53 plate 3.0d X5 auto gear box problems. HELP!

[benj23]

Hi guys....

first post so please bare with me. I received the dreaded "trans fail safe" message on my dash a few weeks ago. It will drive for literally 5/10 minutes before it puts itself into limp mode and i then have to switch off the engine and re start it before i can drive it again (for another few minutes). I put it into the garage (not BMW) and was told i need a new gear box. i phoned a German specialist garage for a second opinion, explained the symptoms and was told the same, new box. i've had two quotes of 2 grand. is there ANY other alternatives so i can sell it. Please excuse my ignorance, i am not a car person at all. Is there any possibility of removing a sensor or any kind of temporary fix so i can flog it to "ADMIN EDITED - FOR LEGAL AND ETHICAL REASONS PLEASE DO NOT USE BUSINESS NAMES IN POST LIKE THIS - REGARDS AW8" or another similar company. And does anyone know of any garages that would fit a recond box for considerably less than £2000. The car has 94k on the clock and drives very smooth until it puts itself into limp mode. any help is much appreciated. thanks.

[Horizon]

Hi and welcome to the forum
Firstly when I decided to have my X5 auto box serviced I took it to an auto box specialist.
I am a service engineer myself and have worked in a specialised  in compressors for over 20 years. I know compressors inside out as I work on them day in day out.
Take your car to a specialist, they are rebuilding these boxes day in and day out, its a gearbox that is fitted into many makes of car as well as 4x4. They will see every possible fault re occur many , many times.
Most garages don't know much about these boxes, and just pass the work on to the specialists after they have finished guessing whats wrong with them.
Hope you manage to get it sorted

[Steamyrotter]

There are options...

But as Horizon says take to a gearbox specialist as they know about the box.

It could be a battery / alternator fault which is well publicised on here and else where

try a search on here ad you will get a few posts..

try:-
http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/index.php/t ... l#msg95428


the GM box is not that bad a box when maintained correctly.  Which unfortunatey BMW precluded by stating its a Lifetime fill for the fluid..
What they dont say id lifetime equates to approx 60k miles.  I seem to have a different opinion on what lifetime should mean...

The main killers for the box are loss of pressure (From wear in parts or blocked filter) and torque converter linings stripping.

You need to get pressure checked and compare to drive current to get any idea of what is happening in there..

[shadrack]

just sell it 2k cheaper with box fault present, cant stand the fact your wanting to hide/ mask the fact so some poor bugger pays full money for the car only to have to sink £2k+ into it within a week of owning their new car that they may have saved years for............

either spend the money or loose the money, DONT TRY AND ROB SOMEONE

[X5Sport]

£2k is for a reconditioned box.  A new box is nearer £7k fitted, £10k if the computer has been damaged too.

Your choices are as above, sell it as is with £2k off for the box, or get it to a specialist and have it rebuilt.  You could then sell it in full working order and recover the costs.

Richard

[AW8]

I feel need to clarify OP was hypothetically talking of possibility of doing this to a business that buys cars.........not to a private seller. If a trade business bought the car with initially non disclosed/found faults then that business would end up having to fund sorting any issues prior to resale or sorting issues if raised by a subsequent owner.

Ironically it is not unknown for trade businesses to move cars after they have later found issues.......as to whether that is in or out of trade, fault disclosed or not is down to the trade business concerned.

It is not unheard of for people to sell or p/x cars without disclosing known to them issues.

This site has a number of purposes including to help or point folk in right direction to sort issues.

I cannot endorse or advocate knowingly selling anything with known undisclosed or hidden issues.

The best correct legal, moral & ethical advice is to fix it or to fully disclose it prior to sale or p/x.

Nothing typed here relates to any specific business and I advise against any unlawful/unethical activity.

[shadrack]

still even if it goes to wbac its likely to end up on a forecourt within the same week. if they dont pick the fault up then the selling trader wont either, its all very well in stating laws etc but once a trader has the buyers money its a different story getting it done, this type of thing ruins lives litterally, i dont approve in any shape or from, it happened someone close to me with a shogun and a head gasket, i felt so bad for her i ended up paying the £600 parts bill as she was literally gutted in tears for days after spending months and months saving, and hours and hours working for  her dream car only to find it was f%%ked,

[X5Sport]

Happened to me in 1989 when my much dreamed of owning Opel Manta GT/E turned out to have a f****d timing chain & tensioner.  I'd spent all I could afford so a £500 engine fix was very unwelcome, and the 'dealer' warranty was for £50 claims only.. >:( >:(

Richard

[Steamyrotter]

That's never happened to me........

Oh....!!!!!!
::)