Update tranny slipping. no more slip but trans program on

[rochab77]

I just purchased this 95 525i and it slipped in 3rd and 4th, but 1st and 2nd were working perfectly. I changed the transmission fluid in the pan last week and drove it today. it began slipping more in 3rd and 4th then went into trans program mode. Now the car no longer slipps in 3rd even under full throttle at 70 mph (a new speed record in this car for me lol ) It is stuck in third unless I shift it into 2nd in which it will go to 2nd gear. It will not go into 1st, as was expected knowing the trans is in failsafe mode. although I am in failsafe mode, I am somewhat relieved to know I now have 3rd gear with no slippage. This is a relief because I now know the trans will not need rebuilt as I thought it would. Any ideas? I cleaned the gear selector tracks but they seemed pretty worn. could it be the speed sensor? I am now more anxious than ever now that I know this is likely an electrical problem and a much cheaper fix that re-building the trans. I am going to try a reset by unpluggin the battery and connecting the terminals for an hour to see of that helps. I am thinking something is out of adjustment or something is not reading right.

[jgdynamics]

did you ever figure this out??? i am having about the same problem.. it slips into 3rd but if changed it to 2nd it will jerk and shift into 3rd like normal.. now it just keeps slipping in 3rd.

[rochab77]

Not yet. I am certain it is something electrical though. Can't seem to get any answers as of yet. I'll post an update as soon as I fix it though I promise, becasue I don't want anyone else to have to deal with the frustration of having such a fine driving machine but limited to short trips or places where I don't have to go more than 50mph

Now it shifts to third but it shifts to third when it should be shifting to fourth. It shifts from first to second just fine, and when it is time to shift to third,it acts like it is going to shift the first time but instead of going to third it stays in second and the second time it goes to third when it is really supposed to be going into fourth. When I select third gear it drops down into second. This leads me to believe the car thinks it is in fourth when it is in third.

[darknezz7]

check the throttle position sensor, when mine went on my 530 it made it do all kinds of weird things like start in the wrong gears, not shift until really high, double shift, just plain crazy.

[89 bimmer]

Not to steal the spot light, but I kinda wanna sneak this one in. I have an auto transmisson, and my car jerks into 2nd gear. When it's first running, or cooler outside, the jerk is worse than when it's warmer or been running a bit. Any ideas? I think I need to replace tranny fluid, but was wondering if I needed to do/check anything else?

[darknezz7]

Not to steal the spot light, but I kinda wanna sneak this one in. I have an auto transmisson, and my car jerks into 2nd gear. When it's first running, or cooler outside, the jerk is worse than when it's warmer or been running a bit. Any ideas? I think I need to replace tranny fluid, but was wondering if I needed to do/check anything else?

tranny fluid, its prolly so gunked up that its not lubricating properly. pretty straight forward, dran tranny fluid at pan, take pan off, clean bottom of pan and magnets, replace filer, put pan back on, fill up.

[89 bimmer]

tranny fluid, its prolly so gunked up that its not lubricating properly. pretty straight forward, dran tranny fluid at pan, take pan off, clean bottom of pan and magnets, replace filer, put pan back on, fill up.

How much am I looking at, buying the fluid and filter? Never even done this, and I actually just posted asking how to change the oil lol. So let me go searching befroe I ask for a guide. But thanks for that quick over veiw. It just sounds a bit more complex than changing oil, I'm really thinking about changing my own oil this weekend, but I'm not sure I can locate the drain screw.

[rochab77]

It's really straight forward and simple to do. take the drain plug off of the passenger side corner of the transmission pan and drain the fluid. next remove the pan, then remove the small pan in front of the main pan. Clean them both out very well and make sure you clean the magnets. next remove the filter and install the new one. make sure you have cleaned away all gasket material from the transmission pans and the transmission itself. Next fill the small pan and install it with the new gasket. then install the large pan. make sure the car is level, and is idling in neutral. begin filling the pan with a transfer pump (can be bought at Wal Mart for under $10 in the fuel tank and cap section). It should take about 3 quarts, but fill it until you have fluid coming out of the fill hole. install the fill plug and put it in manual mode and run through all of the gears from park to 1st and back up, pausing for at least 5 seconds in each gear. Remove the fill plug, sheck the fluid level and add more if necessary. Take it for a drive. Hope this helps. I am not the best at verbally explaining things.You are looking at about 40-50 for the filter kit and whatever the cost is locally for Dexron 4 transmission fluid. All in all this can be done for well under $100

By the way, don't start the car up until you have installed both pans and gaskets and are ready to fill don't forge to put back the drain plug. I would put it back in after the fluid is drained before removing the pan. Also, be careful removing and installing the small pan or you will spill trans fluid.

Heres a helpful link. http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1271968

[darknezz7]

hmm if you cant change the oil..... dont know if you can change the tranny fluid.

but really, listen. I'm no mechanic, had no training other than first year auto in high school which didn't teach me anything I didnt already know. I just get in their and figure things out as I go, guides and a book all help, but basically everything I have learned is from first hand experiance. I've fully rebuilt a Nissan z24 4cyl, changed the rod bearings in my eclipse, replaced clutches in an acura and toyota, swapped my 530i engine and transmission, and lots more, just by tearing into it and learning as I go.

I strongly suggest you just dig into it, dont think you can really hurt it, maybe pick up a book on basic car maintenance and read over it?

I like changing my own oil cause I dont like others touching my bmws and I KNOW what oil and grade gets put in it. I use 15-50 in the summer and 15-40 in the winter. Been using castrol gtx high mileage in the 530i but I think I'm gonna go mobile 1 full synthetic in the 535i as my driving is a little more "spirited" than my gf driving the 530i most of the time.

[jfj707]

I just purchased this 95 525i and it slipped in 3rd and 4th, but 1st and 2nd were working perfectly. I changed the transmission fluid in the pan last week and drove it today. it began slipping more in 3rd and 4th then went into trans program mode. Now the car no longer slipps in 3rd even under full throttle at 70 mph (a new speed record in this car for me lol ) It is stuck in third unless I shift it into 2nd in which it will go to 2nd gear. It will not go into 1st, as was expected knowing the trans is in failsafe mode. although I am in failsafe mode, I am somewhat relieved to know I now have 3rd gear with no slippage. This is a relief because I now know the trans will not need rebuilt as I thought it would. Any ideas? I cleaned the gear selector tracks but they seemed pretty worn. could it be the speed sensor? I am now more anxious than ever now that I know this is likely an electrical problem and a much cheaper fix that re-building the trans. I am going to try a reset by unpluggin the battery and connecting the terminals for an hour to see of that helps. I am thinking something is out of adjustment or something is not reading right.

It still might need to be rebuilt. There are multiple "clutch packs" in a transmission, and each gear uses a different combination of clutch packs. Sounds like you might have a pack not engaging (probably due to mech. failure, as is common with your trans). Third's combination just doesn't include that pack.

But, like all things, start simple and cheap. Make sure the fluid level is correct, then change the filter.

[rochab77]

correct me if i am wrong but when the transmission goes into trans program it is stuck in 3rd right? well, If I shift down to second or first i can start out in second and when I shift to third and drive it stays in third. when it is not in trans program mode and I select third it drops down to second. If I manually shift in manual mode first to second is fine. When going from second to third it motions like it is going to shift but stays in second. then the trans program light comes on If i don't shift to drive and take it off of manual. I don't think its mechanical because when in trans program mode there is not slippage and it will be in third gear when the selector is in third or drive. I am beginning to suspect the Transmission control module. What happens is when it is time to upsift to third It feels like it is changing gears but stays in second. It then does the gear change thing again and goes to third. I think this is confusing the tcm and fooling it into thinking it is in fourth when it is really in third. instead of going first to second, second to third and third to fourth it goes first to second, second to second and then second to third and makes no more attempts to shift after that.