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540i feels like hard shift

1468 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  86Flyer, 
8
I have a 1998 540i with an automatic. It has 161K miles, recently while driving around 35-40mph it will randomly jerk, it almost feels like a downshift but it isn't because the rpm's do not change. The car will take off with no hesitation and go through all the gears smoothly. I put the transmission in 4th and it will eventually do the same thing. Any suggestions? I bought the car used and to my knowledge the transmission fluid has never been changed.
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C
Hard to diagnose on the forum but could be:

1) MAF related
2) Failing transmission (drum failure most common on 5HP24)
3) changing fluid can't hurt at this point but if failing people often wrongly blame the failure on the fluid change.
4) Car might have been abused by previous owner.

I would start with checking for stored codes in the OBD.
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8
Thanks, I will check for codes, the CEL is not lit, but I will check for pending.
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L
Codes is certainly needed. Beyond that, are you really sure the problem is focused on the transmission??....could the problem really be from the Engine misfiring or otherwise suddently changing engine output?

larrym3711
2001 540iA Sport
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8
I ran autotap, no engine codes. I went for another drive. I can hear an occasional growl from under the car. Since car shifts smoothly I am now going to check drive shaft bearing and cv joint.
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