2004 X3 3.0i Sport Auto - Holding gears too long

[trapdoor]

Am having a couple of issues with my 2004 X3 - bought as BMW Approved Used about 2 months ago, but haven't done much mileage in it as I work from home most of the time.

Have noticed that it seems to hang onto gears for what seems too long a time. As an example, you can be motoring along, and the X is in 5th - approach a hill and it won't change down for an age - in fact the car will noticeably slow and the revs will drop requiring a huge gas pedal input and then it will suddenly change (maybe two gears even). Same happens the other way so when you have got to the top of the hill, it will hold that gear and take ages to change up so the car seems to be revving.

Took it to the dealers for that and another issue (slight steering judder when turning the steering wheel) and the dealer just tells me that is how it is.... they reckon it's a heavy car and therefore will hold gears. I went out for a 30 minute drive with the senior tech who claimed he coud see nothing wrong with the cars behavior.

Now, my E46 did this when I first got it (though no where near as bad) and they did a software upgrade. That fixed it and it was much quicker and smoother through the gears.

I wonder if anyone else has had the issue and got it sorted, or whether anyone (everyone) has this and it IS normal. Or possibly someone may have access to the service bulletins that can tell me if there is a known issue and that I'm just being mucked around (won't be the 1st time).

Thanks in advance.

[AzNMpower32]

There is a Service bulletin (search) that was posted a while ago, where the X3 may hold 3rd or 4th gears too long on an uphill. I had the update done and it was noticeably better. A slight side effect was the gearbox tended to be a bit aggressive on the 5-4 downshift to maintain the speed, but my gearbox has adapted to my style and stopped doing that.

Now, my X3's gear logic is near flawless. Now if only our '06 325i would behave similarly............

[trapdoor]

Ah, well after putting in several different search terms, I think I have found the bulletin you are talking about. Is it SIB 24 05 06?

I have just contacted my dealer and forwarded that on to them by email - what I can't understand is why they don't bother to check bulletins when a customer complains - FFS, it shouldn't be up to the customer to do it!!

Will now wait and see whether they agree to install the new software...

Many thanks for the pointer.

[AzNMpower32]

Originally Posted by trapdoor

Ah, well after putting in several different search terms, I think I have found the bulletin you are talking about. Is it SIB 24 05 06?

yea, that's it.

Thesedays, you pretty much have to research potential problems yourself, print out the SIB, and hand it to your dealer. That's what I had to do.

[320]

we took our 2005 in 3 times for same issue - each time they "updated" the software and even re-set the transmission - nothing worked.

it did it until the day we turned it in at the end of the lease...it was a long 3 years. sorry but that holding of the gear only gets more annoying with time.

what until the rattles in the doors kick in....

[trapdoor]

Well, I've had some issue getting the dealer to take it on as the SIB is USA only apparently. However they have just got off the phone from BMW who say that my car could benefit from a software update which MIGHT fix it, so it's in next week - covered under warranty.

I cannot believe that people live with this - I mean there are thousands of X3's out there and they must all do it surely?

Still got the spongey brake pedal issue whereby the pedal will go all the way to the floor when holding say on a steep hill - been told that's normal and to be fair the X3 on the dealers lot I insisted on trying did exactly the same.

Oh, and the really annoying thing being the display on the climate panel that goes of for a second or so randomly during the journey.

I have almost solved the creaky doors with some diving shop silicone lube on the rubbers - much better than it was.

Will see how we go with the software update and I'll report back.

[AzNMpower32]

Originally Posted by trapdoor

Well, I've had some issue getting the dealer to take it on as the SIB is USA only apparently. However they have just got off the phone from BMW who say that my car could benefit from a software update which MIGHT fix it, so it's in next week - covered under warranty.

I cannot believe that people live with this - I mean there are thousands of X3's out there and they must all do it surely?

Still got the spongey brake pedal issue whereby the pedal will go all the way to the floor when holding say on a steep hill - been told that's normal and to be fair the X3 on the dealers lot I insisted on trying did exactly the same.

Oh, and the really annoying thing being the display on the climate panel that goes of for a second or so randomly during the journey.

I have almost solved the creaky doors with some diving shop silicone lube on the rubbers - much better than it was.

Will see how we go with the software update and I'll report back.

As for the spongy brake pedal, when was the last time you changed the brake fluid? It should be every 2 yrs from date of manufacture.

As for the climate control panel going dark, mine does that on super-rare occasions. The on-board computer, radio display, and climate control will all blank out randomly (not from auto-dimming because of light/sun angle), and then come back again. I haven't bothered to get this fixed, but I think it is SIB 62 10 06

I have been slightly embarrassed when my friend noticed that the passenger airbag off light comes on/off randomly during trips. He's like "Um, is my airbag actually off?!?!?" I'm like "errrrr yeah........um..........its quirky like that. I coulda gotten it fixed but didn't feel like messing around with everything."

[trapdoor]

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

As for the spongy brake pedal, when was the last time you changed the brake fluid? It should be every 2 yrs from date of manufacture..

Ah, well there's the rub. The car was a BMW Approved Used and I would have expected the fluid to have been changed. The clock symbol isn't on and I have a feeling it says Sept 08 for the next one on the display so I can only assume it has been done.

I wondered if it needed bleeding, but the tech who looked at it (he was a master tech) reckoned it was OK. Said it was to do with the way the servo worked - but it never did it in my E46....

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

As for the climate control panel going dark, mine does that on super-rare occasions. The on-board computer, radio display, and climate control will all blank out randomly (not from auto-dimming because of light/sun angle), and then come back again. I haven't bothered to get this fixed, but I think it is SIB 62 10 06

That's interesting. Though as I have nav, I don't have a radio display.The cluster display (is that what you mean by the on-board computer) certainly doesn't go out.

It's like there is a loose connection but as usual, the dealer claimed that unless they actually SEE it happen, then they are not allowed to just swap out the Climate panel. My answer is that unless they drive it for more than a 5 minute test drive, then they aren't going to see it.

Do you have a copy of the SIB you mention? I have no idea where to get a copy from, particularly as I keep being told that US bulletins don't apply to UK cars!

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

I have been slightly embarrassed when my friend noticed that the passenger airbag off light comes on/off randomly during trips. He's like "Um, is my airbag actually off?!?!?" I'm like "errrrr yeah........um..........its quirky like that. I coulda gotten it fixed but didn't feel like messing around with everything."

Never seen that, though I did have something similar with my wife's company Ford (ugh) which transpired to be a faulty connection in the seat wiring harness (for the belt pre-tensioner)

I don't think the UK spec cars have a Passenger airbag light/switch as standard - think it's an option on later models.

[AzNMpower32]

Originally Posted by trapdoor

That's interesting. Though as I have nav, I don't have a radio display.The cluster display (is that what you mean by the on-board computer) certainly doesn't go out.

It's like there is a loose connection but as usual, the dealer claimed that unless they actually SEE it happen, then they are not allowed to just swap out the Climate panel. My answer is that unless they drive it for more than a 5 minute test drive, then they aren't going to see it.

Do you have a copy of the SIB you mention? I have no idea where to get a copy from, particularly as I keep being told that US bulletins don't apply to UK cars!

I don't have a copy of this SIB; you'd probably have to go on www.bmwtis.com and pay for the access, then print it out.

[X5 Meister]

Here you go.