Gearbox problem?.

[phiggystardust]

Ok
Posted this before about problem with my x struggling to reverse in particular uphill .now it is worse 
Hav e taken it to my Indy 3 times and each time they have said there is no problem so decided to take elsewhere and they said seems like something in the box has gone. this box was brand new from bmw and has only covered 24000 miles since new although be it 4 years ago. ok so went back to my original Indy who fitted box and they contacted bmw about this as obviously not good enough, they in turn have said I need to take it to my main dealer to have diagnostics and they will decide, so will end up paying a further £96+vat for 1 hour and even then they may turn round and say no way toward goodwill, but if they said to take there may be there is hope
Anyone had any experience with this sort of problem
Cheers phiggy

[stevox5]

Hi Mate

When you say it struggles in reverse what exactly does it do , does the engine rev up as if the gearbox is slipping or does the engine bog down? Will it do it at every attempt or is it intermitant?

if booking it into a dealer I strongly suggest you book it in with a request to roadtest it and demonstrate it to a technician that way you can prove the problem and get them to buy into the issue rather than risk them coming back to you saying they cant fault it.

HTH

[Sanj]

[quote="stevox5"]
if booking it into a dealer I strongly suggest you book it in with a request to roadtest it and demonstrate it to a technician that way you can prove the problem and get them to buy into the issue rather than risk them coming back to you saying they cant fault it.

HTH
[/quote]

Very good call!

[phiggystardust]

[quote="stevox5"]
Hi Mate

When you say it struggles in reverse what exactly does it do , does the engine rev up as if the gearbox is slipping or does the engine bog down? Will it do it at every attempt or is it intermitant?

if booking it into a dealer I strongly suggest you book it in with a request to roadtest it and demonstrate it to a technician that way you can prove the problem and get them to buy into the issue rather than risk them coming back to you saying they cant fault it.

HTH
[/quote]


Does not do it all the time but seems to be getting worse it revs up but feels just as if the handbrake is being applied ?have tested the brakes and all ok ,
Usual thing it has been fine when taking to Indy
Will take advice on board thanks and will let you know how I get on
Cheers all
Phiggy

[rjkc600]

Why not find an automatic gearbox specialist near to you and pop in to see them.  Most of them will be happy to go for a drive with you and you can show them the problem.

Dealers and indy's are not automatic transmission specialists, so there inspection probably won't be as good.

[X5Sport]

Your Dealer should only charge for 15 mins of labour as that's all it takes.  Do you have any Bosch Autocentres near you as they could read the fault codes if any have been stored.  It does need the right kit and not all Indy's have it.  My dealer charged £60inc for the diagnostics and then the car was recovered from them after they said the bill was between £7k and £10k depending upon just a box, or box+computer was needed.

24,000 miles on a remanufactured box (supposed to be 'as good as new' is what BMW will normally fit) isn't good.. >:(.  Losing reverse is a known issue on a 5-speed and usually means a repair will be needed soon if the litany of similar incidents in the US (such as on Xoutpost) is anything to go by.

If you do need to go down the 'goodwill' route with BMW then you will have to play the game their way or they may well not offer anything at all. 

Recent history has shown them taking a tough line if the car has been serviced outside their network.....which seems wrong, but that's how they do things now.

[phiggystardust]

Ok quick update
Car developed a bad misfire too so is now with main dealer covered by a comprehensive warranty direct policy where supposedly won't cost a penny more than the £50 excess so wait and see again will update when have more news

[X5Sport]

Diagnostic work may not be covered.....mine wasn't!  It's buried in the small print somewhere.  I had 'Luxury Car Cover' and it paid for the repairs (less the £50 excess) but not the time taken to find the fault. >:(

[phiggystardust]

ok another update

firstly main dealers do not have a clue down here
car had to go in as started smoking and missing
told me they had to strip engine as pistons or rings damaged so intake system and everything off!
i then told them i had diagnostics done before and flagged up 2 injectors
they then went with that and said 6 injectors gone and 6 glow plugs
in the end warranty direct agreed to do 2 injectors and 5 glow plugs
ok still with it ????
i then went to collect car bill for £3400 waiting there but hadnt checked reverse problem
told that 6 injectors changed and 6 glow plugs
asked had they had authorization from wd as i had spoke to them, told yes they spoke to them after me and all sorted
i then questioned the reverse problem and was told wrong rated tyres!!!!!!!!!!!
anyway collected car today and bill for now£2200 and told yes all injectors and g plugs renewed
checked invoice nope only the 2 inj and 5 g plugs
checked with wd and they only authorised 2 inj and 5 g plugs!!!
then told they got thier wires crossed with regard to tyres and that changing the plugs and injectors have now sorted the reverse problem
and seems they have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
only thing seems the car is now flat on power and think my remap has gone
1 thing left to see how wd pay up
will keep you informed watch this space )

[Sanj]

[quote="phiggystardust"]
only thing seems the car is now flat on power and think my remap has gone [/quote]

Damn, you're going through it!

Call Jason and ask him for one of his tools to be posted so you can read off the file and email him back. He'll be able to tell you if it's gone or not. If it has, he can get you another remap to put on the car. That way it's only the postage of sending the tool back, rather than the fuel cost!

Good luck with WD and well done for sticking with it! Can be very disheartening when you have to fork out that much!

[X5Sport]

So in other words, they were talking spheroids about the tyres (I never did get that bit) and trying it on with regard to all the injectors and plugs?  Even worse they were trying to get you to stump up for an unnecessary engine strip and rebuild!!  WTF!! >:D

No wonder people are wary of main dealers.  It seems to me st least that none of them really know what to do, and possibly because they are running near the profit/loss line, they grab any likely looking candidate and then 'talk up' the bill!!

[phiggystardust]

forgot to say the reason they thought the pistons were damaged as they suspected it had sucked the swirl flaps in!
red face for him when i informed him it must have had a hell of a suction he replied oh yes they fly in
i said no must be hell of a suction as it pulled them in off another engine as i passed as this engine doesnt have them and never had ::)
no no he said an intake flap just checking is it cosmetic damage only
cosmetic well why the fxxk is it missing and smoking  >:D

[Riggie]

In my experience I haven't yet met a good main dealer, they are a bunch of t...s.

Not sure how far it is from you, but for future reference, Forza West in Chepstow? Get really good reviews.

[X5Sport]

I wonder if part of the problem is caused by Dealers either not being allowed by BMW GB to fix certain faults - so meaning their technicians never build up the range go knowledge needed to correctly diagnose issues - or because when these faults do occur the Dealers quote such stupid sums to fix them that owners go elsewhere? 

A Main Dealer really should have known there are no swirl flaps on an X5, but given the number of people who get this basic info wrong, I guess it's not that big a surprise.  Unless they've had that particular X5 type powertrain apart, they won't know and assume that because all the others have them, the X5 must too.  I note that both the E70 & E71 diesels do have them, albeit the later 'safer' design.