasional downshift when you're too lazy to mash the pedal.

[mohammadshah]

I always use the Kickdown feature and it is really satisfying during overtaking

[almighty]

I did this today and my heart skipped a beat 💀

[kloroformd]

My 2015 Mazda 3 has this also.

When it was new, the switch was stupidly stiff and I found it accidentally on a need for emergency acceleration. After the throttle pedal assembly failed and I got a new one, it was just like a stiffer part of the pedal.

I now call it the "screw efficiency go fast" button.

[producerferrah]

this post is a bit old, but fun fact i learned: if you already pushed your gas pedal to the furtest. Push in twice as fast as you can again. Thank me later and drive safe🙌🏼

[clutchpimp]

So basically if I'm cruising down the highway in M8 i can just floor it instead of downshifting and my BMW will automatically select the right gear to downshift into? Will it automatically upshift back into M8 when I stop flooring it?

[simontist]

Also even if you don't use the kickdown switch, it behaves different if you slowly ramp up the throttle (tends to stay in gear) vs rapidly increasing the throttle (tends to downshift more)

[rafaelmarques]

Here we see a BMW driver very rare one of his specie using the blinker

[TedsApex]

I honestly can't even use the switch anymore cause the traffic grew too much here but damn its fun

[xZensx]

do I need to hold down kickdown switch the entire time im accelerating or once engaged I can let off of it?

[djkingpin]

My e36 owners manual had a section about this, but I believe it was called automatic downshifting switch. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[heroichdfilms]

If I'm driving my car in manual mode and I have my foot to the floor, does the engine kick down automatically or do I need to downshift for it to engage?

[famo]

Let me ask you a question I have a Hyundai 09 accent and a rat chewed through my switch kickdown servo(servo that’s mounted on transmission) my car shifts and downshifts fine do you know if this servo only does what you demonstrated in this video or does it effect my shifting in my car when I’m just driving normally

[caracceleration]

What is a problem? I have audi a4 b5 2.5 tdi 110kw. Car after a sudden switch e.g Speed ​​2 in 3 just gets a break and it takes him 5 seconds to start again

[lukasklupfel]

N55 with 8HP50 gearbox? Put that thing in S and on Traction mode. Best driving experience and best for track. Thank me later ;) Also manual shifting makes sense when you want to lap or race, cause you can anticipate corners and the appropriate gear and your gearbox cant

[thokozanimbambo]

Have an e36 318i auto with a freeflow exhaust, the kickdown feature alone makes the car way better than a manual (just my personal preference)

[aSASa]

I still dont get it. Every car I've ever driven drops the gears automatically when floored. Why is this special?

[mister]

how did you do that? My e71 can only downshift from 6th gear to 4th gear in sport mode.

[bilalahmed]

You got a 335 model buddy ! Your making me envious. I have a 328i x drive.

[_wimza_]

Hi there thanks for the vid. My brother has not long had a 330 cd and told me about this button. Does it make a difference if you ride it? For example what would be quicker pedal to the floor, button suppressed and kept that way or pedal to the floor until button is pressed then come off of the button?

[mukikg]

What happens when you press kickdown button by hand, without full throttle?