Check Transmission Light and hard down shifting in automatic box

[MilesWilliams]

Hi all.

New here. First BMW I've owned.

Just bought an old 2004 318i with the N46 and automatic tranny a few weeks back. Was running fine until earlier this week. I'm intermittently getting the check transmission light come on and when it's on the gearbox downshifts from 3rd to 2nd and 1st really hard. It shifts up hard as well but nowhere near as hard as down, it clunks and jolts the whole vehicle. Turning the car off and restarting it clears it and she runs fine again, for a while. I've driven about 400km since the first time it happened and in that time it has occured 5 other times. I drove it approx 120 kms to work this morning and it was fine the whole trip.

I've gotten a fault code report and of the 23 faults shes throwing the ones I'm concerned with are :

92 CAN torque interface
2A59 DME: Valvetronic, eccentric-shaft sensor 1
2A6B DME: Valvetronic, power limitation, servomotor
2A5B DME: Valvetronic, eccentric-shaft sensor 1
2A6C DME: Valvetronic, learning function, stop
2A63 DME: Valvetronic, servomotor 1
2A5D DME: Valvetronic, eccentric-shaft sensor 1

SO.
I'd just like to get some opinions from some folks who know their BMW's before I take it to someone and get the top end opened up.
Is there any chance that it could just be a dirty/oily eccentric-shaft sensor?
Or would it more likely be the valvetronic motor seeing as it's throwing the 2A6B and 2A63 codes up.
What could be causing the 92 CAN torque interface fault? And would that be related to my issue at all?
Would I be getting the VVT motor faults if it was just the sensor that was pooped?


On a side note, what OBD reader would you guys recommend purchasing? I took it to a transmission place when I seen the check transmission light, not knowing it was nothing to do with the tranny. He chucked the scanner on to it and said the transmission is fine and that I'm likely looking at needing the valvetronic equipment replaced but he doesn't do that kind of thing. So now I need to find a good BMW mechanic in Sydney, Australia. Anybody here from Sydney and know a guy?

Cheers.

[MarcoZandrini]

I’m partial to the OBDFusion app for smartphones and tablets. Here’s the link: https://www.obdsoftware.net/software...ceddiagnostics

Click on “support” to learn how to set the app up. Also, go to E46Fanatics and search for threads on OBDFusion in which jfoj has commented. He’s the guru.