Has anyone done a Transmission filter and fluid change and caused more issues?

[JCL]

From memory, the fluid temperature needs to be between 30C and 50C. If I've got that wrong I am sure someone will correct me.

Checking the level is a good thing to check with the shop.

[Johnny_5]

Originally Posted by sunny5280

IMO you did us all a favor. It has now been conclusively settled that, at least for model years 2002 - 2006, changing the transmission fluid should, per BMW's maintenance schedule, be done around 100K miles. Anyone saying otherwise will have their reasons but know it's in opposition to BMW's stated maintenance schedule.

Well at least we got that out of the way. Now that Im 100k over recommended maintenance schedule that leaves me with the question if I should or shouldn't!

[Johnny_5]

Originally Posted by JCL

From memory, the fluid temperature needs to be between 30C and 50C. If I've got that wrong I am sure someone will correct me.

Checking the level is a good thing to check with the shop.

Thanks JCL. Ill probably give them a call and ask them how they topped off the fluids? Just to make sure Im not low.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by Johnny_5

Well at least we got that out of the way. Now that Im 100k over recommended maintenance schedule that leaves me with the question if I should or shouldn't!

Your choice. There's no reason not to.

[JCL]

There is no reason not to if it is free to do so, and you are going to rebuild the transmission anyway to fix the shifting problem you have when cold. Nothing to lose in that case. See if it helps. If it isn't free, ask your mechanic how much, and what he thinks the chances are of it being a fluid issue, with no underlying mechanical or electronic issues.

If you are not going to rebuild the transmission, but live with it, then evaluate the cost against your mechanic's evaluation of likely benefit.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by JCL

There is no reason not to if it is free to do so, and you are going to rebuild the transmission anyway to fix the shifting problem you have when cold. Nothing to lose in that case. See if it helps. If it isn't free, ask your mechanic how much, and what he thinks the chances are of it being a fluid issue, with no underlying mechanical or electronic issues.

If you are not going to rebuild the transmission, but live with it, then evaluate the cost against your mechanic's evaluation of likely benefit.

Yes JCL...we all know you're grasping at straws now that I've proven you wrong. Reasonable people understand what was meant with "There's no reason not to."

[JCL]

Keep trying with the insults.

Not worth debating the owner's manual recommendations with you because you don't get it. The owner's manual does not replace failure analysis. I'll save the tech manual point for your next wave of hysterics.

But the OP asked about his fluid change, and told us about his shifting problem. Remember him? It is his thread.

The question is, what might be wrong with the fluid that it shifts fine warm, but not cold. The reason he took it in the first time. Could it be the fluid, with no underlying mechanical problem? Well, it could be that the fluid is too heavy, and if it thins out when it gets hot, that could explain it, just as an example. Or it could be something not related to the fluid. If his shifting problem is not related to the fluid then it doesn't sound like good advice to change it because that is what the owner's manual says, if he knows he is going to pull the transmission anyway.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by trader4

For what it's worth, I looked at what Bentley has to say on the subject.
They state:

"The X5 transmission is filled with lifetime lubrication. No oil change is
required for the entire service life of the transmission."

They also have a pic of the bottom of the tranny, showing the BMW
label that says on pages 200-5 and 6:

WARNING
No oil change/top off necessary.

LIFETIME
transmission oil
In case of repair use only
BMW oil part #83229407807


And, yes it's on the automatic. Since they call it "oil" I was a bit skeptical, so I googled the part # and it's BMW ATF fluid.

While you would think Bentley knows what they are talking about
and surely got their data from BMW, I guess you could argue that
point. But you can't argue a BMW label on the tranny.... I think
I may have seen that same kind of thing on the one here. I'll be
under it later today, will take a look. So, clearly BMW intended it
to be lifetime at some point.

The discussion centers on whether doing so, for whatever reason, will lead to transmission failure. Somehow the idea an E53 transmission will fail after a high mileage fluid change became a common belief and has continued to this very day.

IMO it has been resolved. It seems unreasonable to me BMW would recommend a regular service which is reasonably believed to cause transmission failure.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by trader4

I'm not so sure it's been resolved. It's only been resolved if you think
that 100K miles is high mileage. What if you've been following the
lifetime directive on the tranny and/or don't know if the fluid has
ever been changed and now the car has 200K miles and no issues?
My car, I'd leave it alone.

What's been resolved is the question: Will changing the transmission fluid lead to failure? Since BMW recommends changing the transmission fluid every 100K miles it's reasonable to conclude the answer is no, it will not lead to transmission failure (in that BMW is unlikely to recommend a service / service interval which will result in transmission failure). If you decide not to change it that's your choice. However that decision should be made on reasons other than the wives tale doing so will cause failure.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by trader4

We don't know what BMWs experience and position, if any, is on
changing it in a car that has 200K miles that has never had it
changed. At one time, clearly BMW had the position that the
fluid should not be changed, it was right on the tranny label.
So, is it now so radical to be following that with a car that's
at 200K miles? And I think it's a insulting to call reports from
those that have reported problems coming up after changing the
fluid in a such a high mileage car as "old wives tales". They appear
credible to me and learning from other's experience is a valuable
data point. Not only are there folks here reporting it, I've seen
reports on other forums, with other cars, where folks had cars
with no tranny
problems, took it in for a fluid change, shortly thereafter they had trouble. Is it conclusive proof? No, but it's enough for me that
with a car with 200K, no trouble, knowing BMW was OK with it
being lifetime in the past, I'd just leave it alone. Your car, your
choice.

I fail to see why this remains an issue. The claim was changing the fluid would lead to transmission failure. However no supporting data has been provided. And no, it's not insulting to call it a wives tale. Again: I clearly have no doubt there are examples of transmission failures after the fluid has been changed. However unless there was an RCA performed on the failed transmission we cannot conclude the fluid change was the cause of the failure. To believe otherwise would be to believe BMW is recommending a service which leads to transmission failure. Do you believe they're doing so?