2004 bmw x5 3.0i e53 transmission.
 

I'm looking for serious help for my 04 bmw x5 3.0i e53. on a cold start it doesn't want to drive, i have to rev the engive at 4 to 5rpm for it to move an inch, but once the car fully warm up to operating temperature. the car drives fine with absolutely no problem, and no shifting issue. i read online the transmission fuild may be low i attemp to fill it up and this is what i found. fluid coming out of the fill plug like this (see pics). the transmission was recently service about a year ago with genuine bmw dexron VI.

i'm worried cause i love the car and don't really want to spend thousands to replace transmission or major repair

Maybe it's just the pictures, but it looks like you have water in your transmission. Check to see if your transmission cooler block is allowing coolant to enter the lines.

As for fluid levels.... They must be checked with the vehicle level AND at operating temperature, after going through all the gears.

No matter what, I would do a complete drain, new filter and fluid along with servos and sleeve replacement.

The worst scenario is a failing stall converter. (My opinion/guess)


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As mentioned hard to tell for sure..other than the fluid sure doesn't look right...

Are you losing coolant ? We have seen the failure of the transmission cooler and coolant mixing with trans fluid...But when that happens it is usually a brighter pinkish milkshake color..

I was thinking that too coolant in the transmission but I'm not really loosing coolant. I inspected the reservoir tank and it's fill to level.
what would be a sign of bad transmission oil cooler?

Did you check the fluid level with engine running? That is a lot too high and really brown looking, does it smell burnt? It almost looks like clutch material mixed in. The pan and gasket look suspiciously like they have been off recently, did you just buy the car ?

If someone tried to change the filter and messed up with the pickup tube it would explain some things.

yes I had check it with the engine running on the last transmission service and top it off. I had to clean and pan and replace the gasket that's why it look clean. I've had the car for nearly 15yrs. another thing I just seen is that oil cooler hose are terribly corroded and rusted to the point they're stuck in that oil cooler. I'm not sure if it's due to age or coolant have leak on top of them or maybe the oil cooler is just bad.
I don't know the signs of a bad oil cooler but it's not showing on a scanner and nor the car is not acting bad but once it fully warms up it drive perfect.
I will reflush the transmission fluid again a couple of time and change the filter and hopefully that can saves it.

Are you using water instead of a proper mix of coolant for the radiator??
Is there oil in the coolant ?
Is the transmission vent free to work properly, not maybe hooked into the CCV by mistake??
Was the transmission properly filled when serviced last?

no water, genuine bmw coolant. there is no oil in the coolant tank. yes the transmission was properly fill and car was leveled and I used my scanner to make sure transmission didn't go over 105° when topping it off.
I'm not sure what that means transmission vent free. also by CCV you mean the crank case ventilation that connected to the intake manifold. what about it?

Well something is adding to the volume of your oil unless maybe it's just foamy, and making it that brown color, like was mentioned, coolant usually looks different and you are not loosing or gaining coolant, and there is no oil in the coolant so that makes a cooler problem unlikely. If the pickup tube for the trans filter is damaged and sucking air it would explain needing needing to rev the engine in order to engage the transmission and maybe explain the foamed oil and the clutch packs have been damaged/burnt which might explain the colour but does it smell?? If the transmission vent, which is supposed to be open to atmosphere, is maybe hooked into the CCCV system somehow it might explain some of the increased volume and colour of the trans oil. Too high an oil level in the trans can cause foaming as well so there could be a variety of things going on. Like was said, it's easy to get fooled by pictures so maybe take a sample of the oil, or better, the vehicle to transmission shop and see what they say.