E36 1998 328i Transmission Questions

[ACLII]

I have a 328i production date 10/1997. Has the green sticker GM transmission. Two things with the automatic manual switch in place the transmission jumps at low speed between gears 1 and 2. When I remove the switch the transmission acts normal. Also when normally accelerating going from first into second this shift is very hard while all other gears the shifting is normal. Also noticed the shift points between first second and third are very different from my 1996 328i. Is it possible my transmission control module needs to be replaced or can they be reprogrammed?

[scooper]

if you put it in manual mode that also doubles for sport mode so of course the shifts will be hard. I don't know about the jumping bit as the trans should hold the gear you've chosen even if it's 4th and you are going slowly or 3rd at rest.

As far as I know all the GM trans for US e36s are the same. Only difference is where they were manufactured.

[Twistytee]

Sounds like your switch is faulty. The car always resets itself to the auto position when you restart it. Could be it's doing the same thing when you remove the switch. They aren't particularly pricey so you could try to replace. Or simply remove it and pit a blank there. I never use it. Manual says it's designed for holding the car in the gear position you've selected for towing or down slopes. Also holds gear 3 if you leave it in "D".

Do you know when the ATF and filters were last changed? Mine was doing the same thing and it went away after changing the fluid and making sure the tranny case was filled at operating temp. I don't own a later model year so I can't help you on the difference in shift points. If you're referencing current issues, keep in mind it's unusually cold in the Carolinas right now and these auto trans shift hard in the cold until they warm-up. When the engine is cold, they are also programmed to delay shifting into 3rd until higher RPMs in order to speed-up the warming up process.

[Twistytee]

if you put it in manual mode that also doubles for sport mode so of course the shifts will be hard.

The "A/M" switch is actually different than sport mode. If you drop the transmission into 3 it is now in sport mode and will hold the gears a bit longer than "D" but still shift between gears at the higher rpm settings (hence "sport mode"). Or you can manually move it yourself beteen the lower gears.

The A/M switch actually holds the transmission in the single gear you've selected. So switching to Manual in "D" means the car will start in 3rd gear and never up shift to overdrive or downshift to second gear.

[scooper]

I stand corrected...please disregard my comments.

[capebmw]

Very important for fluid to be clean and at the correct levels. I would do a tranny service, follow directions explicitly and see what happens.

[ACLII]

I will get the tranny service done first.