Transmission issues summary
 

Let's sort the problems with transmission since quite a few of you experienced problems and got it fixed. I know it will be hard to pin point to the problem based on symptoms since most of the fixes included the entire rebuilt, but let try the best we can.

Fixing the transmission is not easy job and it's very costly. If we can fix only what is broken at one point we might save some money.
For example fixing the valve body is much easier and it doesn't require to take the tranny out of the car. The torque converter fix/replace does not require opening up the tranny... and so on.
I will create a table after I get info.

__________Torque converter____||___ Valve body___||____ Clutches___||____ Low oil level____||

Symptoms__________________________________________ _____________________

So, if you would like to help please reply with your transmission problems and what you did to fix it. Also, please include what ATF you're using.

For example, I have sometimes a hard downshift from 2nd to 1st and a slip sometimes from 3nd to 4th. I would like to know if doing the valve body will fix my problem or not.

I am updating as I receive your input. Please comment if I didn't get it right:

EGS Firmware update
Symptoms: 1. Hard downshift from 2-1 mostly related with changing/flushing the tranny oil.
Repair: EGS module update, check for available firmware updates/patches
Suggestion: use GT1 or go to a shop, cost is around $200

Torque converter
Symptoms: 1. whining/grinding noise that I located to the area of the Torque Converter. No Fail Safe message and no slippage.
2. vibration at certain speeds
Repair: Reman TC
Suggestion: replace TC before the bearings brake apart and causes damage to the transmission
Links: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...questions.html
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...r-failing.html

Transmission (inside):
Symptoms: 1. downshifts started to get very rough and also 1-2-3 shifts seemed rough
2. it began as slipping and jerking under certain stop & go traffic situations. Sometimes would end up in 5th gear and in trans failsafe. Car had about 95K miles on it at the time. It seemed to worsen over a few months, so taking the initial easy approach

Findings: broken O-ring in one of the clutch actuators. Some of the O-rings seemed brittle but the friction disks all seemed perfect and no problem with any bearings either.
Repair: ZF repair kit $900 which includes one needle bearing in the A/B clutch and the main output bearing as well as the friction disks
Suggestion: ZF repair kit $900
Links: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...long-post.html

Symptoms: Failure to engage reverse gear was a common problem with early 5HP24s
Findings: the F-clutch piston seal, which was bonded/welded in one piece to the back of the pressed metal piston, would wear badly and eventually leak.
Repair:
Suggestion: ZF repair kit $900
Links: http://www.rangerovers.net/forum/6-r...england-3.html

Low oil level:
Symptoms: 1. downshift from 2-1 very rough sometimes, rough shifting up when pushing hard on it. Driving normal at light/normal load.
2. It goes to fail safe mode once when cold, then weeks later it didn't want to lock up and the engine just reved when I pushed the accelerator.
Findings: Oil level low
Repair: add oil when the temperature is right (30-40 C).
Suggestion: stop and add oil before is not too late.
Comment: The oil level is very critical and it is based on oil temperature. When you add oil make sure you fill it up fast enough before the temperature does not go over its limit. In summer time when the oil temperature is close or at the required level the top up procedure has to be done very quick.
Links:


Transfer Case/ Drive Shaft :
Symptoms: engine revs and no move and a metal noise associated. Car rolls in Park.
Findings: 1. The drive shaft splines or/and the transfer case output coupler splines are shaved.
2. Axle out from the differential (replace the lock ring)
Repair: Replace the drive shaft and the TC coupler. Cheaper solution: patching by buying a longer shaft or an adapter to push the drive shaft in the transfer case more where the splines are in good shape.
Suggestion: move the AC drain hose lower so the condensation does not fall on the shaft/TC connection to avoid rust.
Comment:
Links: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...sfer-case.html
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...ft-flawed.html
Axle out:
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-problems.html

2001 X5 3.0
 

I have a '01 BMW X5 3.0. I was driving on the freeway and as soon as I came out, it started losing power. The RPM's would hit red and I'd move a few feet. Now it barely moves. It has the original ATF. I opened the fill plug and drained a couple quarts and put in 4 thinking that it may have leaked a bit but I am still having the same problem. Any ideas?

Have you checked the output from the transfer case to the front driveshaft, to see if the splines are damaged?

The transmission requires precisely the correct amount of fluid, so you can't just throw some fluid at it and not expect to have problems.

I'm interested in this topic as well. The OP asked for some input on issues and remedies. This would be a good table to have for trouble shooting the trans... Am I wrong?

I'm interested because my trans is almost at 150K. I changed out the fluid at 90K w mobil1 and so far no problems. Am I playing on house money or can frequent changes help prolong the life?
And what might be some things that could be fixed before it goes to prolong the life, if any?

Florin , here is my $0.02.

At 93k miles my '03 4.4i started to make a whining/grinding noise that I located to the area of the Torque Converter. I had no Fail Safe message and no slippage.

Changing the fluid fixed it briefly but then the noise returned and it started to slip going uphill but still no error message. The downshifts started to get very rough and also 1-2-3 shifts seemed rough at that point.

I took the transmission off and found the bearing in the Torque Converted had failed. At that point small debris showed up in the pan and I decided to overhaul the transmission as well. I found one broken O-ring in one of the clutch actuators which may have been because of the debris in the transmission but I cannot be certain of this. Some of the O-rings seemed brittle to me but the friction disks all seemed perfect and no problem with any bearings either.

Just to be sure I changed one needle bearing in the A/B clutch and the main output bearing as well as the friction disks. In addition, I overhauled the control unit but it seemed a bit superfluous. I refilled with fluid from the dealer. So far the car is perfect, I did a couple of 300 mile dashes with it. It shifts very smoothly and is even quieter than before.

So, I think the problem was precipitated by the failure of the torque converter and I am pretty sure that any subsequent problems were caused by this. I am tempted to say this might well be at the heart of most ATs going bad but I clearly have no scientific basis for that. I will probably refresh the fluid every 30,000 miles from here on (just a drain and fill).

Best, YMMV :-)

Thanks for the quick response. :) How would I check the output from the transfer case to the front driveshaft?

Thanks in advance.

There is a known problem with the output from the transfer case wearing the splines. If the vehicle won't move, see if the output shaft is turning (while it is in gear with someone else in the driver's seat and their foot on the brake). You are looking to see if the output shaft is spinning but not driving the driveshaft. Don't get under the vehicle, be safe.

Thanks Louis. I updated the main post. Did you find anything wrong with the valve body?

I lifted the X and put it in Drive. The rear tires spin but the front do not. The front shaft doesn't turn either. I played around with it, going from reverse to drive to 5th and so on. Suddenly, all four wheels turn but rather slowly considering the RPM. Also, as I'm accelerating, the tires "brake" and stop and start going again. I turned off the DSC and the same thing happens.

I'm just don't want to replace the transmission.

Lately, I have been reading about the ZF transmission. The more I read the more confusion although I feel more confident that if I have to do it I will try to do it myself. That's thanks to Phil posts on a few forums and Louis here on this one.
Phil seems to be an expert and very generous sharing knowledge.
Now, here is my tranny problem. One day coming from work one of the hoses from the heat exchanger came out and all the ATF was dumped on the road. I should have stopped the second I noticed but I didn't know what happened and I tried to make it on top of an overpass so I don't create traffic jam. I replaced both hoses and put new filter and amsoil ATF. I didn't have any problem before and the transmission was never serviced (215000km). Now I got a hard downshift from 2nd to 1st sometimes and sometimes a hard shift from 3rd to 4th but most the time works very well. Where would the problem be, on the body valve or the clutches? I just had the engine out in the spring and I am not looking forward to take the tranny out. It looks like some people fixed the hard downshift by reman the body valve.
Any tip is appreciated.
Thanks

If the problem started when you had the leak and added fluid, I would try using the correct fluid. The Amsoil Universal ATF is claimed to work for just about every transmission by Amsoil, but it doesn't actually meet the LT71141 spec, it is just claimed to be an acceptable alternate by Amsoil. That specific fluid was developed with specific frictional characteristics to smooth shifts, and rough shifting is the problem you are experiencing.

It would be cheaper than just about any other fix, and might be worth trying first.

I would think it unlikely you damaged anything that quickly (tho not impossible given the mileage on the odo).

JCL is probably right but you would have to flush rather than just a drain and fill I think. If that fixes your problem you might want to think about another flush 10k miles later as I doubt that you would get all the Amoil out in one go.

Good luck!

I did the expensive oil change this weekend but no luck. I still get hard downshift from 2nd to 1st and a slip sometimes from 3-4th. I also noticed that when I drive at 80km/h and go in N then back to D sometimes I get a hard push, like a hard downshift and then it's ok. Sometimes it's normal, I move from N to D back and forth with nothing other than the rpms moving to the right speed.
Could this be a symptom of a valve body problem and a Valve Body Kit will save me or I should look for a TC and full transmission rebuild kit. I feel like the tranny controller does not change the gear at the matching IN/OUT speeds. Could be a sensor or something?

Hello everyone,
this may be a little offtopic but I have a 2006 4.8is with 53k miles which is having some issues with the transmission. maybe you can give me some input (much appreciated)

1. pause of exactly 2 seconds before engaging into reverse in drive, park or neutral-I heard something about a release of pressure but why from neutral? or just in general
2. slow to shift when cold from 1-2 and 2-3. It overrevs and then catches
3. when I am coming to a stop to roughly 5mph and then push the gas, the car jerks into gear
4. rough downshift from 2-1 when decelerating before coming to a stop.


Should I re-program the tranny with new software? Any other ideas? I would really appreciate any insight into this

OK,

I think its my turn to join the tranny club. HAHA well these are my current issues i have started to notice ever since the temperature here in atl, ga has dropped to high 38-49 at night.

1) In the morning so far twice i have engaged in drive and it engages normally but right after it should switch from 1st to 2nd engine revs now i notices it and dont hit the gas rev only surges 100-300 rpm before i take my foot off the gas and give it a sec and then its ok.

2) I have noticed that when im just coasting with my foot on the gas peddle applying a bit of gas to keep or maintain my speed especially 55-62 specifically around 62 while the RPM is dead on 2,000- 2,200 I start to get jolts. as if on/off on/off like the torque converter is engaging then dissengaging but i do not see any changes in rpm. at first i thought maybe clutches are going but then shouldnt my rpm surge?

but im not sure if its tranny since i pulls fine from a rolling to 90mph no hesitation nothing no blurps or hicups just a constant shifing to 5th and then just keeps pulling but while coasting its like right side of the car is hitting somthings or im loosing power and i get jerked back and if i let go of the gas things normalize.

any input would be great.

Me too
 

I am experiencing the exact same symptoms on my X5 with the exception of #1. I have a 2006 4.4 with 58K miles. My CPO ends on December 30, so I will have to visit my dealer soon. A couple of years ago, I informed my dealer of some unusual shifting when coming to a stop. At the time they told me it was normal. Since, it would occur infrequently I did not think much of it.

Cmetter, try checking the fluid level.

Hey TriX5 what made you decide that you had a bad torque converter? Today i finally have started to hear some noise so the car is parked till i can get it fixed. ive compared the noise i hear plus the location to youtube videos of bad torque i can now say 100% i got a bad torque. Can you confirm what you heard or symptoms?

@178k I guess I better knock on wood. LoL. Did the fluid and filter change last week, but need to drain and refill again as the initial fluid/ filter swap only gets half out. Still shifts great....

So, after reading many threads on other forums about TC and matching sounds to mine. Some folks here said they received an error code regarding slippage but I have none. Now yesterday after i finally made it home I got the tranny fail safe mode. But no engine light or anything. I will try to read it and see if any codes are posted. Im also wondering if the vibration that I have been fighting has just been signs or a going bad torque converter? some research has shown that some ppl did have this on other model cars ....so I was just curious?

Artman, I got tremendous slippage going up hill. So something was wrong. Once I got it out, the failure was clear by looking in to the open end of the shaft. Anyway, it was making a nasty grinding/ringing kind of noise that was fairly easy to deduce it came from the bell housing.

PS I never got the TFS code either.

Ok so im about yo drop my tranny to get the converter out.

I have a 2003 3.0 april build date.

the converter has this stamped on it: Metal Stamp - 2421 5581 (on Cover) (part 4249 at Torque Converters - Precision of New Hampton $232 plus shipping (35lbs so about $30 one way and they ship back i believe)


My tranny has these on the label: GM 75 0 or 8 then 603
in large print 3GXU
P31 - - 086 5894

the green label on the pan says use: 8322 0024 359.

Real oem says i have a GM 5L40E (A5S 390R - XU)

now im confused are the trannys the same or do i have a different tranny.

and which oil is now being considered best to use....I looked at many threads but most say ZF tranny and i have a GM....more reading i guess. if anyone has input feel free to add...

Go to getBMWparts.com and you can shop parts by VIN, so you'll be able to tell what you have. (it's a BMW dealership)

Not sure if it helps, but I've been using Valvoline Maxlife in my BMWs for years with perfect performance. Just about anything is better than what came in it years ago. In my case, over 10 years.

well all point that its a gm and it used dexron 3 but now CASTROL TRANSMAX DEXRON®–VI AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID IS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN ALL GM VEHICLES. is being recommended


i read that some folks stuck with redline d4 atf and ppl were afraid to switch to the new dexron 6 but its 2011 and its been a couple of years. does any one whos changed their tranny in a 3.0 with the gm tranny used dexron 6?

Wow great thread.

So my symptoms.

77k Miles, 2006 4.8is
1. I hear a whining noise before shifts.
2. I get a vibration happening at certain speeds. I was actually thinking wheels need to be re-balanced.
3. I get the lurch when coming to a stop. This is pissing me off the most.
4. Sometimes reverse takes about 2 sec to engage.

Should I be taking it into a trans shop as soon as possible? Anyone have any good trans shop around NYC tri state area. Never had a trans failure before.

1 - if whining noise increases with revs it's possibly your torque converter or crack in intake hose. If in park, could be idler/tensioner pulley. I used to hear a whistling sound at aggressive upshifts, i found no culprit and dealer said it was normal operation from vacuum pump. Switched to a cold air intake and never heard it again.

2 - in my experience, similar symptoms led to one of the following or a combination...wheels, bearings, rotors, control arms. Depends on where and when you experience the vibrations.

3 - the notorious rough downshift (2nd to 1st gear). After several trips/diagnosis/PUMA cases with dealer, there was zero actual resolve. They recommended topping of trany fluid, resets, replacing trany. Dinan software helped a bit but it was still intermittent.

4 - dealer has said it's normal in the past but long story short...i ended up rebuilding trany and purchasing a new TC.

Contact Bimmer Clinic (Bill) or Bay Diagnostic (Al or Jordan) and ask them for recommendations. I had two 4.6iS trany's rebuilt by a former BMW tech in NYC. If i find his math i'll forward it to ya. North East roads and weather are brutal...the reason why i performed preventive maintenance (outside of service intervals) twice a year to prep for summer/winter seasons.

Thanks Willi.
1. I do not have any noises in park. Everything sounds healthy. I get the whine before shift, slow driving. Aggressive driving seems to be fine, but I might not be able to hear it because the exhaust is just too sweet.

This does not always happen. Random.

Which intake hose are you talking about. Or can it be any one at all. Thanks.

Could be anywhere...not always simple to discover either. But the symptom is a whistle sound instead of whining.

The first experience with a torque converter was mostly audible at lower speeds. It was intermittent as well but grew louder over time. Learned a valuable lesson as i didn't address the TQ issue promptly and metal shavings entered the trany causing further damage. Second experience...acted promptly and repairs were considerably less. Preventive maintenance is key.

Good to know. It also seems to whine more often during acceleration out of a corner. Curious if that changes the symptoms any.

[QUOTE=SlickGT1;854179]Wow great thread.

So my symptoms.

77k Miles, 2006 4.8is
1. I hear a whining noise before shifts.
2. I get a vibration happening at certain speeds. I was actually thinking wheels need to be re-balanced.
3. I get the lurch when coming to a stop. This is pissing me off the most.
4. Sometimes reverse takes about 2 sec to engage.

I would start with a simple drain and refill. This will give you a chance to see the condition of the fluid and check for debris on the magnets as well, if you drop the pan. If you go that far, you might as well change the filter while you are at it. www.oembimmerparts.com sells the filter kit with pan gasket. I just serviced my X5 @ 177k. I'd not recommend anyone go over 75k without changing their fluid.

This is a cost effective and good place to start. It will only hold one 4-5qt jug of fluid on the drain and refill method, which gets 45% of the old out. With the mileage on mine, im gradually removing the old by draining every 1k miles or so, the refilling with Valvoline MaxLife.

Yea I am waiting for a new gasket and filter from ECS, along with another $400 worth of parts. Going to drop the pan and filter right away. I found a case of 12 of ZF lifeguard fluid online for around $200. Not bad I think. Ordering that today as well.

Nice! Went with the hi-roller fluid too! I looked at it and decided that the Valvoline MaxLife had always given me great results and would be better than what they had developed a decade ago when mine was filled up.

I hope this solves your issues!

Yea I wouldn't mind getting some cheaper fluid, but I just can't seem to find a comparable one to the ZF Lifeguard. Well it might be because I am an ATF noob.

hey all,

I have an 03 e53 4.6is. I'm running the Dinan S3 kit wich includes Vortech V-2 supercharger running 9.5lbs of boost, I have 175K miles on the it. I also added an M3 steering wheel with paddle shifters from Mr. Paddle Shift.

This car is my daily driver and it puts a smile on my face everytime I start it up. However, I have been having an ongoing issue with rough downshifts between first and second gear. I often drive this car in sport mode with manual shifts. My service engine soon light is on most of the time. The code is failure of the tourqe convertter to lock up. My local shop is suggesting a new (rebuilt) tranny and also replaceing the tourqe converter at the same time. They are not able to issoloate the issue.

I would like suggestions on where to go from here...

Thanks,

TB

The torque converter lock-up clutch in your 5HP24 is designed to spend the majority of its time constantly slipping unless you’re cruising at steady speed on the highway. To maintain a constant slip rate (around 2-3%) the LUC piston is fed a hydraulic pressure which is proportional to engine torque. If your engine is tuned (the transmission was originally designed for a maximum of 440Nm input torque) then clearly the PWM duty cycle on the proportional solenoid that supplies this pressure (shown in photo below) will be that much higher and the LUC will have to work that much harder to maintain constant slip. You could maybe try swapping the torque converter lock-up clutch solenoid with one of its three identical neighbours (labelled A, B & C below) to see if the DTC changed at all ?

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...t2008/EDS4.jpg

but at that mileage it probably would be sensible to replace the converter anyway. Was anything done to uprate the transmission when the engine kit was fitted (increased pressures, etc.)?

2-1 downshifts on the 5HP24 should be seamless as the engaging element is a mechanical sprag and not a clutch.

Phil

As written here: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...on-broken.html

I had that "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" at exactly 1400 and 1900 rpm when accelerating in D mode. Had that now since about 3 months and it was getting worse.
Dealer did a test drive and the first reaction was: new transmission. I told them that this is not an option since I believe only the lock up clutch might be the culprit.
They changed the transmission oil now (at least half of it - they said they cannot change the oil which is in the TC ....?!?)
I was also told that the error "gear monitoring 4+5" (?? Gangüberwachung 4 and 5) had been stored and after a 60 km test drive with the new oil it did not come up again. Now the rattling is much better but it has not disappeared.

Not really sure what to do now because a tranny change would be about €3.500.- (material only).

On different webpages I could read that changing oil more often might help here but ........ ?

Helmuth

I just updated main post with firmware update fixes. The EGS firmware update fixed the hard downshift from 2-1. So if you have a hard downshift from 2-1 make sure you update the EGS module before you do any further investigations. It might be an explanation but at this point I cannot explain why with the old oil the tranny was working fine and with the new one I needed to update the firmware. I guess the new firmware can handle the tranny better when some parts are worn out inside there.

Here is the part from my post on my 4.8is tranny fluid flush that pertains to this thread

:thumbup:

Phil[/QUOTE],
You seem to be knowledgable of the 5hp24 trans. My '03 4.6is has a throttle oscillation at constant speed under 62 mph. It feels like the torque converter locking/unlocking/locking/unlocking every 2 seconds or so. This only happens under light constant throttle between 1200 and 2100 rpm. When in cruise, no oscillation. When in Sport mode, no oscillation. 2-1 downshift in Sport mode is a little harsh, but seemless in regular D. No other symptoms, no codes. Dinan trans software installed.

Does this sound like a LUC solenoid issue? If the TC can be commanded to lock up when in cruise or Sport mode, seems like the TC is working normally and more like a valvebody solenoid issue. Any comments appreciated. 141k miles with no history.

I’ve already posted this over on a Range Rover forum but, as an identical torque converter is used in the 4.4l E53, I thought it may also be of interest to a few of you on here.

I’ve now disassembled my old (108k mile) 5HP24 torque converter so that the lock-up clutch, which was giving me vibration problems, can be examined. The vibration issue disappeared when the converter was replaced with a re-manufactured unit.


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...Impeller-1.jpg
Impeller vanes are radially straight in the F38 ZF 5HP24 torque converter


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...r/Stator-1.jpg
Torque converter stator element which houses a one-way clutch so that the stator is held stationary during the torque multiplication phase but can then freewheel once the coupling point is reached and the fluid flow direction changes


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...eteturbine.jpg
Torque converter turbine


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...clutchside.jpg
Engine-side of turbine showing castellated slots which engage on lock-up clutch friction plate


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ullLUCassy.jpg
Following removal of turbine, lock-up clutch assembly is exposed


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...drivinghub.jpg
Clutch piston is friction welded into impeller casing and part of its hub has to be machined away to release piston. Friction welding process has to be accurate to apply correct preload from six tangential springs to clamp LUC in ‘on’ position (i.e. transmission has to feed hydraulic pressure to engine side of piston to hold the converter ‘open’)


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...LUCPiston1.jpg
Lock-up clutch piston after removal


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...lateinsitu.jpg
Lock-up clutch friction plate in impeller casing


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...plateclose.jpg
Though I was expecting to find the friction plate completely worn it had 0.72mm (0.028”) of material left on each side (but unfortunately I don’t know what the thickness of a new plate is nor ZF’s wear limit) and looked in fine condition


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...attermarks.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ttermarks2.jpg
The only indication that there’d been any problem with the clutch were chatter marks on metal friction face of the piston


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...lersurface.jpg
Opposing metal track on impeller casing looked smooth & free from damage


So, although not immediately obvious from its condition, this lock-up clutch was causing vibration issues in my Range Rover at low engine speeds (the cattle grid noise) which were cured once it was replaced with a re-manufactured unit. My only theories at the moment are that :

a) the friction plate had worn sufficiently for the preload applied by the tangential spring straps to reduce enough to cause a stick-slip effect during the converter’s ‘continuous slip’ operating phase (typically only around 3% relative speed)

b) the friction plate started out with grooves in the friction material to allow fluid to flow across the surface when it was engaged and these had worn away causing the friction faces to overheat (or at least change the friction coefficient).


ZF vs GM

Okay, so maybe the friction material in the ZF 5HP24 torque converter LUC wears eventually to the point at which it causes a vibration due to lack of clamp force – a sort of early warning system. Judging by the amount of material still left on the plate though, replacement isn’t urgent and the transmission will soldier on for a good while without causing further damage.

On the other hand, the GM 5L40-E transmission in the 3.0l wears through its LUC friction material (due to low system pressures) without any warning at all - it’s fitted with a torsional vibration damper - and the first you know about it is when it dumps huge quantities of metallic debris into the fluid causing the whole transmission to grind to a halt, by which time it's too late.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...verter/LUC.jpg

I think I prefer the ZF system!

Phil

RRPhil. I wanted to ask you something for a while.

Can the whine I am getting at 2000rpm be the torque converter?

When driving, at 2k rpm, every gear I get a steady whine. If I go below 2k rpm, or above 2k rpm, it goes away.

I took a long drive on Sunday, the whine went away about 30 min into the drive. It came back after the car stood for 6 hours. And again went away 30 min into the drive home.

It will whine at 2k rpm in neutral and park as well, much less noticeable, I am guessing due to no load.

Had this since day one of owning the car.

Please advise if you can. Thanks.

If it’s not the engine itself then engine speed dependent noises tend to be torque converter or oil pump based if heard in Park & Neutral. Why it should make a noise specifically at 2000rpm and no other speed is much more difficult to fathom.

I believe you have a 4.8is with the 6HP26 transmission? I need to check because I don’t know if the pump flow control uses the same system as the 5-speed but one of the big challenges with the design of a fixed-displacement pump like the ones used in the 5HP24 (below) and 6HP26

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...08/OilPump.jpg

is, once you’ve provided adequate flow at the minimum engine speed (say 600rpm), how do you then deal with the surplus flow when the pump is producing 10 times that amount of flow at 6000rpm – way in excess of what’s needed. In the 5HP24 there’s a flow control valve in the pump housing that deals with the excess flow by feeding it back into the suction side of the pump (thereby also saving power & reducing cavitation)

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ntrolValve.jpg

The flow control kicks in at 2000rpm (see graph) – you can see where I’m going here…

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...atevsSpeed.jpg

As I mentioned before, I need to check if the 6HP26 system is the same, but I was wondering if your noise might stem from the pump/flow-control area of the transmission?

On the 5HP24 the flow control valve can be removed and checked (spring free length should be 82mm)

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...ingValve-1.jpg

by undoing the retaining plug on the LH side of the intermediate housing

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...entionBolt.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...holeCasing.jpg

I guess this isn't a particularly likely cause of your noise, but I will check to see if the 6-speed uses the same system.

Phil

Wow thank you Phil, I'm very happy you are taking the time to help me diagnose this.

I like your train of thought. Yes you are correct, I have a 4.8is with the 6HP26 trans. Yes the noise "feels", like its right under my feet. And it happens right around the 2k rpm range (maybe 1900 rpm) and hangs on for a couple of hundred rpm. Then it seems to subside.

I am going to try to do my fuel filter tonight, and I will check if I have that plug in that location.

Am I to expect fluid to come out if I remove that bolt? If so how much, do I need to prepare for another fluid top off?

If no fluid comes out, I can take out (presuming I have it) that plug, valve, spring and measure. I just need to know what the speck would be, and where I can pick up those components.

Thank you in advance.

Having looked into this a bit further I now get the impression that the 6HP26 doesn’t have a pump flow control system like its dad, the 5HP24. It still uses a fixed-displacement internal crescent moon pump but it’s a smaller capacity (at 19.1 cc/rev) than the 5-speed because of reduced leakages and a lower cooling flow requirement in the 6-speed. The hydraulic circuit doesn’t show any flow control valve for the pump.


http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...lowControl.jpg

Sorry to have given you false hope!

Phil

Thanks Phil. I was under the car yesterday, and could not find the bolt for the flow control valve.

So this brings me back to the same question. What can be causing the 2k rpm whine, that can be felt under my feet? And can a failing Torque Converter be doing this?

Thanks in advance.

WOW, RRPhil know BMW transmission! Were you involved in the design?

I think he is an Uber trans re builder, fixer, guru, the man.

No doubt! He says it, it's gospel. He backs it up with pic, graphs, schematics to boot!

RRPhil, Sir,

may I ask you what my "RRRRRRRRRRRRRR" at exact the same rpm on a 3.0d 2002 may be. It is only in "D" not in "S". BMW was not able to find it, they wanted to change the tranny. Seems I have the same symptoms as SlickGT1 but a rattling noise and vibrations instead of a whining sound.
BMW specialists (if they exist when it comes to transmission probs) told me that the transmission will fail and I will not be able to move with the car in some time. They also told me that this is happening several times per year around their garage .........

Thank you in advance

Helmuth

Yes, unfortunately the GM 5L40-E (BMW call it the A5S390R) transmission fitted to your 3.0 d suffers badly from issues relating to reduced hydraulic pressures caused by increased leakage in the valve block due to wear.
One significant consequence is that the lock-up clutch in the torque converter wears through its lining and deposits huge quantities of metallic debris into the fluid

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...verter/LUC.jpg

The noise you’re hearing may therefore be the lock-up clutch giving up the ghost (and not absorbing the engine’s torsional vibrations). You can sometimes see the engine revs on the rev. counter bouncing up and down by a couple of hundred rpm during the vibration.

The lock-up clutch operates on a different shift map in the ‘D’ and ‘S’ modes.

Another possibility is that the screens on the PWM solenoid that activates the lock-up clutch have become blocked or damaged

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i.../TCC_PWMSV.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...WMSolenoid.jpg

I think as a starting point you need to have the fluid drained and checked to see if there’s metallic debris in there (or stuck to the sump magnet). If the LUC has worn through its lining then, as the BMW specialist has said, it’s just a matter of time before the hydraulic circuitry becomes affected and the transmission starts to drop into failsafe mode.

Sorry, that didn’t sound very optimistic did it?

Phil

Phil,

really sounds not so optimistic but when I read what you write is seems to be repairable. Unfortunately the BMW guys - and I am really in a very good garage - see it a different way. Is that normal for BMW garages NOT to repair the trannies but simply replace them? Or should I anyway go to a rebuilder with that problem?

Thank you again. Really appreciate your help on that!!

All the best, Helmuth

I’m sure the dealerships feel it’s more cost effective (for them) to just replace the whole transmission. It’s unlikely that any of their technicians will have been trained to do anything more than a TC or valve block swap on an automatic transmission anyway. The transmission’s running gear is not included in the BMW parts lists so they’d be unable to get spare parts through their usual system.

If the torque converter LUC problem was due to a weakness in the converter itself then I might recommend simply swapping it for a new/re-manufactured unit (which is exactly what happens with the ZF units). Unfortunately, as the failure stems from the hydraulic control system, the moment the TC is replaced the failure cycle will start over again because you haven’t cured the root cause.

Generally, therefore, if you’re having to replace the TC and the valve block and clean out all the running gear due to the metallic debris contamination, you might just as well fit a replacement transmission. If you’re going to do that, you might as well continue to run your transmission until it starts to drop into failsafe or refuses to engage Drive.

All of the above assumes, of course, that the metallic debris generation process is already underway in your transmission – so you really need to have the fluid checked before deciding what to do next.

Phil

Thank you again Phil.

The dealer has changed the transmission oil ~2000 km before and unfortunately I did not ask how it looked like. The oil change made the rattling a little bit better but it did not disappear. Will have the oil changed again at the next service and will ask of course.

I hope my tranny doesn't fail when I am far far away from home.

Great members in this forum BTW !!!

Helmuth

Hi guys - great level of knowlege here - very impressed!


I hope somebody might find this scenario familiar - with my 2006 4.8iS I am now getting a harsh vibration on idling which cycles 30 seconds on, 7-8 seconds off - I can feel it through the steering and dash, and had a good listen in the parking lot today - seems to be coming from under the left bank as you would look at it from under the hood. The 'on' phase coincides with a hydraulic charging sound (hiss), the vibration gets bigger, then tapers off and dies on the 'off' phase.

The problem is worse from cold starting after at least a couple of hours; at the same time there is a very hard / late shift from 1st to 2nd gear, but not any other gear change. The oil temp seems to be nailed to 50 for the first 5-10 mins although it warms up to 90-ish after 10 mins driving.

I tried changing for a lighter grade oil, new ATF, tranny filter and gasket, had new fuel pump and filter, replaced power steering hoses (slow leak), trickle charging, each of which has improved the ride, but I have yet to nail this one. Please don't let me rationalize and trade my beautful car in for something completely boring!!

Tranny Issues..
 

This is for you Sir Phil,
Car: 4.6is, 02, 129K, DINAN II trans software

Symtoms:
1. Harsh thump from 2-1

2. REVS seem to be high but the beast does not seem to be moving like it used to. It does get going after 40+ from start, but taking off very slow..dragging.

3. Service Engine light comes ON & OFF. no particular interval with no warnings, it has never experienced Trans fail code yet.. (TW)

4. It does seem like the tranny is slipping 4-5 gear.

Thanks for all your help mate! :thumbup:

link not working (unless it's supposed to take me to the main forum and not to a thread), i'm having this problem and would like to know more about the kit. thank you!

Fixed. For some reason they changed the links on their forum.

thanks! appreciate it

I've had my 05 4.4 at the dealer for the following:

1. on quick stops it seems I am catching the trans from downshifting into 1st, so when I quick stop and start it isn't in gear then it jumps because it shifts to first while I have pressed the gas.

2. this is the most annoying of the scenarios... at 40MPH on level ground at a steady speed it seems to slip in and out of gear causing a jerking action.

3. going up or down hills will cause the trans to either stay in a low gear too long before shifting up. it holds the RPMS and no matter if I let off the gas or increase speed it does not shift.

Of course the dealer could not get it to duplicate any of this. Such a waste of time. Initially they thought they would update the codes as they found a scenario where the codes fix this, but come to find out it was for a 3.0 model.

They did set the adaptive learning to defaults so it would re-learn my driving but this is very annoying and I am afraid it meaning something is going wrong with the transmission and I don't want to wait until it completely breaks to fix it.

Kevin

Phil, Louis and others that know the insides of the 5hp24 tranny I need an advice.

I am at the point where I need to take the tranny down and fix it. Not sure if it's better to buy the transmission kit before I open it up or open it up and then buy what it's needed. Since I don't want to have the car unusable for too long I would prefer to have all the parts before I take it down.

Recently I get the vibration once in a while as well beside a hard upshift o slipage from 3-4 sometimes before warms up.
I already bought the VB kit and I can start with that but this is not going to fix the vibration which is caused by the TC based on what I have been reading so far.
Since I will have the transmission out I would like to rebuild it but what is the package I need for this job? Please see the link below:

Transmission Kit : Automatic, Standard Transmission and Transfer Case Rebuild Kits, Cobra Transmission Parts 1-800-293-1848

Master or Banner kit or what else?

Thanks

Read my thread from about a year ago.

Consider buying just the book first. Then decide. This trans is pretty simple mechanically, but you need space, be organized, etc.

Need a Reliable shop for Trans fluid flush/change
 

Fellow X'rs, does anybody know of a good shop that are honest and know what they are doing, in the Bloomingdale, IL area for Transmission fluid flush/change or better yet give me their honest opinion as to what is going on with my trans!

thank you for any input/suggestions and as usual for all the gurus :thumbup:

ps. already tried the dealers and usual with them ...replace!

Hello everyone!
noob so please don'=)t hate!!

I guess I'm also in need of some help with transmission issues that I have been encountering with my 2001 BMW 3.0i (62,000 miles).

I read what other issues people had, and well my symptoms don't match. trying to get a better understanding on whats going on, I don't want to be taken advantage of at our local Indy Shop. All the Help would be Greatly appreciated!

Car Specs:
2001
3.0i
Auto
62k

From a stop sign to stop sign, when hard acceleration then applying brakes quickly transmission clunks. Its very hard to describe, but it only happens when decelerating.
I do have some slipping when in reverse and on huge hills. I really never put both of the issues together but if someone believe both are related kindly let me know. thanks x fans!

Check your engine mounts, and trans mounts. Put car in drive, hold brake with one foot, pull up e-brake, hold brakes hard, other foot give it some nice throttle. Have someone else look at engine from side. If mounts are bad, engine will rock significantly, upon releasing the gas pedal, you should hear same clunk as engine comes down. Engine should be tight, no rocking when mounts are good. I'm not responsible if you run someone over when trying this. If brakes are firmly planted, it shouldn't go anywhere though. Maybe have your indy test this out.

Thank you so much for the tip!! ill be checking into that this weekend! BIG Mahalos

Florin,

I am at Frankfurt Airport and can't check my records but from the top of my head, I bought the overhaul kit, the friction disk kit, the valve body kit, a A/B clutch radial bearing and the ouput bearing. Ofcourse you need a filter as well. I bought new oil lines to/from the cooler and new quad rings to and from the cooler.

Have your TC remanned. I bought one ready to go and returned mine but it was more expensive. Don't worry too much, it looks worse than it is. Good luck!

Thanks guys. I am getting ready.
Louis, how long will you be in Germany for? I will be there in a couple of weeks or so.

Actually I use Frankfurt only to go to the Netherlands. There are more flights then to Amsterdam. Downside is that is adds 2.5 hours to the drive home. Upside is: No speed limit!

I am going again later this week for a few days and next week I am in Toronto. Hopefully my last trip until the summer. Finally time for my construction project!

Hey guys, how can I check the level of the transmission oil? is it in the engine hood?

No dip stick. Search transmission level. Lots of info here.

A quick update.
Although I bought the VB kit a while back, I didn't have the time to do it yet. But, I also bought a tranny that has a delay to engage in D (I drove it before) for a few hundreds with 125k km. I swapped only the VB last night and the gears shift so smooth but I still have the lurch from 2-1st unfortunately. I also get the shudder once in a while. The lurch was reduced a lot after a firmware update and I thought swapping VB will get rid of it completely. I used ZF lifeguard.
The plan is to rebuild the spare tranny and do the VB soon now that the weather is better.
BTW... problems never end. I also need to replace the front axels and all wheel bearings.

newbie here have the same issues...mine is 2001 4.4, after seeing 2 different indie shops both came up with different guess.

1 indie said it is the TC, other one said it is the transmission pump. Need Advise do i need to replace both TC and Pump, or is it the flow spring phil mentioned?

I am now thinking output shaft bearing on the transfer case. My actuator failed once and became rear wheel drive. Noise went away. Saw someone else have similar diagnoses. I'll pull that bastard off one of these days.

Hi eevrybody, been away in the work world lately.

My original trans just turned 155,000 miles. at like 153,000 the thing stated to do the engine fail safe thing, activated when I would press the gas pedal quick like. So I took it to the indie and he says it's time for a new tranny.

All the blood drained out of my head. So, I took it to trhe BMW dealer. I had 3 vacum leaks that were sending false codes and flipping the e f s switch.

they fixed the vacum leaks and it has been running like brand new for the last 1500 miles , no codes nothing.

To infinity and beyond!!!!

How 'bout nothing's wrong.

Maybe it aint over til the fat lady sings.
Maybe the indies aren't as smart as we think they are.
Maybe you change the fluid and the filter every 30,000 like me and see what happens.
And maybe it goes in the next 10,000 miles :dunno:

it is great, and useful for me.
___________
Allobd2

:D
the problems other than whining sound is I also lost the power and torque from the car especially at high speed. it hesitate to accelerate after 60mph... :yikes:
did the filter and oil change... problem still there :(

I have codes 49,52 and 59. I hate these transmissions! Is there an easy fix for this? Obviously it is an electrical problem or there would not be any codes so what should I look at first?
49- Symptom gear check
52-gear check 2
59 stalling speed...

That is an incorrect assumption. The code doesn't say what is wrong, it simply reports that something is out of range. That could be a hydraulic or mechanical problem, causing a sensor to report a problem.

The problem (for me) was that BMW seems to see the transmission as one piece which they do not repair. They only replace it.

Are you having only that codes or some special probs with your transmission like rattling sound, hard shifts, .........?

Good luck,

Helmuth

slipping then a hard shift then the light. I did an oil drain and fill and changed the filter.

Hi all,

I've got a 2001 X5 with the 3.0 with about 166k. A while back as I was going to work the car suddenly felt like it was in neutral. I pulled over and put it in to reverse, it backed up a little bit but then felt like it was in neutral again. I put it back in drive and it didnt go anywhere.

I had it towed home and did a drain/fill of the trans. Smae thing, it will go forward and backwards but as soon as I try to give it gas it stops.

There was a slight wirring noise from under the vehicle just before this all happened so I figured it was the torque converter. I got a reman converter and replaced the old one but it is still the same.

Any ideas on what is causing this? I've seen some talk about valve bodies and solenoids but not sure how to determine of they are the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! All three of our vehicles are currently out of commission (it's been a bad week)!!

Check the splines on the rear of the front driveshaft. They don't engage fully, and can strip. Usually comes with more noise, but symptoms are very similar.

If it comes down to the transmission, you need it diagnosed and the pressures checked before replacing any more parts.

This thread is scary and it makes me want to sell my 01 x5 with 120k on it before the tranny goes out. but anyway..

I am having the same issue as above i have noticed the problem is worse when the tranny is hot

Thanks JCL. I didn't specifically check them but I didn't notice anything wrong with them when I took the transfer case off. If they were stripped I probably would have noticed them. I will check today to be sure.

I have a 2002 X5 3.0 with the GM "Built in France" Transmission. Mileage is just about 176,000. I do service my transmission at 50,000 mile intervals. I use the Pentosin ATF fluid. My transmission just started giving me trouble. It will not shift into reverse right away, and when it does, it only backs up very slowly. If there is any incline, or hill, forget it. It won't back up. All forward gears are fine, shifts through them just fine. I have read about the TCC Solenoid. I got one for about $65 bucks, so I am going to try that. I also picked up a used transmission with about 74,000 miles on it just in case. I also downloaded the factory overhaul manual for the transmission. I can email it to anyone, just send me a message. [email protected] The manual states that the transmission takes DEX III, so I am going to have it completely flushed, and filled with the Valvoline HighMileage Synthetic ATF, and new filter. I will post back with the outcome.

Jason

For the last few days when I put in R to back out of garage, I have noticed the truck lurches pretty hard, and then again when I put in in D to drive off.

Once I drive off, it seems the transmission start out in 3rd or 4th instead of 1st, and stays in 3/4 until I arrive at my destination. I have no issue getting into R to park.

No strange noises or anything and other than being real slow during acceleration from a standstill, there seem to be no adverse effects.

Am I putting undue strain on my torque converter?

I did change the transmission fluid about 200 miles ago at a little over 133k. That was the first time the fluid was changes.

Any ideas what to look for? Maybe clogged passages in the valve body from doing the fluid change?

The 5HP24 fails safe to 4th gear (A & B clutches engaged) with an open torque converter, but this mode is usually accompanied by TRANS FAILSAFE PROG being displayed on the message centre. Are you getting any warning messages?

Phil

If it was shifting good before, I would check to be sure its FULL. The instructions are very specific about temp and balancing the vehicle on all fours. My first guess would be fluid is low.

Alternatively, your battery could be going if you've never replaced it. I just find it suspect that this is happening so close after the change. If you did the filter and all, I would drain and refill it (without removing the pan) - 200 miles is enough to mix the old in with the new. Ive always used Valvoline Maxlife in these transmissions with great results.

Phil, I'm not getting the TRANS FAILSAFE PROG message, but let me double check since I have been getting the LICPLATE LIGHT message ever since installing my rear backup camera, so I might have missed it.

Duke, I did follow the instructions carefully when replacing the fluid. Trans cold, engine running, shifting through all the gears, then topping off the fluid. Took almost 8 quarts in total. I let it drain for several days with the pan off. I'll do another drain and fill (I got just under 4 quarts if ZF fluid left, will that be enough?)

Battery was replaced less than a month ago, but I have been playing with installing new aftermarket amps and tuning them, so the battery might have been low on charge this morning. Maybe it will do better when I take it back out lunch today (work is a 20 minute ride from home).

Will look for any error messages and report back this afternoon.

Thanks!

That could be it! Unlock your cluster and you can monitor your voltage. When you have done this, turn the key to pos 1 and you can see your battery voltage at rest. GL!:thumbup:

Or just drop $5 and pick this up. When I road trip I always have one in the vehicle. 1000th post!

Good news! I guess it must have been the battery being low. No issues going out for a bite to each for lunch. No error message, and smooth shifting into R and going through all the gears just fine, and I was able to manually select gears in sports mode.

I had no idea this transmission is so sensitive to voltage. The engine cranked over this morning with no signs that the battery was low.

Transmission question for RRPHIL
 

Hi ,hope u can help me ,have a 2002 x5 3.0 D , the transmission has been replaced at ca 180000km with the last owner ,it has now 220000 km , the problem is that now it has this : rrrrrrrrrrrr and vibration at 1400 rpm ,its the same if its in D or S , no other problems ,no slipping and no other sounds .
Hope u have a clue what this can be .

Ps : im from Norway ,so my english is not so good :))

Check out post #1 of transmission related symptoms. Sounds like it might be a torque convertor issue.

It has been impossible for me to determine if all the transmission problems posted happen to all the transmissions or if some are more problematic than others. Further, I can't decipher what transmissions are prone to which particular problems.

One of the reasons I am interested, while I am not having any transmission problems, I am over 100,000mi on the original transmission. When I have transmission problems I would like to be able to consider any other compatible transmissions that would be more reliable and able to handle more torque than my original transmission. Thus far, my take is I would have to pay big bucks for an aftermarket improvement.

Can anyone answer the question of which transmissions are problematic, which are prone to what problems?

It appears to me the people with the most problems are those who number one: perform frequent fluid changes (possibly with the wrong fluid); number two: reprogram or modify their transmissions, and number three: misinterpret worn driveshaft splines or low vehicle voltage as a transmission problem. I think the units are quite reliable under normal driving conditions. However, due to the higher performance characteristics of the X5 itself, many of us take on a more "spirited" driving attitude, thus advancing the normal wear cycle of the driveline. I have 242,000 miles on my 3.0 with a build date of October 2002. The fluid has never been changed and I have done at least 15,000 miles of towing a 1300 pound PWC & trailer in Texas heat with no problems at all.

In past lives with GM turbo 350s, 400s, 200Rs, a fluid and filter change every 30,000 miles was the norm. But with newer synthetic fluids and the precision of electronic controls, the internal wear factors have been sharply reduced.

Brian, I think we have the same trans (5HP24) except you have a slightly larger TC (due to the extra grunt of the 4.6). I did a fluid/filter change (3 drain/fill, new filter on last fill) at 100k miles. 173k miles now with no issues (even using the Castrol Multicar Import, some on here and B'forums stated failure would soon follow because of missing "friction modifiers"). Planning another series of drains/fills soon and will be checking the pan mags closely.

There's no such thing as a lubricant with infinite life (even syns) and I'm suspect of BMWs motivition in making such a claim at the EXACT time they began no charge sched maint. Even the maint sched provided with my X stated 100k fluid swaps, when I pointed it out to the Senior SA at a Florida BMW dealer it was dismissed a printing error. In the same breath he informed me that BMW translates trans lifetime as 100k miles.

I don't think there is any consensus on that question. All of the automatics in the X5 (GM, ZF, 5 speed, 6 speed, 4.6 variant) have had some amount of failures. Those failures don't appear to have been related to wear out due to overheating or overloading most of the time, but rather sensors, actuators, and random failures that are not precipitated by distance or load. The exceptions to that would be the 4.6 torque converters, and the early diesels (the GM trans was under-spec'd in the first diesels). It is really difficult to engineer in reliability after the product has been designed and manufactured. It involves a long development and testing process; neither is practical for an owner. You can't improve base reliability by doing things that aren't related to the common failure modes, ie replacing the fluid. That particular one usually won't hurt, but it isn't likely to help.

I don't think it is practical to swap in a different automatic. You would give up the electronic integration most likely. You could swap in a manual, but that seems like a lot of work.

Personally, I would just work to reduce the risk to the minimum possible, within the constraints presented. That is why I recommend ZF fluid and OE filters, for example. They aren't necessarily that much better, but they are lower risk.

I would have gone with the ZF fluid had I researched the topic more throughly B4 my 100k fluid/filter swap. I was listening for trans noise post fluid swap for around a year (20k miles). Now that my trans has gone over 70k on Castrol I will be continuing with it to see if I can get to over 200k (no plan on selling the X, drilled slotted rotors/refinshed calipers/CC pads and KW C'overs are going on soon, sub-10k value on '03 4.4 is not enough $s for overall condition).

I would be among those that change the fluid (every 50,000) miles. My transmission is also modified with Dinan transmission software. I also have all the Dinan mods plus nitrous. I am in Texas also, and have the original transmission at 110,000mi. That means there is at least one transmission in service that is still performing as intended having done all the above.

My question is--when a particular BMW transmission fails what are the likely causes in descending order of likelihood.

:iagree: BMW says the fluid lasts a 'lifetime'. I don't recall a communication from BMW saying WARNING--Do not change the transmission fluid. I change the fluid because I believe the capability of the fluid to properly lubricate declines as miles increase.

For clarification--the 4.6 torque convertor does not hold up as it should?

I think changing fluid is better, especially if a common failure works because of the lubrication or fails because of too much friction. I agree, changing the fluid may not prevent common failures but it should not hurt.

I don't think I am making myself clear. As an example--

If we were to take the first post of this thread that lists transmission symptoms and causes,
and, we applied that list to the 5hp24 transmission, how would that list be revised to list problems in descending order, with one being the most common failure?

I should have mentioned I have towed a 6000lb trailer for over 10k miles on the Castrol fluid (seen 120deg F on OBC outside temp in stop and go construction traffic, AC on max, over a dozen times in TX). Even towed a +7500lb sport boat/trailer combo twice between PA and NJ shore, picked up dropped off in the PA mountains.

BMW took it back (the "Lifetime" BS). On the e39 for example, the owners manual - up to 2002, this was exactly what was printed - lifetime fluid. Starting with 2003 (last model year), the print has changed with the 100,000 miles ATF change interval. My owners manual has the 100 k miles ATF change interval. However, if you attempt to do an ATF change at the dealership, I know of 2 different scenarios:

1. They don't do it, pure & simple (this was my case - I went there and asked for it)
2. Some select dealerships are doing it for a very hansom bill.

The issue why some aren't doing it (and I speculate here), is because if that tranny wasn't serviced on a regular basis, and now a client pulls in for an ATF change, and after the change, the tranny will grenade itself, the dealer is in for a new ZF (or what the case may be) unit. The proof would be that bill of sale, plus every repair made in a BMW dealership is warrantied for 1 year parts and labor (at least it is here, in my neck of woods).

Actually ZF policy is TO SERVICE the tranny every 100,000 Km or 60,000 miles. Just take a look at this post here, where a different forum member brought the BMW for a tranny service in Germany. I wish we had here in N America the same level of service for those trannies. I would go there 100% sure. The service includes more than changing the ATF. Just read on.

Worth EVERY cent. Why can't ZF provide that service here in the US????

I think that is a very reasonable approach, to continue with the fluid that worked for you. My only caution would be that without a spec to conform to, any fluid is subject to changes from time to time and the fluid you buy one year may be different than what you buy a year later. Oil companies are pretty famous for changing their fluids in the interests of marketing, usually calling it reformulation. What the spec does is provide some comfort that there is a standardized fluid being offered.

TiAg: I like your signature quote.

But we should also be dedicated to craftsmanship in writing, especially if we are going to expound the philosophy. ;)

:iagree: it is extremely important to be consistent with the fluid used both in brand and specifications.

Two year warranty from the dealer here in Canada. And you are correct IMO on the dealers not wanting to take on the risk. They only have to look at their profit/loss statement to see how much they make doing changes, and how much it costs them in transmissions that subsequently fail. Many shops do that and just decide they don't want the business, it is too much risk for too little reward.

bcredliner commented above that BMW doesn't say not to change the fluid. This is BMW saying that, through their dealer network. They don't say it in the owner's manuals (although the technical workshop manual says to drain the fluid and reinstall it if a dealer needs to drop a transmission pan for a sensor or actuator fix).

I haven't read a U.S. post that reads any X5 transmission should be serviced at some number of miles. Your reference is the E34 tranny and the international info is for the E34 tranny. Do they have the same transmission as some X5s ,and, if so, what model tranny is that?

I don't know how to ensure that consistency if using fluids that are not tested to standard specifications and so certified.

Personally, I am less concerned with the consistency of the brand. I think testing and certifying to the specification takes the brand out of the equation somewhat.

:iagree: The certification of the specifications would take brand out of the equation. As I interpret your post-- what is on aftermarket product is not certified so it is not a necessarily a match to BMW fluid. For that reason your recommendation is to use BMW Fluid. While most of us have a brand preference from past experience and we may have used that particular fluid with satisfactory results in an X5 tranny, that is not the safest way to go. Did I get that right?

Thanks JCL and I agree.

It was a toss up between that and "Don't corrupt the host to pasify the parasites."

No, no, no. It's also for the e39 tranny. They are equipped with the ZF 5HP19 & 5HP24 flavor, pretty much what the 3l & 4.4l engine have, up to 2003. ZF Transmission Application Chart & Specs

The ZF 5HP units are also used in the D2 (94-2002) Audi A8's and exhibit a similar number of issues (I have an A8 as well as the X5).

Some of the problems the Audi guys have seen:

1 - Hunting 4/5 (sometimes 3/4) - low revs with no accelleration at around the shift point, the revs will hunt up and down as if the box can't decide which gear to be in

2 - 'Shunt' - 60mph or so with a slow down, TC will drop lock and then bang back into gear.

Both usually sorted or at least reduced with a filter and oil flush (Audi also claim sealed for life). Newer models also suffered from the F-seal failure and would either only select reverse or not select it at all.

Preventative maintenance is usually better than cure, and 40-50k oil swaps seem to be the best option. Though in Europe we're a bit more spoiled for ZF shops, my local one does a oil swap using a special machine of some kind for about £150 ($220ish).

Since BMW don't have their own fluid (it is a ZF fluid spec, since ZF built the transmission) I would leave BMW out of it. I think it needs to be a fluid that meets the ZF Lifeguard spec (5 or 6, depending on the ZF transmission under discussion). The fluid could be from BMW, VW, Audi, etc, or from ZF themselves. It could also be from a major oil company like Shell, Castrol, Pentosin, etc, if the fluid in question was certified to the ZF spec. Many of them are.

What is available in the aftermarket other than the certified ZF fluids are a variety of generic fluids that their manufacturers claim will do just fine in a ZF transmission. And they may do so in some applications. Certainly some posters here have had good results with the non-ZF fluid they bought from time to time. But that is where the risk is. I think ZF know more about the fluid requirement than a distributor who blends ATF himself. And some major oil companies are selling a certified fluid alongside a different generic fluid (but with the same brand label) that is claimed to work in everything from a Toyota to a BMW, covering four or more different transmission manufacturer' fluid specs with a single fluid.

We all have our favourite OEM suppliers. I like Castrol myself, I have had good results with their products. But when I use a Castrol motor oil in my BMW I know that it meets the API SM or SN spec, and that it is also an SAE 5w-30. There are standard tests available, and those two specs provide a baseline. As much as I like Castrol as a supplier, I won't use a Castrol ATF in my BMW except in my power steering system, where it works fine. Castrol don't sell a certified transmission fluid that ZF has tested, at least not in my market. They certainly may do so in other markets.

What alerts me to the risk with the Castrol generic multi-vehicle ATF, just as an example, is that they claim it is a Dexron compatible fluid, and also a ZF Lifeguard compatible fluid. Compatible, not certified or tested. But we know that Dexron fluid (true Dexron) doesn't work in a ZF 5 or 6 speed transmission. The problems have been documented. It has to do with clutch engagement points. I know from experience that manufacturers fine-tune ATF recipes to resolve shifting issues, usually with friction modifiers. They have even shipped out the friction modifiers in small bottles to dealers, to add to a transmission that is exhibiting shifting problems. So I believe that the friction modifiers that they incorporate can matter. I am left with the conclusion that this generic fluid either isn't really a ZF compatible fluid, or it isn't really a Dexron compatible fluid. One of the above is true. Both cases are problematic IMO. Not taking anything away from Castrol here, but they, along with many other oil companies, use the phrases "certified to meet xxxx" and "suitable for where xxxx is called for" and the phrases are not the same. It doesn't mean that a generic fluid will cause a transmission to blow up, we know that isn't true. But it does mean that the DIYer or shop that uses a generic fluid in place of the certified fluid has decided to accept that additional risk. I just think there are enough risks with these transmissions without adding to them. All IMO.

:iagree: other than to note that my reference to BMW fluid was the fluid purchased at BMW not that BMW mfgs. fluid. For those that are unsure what is good fluid and what may not be good, the safest route (putting aside the cost) would be to purchase the fluid BMW dealers sell.

I would think any ZF fluid retailer is a better choice. BavAuto is usually cheaper when you go with the fluid/filter/gasket pkg vs BMW dealer cost.

I agree that the easiest route (aside from cost) is to use fluid from the dealer. But I don't think there is risk in using an actual Lifeguard fluid, as long as it is actually a Lifeguard fluid and not a generic one.

OCD me, but I wouldn't change brands of certified fluids even if I found another was better, unless it was a full transmission and torque convertor flush. The logic or lack of would be to avoid any possibility the two would not dance will together.

To me, that is one of the reasons to use a tested and certified fluid. That spec requires that any fluid that does meet the spec works fine with another fluid that also meets the spec.

If you use fluids with unknown compositions and additives, then yes, I can see the logic of staying with one brand or formula.

E53 3.0d 12/2005 6HP26X ISSUES
 

Hello everyone and thanks in advance for your help.

My car is an E53 3.0d year 12/2005 M-Packet with 190.000km, 6HP26X automatic gearbox and I think I have some troubles with the transmission but I don’t know exactly where.

I have changed the filter and the oil of the transfer case and gearbox 10.000km ago. I have bought the oil for the gearbox in eBay (ROWE ATF 9006), the filter in BMW and the oil for the transfer case in BMW. I have reset the values of the transmission case with the Inpa and all the filling of the gearbox made according the procedure.

The symptoms are these:

• When the car is cold and I drive in automatic, when the gear goes up from 2º to 3º it makes a noise (like slipping or something like that) and the speed does not increase in that moment. It seems like it changes again to 2º gear and again to 3º gear. This noise is only when the car is cold and with a few gas. If I change the gears from 2º to 3º in manual the effect is the same. This is the torque converter stuttering issue? Is possible to buy a remanufactured converter and is easy to change?

• I have changed front tyres last week and I have noticed that when I push down the gas pedal in 3º gear it seems to make some “clonks” or “knocking noise”. It could be that noise the transmission case chain has loosened and it slips? I so, I have to change only the chain or normally when the chain is loosening it damages other parts? It possible that this noise was because the rear tyre are more worn that front? (rear tyre has only 2mm depth and front are news)

• And the most common problem on this automatic gearboxes “The lurch”. Normally I drive a lot in city. When I stop the car in a traffic light and I loose a bit the brake pedal it suddenly change from 2º to 1º gear and the car moves forward a little with a punch. Normally when I drive on city I put in manual and I stop in second gear always. I took the car to the BMW dealer and they say me that the software was actualised to the last version. Do you know what is the last version for this gearbox and if it’s possible to know the version of the software with the Inpa? I have measure the gearbox oil temperature and is always in hot condition around 90 degrees, so the thermostat is correct. Is possible that this problem increase if the oil level is not correct at all? I have verified it at 40 degrees and when I loosened the cap the oil starts to came out (is possible that it has too much oil?). This problem could be fixed with a valve solenoid change?

Thanks for all your help and congratulations for this forum.

Kind regards,
JON

Hi Guys,

I did the fluid change this past summer and was getting the "TRANS FAILSAFE PROG" message. I posted about it here and it turned out to be low battery voltage as I was messing swapping out the stereo at the same time.

So it drove fine for the next few month until it started getting cold outside. I started getting the "TRANS FAILSAFE PROG" every morning when I started the car. I even left the car on a trickle charger overnight one time to rule out it being the battery again. It was not the battery.

After driving for about 15 minutes, I could shut off the car, and start it back up, and the transmission was happy again, except I noticed some jerkiness on the 2-1 shift coming to a stop.

I left it sitting outside and on a cold morning, I did the top off procedure again, immediately after starting the engine and was able to add just under additional quart of ZF fluid.

So I guess when I did the fill procedure this past summer, the fluid got too warn too quickly and I have been running around almost a quart low for the last 2500 miles or so.

Unfortunately, adding that missing quart of oil did not cure the "TRANS FAILSAFE PROG" message when starting the car each morning, and I still have the hard 2-1 downshift.

My commute to work is about 20 minutes, and other that slow acceleration from only having 1 forward gear, and sucky mileage since there is no overdrive when going 60 mpg, am I likely to have some sort of catastrophic failure by continuing to drive it the way it is?

Do I have any options other than dropping the tranny and rebuilding it?

You could get the correct fluid level by following the service procedure to set the level while monitoring transmission fluid temperature, but after that you are looking at pulling the transmission IMO.

I would get it to a well recommended transmission shop and get a diagnosis. BMW dealers do not work on transmissions.

Thanks guys. I'll call around to see if there are any transmission shows around here that has any experience with these BMW transmissions.

I have the Bentley shop manual and used the procedure in it. I'm puzzled that I was almost a quart low despite following their procedure to the letter the first time. At most 100 seconds passed from when I started the car until fluid started coming out the fill hole. Ambient was maybe 75 degrees when I did it. I have a lift, so I used a 6 foot step ladder to get into the car to start it and run through the gears, then back to park. The down the latter and remove the fill plug (already loosened and wrench ready to go, then fill with manual pump already attached to full 1 quart container with a 2nd one ready to go. Once the fluid started coming out, I put the fill plug back in and climbed back up the latter and shut down the car. Like I said, it was maybe 100 seconds before I had the fill plug back in. p.s. car sat overnight before I did it the first time.

What do you mean 100 seconds, ambient temp. You need to get to the specific temp of the oil, let it drain till it drips, and then close the fill hole while still being within the service temp of the oil. I suggest you either monitor it with a computer specifically made for out cars, or use a thermal gauge of some sort. You need to be topping it off between 30C and 50C.

Ok. I thought the big challenge typically was to get it filled before it got too hot once the engine was running, hence my comment about rushing to get it done within the first 100 seconds of starting the engine.

I do have an ODBC scanner app on my phone (Torque) and a ODBC Bluetooth adaptor. I'll check to see if tranny oil temp is one of the values it reads.

Assuming the worst, I called CT Powertrain Products to discuss their ZF5HP24 ZF rebuilt kit to confirm that what they had was correct for my 4.6is. It is, but he warned me that if I don't replace the torque converter at the same time I rebuilt the tranny, I'll just contaminate the rebuilt tranny and likely still have issues. He said there is no way to drain them properly and they contain a "transmission" of sort within them. He went on to say that the TC can't be properly taken apart and rebuilt, and that any mom & pop shop that attempts to do so will cause it to be imbalanced that could result in tearing the housing apart once re-installed. They do sell the TC, but it is very expensive at $1300. He said my best bet was to try to locate a complete package of a rebuilt ZF5HP24 along with the TC.

I'd love to just ditch the auto for a 6 speed manual, but as far as I know, the needed adaptor plates are not available. I know a Russian guy here on the forum (name escapes me right now), did it on his 4.6is, but he had them adaptors made in Russia at a reasonable price. He was considering fabbing up kits, but I don't think he got enough members to make it a go, at least not from what I could tell.

If I'm going to be north of $2k to fix my tranny, I'd rather spent another $1k or so and convert to a manual, and eliminate this weakest link of the X5.

Here are my problems...
Ever time Drive my care more then 30 min the transmission slips and jerks andtell i but it in sport mode. There is plenty of fluid and it really annoying but i.dont want to get the transmission replaced it its somthing simple to fix. I know that i have a bad battery but a brand new alternator. I willing to drian and fill to.see it that helps

Wouldn't a six Speed manual trans from a 540 work, assuming you could bolt up your transfer case to the trans?

I wish. I dont think so tho

I just had my zf 6sp checked out by a tranny specialist. Mine thumps down from 2-1 when coming to a stop and reverse take a while to engage. There are no fault codes. The guy test drove the car, noted that pulling away sometimes caused a slip too.

He concluded that bushes are worn in the tranny (not unusual for 50k to 100k miles), and the oil pressure has increased to compensate - the thump when changing down 2-1, is because the oil pressure is too high.

Sounds reasonable to me?

If in doubt get a second opinion from another tranny specialist. Similar symptoms show up with different root causes. I don't know of anyone here that is a transmission guru.

RRPHIL

Well, I got a second opinion from a highly recommended place. The guy asked the mileage and said it needs a rebuild - he said I've seen too many now to need to test drive it. Apparently the torque convertor is used in a wide range of vehicles from the z3 to the x5 and is marginal in the big x5. He recommended a rebuild at my mileage (100k). They were also the cheapest of three quotes - £1,600 plus VAT.

IMO, just because he has seen so many mean nothing. I would get yet another opinion that is based on having taken a test drive with you. I've always gone by---there is good, fast and cheap. Pick any two. As an example, you can have it cheap and fast but if won't be good. You can have it cheap and good but it won't be fast.

Front Differential/ front axle Sheared off
 

I suspect that a CV axle has failed inside the front differential and the metal pieces caused the gearing to halt abruptly which broke the drive shaft and destroyed the bearing and flex plate. I guess Ill know more when I pull the differential out.

Sounds like a mess. Very interested in what you find. Did you have any warning or symptoms?

well I bought it broke so I did not experience any symptoms. I have the front differential loose but I cannot get it out between the subframe and the motor...... Does anyone have any write ups on removing this or removing the subframe? jacking up the motor?,,, any manual I can purchase?.....

I did find that the front drivers CV axle had been replaced with a NAPA brand axle which potentially may have caused the failure.

E53 4.4 transmission issues - after rebuild
 

This is one I hope Phil (RRPhil) gets to see. Others are welcome to reply!

My X53 5HP24 transmission went "south". A local guy who works transmissions on the side "supposedly" rebuilt the unit for me. The seals were deteriorated and one of the drums cracked.

Upon it's return to me it ran well for 15 miles, then went crazy. After its second drive it went into failsafe in less than 2 miles, acting like it could not upshift from 2 to 3.

One instance it only worked in the manual mode. That short drive was successful.

Another instance it went a couple of miles in automatic, acted like it missed 2nd and 3rd gears, then went to failsafe.

A fourth instance in the manual mode it would start shifting by itself and the engine had not reached 3,000 RPM. Then it went to failsafe.

Last instance I was in auto. Went to the 2nd traffic signal, and proceeded once I had the green light. There was NO load on the transmission. Suddenly it BANGED into gear, and then into failsafe. The shifter was now in the manual position!!

Assuming the internals are all correct (new valve body, clutches, steels, etc) I am wondering about the "external" factors. The shift lever is not correct. It is not smooth or easy. Upshift is ok. Downshift is very stiff. What else to consider on the exterior? Or could it be internal?

Did they not road test it? Ouch! I hope you get it sorted.

I have the dreaded "thump/jolt/jerk" down into first when rolling to a stop. And reverse takes ages to engage. One garage said the bushes are worn which cause the gearbox to have too much oil pressure - and hence the thump when stopping.

Anyway, took it to a specialist yesterday for a rebuild (who says he has done loads of X5's and said they do need a rebuild at 100k miles - the torque convertor is the same as the Z3???), and so fingers crossed it fixes the issues....

The remanufactured units from ZF (V8 equipped X5s E53) are really good replacements to the ailing trannys of our X's . We have done 3 tranny replacments using the ZF remanufactured and they have been awesome and the customers have fallen back in love with their X5. The warranty is really good for the customers also.

Does ZF have a certified rebuild/install location in the D/FW area Jay?

With over 200k miles on the OE unit and no plan on selling the X, I know it's just a matter of time before I go the ZF reman route.

I have purchased the ZF reman Trans/BMW units from Gopowertrains out of Virginia. I had contacted ZF directly and they actually gave me contacts at two distributors here in DFW area and when I went to them they could not sell direct to me and said I had to go to a vendor or shop to order. So I was like who should I go to. They could not suggest a shop certified ZF vendor. Anyway, I came across the ZF reman that gopowertrains is distrbutor/vendor for and they shipped the transmissions to the shop where I had them installed, Import Car Center in grapevine (my brother is a BMW technician). Gopowertrains did not charge a core fee up front and packaging of the reman unit was real nice that we put the old trans right back in place and then contacted gopowertrains and the unit was picked up by truck within 2 days heading back to ZF in Illinois. It has been a pleasing experience all the way around. The last trans for an X5 was ordered on a Friday the Reman unit showed up from FeEx freight on Wednesday of the next week.

Thanks for the info Jay.

Without a certified ZF repair shop local, I will attempt to find a trans shop or BMW dealer that will accept delivery of the reman unit, then DIY the swap.

When I had my front driveshaft replaced, Autobahn BMW in Fort Worth was willing to locate a used transfer case for me and install that as a less costly alternative to a new unit. They've also been willing to install my Akebono brake pads in the past. I would think they'd be willing to do the work since it's a ZF certified unit. Ask for Charlie and tell them Steve with the 300,000 mile X5 with chrome wheels recommended him.

Sadly, the independent I was using in Dallas (Autoscope), is no longer willing to install customer supplied parts.

2002 X5 3.0 295,800 miles
2014 428i 15,500 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

I would really be surprised if they would do the transmission since the ZF unit you get to bring in to install is the same unit that they sell as the replacement unit from ZF but just at a higher price. Their quote was in the neighborhood of $6800. Trans accounted for $5200 of the price tag and the remainder was in labor costs. I have been able to save over $2000 on the same trans but from a different distributor.

Does anyone have the part number for the wire harness for the 5L40-E ? I can't seem to find one online. The plug for the TCC on mine is broken. My 2002 X5 3.0 has just over 200,000 miles. Revers is totally gone.

I bought a used 5L40-E from a 2003 X5 and it has the fill plug and the linkage connection on the passenger side of the transmission, where as mine, a 2002 has it all on the driver side. Whoops.

According to RealOEM the wiring harness part number is 24367551877

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psfb8ycca7.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...Wiringloom.jpg

Phil

Can you read off the numbers/letters in the top right hand section of the two green ID plates?

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i.../Nameplate.jpg

According to ATSG the position of the filler/level plug depends on whether the transmission is for a petrol or a diesel model.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psyjkj5ubn.jpg

Phil

Yes, I have the numbers off of both used transmissions I bought. I did not know about the difference between gas and diesel. Thank you.

Thank you! I think I have the right part number now.

Jason

LOOking for a rebuilt Automatic Transmission 2001 x5
 

HI; I'm looking for a source for a rebuilt Automatic Transmission for a 2001 X5.
Mine has the typical no reverse, probably the D-Drum.
Did BMW ever do a recall on this issue?

my trans issue is more simple so i hope it's just in need of a service which i'll be doing soon. hesitant to engage from park to drive when cold and then stays in 3rd as i'm going up inclines.

No recall that I know of. Since these transmissions made it though the warranty period, they wouldn't need to issue a recall.

I have an extra transmission for sale. The one I have for sale, has the shift cable, and the fill plug on the passenger side. about 92,000 miles on it. No torque converter.

Try this source:

Remanufactured 5L40E Transmission For Sale

2002 X5 3.0 308,800 miles
2014 428i 21,500 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

1970 Firebird - Under restoration

I cant seem to find any information on this, search isn't showing anything but perhaps I am wording it wrong. Can you put a 4.6 trans in a 4.4 without anything else? My transmission has gone and to minimize my downtime I would like to get a second trans and rebuild. In my neck of the woods there seems to be more 4.6 transmissions for sale then 4.4's. If anyone can point out information on this it would be appreciated.

The 4.4i and 4.6is are fitted with a different model of the 5HP24 transmission

http://www.xoutpost.com/820607-post7.html

Phil

I understand this, however it does not mean that its not interchangeable does it? I have found nowhere online that says that it cannot be used. I get it has different internals, and a different TC which requires a different bellhousing, however the M62 is an M62, so tell me why it will not work. Or better yet tell me that it will work. I realize it may require a different TCU, but again that should only be a coding issue correct?

If anyone has any real world experience with installing the 034 where the 029 was please chime in.

thanks
Dave

I agree that it would be interesting to hear from anyone that’s tried it.

The 034 model would certainly physically fit in place of the 029 unit. I would imagine that the torque ratio characteristics of the 280mm L51 converter would be similar to the 260mm F38/A85 but it’s unlikely to be a good match on K-factor to the lower torque engine so you’d be better off using the smaller torque converter. The bellhousing is made from the same casting so that wouldn’t be an issue. The remaining differences will come down to shift quality and whatever changes were made to the control system.

Phil

You might give IPT a call. The modify BMW transmissions. I suspect they would be a good source to get reliable input. There is also a good source on this forum. I don't know his handle but if your search some of the transmission related threads I'm sure you can find him and send him a private message. I'm pretty sure the at least the bell housing and torque convertor on the 4.6 transmission are different to accommodate the HP/TQ of the 4.6 but that doesn't mean it won't fix.

I've tried looking through the Trans posts, and there are several, do you remember just what this user did? I was hoping that perhaps he would chime in.

It is my understanding he rebuilds BMW transmissions. He is very knowledgeable. I think it is RRPhil that has already commented.

Same applies to XF Gearbox?
 

Hi fmugur

My 2001 X5 3D had the same issues described in Transmission (inside) points 1 and 2, slipping regularly and now it will only engage very briefly when the engine is cold and rev very high to move just slightly. Once the engine is warm, will not move at all. The gearbox is the XF one (made by GM) - do the fixes generally apply to this box too? Realoem quotes it as part 24007508857, A5S 390R - XF.

I tried topping up the oil (added 2L before it trickled out) but no difference at all. No error codes appearing.

Many thanks to you for your brilliant post!
G

If you had to add 2L of ATF in the trans and been driving with the trans that low, most likely the friction plates are toast and a rebuild is the only way to fix it. Didn't you notice any oil spot under the X at all?

Unfortunately not upallnight :( My previous tranny failed (before I got more adventurous with trying to fix it myself!). Got a second hand one and had a local mechanic fit it - worked fine for about 2 months, started slipping and then it just gave up :(

Transmission down shift hard
 

Hi,I'm newbie here.I changed transmission fluid on my 2005 BMW X5 E53 3.0i with castro transmax import multi Vehicle which said compatible with BMW.Lately I get trans failsafe pro. come up, downshift was hard and upshift slow ( although drive is fine)I think the fluid was incompatible with my BMW.Can I use Mobil 1 ATF Oil Dexron VI to replace fluid.I want to try before take the car to dealer.
Thanks for your input

The only aftermarket fluid I have "heard" to be acceptable is Redline D4. Be VERY careful as our transmissions are quite picky and will disintegrate for no reason as it is, let alone if we don't give them what they want! :stickpoke

:iagree: IMO no good reason to use anything other than what came in it.

Current ZF rebuild claiming to be from German factory is $2650 here

Europeantransmissions and...

:dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

Their reman process claims are here

remanufacturing process

Mike

The re manufactured trans from ZF gives you a two year warranty and this is the warranty that BMW gives you if you have the dealer do it for you. I would be skeptical of the transmission in the post you provided because 1.) it is not a remanufactured trans from ZF 2.) the warranty is only one year.

Whenever you're talking about an AT on this list, it is probably a good idea to check exactly what type you have and put it in your posting. The ZF's vs. the GM's are pretty different.

I'm pretty sure that your '05 3.0i has a GM AT in there, just like in my '01 3.0i. 5L40-E/GM5 (A5S 390R) to be exact.

BMW's current specification for ATF in these is DEXRON VI. Any ATF that is certified to meet the DEXRON VI spec is good to use. I do not think your Castrol Transmax is certified as such. But Castrol does make a DEXRON VI that should be fine. None of this applies to the ZF AT's; those are different.

If you're still trying to figure out what to do, I would recommend doing a fluid change or two or more with DEXRON VI. You will find some brands that say they are certified to meet the specifications of DEXRON VI, and some that say they work OK in cars that need DEXRON VI. Subtle difference there, so pay attention, and choose accordingly.

For example, Mobil 1 (and Redline, etc.) certainly make high quality fluids, but they may not be DEXRON VI certified. It will be a matter of opinion as to whether you opt for the high $$ non-certified brand vs. the low $$ certified brand. Up to you on that one. But remember it's a General Motors transmission you've got in there. Same as in my neighbor's Cadillac.

Good points.

They appear to be taking advertising license by stating they have a facility in Germany :dunno:

Mike

I used febi. 3k miles later no complaints.

The ZF remanufactured trans will have certification and documentation from ZF.

Hi,


Just bought a used 2001 X5. The other day, -15 degrees celcius outside, I was on the highway doing a steady 120 km/h suddenly the car redlined so I released the gas. I pressed the gas again and the same thing happened so I coasted it off the highway up to a red light where it wouldnt move. The car seemed to be in neutral no matter if I put it in Drive of Reverse. I turned the car off and turned it back on and played with the steering wheel back and forth and for some unknown reason the gears engaged again and it drove like nothing happened.


I drove it to a residential area out of the way in case it happened again and it did about 2 km from the first stop. This time no changes so I had it towed back home.


The car rolls even in park or gears. The transmission prior to this was very smooth and didnt feel any issues occuring. Now when I put it in drive or reverse the front drive shaft turns and makes a sort of metallic, broken bearing type noise near the front differential.


I bought a bmw scanner and it shows now issues with the transmission but says the "VTG Gearbox Control" has a "Communication Error: 1 System Equipped? 2. Cable Connected?" I thought it might be because I dont have the xdrive model and therefore no transfer case actuator motor, am I right to assume this? Not sure whats going on, going to pull the drive shaft tomorrow to check the splines but the noise is not comming from the splined end at the transfer case but from the front diff.


I just dont understand how the car was running steadily, then failed out of the blue and stopped. Then for no apparent reason started working again and driving normally then failed again so Im inclined to believe its an electronic issue although the sound leads me to believe otherwise.


I also checked the battery which was slightly low voltage yet the alternator is working fine. I ran the car boosted off my Subaru Forester to give it more juice after giving the X5 battery a full trickle charge to 100% and still no change.


Any ideas?


PLEASE HELP!!!!!:'(

You should probably start a new thread. If front driveshaft is turning and you're getting the noise and front wheels are not turning then that is where you need to start checking. Could be a problem with the front diff or drive axles.

Sounds like one of the front axles has popped out of the front diff. Has been know to happen and results in what you are seeing...

Your symptoms match those of a failed transfer case. Source of sounds can be misleading.

Happy New Year!

I have a 2003 X5 3.0 with 163,000 miles. When cold it will not move in drive, after a 10 min warm-up, it drives and shifts like a new car! Looking or suggestions

Check the fluid level first. ATF should be checked at 120F, on level ground and engine running. Remove the fill plug and ATF should be slightly coming out.
Sounds like it may be low.

JimG

Yeah, check fluid level first :thumbup:

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 :dunno: :dunno:

Mike

I thought about the seals as well but didn't want to jump to suggesting heavier repairs until the level was checked. Cold weather can certainly wreak havoc on old hardened seals for sure but OP is in VA so I wasn't sure how cold it has been and if he keeps it outside :dunno:

As my solenoid failures worsened, the tranny would not engage after a night of 40°F.

At the early stages of my issue with the solenoids it took an extended exposure in sub 25°F temps.

For several years before I discovered this threads solution, I employed a heating pad to the transmission oil pan and had no issues in cold temps as long as I was plugged in.

Mike

I have checked the fluid level which was fine. The solenoid replacement is a strong possibility. recently a nearby Indie mentioned the possibility after I described the symptoms, so I think I will give it a go, as otherwise its a great car! Question for Mike which is the TCC solenoid on the valvebody pics?

Thank you both for the help.
Jim

Hi JimG

I think this image may help you and they may be #3 and #4 :dunno:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...ctureLayer.jpg

Another image that I have in my archive suggests that the TCC solenoid is #4.

For the price, and if you are planning to keep the vehicle for a long time, I would suggest replacing both of the solenoids :dunno:

I will also offer that I have used AMSOIL Full Synthetic ATF in my E53/4.4i since 80K miles and now 113K miles with perfect performance and in my E46/330Xi as well from 80K to now 132K miles with similar results.

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...EA/?zo=1173195

Mike

What does the original post mean that the torque converter be replaced without pulling the transmission?

That's without OPENING transmission.

Hi!
I'm having a odd issue with my e53 3.0d 01 BMW.


When cruising on the highway, at 100+ kph, the car will raise around 200 rpm from time to time. Especially if the is a small incline. There is no other noise or vibration during this.

I'm thinking atm. that the lockup solenoid might have lived out its life, but i thought i would ask you guys out when im planning of removing the pan anyway.

Fresh oil, with less than a 1000 km, and topped of per, instuctions.


Any thoughts?

Should throw a code of its locking/unlocking like that at cruise for no reason.



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Hi. Thanks for the reply.

My thought initially. But I dont know what would trigger trans. Failsafe, Im not an expert on automatics in general, but understand them on a basic level.

Another question.
How is the solenoid triggered?
If the solenoid is triggered by 12v, or ground for that matter. How sensetive is the solenoid for a possible voltage drop?, say if the 12v supply has been slighty damaged? Maybe 5v, but you get the idea.

Battery is brand new, and car starts up with no issue, even when it has been sitting for 2 weeks, when im travling at work

It may not give you fail safe.
I had my valve body rebuilt on my 6HP tranny. They said the solenoid and the pressure regulator cylinder bore was all worn out.
It would throw a code for TC stuck open and closed. What would happen is if accelerate and the TC wouldn't unlock on command. It would throw a Service light and the code from the TCM was torque converter stuck open and close.

Some times it would do it. And it notice the higher rpm cruising and it would not give a service light on the dash. Then later in the day, it would appear.

So I'd say you should 100% have a code, at least with the TCM.
I don't know the solenoid voltage but they seem to go bad all the time. If it's just a lazy slow reacting solenoid. Maybe you won't have a hard code?


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If it is a transmission problem our resident expert is RRPHIL. If he doesn't provide input you could PM him.

03 4.4 transmission issues
 

I drive a 2003 x5 4.4. My rpm started bouncing a tiny bit in 3-5 gear when it is above 2000 rpm not as much in higher rpm but it happens. It will also go into transmission fail safe mode at some point while driving it. Is this the torque converter? It shifts smoothly and downshifts smoothly.