Does "Trans. failsafe" EVER = new gearbox?

[mobilejo]

I ask because I had the error last night, after about 2 mins of driving. Turned off engine, turned back on and drove off and error came back. Limped home, turned off for a few hours while I read up some info on here and other sites and noticed that battery/alternator issues are often a cause of this error message. Knowing that I do multiple short journeys (about 0.5 mile x2 a day and that is all for days on end) I hoped that it was just the poor treatment on my battery causing this, so I went out started it up and let it idle for about 10mins to give the battery a bit of time to regenerate before using the autobox. Drove off after that and it has been fine last night and this morning but obviously it may be still a total failure waiting to happen and just showing itself intermittentantly for now.

Anyway, now I am worried - luckily I was prepared to spend £1500 on gearbox rebuild when I bought the car so I have budgeted for this, but that doesn't mean I want it to be the case.

Lots of internet reports have found the cause to be non-gearbox related with many being battery related, some being DSC units or even ABS units and what not. I don't recall reading a case where it was actually the gearbox causing that error, so just wondering if the OBC error "Trans Failsafe Mode" has ever actually been the result of a fault in the transmission which required a new transmission (or rebuild), and if so, how often?

Secondly, when the gearbox does really go, what other warnings accompany it? Mine works fine. Even in limp mode it would go into reverse fine and move, but when it was in reverse the mirror didn't dip and the PDC didn't come on so it was like the car didn't know it was in reverse. Now the error has cleared everything works completely fine…

Lastly, recommend me some decent fault code software to use with my laptop. I'm a computer geek so not afraid of complex software, just afraid of paying big bucks for it (might need to save that towards the gearbox!)

thanks

[Zulu95]

If memory serves there have been plenty of real tranny failures that started with the warning.
There are a lot of threads reporting on software packages on the board.
I have a buddy who lives out in Sedgley.

[JCL]

A trans failsafe warning doesn't mean your transmission is failing. It means that the computer can't make sense out of the signals from the various sensors, ie something is out of range, and so it puts the transmission into a safe mode so as not to risk damage to it. It can be caused by wiring, sensors, control box, or charging system malfunctions, among other things. It can also be caused by a problem inside the transmission, but that is usually accompanied by faulty operation of the transmission.

[mobilejo]

Thanks for the advice - All I can do is just keep driving it and see if the transmission starts acting different.

At the moment, the error hasn't returned and it drives normally...

[GOFAST GUY]

Lately I've been having problems with my vehicle not starting so I've been putting the charger on it. My battery light still flashes and when I step on the gas, my radio kicks out. Tonight my Transmission Safe mode came on retarding the horsepower and it surged while driving at a sustained speed. What a piss off!!! I had the battery checked about 10days ago and the guy said that even though he wasn't against selling me an upgraded battery, it sounded as if there were some electrical issues to sort out. I want to redo my amp setup anyways but I don't want zero stereo while I'm sorting everything out either. I'm planning on hauling my battery out of the hole it's in and fiberglassing everything under my roll out bed in the back while bringing my battery up into that space and getting rid of my spare tire. I've also had it with the rear suspension load levelers so I've set up the compressor with a gauge and it's own pressure regulator. I'm bound and determined to simplify this vehicle to the point where it will work without failure.
I'm looking into getting springs made for the rear also. I looked under my buddy's 2009 4.8L X5 and he doesn't have air bags which leads me to believe BMW realized air ride was a bad idea. BIG SURPRISE!!!!

I'm having to replace the front struts also so I bought Bilstein shocks and I've also ordered 1.5" lift from Fluid Motor Union.com I really only drive this vehicle in the winter anyways so I might as well make it more of a seasonal ride.

If anyone knows how I can simplify the stereo further by adding other amps or whatever I have to do, please let me know what's connected to what back there.

Thanks

[GOFAST GUY]

I recall having three of my heated seats on prior to my X5 throwing codes and going into safe mode. Does anyone else have problems with their vehicles running low on battery power from just driving them on a dayly basis? The dealership told me I should plug my X5 in once a week because if I don't drive more then 20minutes on the highway a day, the charging system doesn't charge enough to keep the battery up. Does this really make sense?? I mean how is it they wouldn't install an altinator with enough chargin capacity to keep the vehicle charged?? Any ideas for being able to charge the battery more while driving?

[cecilcohen]

my trans failsafe message=New trans from BMW $5500 installed!