trans fail safe prog

[clare3939]

hi wondering if anyone can help me a couple of weeks ago got in the car to run the shop car drives like a dream parked up got back in put it into drive and wouldn't pull away thought id left it in park till I looked turned it off started it again rev it a few times and pulled away it was jerking then cutting out when I stopped done this all the way home when I start it now it shudders and when I reverse its jumping but once I get on the road its ok sometimes it still cuts out when I stop or jumps then cuts out, done a bit of research on the net and worked out it could be the idle air control valve I don't drive my car everyday & I only do short journeys, got in it before turned ignition on doing all the usual jumping etc & trans fail safe prog came on screen no other lights came on I carried on driving to local shop stopped waiting to park it cut out turned it back on message still there parked up anyway got back in started up message gone looked in manual doesn't really say anything apart from take it too bmw sorry for the long story don't know if its two separate problems or there connected has anyone had this problem thanks clare 

[X5Sport]

Ok, just clear this a bit.

You are having the engine cut out all the time, or the gearbox not providing drive?  Or both?

If you are doing short journeys you could be looking at a flat battery to start with.  Some if the errors you seem to describe occur when an almost dead battery causes the on board computers to throw a wobbly.

It could be the MAF but until you know you have a fully charged battery it's hard to tell what might be the underlying cause when it might have others disguising or being affected by it.

No doubt some of the others on here will be along if they have other and better ideas......

Richard

[clare3939]

thanks Richard ill get battery tested not sure how long the battery has been in car as ive only had it since November, didn't think it was battery as no light has come on & it does start 1st time but ive been reading a few other posts & battery seems to be coming up so ill get it checked out thanks