E60 transmission problem, I need help please!
I have a 2007 530xi with 82,000 miles and have been having a transmission problem with it. I have taken my car to two separate BMW techs who I have been referred to by people who state they are the best in town. Both techs told me that my problem is internal and is not an electrical/computer problem and that a rebuild or replacement of the transmission will not be worth it for me right now. They said that the transmission should last 2 to 3 years with out it giving out on me but i would like to have a permanent fix because i really like my car and would like to keep it for a while. And driving around with the car the way it is, is very uncomfortable. 
My transmission symptoms are as follows
1. when I'm coming to a fairly quick stop it feels as if the transmission stops before the car dose so it feels like a bang sometimes harder than others.
2. some times when I come to an incomplete stop like almost stopping at a stop sign and taking off again it feels like the transmission stopped and when i accelerate to take off i feel a very hard bang and the car takes off very abruptly.
3. this has been happening a bit more recently than the bangs, when I'm driving at cruising speeds at about 20 to 30 mph and want to quickly increase speed to lets say 60 mph like getting onto a highway or over taking somebody i feel a pulsating feeling coming from the transmission. almost as if my rpm are dipping slightly but they are not they stay very steady and it really doesnt feel like its the engine it feels smooth and strong.
4. and not as often but sometimes at highway cruising speeds i feel that the transmission doesnt shift at the proper times like it shifts up and then shifts back down again giving it a pretty unsmooth feeling.
I would like to know if anybody here has had similar issues and if so what was done to resolve this and whats the cost is like.
My transmission symptoms are as follows
1. when I'm coming to a fairly quick stop it feels as if the transmission stops before the car dose so it feels like a bang sometimes harder than others.
2. some times when I come to an incomplete stop like almost stopping at a stop sign and taking off again it feels like the transmission stopped and when i accelerate to take off i feel a very hard bang and the car takes off very abruptly.
3. this has been happening a bit more recently than the bangs, when I'm driving at cruising speeds at about 20 to 30 mph and want to quickly increase speed to lets say 60 mph like getting onto a highway or over taking somebody i feel a pulsating feeling coming from the transmission. almost as if my rpm are dipping slightly but they are not they stay very steady and it really doesnt feel like its the engine it feels smooth and strong.
4. and not as often but sometimes at highway cruising speeds i feel that the transmission doesnt shift at the proper times like it shifts up and then shifts back down again giving it a pretty unsmooth feeling.
I would like to know if anybody here has had similar issues and if so what was done to resolve this and whats the cost is like.
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You can try resetting the transmission adaptation. There's a thread around here that will tell you how to do it.
You can also try a drain and refill of the transmission fluid, and change the filter, although you should ask the technician if this would make things worse.
You can also try a drain and refill of the transmission fluid, and change the filter, although you should ask the technician if this would make things worse.
Trans Woes
We had exactly the same issues that you are explaining with our 2007 525XI.
After multiple time returning to the dealer,re programming the computer,etc, they replaced the trans. Thank the car gods that it was still under warrantee !!!
Good Luck !!!
We had exactly the same issues that you are explaining with our 2007 525XI.
After multiple time returning to the dealer,re programming the computer,etc, they replaced the trans. Thank the car gods that it was still under warrantee !!!
Good Luck !!!
lucky that u were under warrantee
but i am not so i would love to find other solutions because im sure i will be looking at a $4000 tab to replace my transmission
but i am not so i would love to find other solutions because im sure i will be looking at a $4000 tab to replace my transmission
as far as the reset procedure i have tried two that i have seen posted on here and neither has worked for me i guess my next attempt is going to be to go back to the mechanic and see what he says about a drain and fill. And i dont really want to go to a bmw dealer because from what i hear they like to try many things to attempt fixing the car and then at the end im down hundreds if not thousands and they havent actually fixed anything at all
You need to find a good indy who specializes in BMW's. There are quite a few in the Long Island City Area.
Put in your zip code in the attached website and have them evaluate your car. I go to a great one in Huntington that charges about 1/3 of what BMW would charge to do anything, but I doubt you will want to travel that far.
http://websearch.cs.com/cs/boomfram...http://www.bimmershops.com/bmwshops/new-york/
Put in your zip code in the attached website and have them evaluate your car. I go to a great one in Huntington that charges about 1/3 of what BMW would charge to do anything, but I doubt you will want to travel that far.
http://websearch.cs.com/cs/boomfram...http://www.bimmershops.com/bmwshops/new-york/
I think my 06 530i has a similar problem...feels like someone bumped my car from behind when i slow to a stop, i figure i'll have to replace the tranny one day but it has been doing this for over a yr
And hasn't gotten any worse.
Seems to be more when trans oil is heated up, it actually doesn't "bump" when i drive in "SD" mode, anyways to change tranny oil and filter it is way costly -the filter is part of the bottom pan and alone costs2-3 hundred.
Sent from my MB855 using Bimmer App
And hasn't gotten any worse.
Seems to be more when trans oil is heated up, it actually doesn't "bump" when i drive in "SD" mode, anyways to change tranny oil and filter it is way costly -the filter is part of the bottom pan and alone costs2-3 hundred.
Sent from my MB855 using Bimmer App
You are likely suffering from a deteriorating Mechatronics (valve) assembly in the transmission system. This assembly, made by ZF, controls their transmissions and is known to have problems with deteriorating valve sleeves that leak fluid. This is exacerbated by a plastic transmission pan that develops micro cracks and leaks. The transmission software tries to account for this deterioration but eventually cannot. The best fix, albeit expensive, is to replace the Mechatronics assembly. You may be able to get by with replacing the Mechatronics' O ring to stop fluid leakage. If you go this route make sure a qualified BMW mechanic familiar with the ZF transmission does the work so the correct fluid in the proper amount is replaced. See SIB 24 08 06 for more information (and to prove to your dealer that this is a known problem).
Common symptoms of Mechatronics failure are:
Hard bump when braking (can be intermittent)
Hard shifts in Sport Mode
Slow to engage in Reverse
Hunting for the right gear when coasting
Dealers are loathe to admit this is a problem and will tell you that since your car didn't produce any transmission failure codes they cannot do anything under warranty. BMW does not want to formally recognize the problem because it's expensive to fix so they do not usually approve dealer's requests to replace the Mechatronics under warranty unless the there are fault codes. Unfortunately you don't get fault codes until the transmission is close to catastrophic failure. Someday there will a class action suit over this issue.
Common symptoms of Mechatronics failure are:
Hard bump when braking (can be intermittent)
Hard shifts in Sport Mode
Slow to engage in Reverse
Hunting for the right gear when coasting
Dealers are loathe to admit this is a problem and will tell you that since your car didn't produce any transmission failure codes they cannot do anything under warranty. BMW does not want to formally recognize the problem because it's expensive to fix so they do not usually approve dealer's requests to replace the Mechatronics under warranty unless the there are fault codes. Unfortunately you don't get fault codes until the transmission is close to catastrophic failure. Someday there will a class action suit over this issue.
Does anybody know what would be the average cost of replacing the Mechatronics because I am out of warrantee so any repairs I do are coming out of my pocket
Basically its sticking valves in the valvebody. Ive covered this is in a few hundred posts here. Search crowz in the user field and transmission in the regular search part and you should find info on whats happening.
As for cost to repair? About $40. Its also easy to fix yourself if you are handy with a wrench. Total cost with fluid and filter change will push your actual cost up some but the parts are around $40.
Ive fixed a ton of them for people.
Changing your fluid every 50,000 miles to 75,000 prevents most of this but there is a weak piston/sleeve deal that binds up causing the actual problem with this kits solve.
You can buy the parts here :
http://www.sonnax.com
As for cost to repair? About $40. Its also easy to fix yourself if you are handy with a wrench. Total cost with fluid and filter change will push your actual cost up some but the parts are around $40.
Ive fixed a ton of them for people.
Changing your fluid every 50,000 miles to 75,000 prevents most of this but there is a weak piston/sleeve deal that binds up causing the actual problem with this kits solve.
You can buy the parts here :
http://www.sonnax.com
crowz, what part exactly am i looking for on this site here that you posted?
40$?? I thought you missed a few zeros when I first read your post lol. If you can solve the mechatronics problem with a $40 part you might just be the hero of the E60 forum. I'd be curious to understand this more as well...
I have a complete transmission just pulled from a 2008 535xi and has 30,200 miles on it I could sell complete for $1,500.
+1.
FWIW, BMW did cover mine under the CPO warranty, at 60,000 miles or so. My transmission exhibits none of the symptoms 15,000 miles later except for the first one - the hard bump when braking. I think that might actually be a poor transmission programming around dropping into first gear at the wrong time, and therefore a slightly different problem.
FWIW, BMW did cover mine under the CPO warranty, at 60,000 miles or so. My transmission exhibits none of the symptoms 15,000 miles later except for the first one - the hard bump when braking. I think that might actually be a poor transmission programming around dropping into first gear at the wrong time, and therefore a slightly different problem.
You are likely suffering from a deteriorating Mechatronics (valve) assembly in the transmission system. This assembly, made by ZF, controls their transmissions and is known to have problems with deteriorating valve sleeves that leak fluid. This is exacerbated by a plastic transmission pan that develops micro cracks and leaks. The transmission software tries to account for this deterioration but eventually cannot. The best fix, albeit expensive, is to replace the Mechatronics assembly. You may be able to get by with replacing the Mechatronics' O ring to stop fluid leakage. If you go this route make sure a qualified BMW mechanic familiar with the ZF transmission does the work so the correct fluid in the proper amount is replaced. See SIB 24 08 06 for more information (and to prove to your dealer that this is a known problem).
Common symptoms of Mechatronics failure are:
Hard bump when braking (can be intermittent)
Hard shifts in Sport Mode
Slow to engage in Reverse
Hunting for the right gear when coasting
Dealers are loathe to admit this is a problem and will tell you that since your car didn't produce any transmission failure codes they cannot do anything under warranty. BMW does not want to formally recognize the problem because it's expensive to fix so they do not usually approve dealer's requests to replace the Mechatronics under warranty unless the there are fault codes. Unfortunately you don't get fault codes until the transmission is close to catastrophic failure. Someday there will a class action suit over this issue.
Check the sticky thread at the top of this forum. On page 16/17 they talk about the cost to replace the mechatronic. As long as the symptoms are as this member opened the thread with, you are proably looking at $2500 for an independent mechanic to install a replacement and new fluids, pan/filter, and mechatronic sleeve. Just read that sticky thread and get ready to whip our the credit card. Dealer repair looks like a HELOC repair bill.
I am replacing the mechatronic valve sleeve, pan with filter and new transmission fluid for roughly $300 in parts and $200 labor with an independent. This is on my 2008 wagon which has 78k miles on it, -purely preventive maintenance.
Had to replace the valve sleeve on my sedan at 74k miles and didn't change the pan, though in retrospect I should have.
This is one of those midlife jobs everyone should do to avoid unscheduled break downs. Otherwise the ZF tranny is pretty bullet proof.
Had to replace the valve sleeve on my sedan at 74k miles and didn't change the pan, though in retrospect I should have.
This is one of those midlife jobs everyone should do to avoid unscheduled break downs. Otherwise the ZF tranny is pretty bullet proof.
OP - you should read this thread. http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=401524
On my 545 I'm having almost the same issues - but mine has the 30-40mile hiccup, and jitters when it comes to a slow stop. It's really not that bad yet, and I can live with it for now. So the real fix is to address the mechatronic. Read the last post of the thread above with a link there to 5series.net, where another member does a quick write up on how to replace the mechatronic.
On my 545 I'm having almost the same issues - but mine has the 30-40mile hiccup, and jitters when it comes to a slow stop. It's really not that bad yet, and I can live with it for now. So the real fix is to address the mechatronic. Read the last post of the thread above with a link there to 5series.net, where another member does a quick write up on how to replace the mechatronic.
Find yourself an expert transmission person, first replace the transmission oil change (flush), if that does not fixes, then the whole transmission needs to be re-done, and external person will be lot cheaper than the STEALERS.
I have had transmission issue with nearly all my cars and current one is yet having another one :| '04 E60 525i but my symptoms are different.
I have had transmission issue with nearly all my cars and current one is yet having another one :| '04 E60 525i but my symptoms are different.
E60 525i 2007
My Transmission gives a gentle kick when auto-downshifting from 2 to 1. Took it to the dealers and with $300 in diagnostics.. nothing. Then created a puma with engineers and they recommended a software update.. no luck. Now the recommendation is to replace the transmission :thumbdwn:.. Sad that such a mature part like the transmission is the customers problem to Test !!! If i were BMW, i would take the faulty transmission and be pro-active in diagnosing the issue.... Well unless they already know and refuse to acknowledge.
NO more bimmer for me, perhaps
My Transmission gives a gentle kick when auto-downshifting from 2 to 1. Took it to the dealers and with $300 in diagnostics.. nothing. Then created a puma with engineers and they recommended a software update.. no luck. Now the recommendation is to replace the transmission :thumbdwn:.. Sad that such a mature part like the transmission is the customers problem to Test !!! If i were BMW, i would take the faulty transmission and be pro-active in diagnosing the issue.... Well unless they already know and refuse to acknowledge.
NO more bimmer for me, perhaps
Any error codes? Most of the issues with these transmissions are in the valve bodies. You can buy a factory rebuilt one for something like $1500, maybe a little more
Solenoids also have fixed some issues for a few people as well (see transmission thread in my signature / the giant thread at the top of the forum)
How many miles on yours?
Solenoids also have fixed some issues for a few people as well (see transmission thread in my signature / the giant thread at the top of the forum)
How many miles on yours?
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