04 4.4i X5 TRANSMISSION IS KICKING HARD

Had a very similar problem. Very soon you may get the trans fail safe error. I changed the transmission fluid and installed a new filter which cured the problem

Are you sure it's not the rear chassis bushes. When they are goosed it will sound like someone has shunted you up the back end every time you accelerate from a rolling start especially.

Your explanation deffo points to chassis bushes. I would put money on it.

daribre said:

I'm having a problem whit transmission on a 2004 x5 bmw 4.4 wen is decelerating (down shifting) and the car is not in a complete stop then accelerate again some times kicks hard like is was hit on the back of the car. Some one may know what is it? All ready took it to dealer (bay side bmw in great neck ny) they said it was the rmdf basic control unit dme but the transmission is exactly the same after they repair it.

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I experienced this problem with my 2000 4.4i. It ended up being the transmission valve body.

Seems this is a common problem with all sorts of varying answers. I have yet to see one definitive answer to the problem.

Do not bother repairing the transmission because there is nothing to fix. This is a problem on all of the E53 X5's 4.4i. I have the exact same model as you and we have the same problem. Do not try to fix it the thing is this car does not handle those conditions well. I do not know why the car's transmission just doesn't like it. So just to avoid this from happening make sure you come to a complete stop before accelerating. This is very annoying and I wish they didn't have this problem but they do and we love the car enough to deal with it. Hope it helps.

I am telling you 100% it will be the rear chassis bushes. When you accelerate from a start or a rolling start the chassis hits the subframe hard because of the bushes collapsed. They only last around 50k miles if your lucky.

04 x5 transmission

Mine does exactly the same thing, I complained to the dealer and they kept doing software updates and told me that sense no code was showing there was nothing else they could do about it. That was at approximately 60,000 miles it now has 120,000 and still does the same thing. I did call call BMW corporate... they were morons.

My Dads 2004 4.4 X5 is having the same exact issue. Seems to do it more when it is given gas again when the car is still rolling when slowing down for a red light that then turned Green. It does do it at times when fully stopped however. Dealership wants to replace the Tranny. We tried having them flash the Transmission and it helped for some time but just recently it has began to do it more again. Were going to look into trying all options mentioned here and hope it fixes the problem. Its annoying since we just had to replace the air ride suspension with stock springs.

Gene Gruver said:

Mine does exactly the same thing, I complained to the dealer and they kept doing software updates and told me that sense no code was showing there was nothing else they could do about it. That was at approximately 60,000 miles it now has 120,000 and still does the same thing. I did call call BMW corporate... they were morons.

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It's amazing the reliance BMW technicians have on the computer to diagnose a problem. There are plenty of things that can go wrong with these vehicles which are not monitored by the computers.

Take Graham132white's recommendation of looking into the rear chassis bushings. To my knowledge rear chassis bushings are not monitored by the computer. And if he's right about these bushings being the problem BMW technicians will never know as the computer didn't tell them to examine them.

X5 Transmission "kick"

This particular thread is a bit old, but I will add some fodder. Making sure you don't try to accelerate from a rolling stop is the most economical solution, however ridiculous that may be.
My BMW dealer indicated on last look that this "kick" is related to a bad VTG motor ($1150 installed).
I am going to ask the service department about those rear chassis bushings, however! Seems there is great confidence in that knowledge, and my BMW has 62K miles (past the stated 50K 'tolerance' for the parts).
This site rocks. Thanks to all the Bimmer experts out there who share their knowledge!

I have the same problem with my 02 X5 4.4. For me this "jerking or slipping" of transmission occurs during gear change 2nd to first, 1st to 2nd, and reverse to first. Three trips to the dealer; first two trip they were unable to identify any problem or replicate the symptom. Third trip they were able to see what I was talking abt and said it was a internal problem in the transmission. Lets just say ill be driving as is.

Related to this topic, what are some symptoms that it is time to flush transmission oil and change the filter? I have experienced the same kick, and I think flushing tranny oil is the least expensive thing to start with. Am I right?

I first noticed that when I went to pull away from a stop the car revved slightly before the transmission kicked in. this got worse and worse until when I pulled away it felt like the car had been rammed up the backside. I changed the transmission fluid and filter which cured the problem. The filter was quite clogged up so I guess the car had to rev a little to get the oil moving through the transmission to engage the drive.

Hi all,
I have a 2005 3.0d, it dosn't have the bad kicking feeling,The E53 auto transmision has a function it the torque converter that disengauges drive when it sences slower/no wheel rotation to engine load.
This function is for fuel econemy when at a standstill, My vehical will from time to time delay when moving off and if you give it some gas it is like dropping the clutch in a manual gear box,
it realy jars.
This may be something to check out, for if this disengauges when slowing then engauges when giving it some gas, it will jar.

Hello. New to forum. Took x5 to dealer. Said no prob with tranny. I have same problem. Told him a out forum said he'd look into the other things stated. Like bushings and other suggestions. He told me thee was a bulletin from BMW saying that its normal. I don't think so. No light tech can't fix. What happened to old school mechanics?

I have had the same problem on my 05 X5 4.4 since I bought it 3 years ago with 65k mls. I noticed on the service records that the original owner had taken the car to the dealer twice for the same problem while it was still under warranty, but every time he has been told that there was nothing wrong, and no fault in the computer!!
The car is now close to 100k mls and I am planning to do a transmission oil and filter service on it. Will report if it help with the issue.

Please do. Dude at dealer said It wouldn't help. Let me know ill do the same. Thanks

We fixed the control arms and the chassis bushings 3 months ago for $2100 dollars and we still have the same problem. What we have to do is just come to a complete stop and then accelerate or else you will feel the transmission kick. This car is a piece of work. They should have a recall on the transmission or whatever is causing the problem because everyone has the same exact problem. That means that it is a defective part and BMW needs to take responsibility for the cars they built. By the way, I didn't know this but my 2004 X5 4.4i was built in the USA. Maybe that explains all these problems.

Shaunshaun28 said:

............... What happened to old school mechanics?

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They're either retire or dead.