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05 545i Transmission Surging Issues help!

796K views 1K replies 264 participants last post by  s.harmon5300 
#1 ·
So for the past several months I have noticed that when my 5 gets between 35 and 40 mph it starts surging, like it starts loosing power but gains it back, and it only happens within 35-40 and just steady driving. I took it to the dealer, and there are no codes present, the service manager, tech's and the advisor all took a ride and felt it each time. They said they contacted BMW NA and that they wont do anything, unless it throws a code, but when I call them(BMWNA) to talk(complain) about it they tell me it has to have a code as well, and yet I still ask them why I am driving around their car that has issues that they wont fix, and all they can say is sorry until a code comes up. Has anyone had any issues like this with the surging transmission, or know how to talk to Customer Relations so that something does happen? It's just really annoying driving around a car that has issues, and they wont stand behind their product.
 
#77 ·
wow, I just discovered this thread as I was searching for the problem I have. Sounds like the same as what you guys are experiencing. however, in addition, when I put it in Reverse when it's cold, the car also judders/stutters. Anyone experience this?

Is the lawyer still going to take on this issue? My 04 545 is out of warranty and I don't have extended. I don't want to spend $4K on a repair either.
 
#79 ·
I had transmission surging but only when I take my foot of the gas and apply right after it shifted. I really like the way the car shifts at 2k rpm everytime tho if I'm at 3k I keep up with similar cars but at 4k it's pretty much pulling away because no one really does 4k rpm unless it's a 4 cylinder or 6 trying to keep up cars similar to mine.
 
#81 · (Edited)
i have the same issue with my 04 530. except i have a manual and it happens at 2200 rpm only in second gear. i have a warranty through the small dealership i got the car from. im going to call them in the morning and see what they say. i will mention that i know about the issue with the mechatronics unit.

i will also contact my local bmw dealer and ask if they have had this issue come in. theyre not gonna like a 20 year old kid coming in and giving them **** about this, so im already going to be fighting an uphill battle.
 
#86 ·
545i Shaking - Increased Emissions

Ok, I have a 545i 2004, and I swear since I bought it....all I have had is problems. Its in the shop right now....first there was an oil leak, then my brake booster broke, now I get coolant too low ALL THE TIME, and now my car just starts shaking....it feels like someone hit my from behind...scared the crap out of me the first time....so when I'm driving 30-40mph and take my foot of the gas there's a bump...like the tranny is going to give out. UGHHHH!!! I HATE THIS CAR! Now.....I got "INCREASED EMISSIONS" warning and "ENGINE LOAD" says to drive moderatly and then to service NOW!!! OMG! WHY! WHY ME! So...the guy just called and said its the "mass flow sensor" is not working and that $400 to fix, then he will go from there...if that doesn't work!

BMW SHOULD RECALL THIS CAR! I see other people are having the same problem and I thought I WAS THE ONLY ONE!
 
#87 ·
Ok, I have a 545i 2004, and I swear since I bought it....all I have had is problems. Its in the shop right now....first there was an oil leak, then my brake booster broke, now I get coolant too low ALL THE TIME, and now my car just starts shaking....it feels like someone hit my from behind...scared the crap out of me the first time....so when I'm driving 30-40mph and take my foot of the gas there's a bump...like the tranny is going to give out. UGHHHH!!! I HATE THIS CAR! Now.....I got "INCREASED EMISSIONS" warning and "ENGINE LOAD" says to drive moderatly and then to service NOW!!! OMG! WHY! WHY ME! So...the guy just called and said its the "mass flow sensor" is not working and that $400 to fix, then he will go from there...if that doesn't work!

BMW SHOULD RECALL THIS CAR! I see other people are having the same problem and I thought I WAS THE ONLY ONE!
Sounds like a car that needs to be sold. That what I would do.
 
#92 ·
I suppose but how? I have 65k now, not under bmw warranty.... and the local dealer is the one that knew about it under factory warranty, and I guess I could go somewhere else, but the closest dealer is chicago so about 90+ miles away
 
#93 ·
I've had the same sudden jolt from the back as if someone hit u abruptly, like 3 months ago. To Be honest, if u've done some MODs if this is the only issue u have then, i'd stick wit it, until it runs 98K+. I'll put the BG 44k once the problem reappears to shine some light into this issue.
 
#95 ·
2005 645 also impacted by this?

I have a 2005 645 convertible with the SMG transmission and have a similar issue. THe hesitation followed by surge only seems to happen when the vehicle is cold and shifting from first to second gear. Once warmed up, it completely disappears. I had thought that it was an engine issue, not transmission. Anyone else having similar problems?

I had my trusted independent shop in West Chester, PA (Bimmerworks) Check it out. He found nothing wrong.

Do you guys happen to know if the 645 is also impacted by this issue? We essentially have the same engine / transmission combo as the 545.
 
#96 ·
I have a 2005 645 convertible with the SMG transmission and have a similar issue. THe hesitation followed by surge only seems to happen when the vehicle is cold and shifting from first to second gear. Once warmed up, it completely disappears. I had thought that it was an engine issue, not transmission. Anyone else having similar problems?

I had my trusted independent shop in West Chester, PA (Bimmerworks) Check it out. He found nothing wrong.

Do you guys happen to know if the 645 is also impacted by this issue? We essentially have the same engine / transmission combo as the 545.
i'm in the same boat as u r.. the problem disappeared and it is 59 degrees here in Dallas, TX.
So, it can't b a transmission issue.. more like a injector issue if u ask me!!!
 
#97 ·
Drove my 645 today with the weather at 45 degrees, reasonably warm for February.

Worked flawlessly. Anyone also have the issue only when it is cold outside or is this a full time problem regardless of ambient temp?
 
#99 ·
This problem with the transmission has crossed the pacific..... my 2004 545i has been surging at 1000 rpm for the last 6 months.... the Australian BMW people have come up with the same brainless answers but thanks for all the information - I will put it to good use and if there is an Australian solution I will let you know. Like the lemon idea though!
 
#100 ·
Update!

Well, you can look at page 3 for the issues I experienced with my transmission. Pretty much had a bad repeating slip/slamming at low rpms between 35-40 mph. I experienced a couple really rough ones (felt like the rear end may lock up) but mostly a light slipping sensation.

So, i've had my new mechatronics unit in for about 2 weeks now. I've put a bunch of miles on it and it seems to have taken care of the issue I was having. It sounds like many others seem to be running into issues very similar to mine. I hope this info helps everyone out. As BMWNA logs more of these issues maybe it will be easier to get repairs goodwilled. The problems seem to be becoming more prominent.
 
#101 ·
Transmission Surging Fix

First time on a forum in a while, but had to get on since many of you have experienced exactly the problem I encountered beginning early 2009 with my 2005 545; transmission surge. Took the car in 3 or 4 times (under warranty) with little to no success. Finally, with 1 week to go on my standard warranty, the transmission was replaced with only 46k miles driven. Very frustrating, but the new transmission seems to be working well.

May not help those out of warranty, but the tech explained the problem as follows (please accept my layman's paraphrase):

The "surge," which feels like someone has run into the back of the car, may be a result of the "bands" slipping (using this term loosely). Basically, as the car decelerates (as in my case while coming to a stop sign), the transmission was still engaged in a higher gear (say 3rd), then when I accelerated again (needing 1st gear, for instance), the "slack" created resulted in a jolt once the gears re-engaged at the lower gear. Basically, the transmission is slipping.

On this thread, another user indicated a problem with the transmission error message indicating low fluid level. I've had the same problem for over a year. The BMW guys pressure tested the radiator on two occasions, and finally replaced a few hoses. Seemed the problem went away, for a while. Coolant is still leaking out from somewhere, however, but it seems to evaporate (thus the difficulty in finding the leak). I've grown accustomed to topping off the coolant every month, but it's getting old. My 3 series never had this problem in over 5 years. Any feedback would be appreciated.
 
#102 ·
First time on a forum in a while, but had to get on since many of you have experienced exactly the problem I encountered beginning early 2009 with my 2005 545; transmission surge. Took the car in 3 or 4 times (under warranty) with little to no success. Finally, with 1 week to go on my standard warranty, the transmission was replaced with only 46k miles driven. Very frustrating, but the new transmission seems to be working well.

May not help those out of warranty, but the tech explained the problem as follows (please accept my layman's paraphrase):

The "surge," which feels like someone has run into the back of the car, may be a result of the "bands" slipping (using this term loosely). Basically, as the car decelerates (as in my case while coming to a stop sign), the transmission was still engaged in a higher gear (say 3rd), then when I accelerated again (needing 1st gear, for instance), the "slack" created resulted in a jolt once the gears re-engaged at the lower gear. Basically, the transmission is slipping.

On this thread, another user indicated a problem with the transmission error message indicating low fluid level. I've had the same problem for over a year. The BMW guys pressure tested the radiator on two occasions, and finally replaced a few hoses. Seemed the problem went away, for a while. Coolant is still leaking out from somewhere, however, but it seems to evaporate (thus the difficulty in finding the leak). I've grown accustomed to topping off the coolant every month, but it's getting old. My 3 series never had this problem in over 5 years. Any feedback would be appreciated.
I think I know what you guys mean about the transmission surge. The 1st gear is a very short gear. It goes all the way to 40. Tons of HP and Torque when you start climbing rpm you can feel it. If it does not shift to 2nd you feel all the pedal presses. This is a 545i not a 530i or lower. Shifting to 2nd gear is kind of harsh but if you notice when the M5 shifts its way more harsh.

As for shifting from 2nd to 3rd and higher I don't have any problems that I encountered with harsh tranmission gear shifting.
 
#104 ·
I had a recall on the Air Bag as described. And on the recall it reads:

DEALERS WILL REWORK THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT SO THAT EXTERNAL FORCE APPLICATION TO THE SEAT DOES NOT CAUSE A CRACK TO THE MAT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2008. BMW WILL ALSO EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THESE VEHICLES TO 10 YEARS FROM FIRST REGISTRATION WITHOUT ANY MILEAGE LIMIT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.

Thus, wondering if i have the extended warranty for 10 years, i should be able to use this against the transmission issue correct?
 
#106 ·
FYI, my car has been doing this for more than 1 month. This past weekend, my wife turned on the car and got an "Engine malfunction, Increased Emissions" alert and the car was shaking very badly. We took it in and they said they had to submit a PUMA case.

"As per puma address mis fire fault with line 2 first"

"Misfire fault with cylinder 2. Swapped out coil pack two with one. and Spark plug two with three" They did a test drive and found another misfire on cylinder one. Replaced defective coil pack in cylinder one.

so cost was $450. ???? It drive fine now but it's only been the 1st day. We'll see if it has fixed the problem.
 
#108 ·
surges trans reprogram

Hello. I actually found this site while doing a search on 545i transmission update. I have had the same thing going on with my car like others have described a sense of surging and loss of power. Anway, long story short took the car in to get a leak looked at they replaced the parts under warranty and then I noticed the surging. I took the car back this Mon b/c of the surging and b/c it still had a small leak. I just got call that it has a cracked pan and it was leaking transmission fluid. The service rep said it may have contributed to the surging issue. But he also recommended to do a software transmission update that BMW specifically rolled out to cure the problem. Well I read another person on this thread saying that it was just a program issue so I told the rep to go ahead and do it. At 135.00 I figured it would give me a sense of ease knowing that I tried that too since it will be going off CPO warranty in August. I'll share some more once I get the car back.

:roundel:
 
#139 ·
Hello. I actually found this site while doing a search on 545i transmission update. I have had the same thing going on with my car like others have described a sense of surging and loss of power. Anway, long story short took the car in to get a leak looked at they replaced the parts under warranty and then I noticed the surging. I took the car back this Mon b/c of the surging and b/c it still had a small leak. I just got call that it has a cracked pan and it was leaking transmission fluid. The service rep said it may have contributed to the surging issue. But he also recommended to do a software transmission update that BMW specifically rolled out to cure the problem. Well I read another person on this thread saying that it was just a program issue so I told the rep to go ahead and do it. At 135.00 I figured it would give me a sense of ease knowing that I tried that too since it will be going off CPO warranty in August. I'll share some more once I get the car back.

:roundel:
Any update from you, on this?
 
#109 ·
Refreshing info as my dealer says the car's ('05 545) "fuel-saving" program tells it to up-shift when cruising at about 37 mph and I should shift it into sport mode to keep the car from surging. This tactic does indeed keep the car from surging at this speed but it consumes more fuel and the transmission shouldn't behave this way. Looks like from these threads there is a software fix and it's covered under warranty. I'm calling my dealer now. Still kicking myself from parting with my beloved '94 540.
 
#110 ·
'05 545 transmission surge

My trans issue is a subtle power loss at about 37 mph. Sort of a stutter. Dealer hasn't been able to replicate the issue. Each time after a service, the problem is gone, then reappears about two weeks later. Dealer suggested I shift the trans to sport mode. This takes care of the surge but means I burn more fuel and have to shift back and forth. Unacceptable. Dealer told me the MECHATRONICS fix referenced in these pages is not for the 545, but for the 6 series. I'm taking my car back to the dealer as I think I can demonstrate the problem during a road test BEFORE a service.
 
#111 ·
My trans issue is a subtle power loss at about 37 mph. Sort of a stutter. Dealer hasn't been able to replicate the issue. Each time after a service, the problem is gone, then reappears about two weeks later. Dealer suggested I shift the trans to sport mode. This takes care of the surge but means I burn more fuel and have to shift back and forth. Unacceptable. Dealer told me the MECHATRONICS fix referenced in these pages is not for the 545, but for the 6 series. I'm taking my car back to the dealer as I think I can demonstrate the problem during a road test BEFORE a service.
That's a bunch of b.s. if you ask me. Yeah changing into sport mode will hold the gear and reduce the slipping feel but the problem is still there. It's an expensive car that you shouldn't have to change into sport mode to work properly. Secondly this same tranny is in the 745 and albeit it a slight bit different its in the X5...didn't look it up but assume its in the early 6's as well. I know many in the 7 complain abou the stopping slam. Mine seemed to be like yours...it would come and go and ever happened with the tech. He drove it for days with nothing. Anyhow it did get a lot worse to the point i thought the tranny and rear end was going to fall out. Finally got bmwna to goodwill the part a few months ago and have had 0 issues since.
 
#112 ·
Well, my problem, same when going on highway. I finally had a message that my transmission was bad at 60,000. After flushing the fluids twice, finally had to be replaced. Really disappointed with the overall maintenance of the 2004 model. It seems like I have to go to the mechanic's shop every six months.
I am debating on what new car to buy. I am afraid I will be spending more time fixing this car. From the first day I took possession of this car, it was a problem. But here I am six running to seven years, I am still driving the dang thing 'coz I love it.
 
#117 ·
Benn having the same problem also with my '07 525i. It has like a surge or push forward around 1500-1900RPM's around 15-25MPH. I mostly get it when I'm stuck in stop and go traffic, but I usually just barely on the gas. Feels like it wants to shift up hesitates a sec and then I get the surge forward. I have noticed that if I take my foot off the gas I feel a pull like its trying to slow down anybody else experience this?
 
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