Gearbox advice please

[Cockneyjanner]

Hi All,

Please can you advise me on the likelihood of a higher mileage (say 90k or more) E53 suffering from auto box problems. I have read quite a few pages from here and other websites but would be very grateful for some additional info.

I have literally just acquired my first X5 and am blown away by how good the car is, but there's a really big question hanging over it for me......

When decelerating to a halt the gearbox engages first gear with a really noticeable lurch, physically moving the car. This didn't happen during my test drive, but has happened numerous times since.

I got back in touch with the dealer straight away and he has informed me that "they all do that Sir"! He is being truly brilliant regarding a refund, if that is what I want, or possibly test driving a different X5 that he has there. He said that they wouldn't get involved with curing the problem because they can give me a refund and put the car straight back on the forecourt as it is.

Do they really all do it?
Is it a sign of impending failure?
Should I get my money back ASAP?
Is a car that does it worth significantly less? I paid top price.

My car is a 55 plate 3.0D Sport with almost 100k miles.

I will be really grateful for your advice.

Cheers

Steve

[fenj66]

they certainly dont ALL do it.  although my car has done it since i got it 5 years ago. you get used to it after a while! but it doesnt appear to get worse or cause any other issues.
some have been successfully cured with gearbox oil replacement, others, like mine, it did nothing.
ive heard it can be sorted out with a gearbox ecu reprogram also, but i have no details on that.
you could ask the dealer for a partial refund towards an oil change/software update. £250 should cover it at an indy.

good luck

[X5Sport]

As above, they certainly don't all do that.  Mine never did.  In addition to the above, you could be well advised to get a specialist with the right test gear - that means a main Dealer or someone with the Autologic system - have a look at the fault codes if any have been stored.

It might be a simple fix, or the beginning or something worse.  There is no way to tell.

Richard

[AVI-8]

Hi, I've also just bought an X5 with 85000 miles, mine doesn't do that, I can feel it changing down gears, more noticeable when braking harder but there's no noticeable difference going into first, I've read about this issue though.

I'm intending to change my trans oil and filter in the coming weeks, though some folk would advise against this for reasons I personally don't agree with, but I know people who have done an oil change in the  (sealed for the life of the warranty) gearbox and noticed smoother gear changes post oil change.

If I were you I'd speak to a ZF dealer and tell them the symptoms, they make the boxes so should know better than anyone what the cause could be.

[Rob5]

Mine has just started doing this also. I was worried the box was on its way out again. Mine was reconditioned just before I bought it about a year and a half ago and has driven with no problems but recently the lurch has started as you describe when coming to a halt. I'm going to book in for a gearbox service with a specialist so will keep you informed if I find out what it is.

[Cockneyjanner]

Thanks Rob. I'd be really interested to hear the diagnosis.
I ended up taking my car back to the dealer and I've exchanged it for a different one. It cost a bit extra but the 2nd car didn't show any signs of the Lurch. The dealer was still saying that all of the older ones lurch to some degree, and some do it quite badly!

[RRH]

Ours has done it since about 80k.

I had the gearbox oil and filters done at about 100k and it still did it but I figured it was a good precautionary measure anyway.

It's just gone past 160k, and, touch wood, gearbox seems ok.... (although I just spent best part of £1000 getting the transfer box replaced plus all transmission fluids).

I have to say, despite a coupe of problems recently, I'm hugely impressed by it.. and most of it's mileage has been spent towing race transporters across Europe, and a damn heavy caravan (not at the same time, obviously :blink:)

Hope this helps...
Simon

[Lloydy]

I have this lurch type symptom as well, it bugs me as it can be quite brutal coming to a halt and also whilst travelling down hill if I brake then the gear change is pretty intense lol

I am going to get a diagnostics on mine done first to make sure no gear motion sensors are at fault as this can cause issues like we describe.

If that is all clear then I am taking it to get the oil and filter changed

I don't believe in any of this lifetime oil theory as it will degrade over time like anything does and filters get blocked etc...

[X5Sport]

If you are braking going downhill this is a normal function as the gearbox changes to provide engine braking.  The change can be abrupt.

Richard

[shadrack]

[quote="Lloydy"]
I have this lurch type symptom as well, it bugs me as it can be quite brutal coming to a halt and also whilst travelling down hill if I brake then the gear change is pretty intense lol

I am going to get a diagnostics on mine done first to make sure no gear motion sensors are at fault as this can cause issues like we describe.

If that is all clear then I am taking it to get the oil and filter changed

I don't believe in any of this lifetime oil theory as it will degrade over time like anything does and filters get blocked etc...
[/quote]

if you yurn off dsc it doesnt downshift

[Colin]

Some say if you shift into sport box the lurch stops ..

[Lloydy]

Ok well that is good news for me then!

I still have the horrible lurching when coming to a stop though and I hate that!

[RoShamBo]

Hi Guys,

Question. Mine does this too (03 4.4 Sport E53) - coming to a stop, very low speed, car changes from 2nd to 1st and it clunks / lurches......but also if you come to a junction, almost to a stop but then accelerate off fairly swiftly, the car sort of misses a gear and then catches and your off. Doesn't do it if you come to a complete stop, then move off.
Quite hard to describe and no doubt connected to the lurch 2nd - 1st......anyone else get this too ?

Ro.

[Y13HYA]

I had this issue too. Changing the fluid and filter didn't help. Neither did a gearbox software update.
If its going its going. Worst case you are looking @ is a gearbox rebuild (£1200-£2500 depending on where you go). I had mine done at £1200 from a transmission specialist in London. A filter and fluid change can be done for between £150-£250, so maybe worth trying that first. If it fixes your issue, happy days. If not you were looking @ a rebuild anyway. Just ensure you use the correct grade fluid when changing it, and use a genuine filter. If you need any help or further advice, just give me a shout anytime

[RoShamBo]

Cosmic ! Re-build is something I could do without (but the bank manager welcomes with glee)

Doing lots of homework on these symptoms, the gearbox solenoid often comes up as something to replace / get checked. Not sure how easy it is to test it or not - and you can go on forever changing bits until it becomes obvious its the gearbox itself - but the solenoid seems to be a common cause of this lurching, so worth investigating ?

Cheers,

Ro.