Does "Trans. failsafe" EVER = new gearbox?

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:54 pm

I ask because I had the error last night, after about 2 mins of driving. Turned off engine, turned back on and drove off and error came back. Limped home, turned off for a few hours while I read up some info on here and other sites and noticed that battery/alternator issues are often a cause of this error message. Knowing that I do multiple short journeys (about 0.5 mile x2 a day and that is all for days on end) I hoped that it was just the poor treatment on my battery causing this, so I went out started it up and let it idle for about 10mins to give the battery a bit of time to regenerate before using the autobox. Drove off after that and it has been fine last night and this morning but obviously it may be still a total failure waiting to happen and just showing itself intermittentantly for now.

Anyway, now I am worried - luckily I was prepared to spend Â£1500 on gearbox rebuild when I bought the car so I have budgeted for this, but that doesn't mean I want it to be the case.

Lots of internet reports have found the cause to be non-gearbox related with many being battery related, some being DSC units or even ABS units and what not. I don't recall reading a case where it was actually the gearbox causing that error, so just wondering if the OBC error "Trans Failsafe Mode" has ever actually been the result of a fault in the transmission which required a new transmission (or rebuild), and if so, how often?

Secondly, when the gearbox does really go, what other warnings accompany it? Mine works fine. Even in limp mode it would go into reverse fine and move, but when it was in reverse the mirror didn't dip and the PDC didn't come on so it was like the car didn't know it was in reverse. Now the error has cleared everything works completely fineâ€¦

Lastly, recommend me some decent fault code software to use with my laptop. I'm a computer geek so not afraid of complex software, just afraid of paying big bucks for it (might need to save that towards the gearbox!)

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:10 pm

A failing battery is known to cause this sort of error, so a voltage check would be the simplest thing to check. You should see between 12.6 and 12.8V open circuit on a fully charged battery. Anything less than 11.6V o/c would make me suspicious of at least one cell. If you charge the battery, don't do a voltage check within 4 hours as there will be some charge left on the plates. Another thing to try is turn the key to Pos2, put seat belt on, wait for the warning lights to finish changing/going out, then start the car. Sometimes the computers get out of sync at start-up and spurious codes get thrown.

With regard to the transmission, there are a couple of options. Disconnect the battery for an hour and then reconnect it (allows you to do an open circuit voltage check at the same time). I would also suggest that if the warning re-appears you have a good listen to the box with the vehicle stationary in case any abnormal noises are apparent - although you might want to have a good listen anyway. I assume the transmission is locking in either 3rd or 5th?

Getting the 'codes' read would be a good idea as that should show why the gearbox is in limp mode. Are you getting any odd shift patterns? If you can get at the filler plug, see if the transmission fluid is discoloured and smells burnt at all - it should be a clean pink.

In the case of my failure I had no warnings at all. The Torque Converter failed and the damage was serious. I had no limp mode, or warning lights of any type, but the gearbox started rattling and the gear changes were all over the place. When the recovery truck arrived the next morning the car would not reverse up a slope.

My rebuild was Â£2200 - Torque converter assy, oil pump assy, filter, master service/repair kit, 17.5 hours of labour. 12-month warranty.

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:22 pm

I've not had a single odd shift pattern, it shifts very crisp and very quick in sport mode or with foot down, and it shifts smoothly in non-sport mode (which I presume is how its meant to be). While the error was on the OBC, it was locked in 3rd, but it allowed me to manually shift up when the revs were too high. It reversed fine. No weird noises or anything - the only issue while it had the OBC error on was that the ECU had clearly 'disabled' the box for its own protection (hence staying in one gear). Again, I understand this is exactly what a limp mode is meant to do.

Now the error is gone, its 100% back to normal. Halfway through my journey this morning (NB it was fine at the time, I just did this because I remembered reading about it last night), I turned off the engine completely and then I did the "ign. pos 2, hold accelerator down for 20 secs, hold brake for 10 secs". When I drove off it was still fine. Shifting nicely as usual.

I am currently trying to find a decent code reader on ebay, whilst trying to determine if my Y reg will have the 20pin OBD port under the hood or the later 16pin one in the car!

I will get a volt meter tonight and try and learn how to use one (embarrassing that I have pretty much rebuilt an e46 on my driveway mechanically but I've never used a volt meter)

Raj · Post by **Raj** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:35 pm

My battery is being replaced for the third time in 10 months under warranty. 1st time down to the suspension, 2nd down to the alternator and now just because of a dead cell. Each time though I would get the trans failure message too as well as other error's, so don't be too alarmed. As you say, it will be down to the battery as you are doing too little miles and this is not enough to re-condition the battery each time. At least once a week you need to take the X for a good run and then it will be fine (as long as the battery is good to go now, so do a battery check to ensure the battery is at optimum).

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:40 pm

Thanks for the reply Raj. I'm hoping its a power issue and not a mechanical issue.

X5Sport - your repair sounds painful on the pocket! Where was that done? I would really like to hear that that was a dealer price but somehow I doubt it...

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:46 pm

Dealers don't repair them as BMW won't allow them to. Dealer price is in excess of Â£7k!!!! for a re-manufactured (no, not new) box. Codes read showed Clutch pack A & C and brake pack D if I remember correctly.

Mine was done under Warranty Direct Policy, so only cost me Â£50. Repaired by A1 Premier Transmissions in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire in January 2010.

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:53 pm

I think if this turns out to be a non-transmission issue, I may need to consider a warranty for the next time when it probably will be a transmission issue

How do you rate WD? I use them for home policy and have made about 5 claims in 2 years and they have been spot on each time. Still don't trust them when it comes to motors though, and Â£2k claims!

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 7:00 pm

The diagnostics were paid for by me - about Â£60 if I remember correctly, and that was to a BMW Dealership (I had Luxury Cover which allowed Main Dealer, or Indy). WD didn't like the repair quote and had the car recovered to Premier's. Apart from a Â£50 excess they coughed to the rest, including a new Mechatronics Module (gearbox brain) which was another Â£1200 on top.

Used the warranty once since when the car had to be recovered from Wales after it wouldn't start and the diagnostics by the Indy to longer to find a broken fuel pump relay. The bill was about Â£250 and they paid up about Â£80. It was a Â£10 part!! No issues with that as the policy does not cover investigation, only the parts and labour for the fix.

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 7:29 pm

I should probably at least get a quote...

The thing is I am not a 'straight to the garage' kind of person - I will (and have) fixed almost every car problem I have had on all of my cars (3 x330ci sports, M3, 535d and thats just the BMW's). The only thing I would use a mech for is those big engine stripped down or gearbox out jobs, but those are the sort of things that the X5 is famous for.

I sometimes feel I should keep my Â£1500 in my pocket instead of spending it on warranty premiums that I will probably only use for a major failure, and thats IF i ever have one. Also i'm LPG converted which I doubt they would like.

Steamyrotter · Post by **Steamyrotter** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:45 pm

[quote=""mobilejo""]Lastly, recommend me some decent fault code software to use with my laptop. I'm a computer geek so not afraid of complex software, just afraid of paying big bucks for it (might need to save that towards the gearbox!)[/quote]

You could look on here??!!:-

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/fo ... .php?f=233

B1G JV · Post by **B1G JV** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:07 am

Re: your battery, if you keep the car garaged then it's a good idea to get a Ctek which you can keep plugged in your boot to condition your battery. I've used one for a few years now mainly because my cars sit in the garage for months on end, but touch wood i've never had a battery failure.............

(in fact, my 840Ci which has done about 2000 miles in 4 years, and only 6k in the 6 years i've had her, hasn't had new batteries for about 10 years and both myself and previous owner would leave her in the garage for months and let the batteries go flat, i suppose letting them go totally flat that they wont light the boot light must be good for those 2 batteries? as after a quick few hours charge she's back to life again. Oh, and I've never had a trans. failsafe on her, but it's the earlier 5 speed steptronic box in that.)

JimmySpeed · Post by **JimmySpeed** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:43 am

I think my battery needs replacing, I don't garage the car but I use it daily so there's no excuse for the low power. But after watching tv for 5 minutes when the engine was off, I started it up and got the trans failsafe message again!

I think the battery is just bad.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:46 pm

That's a simple fix at least. I changed the one in ours for a Bosch Silver series with a 5-year warranty. I think it was about Â£100 and I fitted it myself. Halfrauds call it the HSB019 and it was on offer at the time - but avail from lots of other places

And at least it's showing up now, before the Winter when you'll really need it to be in tip top condition. These beasts take some cranking power when they're cold. More than a few of us have found that 5-6 year old batteries which were fine in warmer weather promptly go on strike as the temps fall. Ours certainly did last Winter!

Is the LPG tank in the way?

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