Trans Fail Safe Issues

chasers36 · #1 08-22-2020, 10:03 PM

Hello all!,

I hope you're all doing well! My weeks been nutso, and to end it I just had to have something go wrong with the X5, of course!

I just did an overhaul of my brakes front and rear, new rotors and pads and sensors. Did a bleed of the brake lines as well to make sure there was no air in the lines. Took it for a drive to start getting the pads worn in, and it started making a really weird noise coming from the rear drivers wheel. And then I suddenly felt the car rev up while i was accelerating, and it clunked into the next gear really hard, then I got a TRANS FAIL SAFE PROG message on the IKE. I immediately drove home and plugged her in for errors. And I got these. Any help as to what my troubleshooting steps should be? I already checked all the sensors and wiring to the tires and everything looks good.

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andrewwynn · #2 08-22-2020, 10:44 PM

I had very similar symptoms three times was always water in the transmission connector. You can reach if you drive the front right wheel onto a curb near a driveway. Slide under on come cardboard. Use gloves the exhaust will be dangerously close. I had to do this last week after driving though very hard rain. The first time it happened after car was sitting a couple months three second time driving through slush and getting sprayed by a passing car.

chasers36 · #3 08-22-2020, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

I had very similar symptoms three times was always water in the transmission connector. You can reach if you drive the front right wheel onto a curb near a driveway. Slide under on come cardboard. Use gloves the exhaust will be dangerously close. I had to do this last week after driving though very hard rain. The first time it happened after car was sitting a couple months three second time driving through slush and getting sprayed by a passing car.

I forgot to preface that i have developed a noticeable leak of some kind. it started about 2 weeks ago, and it is dripping right on that transmission connector then hitting the sway bar and then the pavement. its either oil or tranny fluid and i cant tell where its coming from. if the trans has been leaking somewhere for 2 weeks of hard driving it would def make sense that its low on transmission fluid and thats why it kicked into trans fail safe mode. should check that first i should assume.

I really want to be able to try diagnosing these issues, but I find it hard with the fault codes they give sometimes. I'd like to know what "EGS signal line disturbed" fault code really means, and "Symptom Gear Check" as well. I have received the Gear Check 3, and now also the Gear Check 2 fault code as well.

chasers36 · #4 08-25-2020, 03:32 PM

Well, I'm still at a loss. I have found no leaks coming from the transmission or the lines, i'm leaking a little oil, but i'm not too worried about that.

I'm concerned that it has something to do with the new wheels, brakes and rotors. Or I possibly messed up the ABS system by bleeding the brakes incorrectly? I've been getting the Electronic braking force distribution fault code ever since I got the X5, but have never had it slip into trans fail safe on me. The EGS signal line disturbed and the Symptom Gear Check are the only new fault codes im getting. Where exactly does the EGS signal line travel to and from?, and what can cause that fault code? Any help or input would be much appreciated, about to just take it to Trans shop, but I'd like to rule out the things I can take care of before having to do so.

andrewwynn · #5 08-25-2020, 03:50 PM

Did you remove and clean your transmission connector?

The other end is at the TCM under the hood in the eBox. Disconnect and clean all the connectors.

chasers36 · #6 08-25-2020, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Did you remove and clean your transmission connector?

The other end is at the TCM under the hood in the eBox. Disconnect and clean all the connectors.

I checked the EGS module under the hood in the eBox and everything is SUPER clean in there, no corrosion, no water has entered that box! Where is the connection at the transmission?

andrewwynn · #7 08-25-2020, 06:54 PM

Back of the transmission. It's got a threaded ring connector. 20 pin or so. Gets full of water and presents with symptoms like you describe.

chasers36 · #8 08-27-2020, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasers36

Hello all!,

I hope you're all doing well! My weeks been nutso, and to end it I just had to have something go wrong with the X5, of course!

I just did an overhaul of my brakes front and rear, new rotors and pads and sensors. Did a bleed of the brake lines as well to make sure there was no air in the lines. Took it for a drive to start getting the pads worn in, and it started making a really weird noise coming from the rear drivers wheel. And then I suddenly felt the car rev up while i was accelerating, and it clunked into the next gear really hard, then I got a TRANS FAIL SAFE PROG message on the IKE. I immediately drove home and plugged her in for errors. And I got these. Any help as to what my troubleshooting steps should be? I already checked all the sensors and wiring to the tires and everything looks good.

Ok, SOOO , i just now discovered that the new rims/tires i got may be the wrong size. The manual for my X5 states that the acceptable rim size is 8.5Jx18 EH2, but the new rims i just put on are 8Jx18 EH2. Would this cause my transmission problems? The tire size remained the same 255/55R18.

Purplefade · #9 08-27-2020, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasers36

Ok, SOOO , i just now discovered that the new rims/tires i got may be the wrong size. The manual for my X5 states that the acceptable rim size is 8.5Jx18 EH2, but the new rims i just put on are 8Jx18 EH2. Would this cause my transmission problems? The tire size remained the same 255/55R18.

Nope, no worries there, that won't cause your issue. If you had 17's on one side and 18's on the other, that might, but not the 8" vs 8.5".

Did you ever figure out what the noise from the rear drivers wheel area was? Any signs of rubbing or unusual marks or wear\shinny spots any where? You said brake bleed\rebuild and noise in the rear just before getting the trans issue, I'm wondering if it might be related to the speed sensor or traction control getting an unusual reading from that wheel?

chasers36 · #10 08-27-2020, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purplefade

Nope, no worries there, that won't cause your issue. If you had 17's on one side and 18's on the other, that might, but not the 8" vs 8.5".

Did you ever figure out what the noise from the rear drivers wheel area was? Any signs of rubbing or unusual marks or wear\shinny spots any where? You said brake bleed\rebuild and noise in the rear just before getting the trans issue, I'm wondering if it might be related to the speed sensor or traction control getting an unusual reading from that wheel?

I have so far discovered that the rotor on the right rear was scraping on the metal shield around the hub, looks like i must have bent it whilst doing my brake repairs, I have hammered it back so hopefully that stops scraping. I'll have to check the drivers side later, I imagine that it was doing the same thing on that side. I ordered new parking brake shoes and the parking brake service kit, and will be tackling that next week after parts arrive. The shoes were cracked all over and really worn down, and it wasn't working at all when I put the parking brake fully on, I could still drive forward without any resistance.

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