Greetings -- I'm a first-time poster seeking the advice of the Bimmerfest community about my leased 2014 328ix with 16K miles. Thank you in advance for your replies. Summary of my issue (long):
On Monday Aug 15 a "Drivetrain Malfunction, Drive Moderately" message came on the iDrive screen while driving the car. Afterward, the automatic transmission did not shift into the upper gear range. After arriving at moderate speed to my destination, I turned the car off and later back on again for the return trip home. On the return trip, the car shifted through the entire gear range normally, however the same iDrive message was present and the engine light appeared. While returning home, I contacted my dealership and was transferred to a woman who asked questions about the service problem I was experiencing, created a service appointment for the next day, and asked me if I had any other concerns about the car.
On the drive to the dealership the morning of the next day, August 16, the car shifted through the entire gear range normally however the same iDrive message and engine light were present. I met with the service consultant and recounted all of the details I've just described in addition to explaining the car popped out of reverse gear, which I have since learned is a chronic problem for BMW transmissions.
At the vehicle drop-off consultation in the dealership, the service consultant stated that it was probably only a bad sensor.
On Monday August 22 the service consultant explained that a part was ordered and that the service technicians were in the process of replacing the 'valve body' in the transmission.
On the following day, Tuesday August 23, the service consultant called and stated the part replacement did not fix the issue, and that the car still popped out of reverse gear after the new part was installed. He stated that the repair technicians had decided the next step was to replace the entire transmission, and that a new transmission was being ordered but would take until the end of the week to arrive. He confirmed that the installation of a new transmission was fully covered under the BMW warranty.
On Friday August 26, the service consultant called and stated there was a 'situation' and asked if I had ever had an accident with the car that could have damaged the transmission. I told him I had never had an accident with the car. He asked if I "bottomed out" while coming out of my driveway, and I told him that I did not. He stated that BMW was not going to pay for the cost of the repair under BMW warranty, and that I should contact my insurance company. He stated that the nature of the transmission failure was due to an "impact" and that I could come to the dealership and see for myself. I demanded to speak with anyone with authority in the dealership immediately, but the service consultant said there was no one available but would ask the Assistant Service Manager call me back.
I did not receive a call from the Assistant Service Manager but in the next 90 minutes I arrived at the dealership to personally inspect the failed transmission. While there, I met on the shop floor with the Assistant Service Manager, the Service Manager and the Shop Floor manager where we discussed the transmission failure and where I took high-resolution photographs of the transmission, transmission cover, and under carriage of the vehicle while it was in the air. These photographs show, to use the same wording the Shop Foreman used during our meeting, a "very clean" under carriage with "no visible signs of impact." The photographs also document what appears to be a stress or fatigue fracture, or manufacturer's defect, running across the assembled transmission unit as well as a small missing section of the casting near a threaded bolt hole on the other side of the unit.
The dealership has contacted BMW NA Engineering for an analysis of the cause. During our meeting, the Service Manager stated that a BMW NA Engineering representative will visit the dealership and inspect the failed component in person.
I've uploaded some of my own photos of the missing section of casting around the threaded bolt hole, a crack caused by stress, fatigue or manufacturer defect on the top of the component, and unblemished protective coverings of the transmission/crankcase. Note the detail in the photo of the underside of the housing, which the shop foreman claims was fully exposed (and not protected by any covering). The photo details a complete lack of scratches, scrape marks or any other evidence of "impact" anywhere on the underside of the unit including anywhere near the area of breakage and indeed details an undisturbed patina of corrosion which would surely highlight the presence of scratches or scrapes from a supposed "impact."
My question and plea for help: What are my options if BMW NA Engineering does not conclude that the failure is due to a defective part? Any other suggestions appreciated. Thank you.
On Monday Aug 15 a "Drivetrain Malfunction, Drive Moderately" message came on the iDrive screen while driving the car. Afterward, the automatic transmission did not shift into the upper gear range. After arriving at moderate speed to my destination, I turned the car off and later back on again for the return trip home. On the return trip, the car shifted through the entire gear range normally, however the same iDrive message was present and the engine light appeared. While returning home, I contacted my dealership and was transferred to a woman who asked questions about the service problem I was experiencing, created a service appointment for the next day, and asked me if I had any other concerns about the car.
On the drive to the dealership the morning of the next day, August 16, the car shifted through the entire gear range normally however the same iDrive message and engine light were present. I met with the service consultant and recounted all of the details I've just described in addition to explaining the car popped out of reverse gear, which I have since learned is a chronic problem for BMW transmissions.
At the vehicle drop-off consultation in the dealership, the service consultant stated that it was probably only a bad sensor.
On Monday August 22 the service consultant explained that a part was ordered and that the service technicians were in the process of replacing the 'valve body' in the transmission.
On the following day, Tuesday August 23, the service consultant called and stated the part replacement did not fix the issue, and that the car still popped out of reverse gear after the new part was installed. He stated that the repair technicians had decided the next step was to replace the entire transmission, and that a new transmission was being ordered but would take until the end of the week to arrive. He confirmed that the installation of a new transmission was fully covered under the BMW warranty.
On Friday August 26, the service consultant called and stated there was a 'situation' and asked if I had ever had an accident with the car that could have damaged the transmission. I told him I had never had an accident with the car. He asked if I "bottomed out" while coming out of my driveway, and I told him that I did not. He stated that BMW was not going to pay for the cost of the repair under BMW warranty, and that I should contact my insurance company. He stated that the nature of the transmission failure was due to an "impact" and that I could come to the dealership and see for myself. I demanded to speak with anyone with authority in the dealership immediately, but the service consultant said there was no one available but would ask the Assistant Service Manager call me back.
I did not receive a call from the Assistant Service Manager but in the next 90 minutes I arrived at the dealership to personally inspect the failed transmission. While there, I met on the shop floor with the Assistant Service Manager, the Service Manager and the Shop Floor manager where we discussed the transmission failure and where I took high-resolution photographs of the transmission, transmission cover, and under carriage of the vehicle while it was in the air. These photographs show, to use the same wording the Shop Foreman used during our meeting, a "very clean" under carriage with "no visible signs of impact." The photographs also document what appears to be a stress or fatigue fracture, or manufacturer's defect, running across the assembled transmission unit as well as a small missing section of the casting near a threaded bolt hole on the other side of the unit.
The dealership has contacted BMW NA Engineering for an analysis of the cause. During our meeting, the Service Manager stated that a BMW NA Engineering representative will visit the dealership and inspect the failed component in person.
I've uploaded some of my own photos of the missing section of casting around the threaded bolt hole, a crack caused by stress, fatigue or manufacturer defect on the top of the component, and unblemished protective coverings of the transmission/crankcase. Note the detail in the photo of the underside of the housing, which the shop foreman claims was fully exposed (and not protected by any covering). The photo details a complete lack of scratches, scrape marks or any other evidence of "impact" anywhere on the underside of the unit including anywhere near the area of breakage and indeed details an undisturbed patina of corrosion which would surely highlight the presence of scratches or scrapes from a supposed "impact."
My question and plea for help: What are my options if BMW NA Engineering does not conclude that the failure is due to a defective part? Any other suggestions appreciated. Thank you.
