Not Shifting Out of 1st in Drive/Only Goes to 2nd in Manual

[SeanIngstrum]

01' BMW x5 4.4i
Service Engine Soon Light is ON
Code P0440 (not the gas cap)
Engine seems to be in a high gear mode/high rpm's through each gear shift (when it does shift.) Will not shift out of first gear when in (D)rive. Motors rpm's just keep going. When in (M)anual I can only get to 2nd gear. When I try for 3rd it doesn't do anything but switch back to 2nd on the dash. Praying to all things Holy it's a sensor or something. Any help would be spectacular! Thanks and take care!

[upallnight]

Have you checked the fluid level?

[SeanIngstrum]

Originally Posted by upallnight

Have you checked the fluid level?

Tranny? I can only do so by removing the pan right?

[Scott ZHP]

Originally Posted by SeanIngstrum

Tranny? I can only do so by removing the pan right?

Remove the *fill* plug. Fluid should drip; if not, you're low.

[bhennrich]

Originally Posted by Scott ZHP

Remove the *fill* plug. Fluid should drip; if not, you're low.

Make SURE the engine is running when you pull the fill plug! If not you will watch some EXPENSIVE fluid come rushing out all over you!!!

[SeanIngstrum]

Originally Posted by Scott ZHP

Remove the *fill* plug. Fluid should drip; if not, you're low.

Awesome! Thanks a lot.

[SeanIngstrum]

Originally Posted by bhennrich

Make SURE the engine is running when you pull the fill plug! If not you will watch some EXPENSIVE fluid come rushing out all over you!!!

Thanks for that! Definitely a must to know!

[SeanIngstrum]

Fluid wasn't low. Went ahead and swapped the fluid out along with a new tranny filter. Has not done it since! Had the service light reset and has not came back on. If it does, I think it would be my catalyic converter. It make a kind of knocking noise. Would that throw a service light for emissions? Thanks