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Can't move.

Discuss the problems with your X5 (E53).
Pete
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Can't move.

Post by Pete » Sun Dec 04, 2016 1:08 am

Annoyed, gutted and peed off. Tonight my car had decided it is going nowhere. No warning on the dash but the transmission isn't working. Absolutely gutted. Only had it 2 1/2 months.

When I tried to accelerate, the accelerator acted as a brake!

Had to shove it onto a car park as it just revved on the spot.

the shreksta
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Re: Can't move.

Post by the shreksta » Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:52 am

[quote="Pete"]
Annoyed, gutted and peed off. Tonight my car had decided it is going nowhere. No warning on the dash but the transmission isn't working. Absolutely gutted. Only had it 2 1/2 months.

When I tried to accelerate, the accelerator acted as a brake!

Had to shove it onto a car park as it just revved on the spot.
[/quote]

well thats not good, put the details up of which model you have sp people can start to help you

splang
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Re: Can't move.

Post by splang » Sun Dec 04, 2016 7:42 am

Where did you buy it from?

Pete
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Re: Can't move.

Post by Pete » Sun Dec 04, 2016 7:58 am

It's a 54 reg 4.8is. Bought privately.

Does anyone know of any transmission specialists in the North West - although I think I may just auction it as spares/repair.

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CondorX5
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Re: Can't move.

Post by CondorX5 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:36 am

Sorry to hear Pete.  If you are in it for the long term, might be worth putting a recon box in from a specialist, I think prices are around £2k or so though  :blink:Buying what were once very expensive cars with high maintenance bills when their are relatively ancient, has its pitfalls, I guess.  12 year old cars are always going to be a bit of a gamble. Hope you get a decent result - is it definitely the gearbox?  Checked fault codes with a scanner?
X5 2005 Le Mans Blue 4.8is
Fully loaded but Now semi-retired! 

X5 2012 Alpine White 40d MSport 21" style 215 black alloys, rear entertainment, media package, comfort seats and a load of other options.

the shreksta
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Re: Can't move.

Post by the shreksta » Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:39 am

[quote="Pete"]
It's a 54 reg 4.8is. Bought privately.

Does anyone know of any transmission specialists in the North West - although I think I may just auction it as spares/repair.
[/quote]

try these guys, the range rover guys on the forum rate them highly. they only list 5 speed on website but i have spoke with them and they do the 6 speed aswell, very very helpful guys

http://www.birchmotors4x4.co.uk/#home

Pete
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Re: Can't move.

Post by Pete » Sun Dec 04, 2016 10:16 am

Thanks for the help so far. I've not had the codes read yet. Strangely, it didn't even kick up a warning on the dash. I was just doing a turn in the road and it wouldn't go in reverse...then it wouldn't go forwards. I was left diagonally in the road and managed to inch it around, then I was pointing downhill. Really bizarre how the accelerator turned into a brake

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henrym3
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Re: Can't move.

Post by henrym3 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 10:21 am

But, was the car working ok up to that point. was there any previous symptoms or bad behaviour. I just can't see it going from ok to tits up. Need a new gearbox. Gear linkage come loose perhaps, it probably isn't as bad as first appears
E53 X5 4.6is, Carbon Black, LPG, Paddle Shift, Dynavin N6, Lowered, 22"Wheels, Side Bars. Perfusion Exhaust
E30 M3 Black, S50B32 Engine, 6 Speed Box, Ireland Engineering ARBs & Big Brake Conversion, Lowered, 18"LMs, CF CAI, CF Splitter & Barge Board, ZM3 Quad Exhaust.
VW R32 Gone

Pete
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Re: Can't move.

Post by Pete » Sun Dec 04, 2016 11:54 am

[quote="henrym3"]
But, was the car working ok up to that point. was there any previous symptoms or bad behaviour. I just can't see it going from ok to tits up. Need a new gearbox. Gear linkage come loose perhaps, it probably isn't as bad as first appears
[/quote]

There was a slight metallic sound when the gears were engaging, best description I can give is like two knives being touched together. Then there was the slippage/high rev mentioned before when  dropping to 2nd/3rd. A couple of times I was given a thump when around 3rd again - I just put that down to the lurch.

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Re: Can't move.

Post by Pete » Sun Dec 04, 2016 12:12 pm

Forgot to mention, it now makes a loud clicking when I put it in park.

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henrym3
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Re: Can't move.

Post by henrym3 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 12:25 pm

Be interesting to see the fault codes
E53 X5 4.6is, Carbon Black, LPG, Paddle Shift, Dynavin N6, Lowered, 22"Wheels, Side Bars. Perfusion Exhaust
E30 M3 Black, S50B32 Engine, 6 Speed Box, Ireland Engineering ARBs & Big Brake Conversion, Lowered, 18"LMs, CF CAI, CF Splitter & Barge Board, ZM3 Quad Exhaust.
VW R32 Gone

Pete
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Re: Can't move.

Post by Pete » Sun Dec 04, 2016 12:55 pm

[quote="henrym3"]
Be interesting to see the fault codes
[/quote]
Is there a reader I can buy reasonably?  Will any indy be able to read them?

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Re: Can't move.

Post by CondorX5 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 3:15 pm

Carly is a great option -available on Amazon, very quick delivery, they are always updating it to do extra bits and it works for loads of other BMWs as well. 

There is the 1.4.1 cheapie on ebay, but you will need an old laptop running xp or win 7 AFAIK. Generic cheap code readers will not be of much help either.

Depends what software the indy has, a BMW specialist yes, others maybe not.
X5 2005 Le Mans Blue 4.8is
Fully loaded but Now semi-retired! 

X5 2012 Alpine White 40d MSport 21" style 215 black alloys, rear entertainment, media package, comfort seats and a load of other options.

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X5Sport
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Re: Can't move.

Post by X5Sport » Sun Dec 04, 2016 3:42 pm

Mine went from perfectly fine to destroyed in seconds too.  No warnings, no noises, just nothing.  No drive and no power in any gears - forward or reverse - with a metallic rattling sound with the engine running.  Even after failing the warning lights never came on until the recovery truck came to get the car.

The transmission was killed by a broken sprag clutch part (plastic) in the torque converter jamming the gearbox oil pump.  Pressure dropped and that was that as two power and one brake clutch packs burned out.

I can't remember all the faults BMW read out (someone with the Autologic system can do it too) but I think it was packs B, D and E.  Less than 40,000 miles on the car at the time but just out of warranty.

All the clutch packs, oil pump, TC, filters & gaskets were replaced.
Last edited by X5Sport on Sun Dec 04, 2016 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Can't move.

Post by Greydog » Mon Dec 05, 2016 1:21 pm

When the rear diff went on mine there was no drive and the AA recovery plugged in and announced "not good mate says no output on the gearbox"
When it was at the BMW specialist I use it took them 10mins to find the real issue broken diff. There was no noise or warning just all drive disappeared while driving at 40mph.
4.6is X5 Estoril Blue (current)
4.4 X5 Sport Topaz Blue LPG (now gone squashed by a tree)
Subaru Outback 3.0 Rn Star Silver (current)
AMG 6.3 CLS Obsidian Black (sold)

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