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Pickles 
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Joined: 06-January-2009 Location: Bromsgrove Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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 Topic: E38 735i TransmissionPosted: 06-January-2009 at 22:20 |
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Hi I'm new here having been directed to the forum by Nigel, a long suffering pal (and fellow BMW fan). A few days ago I was shuffling my E38 735i ('R' '98) into a parking space and the transmission suddenly decided it didn't want to go forward or back. With a bit of persuasion it finally made it. From then on, ocasionally things were very sluggish from a standing start, but the next 200 or so miles of motorway driving went without a hitch. Today the sluggish start returned with a vengeance, and when I turned the engine off 'TRANS FAILSAFE PROG' appeared in the display. The handbook says this is a malfunction in the control electronics or in the automatic transmission. 'All selector lever positions can still be selected, but in any forward gear position only 4th and 5th gears are actually available'. This probably explains the sluggish start from rest. Has anyone out there any experience of this issue and/or know the best way forward to resolving it? Or is it a case of BMW service to the rescue? By the way - HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Edited by Pickles |
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kbannon
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E39 525i Sport Individual Joined: 09-October-2002 Location: 64 Zoo Lane Status: Offline Points: 15508 |
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Posted: 06-January-2009 at 22:28 |
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Welcome to the forum Pickles.
I'm not an auto expert but hopefully someone on here will be able to provide advice. I would recommend a good tranny specialist over a BMW dealer who will probably just get the current apprentice to spend an hour under her before insisting that the box needs to be replaced! |
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Current: 2009 E60 520d "Sport" tractor
Previous: 1989 E30 320i SE 1997 E39 523i 2003 E39 525i Sport Individual |
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Rhys
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Coffee addict... Joined: 02-February-2003 Location: from the Latin locātiō Status: Offline Points: 10053 |
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Posted: 06-January-2009 at 22:36 |
You poor bloke...  Welcome to the forum  |
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V reg Rustbucket Merc C220 Cdi estate
J Reg Saab 900i 16v '63 Ford Anglia 105e deluxe R reg Honda PC50 moped.. No BMW as yet... |
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Jack735
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Joined: 14-September-2005 Location: Edinburgh Status: Offline Points: 1055 |
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Posted: 06-January-2009 at 22:46 |
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The transmissions on these cars are allegedly bulletproof! Hows your battery? Seems a common enough fault for this error to show when battery power isn't up to much. On average expect to change the battery every 3 years or so. With so many extras as standard it wears them down. I know they are supposed to be sealed for life but it could be a wee top up of the ATF is all thats needed. If it is this (mileage 100k +?) then some folk recommend having the fluid and filter changed. HTH
PS welcome to THE forum. Edited by Jack735 |
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Oooh, The machine of a dream, such a clean machine With the pistons a pumpin', and the alloys all gleam, When I'm holding your wheel, All I hear is your gear, With my hand on your grease gun, Mmm it's like a disease son, I'm in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile, Get a grip on my .......
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Nigel
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Posted: 06-January-2009 at 23:08 |
He ain't seen his sig yet welcome to the forum Rog |
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Best Wishes
Nigel |
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Rossi
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Joined: 07-May-2005 Status: Offline Points: 3311 |
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Posted: 06-January-2009 at 23:10 |
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Welcome to the Forum
Shogun on here seems to be in the know about the 7 series. Pretty sure he'll be along soon to assist. Meanwhile, you may want to have a browse through his website. Website |
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Nigel
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Posted: 07-January-2009 at 00:05 |
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I found some stuff for you and posted it here Rog (whilst you were working out how to post etc) : http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=43597&am p;PN=1
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Best Wishes
Nigel |
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Andrew Rolland
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Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Posted: 07-January-2009 at 08:52 |
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I had a similar fault on my E39.....and it wasn't cheap! The tranny goes into an emergency mode which means you only get 3rd and 4th gear and reverse. You need to take the car by means of a transporter (or rear wheels lifted) to an Automatic Transmission Specialist. He has the correct diagnostic machines and test machines to check out your tranny, advise you of the fault and then fix it. Anything else is just guess work. Given how complex the autoboxes are it isn't diy territory. Yes they are sealed for life which means there is no dipstick thus no way of filling the tranny nor checking the fluid level. Do not believe the BMW story about it being sealed for life, as soon as mine is out of warranty it will be going to the Transmission Specialist for a Service which will include, filter replacement, fluid change and adjustments of the various parts of the tranny. A service should be done every 30,000 to 50,000 and will cost probably in the region of about 150. Your car will have a ZF autobox, which yes is fairly bomb proof but given how many Merc's, Audi's and BMW's that are out there fitted with ZF transmissions, failures are rare. My E39 suffered from a faulty pressure solenoid and a fault in the valve body. I ended up getting a complete new solenoid bank and my valve body overhauled. It cost me 702 for this work 6 weeks into E39 ownership. Let us know how you get on. Andrew PS Welcome to the forum. |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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Nigel
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Posted: 07-January-2009 at 21:00 |
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Where did you use for your repair Andrew ?
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Nigel |
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Nigel
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Posted: 07-January-2009 at 21:11 |
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Rog This is the BMW breakers I spoke about on the phone : http://www.fabdirect.com/default.asp?id=208 they have a tech help page : http://www.fabdirect.com/faq/?id=82 All we really need to do is find out whats wrong, I'll have a search around for autobox specialists
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Nigel |
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Nigel
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Posted: 07-January-2009 at 21:22 |
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This might be interesting : It came up with this for our area : Ballsal heath eh ?, we could keep ourselves amused whilst the work is done. Its juts a cse of finding somebody we can trust to diagnose it, it may not even be your box, it could just be the control electronics |
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Best Wishes
Nigel |
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Andrew Rolland
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Posted: 08-January-2009 at 08:45 |
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Mackie Automatic Transmissions Ltd. 95 Causewayside Street, Tollcross, Glasgow, G32 8LT tel 0141 778 4545. Andrew |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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Nigel
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Posted: 09-January-2009 at 23:30 |
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Right, next part of the story : Ole dodgy is in Ireland today (Dublin I believe), but he managed to get Robert Sterns (our local & very respected main dealer) to do him a half hour diagnostic check. They have rung him today to say the gearbox is just about finished, all they can do is replace it, something like 5,300 incl vat, but they will give him some discount due to the age of the car ???? about a grand off I think he said, making it 4,300 So, unless we can come up with some miracle or other, thats another very nice 7 series, with only 130,000 on the clock, about to meet a scapyard. I'll ring a couple of auto specialists tomorrow morning to see what they say, & a couple of scapyards to see what they can do, but other than that, I think its game over. |
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Best Wishes
Nigel |
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Jack735
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Joined: 14-September-2005 Location: Edinburgh Status: Offline Points: 1055 |
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Posted: 10-January-2009 at 09:57 |
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I used these guys a few years ago for bits, not even sure if they still exist but worth a try. GCD Selby Quote the BMW 7 Resource. If you have any luck I supose the only fair thing to do would be to join |
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Oooh, The machine of a dream, such a clean machine With the pistons a pumpin', and the alloys all gleam, When I'm holding your wheel, All I hear is your gear, With my hand on your grease gun, Mmm it's like a disease son, I'm in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile, Get a grip on my .......
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MBW1
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Posted: 10-January-2009 at 12:02 |
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Bloody hell, don't throw it away!
Try Quarry Motors or FAB for a good used box. But replace the torque converter oil seal and the filter/sump gasket. I don't know how much they charge for a box, but a rebuild will be about a grand. |
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I don't have a carbon footprint. I drive everywhere.
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Nigel
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Posted: 11-January-2009 at 18:02 |
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Rog. I found this place in Brum, I rang them saturday, they quoted me 875 + vat (not that vat bothers you), and say its possible same day, but two days at the outside : |
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Best Wishes
Nigel |
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Pickles
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Joined: 06-January-2009 Location: Bromsgrove Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Posted: 11-January-2009 at 22:52 |
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Thanks for all your input on this one. I tested the battery & all ok. Took it to trusted BMW dealer & Nigel has told the rest... Thanks Nigel - in my absence from the country for all your digging to find a possible solution.... That looks like one of the places I looked up from one of your links before I went away. I'll ring them tomorrow & confirm - maybe I can get it back on the road at a reasonable cost after all! Thought for 2009 A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man. |
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Andrew Rolland
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Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579 |
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Posted: 12-January-2009 at 08:23 |
No surprise there then. BMW dealers cannot do anything to automatic gearboxes. All they can do is check and top up fluid or sell you a new one which is what they have priced for. They can't even begin to start repairing a autobox. It needs to go to an Automatic Transmission Specialist and not a BMW dealer. Andrew |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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Nigel
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Posted: 13-January-2009 at 21:40 |
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Its in one at this very moment, should be done tomorrow. I/we will let you know how it does
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Best Wishes
Nigel |
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Andrew Rolland
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Posted: 14-January-2009 at 08:33 |
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Keep us posted please Nigel. Andrew |
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Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series!
Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto |
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E38 735i Transmission
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Pickles wrote: