Trans Fail safe mode

[RMak]

This is the 2nd day i've owned the X5 (I promise to get to the pics, i've just been busy driving )and I got the "Trans Fail Safe Mode".

First I would like to say that my driveway has a slight incline. The nose of the X5 would be pointed higher than the back. As I pulled out of my driveway I noticed that the DSC icon (4x4!) in the middle of the instrument cluster wouldn't disappear. Pressed the DSC button and nothing happened. But I figured it was nothing and driving with DSC I guess wouldn't be a bad thing. I was stuck in some rush hour traffic and then when the road started to open up, the X5 seemed to have been stuck in gear (1st or 2nd), but it was revving really high. But I made it Costco (that's where we were heading), pulled into the parking lot and when I put the X5 in reverse, it kind of buckled. When I turned off the engine, the "Trans Fail Safe Mode" came on. While doing our shopping in Costco, i'll admit it had me worried that I might be stuck in Costco and I wouldn't hear the end of it from my wife. After we finished our errands, got into the X5 started her up, and everything went fine. The DSC icon was gone and so was the Trans Fail Safe Mode. The X5 drove home with no problems....

Reading that his seems to happen often, I hope it's just a minor bug. Please someone tell me something comforting...

[primetime]

Uh...well...I hope it doesn't reoccur. But what happened to you was not normal at all. Chances are, tomorrow or the next few days you might experience the same thing. Not trying to ruin your night, sorry..

[RMak]

Originally Posted by primetime

Uh...well...I hope it doesn't reoccur. But what happened to you was not normal at all. Chances are, tomorrow or the next few days you might experience the same thing. Not trying to ruin your night, sorry..

I was thinking the reason why the DSC icon could have lit up was maybe because my X5 was parked on an incline... I also forgot to mention, that when I started her up (cold start) I put her in drive just to move her up the incline. The X5 bogged a little... maybe that could have contributed. I also called one of my buddies who also has an X5 (2002 3.0) and he said that's normal for it bog when putting the X5 in gear/giving it some gas on a cold start.

[michael9218]

Don't know about that. I have a 2006 3.0 and it definitely does not bog down when cold. I bought it new and the tranny's always been very responsive. Hopefully it always will. I love this transmission.