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Thread: Trans. Failsafe Prog

  1. #1
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    Trans. Failsafe Prog

    As the title indicates, my '03 525i has decided it wants some attention. The warning came on after driving to the airport, and then it was limped back home (I know it's not advisable but it is what it is). After doing some research and realising the battery was pushing 5 years old, that was then replaced but to no avail. The problem persists and the warning appears consistently as soon as the key is turned. My LR speed sensor is gone however I can't see replacing that making a difference. Unfortunately I don't have a scanner on hand atm, and I also don't have the facilities to check my transmission fluid. Can someone please tell me I'm missing something?

  2. #2
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    You're missing a scan tool.

    How many miles/kms on the trans? When did you last change the fluid?


    Ed in San Jose '97 540i 6 speed aspensilber over aubergine leather. Build date 3/97. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA Nr 62319.

  3. #3
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    And are you sure the new battery is fully charged (+12.5 volts at rest). ?? That is often the first cause of the "trans fail safe" mode.

  4. #4
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    Good call, Chedley. I ALWAYS charge a new battery overnight at 6-10 A. Never know how long they set on the shelf.


    Ed in San Jose '97 540i 6 speed aspensilber over aubergine leather. Build date 3/97. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA Nr 62319.

  5. #5
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    Measure battery voltages with the car running and after it has sat for several hours and post them here. Issue could be the alternator and not the battery, or your new battery could just be low on charge.

  6. #6
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    With car off and left alone overnight the battery was sitting at 12.1v. With car at idle the multimeter was fluctuating in the range of 13.4 and 13.7v. I've also noticed that the brightness of the interior lights increases somewhat dramatically with throttle input. Additionally, I've got a K+DCAN cable on the way that will hopefully be arriving soon so I can check codes.

  7. #7
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    Well,
    the battery is good but pretty low. Recharge it to full. It should then read 12.5 volts with engine off. The alternator is fine.

  8. #8
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    Yes, charge the battery. That's about a 35%-40% state of charge. Alternator voltages are marginally low but could be OK. Unlock your cluster and monitor while driving periodically. Where did you measure voltage?

  9. #9
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    Charged battery to full and still no dice. Measured at battery terminals with digi multimeter. I also got the INPA cable however I've encountered some driver issues and as such have not been able to scan for codes yet.

    Seeing as the message appears as soon as the key is turned, I assume it's in memory and so is not the result of an up-to-date check(?). As such, would it be advisable to attempt to reset this somehow?

  10. #10
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    So, the battery is fully charged, and you still get the transmission in "fail safe mode" when you start the engine. You will need to read the transmission error codes Fix your INPA cable setup
    Did you check, clean or replace the speed sensors ?
    Also, check the trans fluid level. Better yet, do a drain-and-fill of the transmission fluid : no special tool or equipment needed, it is a quick DIY.
    Last edited by Chedley; 04-18-2021 at 06:44 PM.

  11. #11
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    You should fix that speed sensor as soon as you can, as it provides info to all of the computers in the car for mileage, cruise control, speed, ABS/DSC, and more.

    Check to make sure your transmission's wiring connector is dry, too. I drove over a particularly large puddle faster than I meant to years back, in my 530iA, and had this error appear. I removed the connection to the transmission wiring (circular thing at the back) and felt a trickle of water run down my arm. Some drying with some compressed air and some contact cleaner and it was good to go.
    Nate J.

    (oOO\ (|||)º(|||) /OOo)
    Titanium Silver/Black Nappa Full 07-18-2001 E39 M5 Heritage (BZ99672). 198,000mi+. Increasing daily. Engine rebuild thread.
    (eŌō\ (||||)º(||||) / ōŌe)
    Alpineweiss III/Black Merino Full 03-26-2007 E60 M5 Manual (CX08265). 157,000+. Dead starter -_-

    RIP, Seabiscuit. Black Sapphire/Schwarz 03-11-2003 530iA Sport (CK39185). T-boned 03-01-2017 at 155,861mi.
    Take 2 "Otto" - Toledo Blue/Sandbeige 04-25-2002 530iA Sport (CH98032). Sold 11-10-2017 at 147,743mi.
    Take 3 "Manuel" - Toledo Blue/Grau 10-29-2001 530i5 Sport (CE92358). Sold 02-01-2019 at 217,600mi. I regret that. Build Log
    Reliable P.O.S. - Green/gray 1995 Camry V6 LE. 270k mi. Sold for space.

  12. #12
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    Had the code cleared a few days ago and as it hasn't returned and there have been no noticeable differences from before it appeared, I would consider this a win. I will update down the line if the situation changes. Thanks for all the help.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by legoazx259 View Post
    Had the code cleared a few days ago and as it hasn't returned and there have been no noticeable differences from before it appeared, I would consider this a win. I will update down the line if the situation changes. Thanks for all the help.
    Was it raining or were you driving through puddles when the code appeared?

    If so, the transmission control cable that plugs into the rear of the transmission has a degraded sheath that allowed the connector to fill with water. Search for the fix. Quick summary: clean and wrap with seal-amalgamating tape.

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