Transmission Failure 2003 3.0D - Page 2

JCL · #11 10-07-2009, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethro

Its sad to hear about things like this especially from a brand like BMW.

There will always be premature failures, with any brand. I would expect many more premature failures with a BMW than a Honda, since BMWs are not designed for reliability but rather for a premium driving experience. Their slogan is the Ultimate Driving Machine, not the Ultimately Reliable Machine. BMW is famous for taking more complex approaches to a problem (essentially, engineering for the sake of engineering). That approach can provide benefits to the driver in terms of tactile feedback, the handling of the vehicle, etc, but complexity will always reduce reliability.

Honda holds up the hood of their cars with a prop rod. Works brilliantly. BMW included two gas pressure struts, and a complex linkage for the hood hinge mechanism. Guess which breaks first. Honda has a washer jet, and tells you to use windshield washer antifreeze. BMW puts an electric heater in the washer jet. Honda gives you adjustable intermittent wipers. BMW gives you a sensor that counts the number of raindrops on the windshield, by measure the transparency (not considering that you may one day replace the windshield). BMW isn't content to stop there, though, as they then stop the wipers when you are not moving. That is so the wiper blades last longer. Except that they don't, they still need to be replaced every year. At least some engineer got to design something. Most manufacturers locate the wheel on the hub with four or five lug nuts, and it works just fine. BMW doesn't choose to do that with their design of lug bolts, however, relying instead on the hub bore fitting precisely into the wheel bore. Change the wheels, and you need new hub centric rings, which is a ridiculous concept that would not be necessary if they used standard lug bolts.

I like BMWs a lot, and will continue to buy them. I would just never consider a BMW to be a premium brand if reliability was the metric, it would be mid-tier at best.

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Fraser · #12 10-08-2009, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCL

BMW is famous for taking more complex approaches to a problem (essentially, engineering for the sake of engineering).

At least BMW didn't try to foist four-wheel steering on us, unlike Honda. How there's a company that really likes "engineering for the sake of engineering" when it sets out to design a premium product, even if it does the bread and butter stuff well.

Cole · #13 10-08-2009, 02:41 AM

One of the issues that concerns me with the 3.0D, and its transmission, is the relatively high torque that they get from the common rail diesel engines. When the X5 fist came out the 3.0D pushed out 410NM, whilst later versions went up to 480 and then 500NM. This is the same torque as the 4.8iS... sure the surge is all over a lot quicker than in the V8, but basically the initial stress on the transmission must be almost the same. My question is this; is the transmission in the 3.0D designed to be as strong as in the 4.8iS, or have we got a lesser transmission and are we therefore destined to suffer a higher level of failure?

Fraser · #14 10-08-2009, 02:49 AM

Cole:

The OP has a five-speeder I believe and yours is a six-speeder, isn't it?

Cole · #15 10-08-2009, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fraser

The OP has a five-speeder I believe and yours is a six-speeder, isn't it?

Yes I have the ZF 6 speed, but I think my questing is still relevant... do they put a "stronger" clutch in the transmission of the 3.0D in order to handle the higher torque? I am sure they do, BMW does not normally make mistake like that, but I guess the stress of handling +480NM is going to strain any transmission.

I tow a bass boat with my diesel and I "drive it like I stole it", most of the time... so I guess my tranmsission is doomed. I just can't resist that surge of acceleration when you floor it at 2000 rpm. Currently on 90,000km's.

Fraser · #16 10-08-2009, 03:10 AM

Hopefully you don't tow your bass boat at the same time as you "drive it like I stole it"! One at a time should be okay but not both together ...

My understanding is that the ZF GA6HP26Z six-speeder as used with the post update E53 3.0d is essentially the same used with the post-04 update 4.4s.

Cole · #17 10-08-2009, 03:13 AM

Yes I try not to do both together... but sometimes I'm late for a tournament start and... well you know how it goes!

Fraser · #18 10-08-2009, 03:16 AM

The 3.0d is a great tow vehicle...

dkl · #19 10-08-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fraser

At least BMW didn't try to foist four-wheel steering on us, unlike Honda.

Have you not seen the latest or soon to be new 7 series due to have 4-wheel steering? Honda was way ahead of its time on this one.

fangbosun · #20 10-10-2009, 08:23 AM

OK - got the car back. $6250 poorer. Apparently the ceramic rods in the valve body cause premature wear at their sleeves, which led to drop in oil pressure. They fitted Sonnax upgrade parts (AUD 1200) which include harder sleeves which hopefully prevent this from happening again.

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