X5 3.0D 2001 transmission slipping
 

Hi everybody, New to the forum, and im having a bit of an issue with my x5. Yesterday after a 600 km drive(No trailer attached), 2 days ago, the car went i to transfail safe mode about 100 km from my home and staying in 5 gear. Pulled over to quickly inspect under under the car, but found nothing, and continued my journey home without shift issues.
About 50 km. later, same thing again, and I redo the same. Fire it up again without problem. This repeats a couple of times the last 50 km.
Near my house is a hill. The car started to rise in rev(up to about 2500 rpm) but didn't move faster, and slowly started to losing abit of speed, but made it over without any drama.
Yesterday i went for a small drive around town, to see of the issues was the same. Initally there wasn't an issues. Shifted nice without problem. But after 5 minutes, failsafe mode came back, the car couldn't move up a small hill. Put it into neutral and backed down to side of the road. Waited about an hour to let the trans cool down. Fired it up and drove about it about 500 meter before the problem was the same and the car wouldn't move. My buddy came and towed it a couple of km. home.
Any thoughts?
Oil and filter was changed about 13.000 km. Ago and the box has maybe gone about 80.000 km, since it was rebuilt. Gearbox is dry underneath so doesn't leak aparrently.
Im open for ideas.
Per.

First is check the level. Radiator has trans cooler so means plenty of other places to leak than the transmission itself.

Radiator is new. Installed in december. Zero leaks under the car. Haven't got time to take the transmission out atm going be working abroad the next 3 weeks in a couple of days. But will do it first.

The foam on the top of the metal plate can hold a quart before a single drop gets to the ground. Most e53 models the transmission has a port on the side that overflows when full to set the quantity just right. Of course this is done with the transmission still in the car.

Thanks for the input. Will check it out

Thought i might give an update to this issue, for anyone dealing with the same issue.
Ended being the the valve body in the transmission. Had a spare one laying around, and worked right away. My. E53 has been running perfect ever since.

I was thinking it sounded like solinoids. Amazing you had a spare valve body. Pretty amazing that the design allows for a reasonable part exchange

Yeah. I bought the car with a bunch of spares. So a cheap fix. 3-4 gear shifting is a bit rough with this valve body, compared to the old one, but I can live with it, so i'll change the solenoid from the old valve body, when oil change is due on the transmission next time.

I have a 2003 X5 3.0 that needs a 10 min warmup before it will move forward, after that it drives and shifts like a new car. Any thoughts?

JimG

check fluid level first

I ran into this problem with my 3.0 E46 transmission with no transmission engagement in cold temps (neither drive nor reverse) until a very warmed up coolant temp.

Here is the thread on E46 fanatics.

https://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=893453

My problem went away when I replaced the solenoids in the thread.

These were my PNs and prices back in 2017 when I solved my issue in my 3.0 E46:

Main pressure regulator solenoid - AC Delco 10478146 Amazon Prime $36.00

Torque converter lock-up clutch solenoid - AC Delco 24227747 Amazon Prime $23.00

Here is another narrative with transmission info

Transmission Valve Body Removal & Installation, Filter, Fluid Service

Just a significant lowering of the valve body was necessary to swap out the solenoids.

My theory on why this symptom manifests itself is because the o-rings in the solenoids harden and shrink over the years and miles. This causes them not to function as designed until they warm up and become pliable and do their o-ring job

Mike