# Auto box reluctant to shift down **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** bmw, 325\ **Created:** [January 14, 2023, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482 "2023-01-14T03:48:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mmorgan589\_183727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mmorgan589\_183727](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mmorgan589_183727)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/1 "2023-01-14T03:48:03Z")
My BMW e46 is seeming a little resistant to downshift when I press the accelerator. It’s only really noticeable at freeway speeds when going up hills. In the past, if the RPMs started to drop I wouldn’t have to press the gas much (or at all) for the car to realize it needed more torque and shift down. But now they continue to drop or stay the same even if I give it a fair bit more throttle. If I give it a boot-full (not full-kick down) it will eventually do it and I can force it to shift in manual mode, but it’s just annoying to see RPMs dropping even though I’m putting more power through it. Any thought of what the issue could be would be greatly appreciated. P.S It has no issues shifting up ---
**Author:** ![Darron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/darron/32/21829_2.png) [@Darron](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darron)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 6:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/2 "2023-01-14T06:06:55Z")
What model and age, do you know fits got cable or electric throttle? ---
**Author:** ![mmorgan589\_183727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mmorgan589\_183727](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mmorgan589_183727)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 6:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/3 "2023-01-14T06:39:13Z")
Its 2005 and I would put money on it being an electronic throttle, but I’m not certain… Also the engine itself isn’t sluggish (when in the right gear) ---
**Author:** ![Darron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/darron/32/21829_2.png) [@Darron](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darron)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 6:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/4 "2023-01-14T06:45:04Z")
05 will be electronic throttle, it’s worth having the throttle pedal read out of the DME ( engine control unit) that’s the thing that they’ll the DmE to get the gearbox control unit to kick down. They don’t always put an check light on ---
**Author:** ![mmorgan589\_183727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mmorgan589\_183727](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mmorgan589_183727)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 10:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/5 "2023-01-14T10:02:33Z")
thanks, I had never considered an ECU-related issue. ---
**Author:** ![Darron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/darron/32/21829_2.png) [@Darron](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darron)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/6 "2023-01-14T20:46:38Z")
No problem hope you get it sorted out ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/7 "2023-01-14T22:55:48Z")
No BMW experience, but I’ll offer up a couple of guesses, might help. Throttle valve position, intake manifold vacuum, engine rpm, and vehicle speed are key downshift-decision inputs. Advice above to verify throttle pedal position sensor output is accurate seems like a pretty good place to start. If no satisfaction on the inputs, next on the list, the problem could be a transmission electronic-shift actuator; i.e. there’s no problem determining when to downshift, but drive-train computer is unable to effect the downshift b/c of transmission-related problem. Checking for diagnostic codes makes sense too. ---
**Author:** ![mmorgan589\_183727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mmorgan589\_183727](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mmorgan589_183727)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-box-reluctant-to-shift-down/188482/8 "2023-01-16T02:08:28Z")
thanks mate