2018 M4 ZCP - Sport/Sport Plus Not Engaging at Start

[gmorton995]

Hey guys - did a search and couldn’t find anything related to the weird behavior I am now experiencing on my 2018 M4 ZCP. It currently has 8.3K miles and, up until this weird issue, I haven’t had any problems.

On cold start and yet to move, if I try to enable M1 (which has a throttle setting of Sport Plus) the M1 indicator on the dash flashes and it ‘rejects’ the Sport Plus mode. To add to the strangeness, during my startup sequence, I’ll enable M1 (again, Sport Plus throttle) and blip the throttle prior to starting the engine to open the exhaust flaps, the car will accept M1 but once the engine starts it reverts to efficient (default).

This behavior ceases when I engage first gear (DCT) and begin moving. I can enable M1 at this point.

The only variable in this is it is now 80°+ outside and I am turning on the AC at Max AC practically as soon as I start the car. I have no idea whether or not that would play in to it...

Anyone experience this or have thoughts as to what it could be?

[ImGoingPlaces]

Kiss that car goodbye

[PshhhhhMW]

I've rarely toggled sport plus on my car on cold starts and always let it warm up first. So I cant tell you. Maybe the car is protecting itself? Lol..

[Lexor1704]

I always use my M1 button all the time before i put the car in gear and it works fine all the time. Even in the middle of winter when the car is ice cold. Now if you have mdm or dsc off coded in the M1 button you need to double press to engage but that is all i can think of.

[AlpineWhite_F80]

I usually switch to sport+ before starting the car, except when i drive with people in the car that it stays in comfort.

[jailonacs99]

Sorry, no real solution to offer besides to say that's really unusual. Get it to the dealer's service center; something's trying to protect the engine because something else is off. Could the wrong viscosity fluids have been filled at some point? Oil, transmission, or differential? I could see it wanting to wait till temp in that case then, assuming the ECU actually calibrates for that.

I put it into Sport+ immediately at startup, and have been able to do that from subzero to 100+ *F with no issues.

[drjoe66]

Just tried this out. Don't have this behavior. Doesn't sound normal......

[valeram]

Time for a dealer's visit to her checked.

[SD ///M4]

Definitely something's not right. M1 is my "soft" settings, M2 is my "hard" settings. I've started in M1 or M2, depending on the mood and location, for two years without a problem. I've never had the car "reject" a setting.

[NPuter]

As for the flaps closing after start, that's part of ZCP. ZCP always starts with valves open and then they immediately close a second after, and they'll close after start no matter what. You can't set sport/sport+ and tap the throttle before starting to keep the flaps open like on a non zcp.

As for not being able to select sport+, I don't know.

[gmorton995]

Quick update - haven’t had it happen again. Happened twice and nothing since. I’ll continue to monitor.

With regards to the ZCP exhaust flap behavior mentioned below...

Originally Posted by NPuter

As for the flaps closing after start, that's part of ZCP. ZCP always starts with valves open and then they immediately close a second after, and they'll close after start no matter what. You can't set sport/sport+ and tap the throttle before starting to keep the flaps open like on a non zcp.

As for not being able to select sport+, I don't know.

Are we 100% on this? I’m pretty confident, based on exhaust note, that the flaps do in-fact stay open on ZCP when blipping throttle in Sport+ prior to start. The note is significantly deeper and louder when I do this and it is sustained.

[Aapparition90]

I was under the impression flaps cannot be manipulated prior to startup with zcp.
You can leave them open or closed prior to turning off the car and thats how it will start up.

I could be completely wrong lol as my car has cstune and gts startup

[NPuter]

Originally Posted by greggmorton

Quick update - haven't had it happen again. Happened twice and nothing since. I'll continue to monitor.

With regards to the ZCP exhaust flap behavior mentioned below...

Are we 100% on this? I'm pretty confident, based on exhaust note, that the flaps do in-fact stay open on ZCP when blipping throttle in Sport+ prior to start. The note is significantly deeper and louder when I do this and it is sustained.

I'm pretty positive, but will check this morning.

Originally Posted by Aapparition90

I was under the impression flaps cannot be manipulated prior to startup with zcp.
You can leave them open or closed prior to turning off the car and thats how it will start up.

I could be completely wrong lol as my car has cstune and gts startup

I'm sure it always starts with them open for the initial blip/roar. The immediately open up if you turn the car off with them closed.

[Aapparition90]

appreciate the feedback and makes complete sense why my car is always fkin loud.

[Encanto]

I would take it to the dealer regardless. Car is telling the ECU that something is not up to standards so performance is limited.

I would check the tires air pressures as well. I had a similar experience with Sport+ not engaging very early after delivery and it ended up being that two tires were low. No joke.

Originally Posted by greggmorton

Quick update - haven’t had it happen again. Happened twice and nothing since. I’ll continue to monitor.

[Hachima]

I also noticed same behavior for my M2 setting which required the double tap. I normally don't engage until I've left my parking spot and it switches without issue after a few feet of driving. I figured the parking/other sensors noticed I was parallel parked on a hill and it was just some nanny saying dude... just get on the road first before you go crazy...

[NPuter]

Well just tried setting sport and blipping the throttle before starting, and the valves didn't close after start.

I guess I read somewhere that you can't do that with ZCP, but never tried myself.

[Bavarian_Enthusiast]

I had that issue happen once, shut the car off and then hours later took it for a drive and it never happened again. 2018 f80 ZCP