Let's talk Transmission Maintenance...

[Westlotorn]

When I did mine last month the mechatronics sleeve was leaking like a pig. I ordered it with the pan gasket just because it was recommended at Pelican Parts. Lucky I did because once I got under there the leak was obvious.
If you level the tranny the rear tires will be about 4 inches higher than normal.
I read everything I could find for directions and ended up setting the car as close to normal level as I could. It worked for me. Car is running and shifting better than it ever has.
I do need to say, at the same time I changed the tranny fluid I went through the entire engine and replaced all the old seals. Valve cover, Timing Cover, Oil Thermostat gaskets, and all the misc O Rings and seals on the Vanos, Camshaft sensors, dip stick, Oil Cap, vacuum pump. Changed out the Oil Vent/PVC diaphragms, one was partially split.
With all these properly sealed again the engine idle is amazing, just like brand new.
Not any smoke from exhaust, no oil leaks.
Another gain was the tranny now shifts better than ever. Taking off in first gear is smoother than it ever was.
New Tranny fluid did not do this. All the new seals did. The 4.4L and 4.8L pull a lot of vacuum, if there is an oil leak the vacuum will pull air through the spot where the oil leak is. The air is pulled into the intake manifold and pulls oil along with the air into the intake. Easy to spot this problem, pull the hose off the front of your intake manifold that also attach's to both valve covers. If the intake manifold shows oil inside where this hose attach's you have air leaks. Many people think this is caused by valve stem seals but that is false. Valve stem seals will never put oil into your intake manifold, the air leaks will.
Once the engine is sealed up properly the computer will work normally and your tranny will shift much better as a side bonus.
Driving these cars with the system not sealed will make your tranny act up and shift hard. Not fixing the air leaks can help your tranny fail due to hard shifts.
My wife has commented multiple times how much smoother her X5 is coming off of any stop now.