3.0 X5 Performance concern

[Tags]

All,

This will probably seem strange but thought i'd see if anyone else experiences this.

I have a 2001 X5 3.0ltr steptronic with 130,000kms (80,000miles) and the car seems to perform differently at random times. I know these have the adaptive gearbox to suit driving style but it feels more like perfomance and power then it does a shifting pattern.

About 50% of the time if i take off semi aggressively from a set of lights or stop sign the car feels powerful and the acceleration feels touchy, it takes off quickly and there is no real delay in getting going but the other 50% of the time if i put my foot flat it seems to slowly and lethargically take off and only starts to pick up quickly when it gets much higher in the rev range. This the same even when the car is already moving and i accelerate after say turning a corner. Sometimes it feels pokey and other times very very lethargic.

At first i thought it was just me and it was all the same but my wife noticed it while driving the other day also.

Does anyone else experience this?? Is it normal or......?

Thanks,

Mike

[Cole]

Yes I kind of feel the same way about my '06 3.0D... I can best describe it as moodiness. Some days it flies and other days it just seems tired. I know there are a number of things that can effect the perceived performance, aircon compressor load, and gearbox adaptions being perhaps the most obvious, but it sometimes seems to be more than that...

I must say I am not a fan of adaptive transmissions. I prefer the transmission to be exactly predictable in its change points and this is not the case with adaptive systems. You get a clear stretch of road and rip it up for a while, then you hit traffic again but your transmission still wants to rev! I think it would have been nicer to have a manual switch with a few more incremental steps between auto and sport mode.

[powers1]

Same behaviour on my 2003 3.0D.I just get used to it!
Its definitely the adaptive transmission.

[Tags]

Is there anyone with the petrol 3.0 experiencing the same thing?

I find that my mood changes depending on the performance of the car if i drive it and its in its "responsive" mode then im happy with it, if i drive it when its "lethargic" then i sometimes wish i bought the 4.4.

If it is indeed the adaptive transmission can anything be done about it?

[faz]

I have basically started to use the sport mode almost all the time now (except when cruising on freeway for longer periods of time.)

I too am not a fan of this adaptive transmission stuff. I like consistency.

[mrbmwx5]

Nahh.... All it need is the Dinan software for tranny and engine you will feel more aggressively when you want it to take off.

[Tags]

After driving it the other day i dont think its to do with the adaptive gearbox. I can still get it to hold gears longer and it shifts differently in sport mode but after about the first 10mins of driving the performance drops dramatically and it just feels slow and not very responsive. I find it a bit strange that its responsive first thing in the morning or after it hasnt been driven for quite a few hours but after 10-15mins of driving it becomes lethargic again.........hmmmm

anyone with the 3.0ltr experience this?

[Kewl X5]

Not to mislead you, but maybe it is not the transmission...maybe there is something going on with your valve timing on your X5...I noticed the same thing on my X5 back in November 2008 with 178K miles on the X5...Sometimes the X5 would be "peppy" on acceleration and then sometimes it would be sluggish, but no warning lights. I had my mechanic do a diagnostic on the engine's computer to see if there were any fault codes even though my SES light was not on and lo and behold my exhaust camshaft sensor were intermittently not work and thus the exhaust valve timing would be off and thus make the engine run sluggish intermittently...Anyhow, just make sure you check everything out...

If I remember correctly, the sensor was about $100 (US) and the labor was not bad because it was easily accessible. My mechanic has seen this happened on other BMWs (e.g. E39 5-series sedan with same 3.0 liter gas/petrol engines)

[Tags]

Originally Posted by Kewl X5

Not to mislead you, but maybe it is not the transmission...maybe there is something going on with your valve timing on your X5...I noticed the same thing on my X5 back in November 2008 with 178K miles on the X5...Sometimes the X5 would be "peppy" on acceleration and then sometimes it would be sluggish, but no warning lights. I had my mechanic do a diagnostic on the engine's computer to see if there were any fault codes even though my SES light was not on and lo and behold my exhaust camshaft sensor were intermittently not work and thus the exhaust valve timing would be off and thus make the engine run sluggish intermittently...Anyhow, just make sure you check everything out...

If I remember correctly, the sensor was about $100 (US) and the labor was not bad because it was easily accessible. My mechanic has seen this happened on other BMWs (e.g. E39 5-series sedan with same 3.0 liter gas/petrol engines)

i'll definitely get this checked out. thanks for the info.

cheers,

[Tags]

well well well..........i just spoke to my mechanic who looked back at the diagnostic report from the major service that was done 4000kms ago. The exhaust camshaft timing sensor had logged a fault 225 times............he cleared it and was going to get to me to come back after a few days of driving but just forgot to tell me.

Hopefully your estimate on the cost to fix is close

I'm forever greatful that you posted, Kewl X5.........we're getting our new boat in a few weeks and i was worried that if it was in its lethargic mode it would really struggle with towing it