gearbox?

[2001.x5newby]

Hi all hope someone can help have a 2001 3 litre d experiencing gear box problems, from cold starting seams to go into gear ok but a small delay from reverse to drive, as the gear box gets warmer the delay increases  to 3 seconds from reverse to drive but tonight lost drive or reverse dash board came up with transmission fail safe mode came up turned the car of and waited a few mins and back on and was able to get the car moving drove home short distance and lost drive again while waiting for for the gates to open, swithched off and back on again and pulled in the drive. and fetched husband lol.Can anybody help.

[X5Sport]

As on your other thread, this sounds like a gearbox failure and they are typically of the order of £2k to have rebuilt - mine was in 2010.  BMW will want upwards of £5k plus fitting as they don't rebuild, just replace the gearbox.

As you have not had the car long, the sale sounds suspicious and certainly a few deep & meaningful words need to be had with the dealer.  It should have come with some form of warranty, but knowing most small dealers, not worth the paper it's written on. >:D >:(

Not a great introduction to X5 ownership..... :'(

Richard

[Steamyrotter]

Oh heck not another one..

First things to do are to check the transmission fluid pressure and compare it with the solenoid drive current.
However this does need certain tools to do that.

Pressure gauge with M10 fine connection to gearbox port
Diagnostic kit to read drive current

You will need to find a REPUTABLE garage to do this for you.  One that you trust not to take the p..

8 out of 10 problems with the GM5L40E gearbox as fitted to your car (the E53 up to 2004) are to do with loss of pressure.
The next is torque convertor lock up clutch lining failure (due to pressure problems)
And after that is wear in the valve body valves.

I have had a fair amount of experience with faults in these gearboxes, in fact more than my fair share, so do know of what I speak.....

Find a good gearbox specialist, but don't necessarily go for cheapest.  And ask more than one place...

[DougieV8]

See here -

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/https://xdr ... ic.php?t=1

[Steamyrotter]

But take note the V8s have ZF gearboxes where yours is the GM one..

Some re-builders specialise in certain makes.