Shifter clicks on acceleration and on slowing down

[TriX5]

My E70 has had a ton of issues lately but the engine is running fine again. I need a car in Europe and am planning to ship it across the Atlantic. I am still chasing a rattling noise in the front suspension and probably will change the bushings on the rear lower arms before shipping it.

However, another issue that has been getting worse is an odd clicking noise each time I slow down and then again when I speed up at maybe 20mph. Sounds like a lockout is engaging and disengaging. Anyone know what is causing this?

[ard]

I'd look at the schematics, ID wires and connectors- look at them. Wonder if the trans and motor mounts are allowing things to move? Just wags.... GL

[TriX5]

ARD, thanks. Good point about the wiring.

It is a very consistent thing and sounds like a solenoid or relais. That is why I think it is a lock out of some sort. Too busy to focus on it, it has been doing this for a good six months or more. I have decided to delay shipping it until May, that way I have more time to get it sorted.

Today got quite bit done on the e53 engine and then changed two tires on my Tundra, those 275/55/20s weigh a ton!

Hoping somebody on here had something similar happen with their E70 shifter.

[TriX5]

Read the codes on the E70 with ISTA and for the shifter it says one switch is sticky, one is stuck. There are rather a lot of posts on Bimmerfest with the same issue as mine. [Here is one case https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/x...shift.557720/] This failure more seems to cause odd clicking noises from the shifter unit and I have to double shift to D from R.

Not seen any definitive diagnosis, but dealers reportedly quote $1500 of which I guess $900 is the GWS unit. One person claimed the interlock button was damaged, and stuck pressed in, and he fixed it with a paperclip. I suspect this maybe my problem as well.

If anyone has had this and fixed it, please let met know what you did. I will take a look tomorrow but not yet ready to rip the unit out of the car.




BELOW IS THE POST ABOUT THE INTERLOCK SWITCH

[https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/2...noise.928767/]

#16 • Aug 2, 2018
Just a thought based on a problem my wife's X5 had with the shifter...the symptoms weren't exactly the same, but...

Couple years ago, sitting in the car, I noticed a periodic clicking sound. Tracked the sound to the console and then to the shifter area. Looked at it in more depth the next day. As it turns out, the reverse interlock button on the side of the shifter was cockeyed. It looked pushed in on the top or bottom and looked normal on the other side. If I gently pried out the reverse interlock button, the clicking noises went away. Pushed the reverse interlock button a few more times and it again got jammed in on the same side as before. Looked at the price of a replacement gearshift. Decided I'd take the shifter apart before I paid for a new one. Didn't take the sifter out of the car. I gently pried off the chrome plated plastic piece that covers most of the shifter - this piece is fragile. As I recall, the reverse interlock button is a small sub-assembly that comes off with a couple small screws or maybe there are tabs or something removable. The reverse interlock button has some tiny hinge pins molded into the plastic of the button itself. One side of the hinge pins was broken. That allowed the jamming of the reverse interlock button, which permanently depressed the reverse interlock microswitch. With the reverse interlock microswitch activated, the gearshift mechanism was activating a solenoid that would allow you to move the lever to the R position. But, it was permanently depressed, so the clicking was happening frequently.

I got a very small size drill bit. The drill bit was essentially the same diameter as the wire of a small size paper clip. Probably not available at Home Depot, but a hobby store. Using a pin-vise and the small drill bit, I drilled a hole though the remnants of the broken off hinge. Did the same on the good side. Put some holes in the mating piece. Threaded a paper clip though them to create a new hinge pin. Been working now for a couple years.

So, what I'm saying is something could be broken and jammed in the gearshift. Look at it very carefully before you jump to replacement.

[TriX5]

Used item, hope it solves the codes. Should be here in a few days.

On a different note: Drained the trans and the transfer case. Then removed the four bolts from hell and removed the pan. Leaving it to drain overnight. Yuk, I hate that job, trans fluid always goes places you don't want it.

I am definitely replacing those four bolts with hex items. M6x1 (25 or 30mm long). Would stainless be ok??

Another question, I want to replace the motor mounts, many seem to struggle getting them out, seems to me that they are accessible from below as long as the reinforcement plate is removed? Anyone done this from below?

[TriX5]

Solved with a replacement shifter (pre-owned) In the next few days I will try to open the old one and see if I can detect the issue. According to ista it is a sticky switch. We shall see.

[TriX5]

The replacement shifter restored the normal shifting action. Before had to double pull from R to D and as mentioned, the odd clicking noise.

Opened the original shifter and one of the two sliders that move when the lever is moved from D to M was stuck or at least sticky. After wiggling it free the shifter returned to normal action. So now, I have two working shifters, just need to lube my old one with some grease I bought last Sunday to assure it won't stick again. I will edit and post a picture of the item when I open it again for the grease.

This unit is fully electronic, there is no mechanical link to the trans at all. It shows up in ISTA as GWS. There are two sliders on an electronic board that register the desired action from the trans. The rest of the shifter is detents and the reset from M to D slot. The shift lever is all there to resemble a conventional Auto shifter but the sliders are simple and light, you could shift it with a match stick :-)