Add another blown X5 tranny to the list...

[JCL]

Originally Posted by bgsquad

Eventhough it turned out to be not a trans in your case, but it's an opportunity to ask: do all 3.0 have a GM trans? Actually, I checked my VIN number on some decoding site, and indeed I have a GM trans. So is GM better than ZF when it comes to failure rate?

Yes, all 3.0 petrol models with an automatic have the GM transmission. There are different GM transmission used for different model years. GM transmission failure rate is no different than the ZF, except anecdotally, IMO. They both have failures at random mileages.

[Yii]

how do you no if its a trans fail? today i was driving and at a stop light the car started to vibrate and the SES light came on.... i turned off the car and turned it on, and ses went away and the vibration stopped. What happened? did my car fart? or being possessed?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Yii

How do you know if it's a trans fail? Today I was driving and at a stop light the car started to vibrate and the SES light came on.... I turned off the car and turned it on, and the ses light went away and the vibration stopped. What happened? Did my car fart? Or is it possessed?

A transmission failure usually means that one gear won't engage (reverse, or one of the forward gears), and/or that shifting is eratic.

No, your car didn't fart, and no, it isn't possessed. It likely experienced a misfire, either because it was cold, or had bad fuel, or a sensor went out of range.

[Yii]

nothing to worry about right? i am in the clear? and i only add 93 from HESS

[X5Sport]

I suffered a tranny failure at less than 42k on 21/Dec/2009. Symptoms were failure to select 3rd/4th gears properly whilst accelerating, this was followed by a third gear only choice by the transmission computer and some very harsh gear changing. No warning lights for a good ten minutes and then only the 'TRANS. FAILSAFE PROG' warning whilst trying to manoever at low speed. Reverse also failed for a while. In my case there was little if any power being transmitted from the engine to the driveline, this then became a 3rd gear only lockdown until the warning. Switched the car off for 15 mins, restarted, no warnings, drove home with all gear changes very harsh ans gearbox refusing to select anything below 3rd. Trailered out to dealer the next morning - had to be winched on as it would not drive itself. Dealer reports gear oil smells 'burnt' and will require replacement tranny at about £6k GBP fitted (and that's not even a new box, but a remanu one!!). Discussions ongoing about 'goodwill' given the low mileage. Dealer tells me there are only two warnings on the ZF tranny. Overheat and Trans. Failsafe Prog.