Things happen, this doesn't mean that every BMW is going to have Tranny problems. Its all luck of the draw. And I feel its all about your driving style. I still believe if people use the Manual mode a lot, that there not shifting at the right time, and after long time of abuse, the tranny will brake down. But this is just my opinion. I'm no genius, but this is something to think about.

Jezz us!
 

Well i got my x back about three weeks ago and noticed the trans. was sliping about two weeks ago!!! So now it's back at thompson bmw getting another trans. put in!!! :banghead:

you may be right but I put 100,000 miles on a 01 4.4 and have 80,000 miles on a 4.4 sport and have used the manual side of the auto approx 95 percent of the time and have had no transmission problems yet. Also using the manual side when slowing I have never replaced brakes or rotors. So with the brake deal I would say it saves brakes and rotors. Can't say if it makes a difference or not on the life of the transmission.

Sounds very similar to what I posted a page back!!

My transmission was checked out and was fine, but the car still downshifts unexpectedly.

Do all auto X5's have the same trans? If so you would think the 4.6 guys with the highest hp would be having the most problems.

What brand of trans is it? Sure seems like BMW did not do their engineering homework on this one and put in a substandard trans. There is no reason so many X5 owners shold be having this problem. Seems like a true manufacturers defect........

I agree with Silver on this one. I have some info on the 4.6 tranny. It is the same tranny in the 4.4. Not only that, my SA told me a while back that the majority X's that come in for tranny problems are the 3.0, and then 4.6 or 4.8... He said he has seen maybe 3 or 4, 4.4 come in, but then he said 2 of them were Flash upgrade and the others had something seriously wrong with them. But over all he said that the 3.0 are the ones that come in more often with tranny issues. Now this is what he told me so I don't know! All I know he is pretty damn good at his job and I trust him from my experience. He also said that the tranny is very good on the 4.4 or the 4.6 he is the one who told me not to every touch the tranny.

There are several different transmissions used, depending on the year and model (3.0 or 4.4/4.6, 5 or 6 speed auto). They come from either ZF or GM. What they have in common is the BMW control package (sensors, control box, etc). This is the set of electronics that controls the transmission shifts. Either we believe that all the transmissions have defects, or that the common element, the control package, is at least part of the reason. I personally believe the latter. I don't believe the transmissions are substandard, more that transmissions are lasting as long as they are designed to, approximately 100,000 miles. Some may go much longer, but IMO anything over that distance is a bonus.

So would you think the control package is a manufacturer's defect? Sure seems like a lot of X5 owners have their transmissions expire at relatively low mileage.

I too have been bitten by 4.4 transmission failure:

http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...nsmission.html

I just finally decided to fix it. It's at Performance BMW as I type.

On the upside, my wife is driving around a 2007 328i loaner, so let's just hope she doesn't get too attached to it.

Yall have a great week and best of luck to those with transmission issues.

Sincerely,
Jim Kennedy
[email protected]
http://www.thekennedycompound.com