Hi new to the forum and in the market for a e53 x5. Looking to view a few in the next few weeks.I've read the buyers guide and searched the forum but can't seem to find an answer on what is the common fault with the auto box and what they feel like.
Does anyone have any advice on how to check the quality of the box?
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How to check gearbox on test drive?
Re: How to check gearbox on test drive?
Yeah, a couple of things. You need at least half an hour of mixed driving to warm things up. Long straight road and hold the speed at 40mph and watch the revs. If they wander at all then it's a sign of the torque convertor is having trouble. Also what feels like a miss fire, again when hot, at the lower end of the rev range typically when exiting a roundabout or similar, that kind of speed. If the owner says " probably needs a coil" walk away.
2002 4.4 cooking on gas
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Jackstrath
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Re: How to check gearbox on test drive?
another general thing that iv always been told with auto box's , on a slight incline while in drive it should be able to hold its sell and not start rolling back , what angle in case you ask im not sure but nothing to mental , just a slight upwards slope
also thumps when going up the box , should be nice and smooth , and again no thumps when going down the box
also thumps when going up the box , should be nice and smooth , and again no thumps when going down the box
Re: How to check gearbox on test drive?
[quote="Ubatoid"]
Yeah, a couple of things. You need at least half an hour of mixed driving to warm things up. Long straight road and hold the speed at 40mph and watch the revs. If they wander at all then it's a sign of the torque convertor is having trouble. Also what feels like a miss fire, again when hot, at the lower end of the rev range typically when exiting a roundabout or similar, that kind of speed. If the owner says " probably needs a coil" walk away.
[/quote]
Auto transmissions may well hunt up and down the revs at this speed due to the lock up clutch engaging and disengaging depending on throttle and load and may not be a problem .
Yeah, a couple of things. You need at least half an hour of mixed driving to warm things up. Long straight road and hold the speed at 40mph and watch the revs. If they wander at all then it's a sign of the torque convertor is having trouble. Also what feels like a miss fire, again when hot, at the lower end of the rev range typically when exiting a roundabout or similar, that kind of speed. If the owner says " probably needs a coil" walk away.
[/quote]
Auto transmissions may well hunt up and down the revs at this speed due to the lock up clutch engaging and disengaging depending on throttle and load and may not be a problem .
Re: How to check gearbox on test drive?
There have actually been 3 different auto boxes on the E53.............
Auto boxes are either Made by General Motors (GM) or ZF & are fitted as follows :
5 speed 5L40-E (BMW reference A5S 390R) : Prefacelift 3.0i, Prefacelift 3.0d & Facelift 3.0i
Some regard this GM box as slightly more fragile than the others. The 5HP24 on the pre facelift V8's could supposedly cope with more.
ZF 5 Speed 5HP24 (BMW reference A5S 440Z) : Prefacelift 4.4i & 4.6is.
Despite this ZF offering supposedly being a bit more durable they can still fail - should be smooth in use although as with others a re-map might cause the box some very occasional different behaviour at certain revs relative to gear changes
ZF 6 speed 6HP26 : (BMW reference GA6HP26Z) Facelift 3.0d, Facelift 4.4i, & 4.8is.
The most up to date auto fitted to the E53 - however many complain of problems in use. Not so much higher failures but more characteristics. When folk speak of "the lurch" it usually refers to characteristics of this box
which was also fitted to some Jags of the era. Pulling awya fro roundabouts can result in a rather unpleasant lurch but there have been mixed reportds and some indicate less problems after a software update &/or hard reboot of the auto box memory which supposedly makes slight changes to behaviour based on how driven.
Regardless of specifiic box, ATF and filter changes done by a few despite BMW claiming the boxes are lifetime fill. I know of a bmw trained technician who changed his on his pre-facelift 4.4i and it later failed at similar indicated mileages to a similar car I know that's still on original fluid & pan filter. To change or not to change is the question but regardless as to which way owners go those concerned re such issues will often wonder if box is going to fail if so concerned.
Quite a few cars have had work to boxes whether replaced with new, so called recon, salvage or repaired. Worth doing some detective work with last owner(s), looking at paperwork speaking to Dealers/Independents, (former who can be quite guarded re what if anything was done in past).
Oh and beware that failing rear bushes can give impression of a defective box on kick down, (sudden thud).
Hope some of that of use
Auto boxes are either Made by General Motors (GM) or ZF & are fitted as follows :
5 speed 5L40-E (BMW reference A5S 390R) : Prefacelift 3.0i, Prefacelift 3.0d & Facelift 3.0i
Some regard this GM box as slightly more fragile than the others. The 5HP24 on the pre facelift V8's could supposedly cope with more.
ZF 5 Speed 5HP24 (BMW reference A5S 440Z) : Prefacelift 4.4i & 4.6is.
Despite this ZF offering supposedly being a bit more durable they can still fail - should be smooth in use although as with others a re-map might cause the box some very occasional different behaviour at certain revs relative to gear changes
ZF 6 speed 6HP26 : (BMW reference GA6HP26Z) Facelift 3.0d, Facelift 4.4i, & 4.8is.
The most up to date auto fitted to the E53 - however many complain of problems in use. Not so much higher failures but more characteristics. When folk speak of "the lurch" it usually refers to characteristics of this box
which was also fitted to some Jags of the era. Pulling awya fro roundabouts can result in a rather unpleasant lurch but there have been mixed reportds and some indicate less problems after a software update &/or hard reboot of the auto box memory which supposedly makes slight changes to behaviour based on how driven.
Regardless of specifiic box, ATF and filter changes done by a few despite BMW claiming the boxes are lifetime fill. I know of a bmw trained technician who changed his on his pre-facelift 4.4i and it later failed at similar indicated mileages to a similar car I know that's still on original fluid & pan filter. To change or not to change is the question but regardless as to which way owners go those concerned re such issues will often wonder if box is going to fail if so concerned.
Quite a few cars have had work to boxes whether replaced with new, so called recon, salvage or repaired. Worth doing some detective work with last owner(s), looking at paperwork speaking to Dealers/Independents, (former who can be quite guarded re what if anything was done in past).
Oh and beware that failing rear bushes can give impression of a defective box on kick down, (sudden thud).
Hope some of that of use
Gone - 2002 E53 X5 4.4i Sport (Pre Facelift) Owned 2006-2016.
Site & Forum Admin Team Member.
Site & Forum Admin Team Member.
Re: How to check gearbox on test drive?
Hi,
My box failed because of reverse gear.
If you go fwd, slow down and come to a stop. Engage reverse, and nothing much would happen. You accelerate and it engages reverse with a small bang then car starts to move backwards. Going from reverse to drive was instant and smooth. I believe the box should engage reverse from going fwd as long as the car is doing les than 3 mph. I always come to a stop first and mine still failed. Bmw looked at it and changed it under warranty.
I originally noticed something was wrong because like being in drive, when you have the car in reverse if you happen to be facing down hill the car should " hold " and mine was not holding.
Regards,
Nat.
My box failed because of reverse gear.
If you go fwd, slow down and come to a stop. Engage reverse, and nothing much would happen. You accelerate and it engages reverse with a small bang then car starts to move backwards. Going from reverse to drive was instant and smooth. I believe the box should engage reverse from going fwd as long as the car is doing les than 3 mph. I always come to a stop first and mine still failed. Bmw looked at it and changed it under warranty.
I originally noticed something was wrong because like being in drive, when you have the car in reverse if you happen to be facing down hill the car should " hold " and mine was not holding.
Regards,
Nat.