E53 2003 X5 3.0i auto gear box help

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 12:16 pm

Well had the X5 a week now and i'm having problems with the autobox not going into drive, this is only after an over night stand. Did it thursday and now this morning, when i start the car i put it into D but nothing happens, put it into R and that it fine. Move the stick in all postions a few times but still no D, in order for me to move i have to go in to sport mode then manual, into 2nd then back into D and it moves. After that it's fine with no problems at all, just the first thing in the morn.

Now i need to no what the problem may be so when i phone the dealers where i got it from, i can inform them of a pos fix None BMW dealers.

hope i've explained it good enough, but if not ask away.

cheers

CondorX5 · Post by **CondorX5** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 1:16 pm

Very, very well known issue with the box - if you check on Xoutpost (US site) the Tech Bulletin will be listed if you do a search thriugh the threads, plus lots of posts on the issue - its one of the reasons I thought it best to move my rather nice Toledo Blue 3.0i on rather quickly......

In the US, BMW exchanged the box as its a known fault - basically, oil leaks past one of the rubber seals in the box and pressure reduces, hence nothing happens when you try to move forward, but going into reverse gets it all moving again and the pressure builds up fairly quickly and its ok after that. It is MUCH worse in very cold weather and I think potentially quite dangerous if you are needing to pull forward into trafic from park when the car is cold. I think it also contributes to premature failure of the box. I got rid of my 3.0i - part-exed for a 4.8is.
You could try having the transmission fluid changed - apparently that helps - otherwise its a specialist box rebuild really. Quite poor from BMW in the UK - they never conceded there was a problem, ever, with this issue, although the US bunch did.

AW8 · Post by **AW8** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 2:00 pm

Hmm - How many times have owners heard something similar to this........

"The reason they have bulletins & exchanges in US is because the US vehicles are different to ours"

Some cynically allege that American market & claim culture means BMW NA do more to act, deal & please.

"Rip Off britain ? " I won't hear a word of it said

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 3:18 pm

Ok so i'll inform the dealers the box needs the oil changing?? or infom them the pre owner sold it on because of this fault??

cheers

wilkoturbo · Post by **wilkoturbo** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 3:29 pm

Just had my oil changed and the car feels like new !!! But mine only changed gear a bit funny , hope u get it sorted

CondorX5 · Post by **CondorX5** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:47 pm

[quote=""scooby1doo1""]Ok so i'll inform the dealers the box needs the oil changing?? or infom them the pre owner sold it on because of this fault??

cheers[/quote]

Well you don't know that the previous owner sold it on because of the fault.....they may just have accepted the performance that way. Its the dealers responsibility, though, so don't get into arguments about previous owners. Depends on where you bought the car, really, if its an independent garage and it was only sold a week ago, you should move on it quite quickly.....as I understand it, any fault emerging in three months from purchase will be deemed to have been there and the dealer will need to rectify unless it was "sold as seen" or "sold with all faults". As its only a week you should be urging the dealer to consult a gearbox specialist who does BMW boxes, or reject the car if he's not helpful - it is a potential big money thing, around Â£2K-ish for a reconditioned box for that model, I seem to remember - much much more for a new one. The dealer can try changing oil and also software upgrades, but AFAIK its definitely a leak past a seal, and no software and oil changes are going to remedy that, really. I'll try to find the Tech Bulletin, but its a really well known issue for that GM box. Was the car a "bargain" buy, BTW? (As this may give room for a bit of haggling re the price to get a recon box - but I'd want a car that drove forwards when I put it into D. Simple. All the time.No less than that - that's what I'd tell the dealer.) Its a real shame as the 3.0i is a great, underrated car - I did find it a bit slow when towing and the 3.0i engine had to work like the clappers compared to the big lazy V8, hence wanting the big brother, but the 3.0i is a nice car if you can get that GM gearbox problem sorted.

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:18 pm

Cheer for all your imput mate
don't no if it was a bargin as regards forcort price, but i paid 10k
I have rung the dealer I bought it from, and his going to ring me back after he as made a few calls. I bought the car with a few faults but these have been sorted or are getting sorted. The gear box fault I did not no of and as only just shown up, so it must if not mistaken have just happened of the last few days.

I will keep this post up dated as and when

I really like the car and for a 3.0i it's not bad at all, just hope they can fix it. Heard the dealers only fit new boxes and cost 7k so I dont think they will go that option.

CondorX5 · Post by **CondorX5** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:41 pm

Sounds like the dealer is being quite helpful which is good to hear.....there are a number of good indy transmission specialists out there who will sort the box for a lot less than a dealer - from recollection, the leaking seal costs about 50p or something ridiculous like that, and the box can easily be sorted by someone who knows what they are doing, but it isn't cheap to even get a refurb so make sure the dealer sorts it properly for you. X5s depreciate by around Â£400-Â£500 or so a month

a bit less as they get beyond a certain age, so around Â£10K sounds ok for a good low-ish mileage 2003 3.0i if its well specced and everything works as it should! Is it an early facelift? Mine was an early 2003 and one of the first facelifts - the engine is a lovely solid straight 6 lump, tried and tested although I thought perhaps needed to work a bit hard in the heavy X5 body, meaning fuel consumption wasn't actually any better than the V8s. The transmission problem must have been there for a long time already......it isn't something that starts overnight; problem is that it can lead to early failure of the box which of course is very expensive, so you want to get it sorted now seeing as you only bought the car a week ago - the dealer has a responsibility, luckily. Hope it gets sorted - let us know how it goes. Read up a bit on it on the internet, Xoutpost particularly, so you are well informed!!

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:22 am

cheers condor for all your info and help.

It's got fsh just under 70k when i bought it, fully loaded. Intervee 2, DSP, DVD headrest, heated rear seets, nav, sports pack, folding mirrors.

Washed it 3 times to try and take some pics, and for the first time this week, no rain so had a chance to take a few.

Yep the dealer i bought it from are sound, this is the 3rd car i have bought from them. I have asked if i can take the car before i go on my hols, as then i don't need to faf about with a loaner. They said this is fine and will drop the car off when the rest of the work id done, they only need to do the small dent on the rear arch about 14:00 in pic 2, and pixels. But now this fault as come up this may need doing before the rest of the work, i go away in 4 week time.

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:54 am

Ho one thing the Neighbour last night has run carsoft and inpa on the box, and it came back with no faults. He's going to do it again first thing this morning, before i try and move it. Just to see if it come back with any faults.

wilkoturbo · Post by **wilkoturbo** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:29 am

Hey your only at Rotherham I'm from Worksop I've got SSS v32 plus BMW DIS that's the software BMW use I could meet ya??

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 9:39 am

[quote=""wilkoturbo""]Hey your only at Rotherham I'm from Worksop I've got SSS v32 plus BMW DIS that's the software BMW use I could meet ya??[/quote]

if you think it would help, or give any info as to what may be wrong then i could meet up. Don't won't to waste your time though, if all good tom would be a good day. Daughters Birthday party today.

cheers

CondorX5 · Post by **CondorX5** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:29 pm

Really good spec there, looks good. And if the dealers a good 'un and gets the box sorted, its a lovely car. I don't think you'll get any fault codes from the box, BTW, as its an internal oil leak past a seal, it won't trigger a fault code. The "trick" of putting it in reverse and Sport Mode a few times is the way to be able to use it from cold, also well known. But I wouldn't be able to live with a box behaving like that - hopefully your dealer knows a good indy who has a rebuild available or will change the seal on yours- let the dealer know what the fault is so he has a good idea, otherwise they may mess about with software and all sorts of other things which will NOT cure the leak past the seal!!!

wilkoturbo · Post by **wilkoturbo** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 4:04 pm

Up to u I'm easy about popping across tommo can try about fault codes worth a try I've pm u my number just ring or tx me your post code

scooby1doo1 · Post by **scooby1doo1** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 4:23 pm

Cheers for the offer mate but it's been done, it dint come back with any faults so must be oil seal as said.

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