X5 shakes/rattles when keeping speed on uphill

[x5turtle]

It happened to me while I was driving to Grand Canyon with my family last weekend. Car was driving fine when going up the Canyon, and when I drive to Las Vegas after the Canyon, the car shakes or rattles when I try to maintain speed on slight uphill at 80mph. If i let go of gas, X5 feels fine, but when you hit the gas to maintain speed, it rattles again.

However, after stopping on the side of the road for few minutes, the rattle stop, and it comes back after a little while. I did it a few times and I finally slow down to 65mph, then the problem doesn't show up as much.

I also put it in neutral and rev the engine to 3k rpm while the car is traveling at about 70mph, there is no rattle, but when I put it back into drive and try to maintain speed, it rattles. Again, it happens less at 65 mph.

It doesn't happen on my 20miles drive to work on the freeway, but it just started to happen to me on long drives. Anyone ever experienced this?

My X5 is about 140K, I am first owner, maybe the transmission is going out on me?? Any thoughts or inputs will be very much appreciated! I don't want to sell the car.

Please Help!

[Naz24]

does it feel like the transmission is slipping? Where does the rattle feel like its coming from?

[Jordo]

I have terrible news. Your tranny is spent. I had the exact same symptom as you. Tried every remedy, changing trans oil and filter, blah, blah,blah. The reason is the torque converter is slipping, grabbing, over and over. Did you notice in sport mode it's better? The only real fix is torque converter replacement.

My shop charged $750 for trany removal and install. And $2400 to replace torque converter and all clutch plates and valve body. They said all looked "ok" but torque converter was smoked.

Sorry to tell you the bad news, but do a search here for trany problems, you'll find lots of people talk about identical issues you are having.

[x5turtle]

That doesn't sound too good for January 2011, and taxes in April... I am guessing its the transmission that is causing the rattling as the engine just sounds strong and healthy.

I am not too familiar with auto mechanics, as you mentioned the torque converter, would it better and easier to replace the whole transmission? or it cost too much? What am I anticipating if I keep driving the vehicle without fixing it(avoiding long drives). What would I expect to go bad next after I replace the tranny/torque converter, and how many miles would I expect from the new tranny? Thanks all!

Have a Happy New Year!

[jyosh]

i think Jordo's jumping the gun a little bit. I dont usualy drive my X through mountains, i did for the first time this past weekend. i could feel a wobble reaching the top of a hill at 80mph, it'd start, i'd let up off the gas, it would go away and i could continue on my way. the wierd thing is it was totally random. going on flat ground i have never experienced it. my buddy who has a 740il had a wobble at higher speeds and it ended up being his drive shaft. i know our drive shafts are shorter so i dunno if that is a common wobble that can be caused by a bad drive shaft. i wonder if the guibo disc can cause a wobble like this. X5turtle, the sensation was like an imbalanced wheel right? and it would go away when you let off the gas?

[jyosh]

two possible culprits mentioned in this thread http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...?highlight=gas

center support bearing for the rear drive shaft or carrier bearing in the rear differential.

[admranger]

If you are in Vegas, take it to European Motor Cars and ask Shelina to have Adam inspect it.

Flex disc, center driveshaft bearing, etc. could be bad. Hopefully it isn't the torque converter, though it possibly could be. If it is, you'd want to repalce the flex disc and center support bearing anyway while the trans was out, so no harm in having those replaced if Adam says that they are bad.

[jyosh]

any update?