Nasty noise engaging Park, hesitation going into other gears. Trans toast?

[E70Noob]

Hey all,

We've got a pretty high KM (280K) 2007 3.0i that's been giving us nothing but problems lately. The latest may be the final straw...

I'll do this point form to save you all the novel.

- Headed up a fairly steep hill yesterday the vehicle started shuddering and within a couple blocks seemed to slam into park.
- Car idled just fine and would go into gear but didn't want to move with resistance feeling like the e-brake was on.
- There was a very noticeable smell of trans fluid, but no sign of it on the ground even after sitting a while.
- Needing to get it out of the intersection I gave it some gas and was able to power through the resistance and get it onto a side street where it still sits.
- As I moved it the resistance did seem to go away to the point its no longer really noticeable.
- It shifts between gears (P, D, N, R) but there is a slight delay before engaging. Also there is a terrible grinding/ratcheting sound when going back into Park. (see vid below).
- I'm scared to attempt to drive/ test it in fear of doing further damage to the possibly damaged trans, and don't know how it will operate under load.

Wondering if anyone else has been through similar, and/or has any ideas what n the hell may be going on here.

*Coincidentally, a couple weeks earlier we had the good old e-brake malfunction which required a manual release. I haven't had a chance to investigate further (assuming the actuator will need replacing). I also couldn't clear the malfunction warning light with the switch trick or with my Foxwell and have been driving it since with no functioning e-brake. I don't think this is an e-brake issue though due to the very noticeable trans fluid smell, the delay in engaging into gears, and the noise when going into park.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ac5...ew?usp=sharing

[ard]

Out of curiosity, how many ATF changes over the life? OE fluid used?

[E70Noob]

In my time owning (last 80K or so KMS), one and a half changes. I had a flush done by a BMW indy shortly after buying at around 200K; not sure what fluid they used, and back in the summer I did the mechatronic seals with new pan/filter and 6 or so quarts of the ZF fluid FCP Euro sells with their kit.

[CLS70]

that sounds scary....I won't risk driving it....get a flat-bed if you need to move it somewhere else
I have had issues with the e-Brake but never experienced a behaviour like that (or a sound like that either)

[ard]

I finally opened the video. Yikes thats ugly.


I do wonder if that is an ebrake actuator motor making the noise. Just dont know

[atroyan84]

Did you ever diagnose/resolve issue? My 08 e70 3.0 is making the exact same noise and behavior. Thanks

[robinasu]

Old thread but I'll add my 2 cents. Since it acted up as you drove up a hill that says to me the transmission oil level is low, especially if you hadn't really been on a steep hill after the last fluid change.

Inside the transmission there is an oil pickup that feeds the transmission mechatronic unit, which is the control system for all the gears (put simply) and if the fill is low, the oil pickup loses prime as oil sloshes around or you are on a hill, and the pressure needed inside the mechatronic unit is not high enough to properly hold the commanded actuators to maintain whatever gear is needed by the transmission ECU. When the pump loses prime all hell can break loose as the planetary gears used to set the gear ratios are totally out of control. In a high load situation I can see bad things happening.


When checking the fluid level it's really important to have the vehicle level and the engine running. If the engine isn't running the fill will be low. At 40C transmission fluid temp as measured by a diagnostic system, a broken stream should be coming out the fill port. If the stream is constant and not broken let it drain until is starts to break then plug it. Best this happens at 40C, but BMW says you have until 50C fluid temp. I would make sure it happens near 40C.


A thermal camera or similar won't give you an accurate temperature and will lead to under fill situation.