I just recently purchased a 2001 X5 4.4 with 58,000 miles on it...It drives beautifully and appears to have been well cared for...A few weeks ago the Transmission Failsafe Warning/Mode appeared on the OBC and simutaneously the Check Engine Light came on...We read the codes and came up with code 0709 or Transmission Range Sensor Circuit Intermittent...We then came to research the experiences of other X5 owners here on X5World...we concluded the sensor was bad and cleared the codes and began driving and enjoying our X5 again as usual...Today I TRIED to start the car and the electronics in the car came on but the engine did not engage...sort of like if you try to start the car in Reverse...I attempted to start it twice and then just sat there dumbfounded for a minute, then for lack of anything else useful to try I attempted a third start and low and behold it fired right up...not problems...except that pesky Transmission Failsafe Warning light came on and so did the Check Engine Light...I was concerned but my husband said it was a bad sensor and I only had to drive my son to pre-school so I figured what the heck...so I drove him to school...NEVER turning the car back off for fear it might not restart when I came out of the school's lot it was a sharp turnonto a STEEP hill...the car revved hard as if it had NO POWER and the TACH went up wildly...then all of a sudden it seemed fine...I went home turned the car on and off a few times and decided to drive a littl more...it seemed fine...no Tranmission Failsafe Warning, but the Check Engine Light was still on...I had had a similar experience in the rain last week on a steep hill, but there were no lights, warnings and such...just a revving engine when I tried to climb a steep grade from a stopped postion...just like today...my husband said it was the rain and perhaps the DSC had engaged and I had not noticed...I bought that answer, but now I don't think he was correct...So finally after long last I came out to pick up my son from school and sarted the car the FIRST time and the check engine light was gone and no Transmission Failsafe Mode either...but when I came home I noticed a little drip...like a quarter sized spot of oil all the way up the driveway where I had backed out...you know the same sort of drippage you get from your A/C...oh and I forgot to mention my A/C went last week...it just makes this squealing sound and blows warm air...I don't know IF that is related but thought I would mention it!!! So the drip was OBVIOUSLY NOT from the A/C and when I looked at the spots and rubbed my fingers through them they were oily...I got under the car...and found that the oil was coming from a shield of some sort...sorry I do not know the technical name for it that covers the front end of the transmission. When I put my han up on the top of this shield it seems there was a collection of golden/clear oil with no particular smell to it...There is NO OIL on the floor of the garage so IF it is leaking it is either a new leak or a SLOW leak...Does anyone know where I should start? We have the unforntunate problem of living far from a reputable dealership and quite frankly I just bought the car two months ago and just did the expansion tank and sensors replacement tow weeks ago...I bought it knowing I might have some problems what with the history of this model, but I am hoping that it may be something LESS serious than the tansmission itself...Any suggestions would be appreciated as I need a place to start...I have read that the Failsafe MOde and loss of A/C could be due to a bad Alternator or ignition switch...I also have some dead pixels on the OBC...I doubt this is related as I know these units are faulty, but I just thought I would mention it...I planned to replace that as soon as I could get a few bucks in the bank!!! Again ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated...Thanks in advance!