Well, most Americans don't even keep their cars that long. They lease them for 4 years and then they're onto the next thing. But I've read my fair share of forums on all BMWs and the automatic transmission is one of those more problematic things.

Solution:
 

Buy one with manual gearbox....:)

There arnt many X5's with manual, and as far as I'm aware none of the 4.4's 4.6's or 4.8's were made in manual shift!

Well if thats the case, then shame on BMW for charging such a high price on there cars, and giving there customers weak tranny's. I just don't get it with the tranny issue. How can Lexus, Infiniti, to just name a couple, not have these types of problems? I mean I know they have there own little nick nacks but lets not kid ourselves, BMW should not have these types of problems. Period! I still have my Lexus SC400 95 with 210K on the clock and its still original Tranny. The thing won't stop running. I've changed the tranny oil every 60k and its been fine. I just don't get it.

These more recent transmissions, whether used in a 3 or X, don't have a good track record for reliability. They're not cheap either; Which was the main factor when we sold our X. There was a poll on Roadfly similar to this but it also factored in whether, trans fluid had been changed, and when. The results were dismal.

BMW don't even make the transmissions, why not poll ZF or GM? It appears that there have been failures from the transmisison sensors and control boxes (which BMW does make). Maybe the poll should read, have you had any electrical gremlins, and if so, did they impact your transmission? Also, do you drive aggressively and might you have contributed to any early-hour transmission failure? Without that information, this doesn't have a lot of significance IMO. I think the above factors have more impact than whether or not the fluid was changed, as I haven't seen any reports correlating transmission fluid changes with failures.

It is interesting, though, that the first 15 votes were people with no failures, supported the theory that failures get lots of notice and vehicles without failures carry on quietly. 1st rule of internet forums.

As far placing blame goes.. pointing a finger at GM-france or ZF is silly. How many components in any it's vehicles do you think BMW actually manufactures? I'll bet you in any vehicle, BMW only manufactures the 5 C's in the engine and the body/frame itself, if that; everything else is sourced. When a balljoint or swaybar end-link fails, you don't go after the guy who made it. As soon as BMW purchases a part from a supplier, and you buy the vehicle, the accountability is on them.

We don't actually know that all the failures have occurred due to sensor failure. Even so, all the sensors are inside the transmission in contact with the fluid. Imo, it's wise to change the fluid every 30k miles from the birth of these vehicles. Cheap insurance if you plan on keeping it for a while.

I agree with you in principle. But when Cadillac started using the same transmission GM sells to BMW in 2003, over 20 service bulletins that have been filed... Makes you wonder, eh?

:iagree: , with JCL, it sounds like something I posted last week. Gremlins and how you drive in my opinion is a huge factor on any tranny. But Don't forget, maybe GM has designed a faulty tranny? And maybe ZF is designed well but then the gremlins effect the tranny? So many what if's. Only one answer. Make more manual tranny's... LOL