Am I just being crazy?

[seattle]

Originally Posted by tgunz83

What I don't understand is if it truly is the transmission how could having the A/C on affect the behavior? I was able to verify this as well today - A/C off no issue (or at least much harder to reproduce). A/C on - reproduce the issue everytime. Seems very strange.

On my other vehicle (a Corolla) when stopped at a light, turning AC on jolts the vehicle a bit and I can hear engine working slightly differently. The corolla does not have a tachometer so I can't see what RPM is with AC on.

Using AC does put some additional load on the engine. Maybe this issue has something to do with engine, not transmission? Perhaps when AC is on and vehicle is nearing a stop, the transmisison downshifts and tips the load over some edge. The computer then senses engine about to stall and puts a bit of gas to prevent that.

You may need to do your own investigation - your mechanic is obviously out of ideas. Keep an eye on RPM needle when coming up to a stop. does it move? Up or down?

Unfortunately, there's probably no wayto mechanically increase/decrease RPM while idling.

[tgunz83]

Originally Posted by seattle

On my other vehicle (a Corolla) when stopped at a light, turning AC on jolts the vehicle a bit and I can hear engine working slightly differently. The corolla does not have a tachometer so I can't see what RPM is with AC on.

Using AC does put some additional load on the engine. Maybe this issue has something to do with engine, not transmission? Perhaps when AC is on and vehicle is nearing a stop, the transmisison downshifts and tips the load over some edge. The computer then senses engine about to stall and puts a bit of gas to prevent that.

You may need to do your own investigation - your mechanic is obviously out of ideas. Keep an eye on RPM needle when coming up to a stop. does it move? Up or down?

Unfortunately, there's probably no wayto mechanically increase/decrease RPM while idling.

Good point. I will keep my eye on the tach - as well as the MPG gauge.

[tgunz83]

Update - i observed the RPMs when I felt the jolt.. no change.

Dropped the car off at the dealer today and reproduced the issue for one of the technicians. FINALLY they admitted they felt/understood the issue. Car is with them now. Will let you guys know once I hear anything from them.

[tgunz83]

Can't say I'm surpised... they reset the adaptive drive and said the problem went away.

I told them a previous dealer already did that and the problem comes right back. They said at this point there is nothing they can do because the car isn't throwing any codes so they can't just start replacing parts on it.

They said if I want to take this any further I need to file a case with the BMW customer relations department. I'll be doing that tomorrow.

[ard]

Originally Posted by tgunz83

Can't say I'm surpised... they reset the adaptive drive and said the problem went away.

I keep seeing "reset adaptive drive" in this thread...

I think people really mean "reset drive adaptations"...two ENTIRELY different things

[ard]

Originally Posted by tgunz83

They said if I want to take this any further I need to file a case with the BMW customer relations department. I'll be doing that tomorrow.

No, THEY need to start a PUMA. They are being lazy, or want to avoid a difficult process. IMO

All BMWNA will do is promise you the world in terms of 'getting to the bottom of this', then they will call the dealer and get their story...then probably claim 'work this out with your dealer, THEY are the experts"

Happy to be wrong though- keep us posted.

[tgunz83]

Yea you're right - they reset drive adapataion values, not adaptive drive.

I just got off the phone with the Customer Relations department. After 45 mins of hold time - the "Resolution Specialist" told me they ALSO could not do anything at this time.

Oh man did I let her have it.

She then said she will be calling up the dealer to have them schedule a Technical Specialist to come to the dealership and inspect the car.

Now for the waiting.

[ard]

^^ Just so we are clear, the BMW warranty does not say "We will repair any defect that sets a code". Their warranty states they will fix ANY defect, irrespective of codes!

Your primary focus should be to get BMW- via their dealership- to say "there is an issue".

When you drop a car off with a complaint, it is usually "C/S noise and jerking" This means 'Customer States'. It does not mean "we agree". This is why the R/O or Repair Order- and the language they use in it- is so important. "Issue confirmed, reset adaptations" is different than "no issues found, reset adaptation to address customer concern"

People approach this as a "how do I get my car fixed" problem...I tend to approach as a "how do I get BMW on the hook" problem. If you do that, then you can force them to fix it.

Good luck!

[tgunz83]

Ok I need some advice. I'm so pissed off right now.

So latest events that have happened over the past couple months (mentioned some of this already in my previous posts):

1) Dropped the car off about a month ago and reproduced the problem for one of the mechanics. Left the car there overnight. Get a call the next day saying they reset the drive adaption values and the problem went away. Got pissed off and told them that's been done twice already the problem comes back everytime. Was told to file a case with BMWNA. Did that - they get back to me and say they can't do anything because the dealership told them they weren't able to reproduce the problem (f'ing lie). Pick up the car while the office was closed one night so I couldn't talk to anyone. On the drive home, SAME DAMN PROBLEM HAPPENS.

2) Called the next day to complain to the SA. She told me to bring in the car again. Had to go out of the country on vacation so I told her I'd bring it in a couple weeks.

Now for the recent update:

3) While driving the car to the dealer on Tuesday, freaking thing overheats. I wasn't able to drive the car for them to reproduce the problem as a result. (they had to change the water pump and I couldn't stick around) SA tells me not to worry, she's sure they will reproduce it on their own. I leave. Get a call that night saying the mechanic said the problem is THE BATTERY. The battery is getting weak and [fill in some b.s. excuse here] is causing the rough downshift. After the charge, they tested the car and the problem was gone.

4) Go the next day to pick it up. With the same brainiac mechanic in the car, take it for a spin. Well what do you know - problem is still there. Now the mechanic goes from saying it was fixed and caused by the weak battery, to saying this is NORMAL. Go back to the dealership, tell them if it's "NORMAL" let me drive another 2009 X5 to see if I can reproduce the problem. They put me in one, same year, MORE miles - and guess what - NO PROBLEM. I come back after the drive, tell the service advisor. She calls the foreman over. Foreman gives some b.s. excuse that because they didn't reset the adaption values in the other car first, I wasn't comparing apples to apples. I tell him to reset them and I'll drive it again - he says - "that isn't necessary". We go on the drive.. reproduce the problem for him - he says "he's felt this thousands of time" and it's a "software issue". Then he says they need to get BMW Engineering involved and that I'll hear from them shortly.

5) Get a call today. They said BMW Engineering said this is NORMAL also. It's related to the Idle Control something something b.s. I re-iterate - if this is NORMAL why doesn't it happen on the other car. "Oh I guess it's just more prevalent in your vehicle". I told her I'm coming in tomorrow and I want to talk to her manager.

/end rant

Hopefully some of you guys made it through all that and can provide me some advice. I am definitely going to push for them to reset the adapation values on the other car and let me test drive it. I'm sure the problem still won't be there. From that point who knows what they will say - I'm guessing something along the lines of what they said earlier - "oh I guess it's just more noticeable in yours".

What should I do? Threaten to contact the BBB? Take them to court? I feel like I'm running out of options here.

Any advice would be appreciated.

EDIT: I should probably mention, the car is under CPO and it expires in February of next year. I'm sure if the car wasn't under warranty they would've replaced the tranny the first time I took it in.

[ard]

Understand that the dealer isnt BMW. BMWNA is BMW and THEY pay the bills. The DEALER can control how things are spun to BMW...you want the dealer on your side, tryong to get BMW to pay for a new tranny.

I would walk in with a file folder with all the work orders and calmly explain that "there is an issue- YOU guys have verified there is an issue, YOU have tried to fix this multiple times. Trying to claim there is no issue is simply unacceptable. OK? Now, how can I help YOU get BMW to take action? If something is "more prevalent" in my vehicle, then we need to change whatever is making it prevalent in this car.

Anyway, my 2 cents