Collecting Statistics on BMW auto transmission and Lifetime ATF

[kneecaps]

I fell victim to the reverse gear failure on my ZF 5HP19 gearbox at about 128k. This of course was nothing to do with the fluid, these boxes simply had a desgin flaw.

[B420ady]

2002 Bmw 530d, 345.000km.
I brought the car at 310.000, did a stage 2 remap, and worked great 35.000 km but now the torque converter makea a tapping noise up to 80 kp/h and sounds like it will break when I start from the traffic light. Tomorrow I will get a second hand torque converter and I don t know what oil type should I order and how much. I was thinking to drain totally the torque converter as I don t know what oil it might have in it, change the filter and pan gasket and top up to fill all the torque converter. So what oil I sould use and how much of it?
I ve made a video to hear the tapping noise:
https://youtu.be/QUDkI7A3F_o
And I ve checked with INPA for gearbox errors and I ve got:
129 CAN-time out DME at 0 rpm for 3 times in the past at 325.000km-327.000km
131 CAN-Time out Cluster once at 1120 rpm engine speed and 1536 rpm output speed (this means it slept???)
55 gear check 5 for 3 times in the last 10.000 km, one time the oil temp was 54 C, another time 75 C and 96 C
Please someone help me chose the safest oil as I m scheduled to the mechanic in 2 days.

[2ndgenerationX1]

Never noticed this thread before, thought I'd add my experiences. We bought an '05 X3 for my wife with 50K miles on it coming off a lease in 2009. We had the transmission fluid flushed and changed (with non BMW specific fluid) around every 45K miles or so during the decade we owned the vehicle (sold with 225K miles on it). And the transmission still shifted perfectly when we sold it. We actually sold it because it was getting high in miles not because there was anything wrong with it. We next got my wife a 2015 X1 with 50K miles on it, also coming off a lease. The vehicle is at 72K miles now and we had the fluid flushed and changed at around 60K miles - this time with genuine BWM fluid. The transmission shifts perfectly. We'll continue flushing/changing the fluid in it every 35K miles or so during the entire time we own it, though we'll probably switch to another high quality fluid, as the BMW versions is astronomically expensive.

I also wanted to add that first, I dont believe in 'lifetime' fluid, period. Imo it's BMW's attempt to save themselves some money during the time their vehicles are still under their maintenance and warranty. And I'll add that the fluid that came out of the X3 and X1 both looked pretty bad when we changed them, and this was with the vehicles only having around 60K miles on them. So how is it gonna look at 125K miles if never changed? Or 150 - or 200K?

Also our mechanic who serviced our vehicles (we've since moved cross-country) HIGHLY recommended we get this sevice done regularily. He was an ASE certified master mechanic. Also his shop didn't do the flushes, so he gained nothing financially by recommending we flush the transmission. So my advice ia always 'get the fluid changed' to anyone who asks. It's very important to the longevity of the vehicle, and we've had most of cars for over 200K miles and still going strong when we sold them. I feel like we're doing something right.

Good luck to everyone.

A c
In

[Jaybird180]

Never noticed this thread before, thought I'd add my experiences. We bought an '05 X3 for my wife with 50K miles on it coming off a lease in 2009. We had the transmission fluid flushed and changed (with non BMW specific fluid) around every 45K miles or so during the decade we owned the vehicle (sold with 225K miles on it). And the transmission still shifted perfectly when we sold it. We actually sold it because it was getting high in miles not because there was anything wrong with it. We next got my wife a 2015 X1 with 50K miles on it, also coming off a lease. The vehicle is at 72K miles now and we had the fluid flushed and changed at around 60K miles - this time with genuine BWM fluid. The transmission shifts perfectly. We'll continue flushing/changing the fluid in it every 35K miles or so during the entire time we own it, though we'll probably switch to another high quality fluid, as the BMW versions is astronomically expensive.

I also wanted to add that first, I dont believe in 'lifetime' fluid, period. Imo it's BMW's attempt to save themselves some money during the time their vehicles are still under their maintenance and warranty. And I'll add that the fluid that came out of the X3 and X1 both looked pretty bad when we changed them, and this was with the vehicles only having around 60K miles on them. So how is it gonna look at 125K miles if never changed? Or 150 - or 200K?

Also our mechanic who serviced our vehicles (we've since moved cross-country) HIGHLY recommended we get this sevice done regularily. He was an ASE certified master mechanic. Also his shop didn't do the flushes, so he gained nothing financially by recommending we flush the transmission. So my advice ia always 'get the fluid changed' to anyone who asks. It's very important to the longevity of the vehicle, and we've had most of cars for over 200K miles and still going strong when we sold them. I feel like we're doing something right.

Good luck to everyone.

A c
In

What brand fluid have you been using?

[forqman]

2014 F-31 w/82K miles and transmission performs just fine. Best car I have ever owned.

[X5.jack]

My beamer is a 2008 X5(156k miles)I’ve only ever done an oil change at the regular intervals (bought it at 120k miles) and a coolant change. Never changed any other fluids. I will say I think I got a blown O ring, cause my car occasionally sends out piles of smoke through the exhaust. Everything else feels fine and only just got a check engine light today.

[X5.jack]

My beamer is a 2008 X5(156k miles)I’ve only ever done an oil change at the regular intervals (bought it at 120k miles) and a coolant change. Never changed any other fluids. I will say I think I got a blown O ring, cause my car occasionally sends out piles of smoke through the exhaust. Everything else feels fine and only just got a check engine light today.

[Critter7r]

Update : 2005 325Xi E46 with GM trans.

1st trans fluid change at 100k-ish
2nd trans fluid change at 200k-ish
3rd trans fluid change at 300k-ish

Trans is fine

[dzlockhead]

2005 BMW 325XI, Automatic, 140,000 Miles, never did any fluid changes or maintenance and runs good, just slight occasional hiccup when it shifts from 3rd to 4th up hills.

[Lehigh20]

Factory original fluid. DIY Transmission fluid change using valvoline maxlife multi vehicle on a 2007 525xi at 98,000miles in an attempt to fix harsh shifting and clunky reverse and jerky park. There was noticeable improvement on the shift but clunky reverse and jerky park remained. At 107,000, i did a transmission pan, solenoid replacement, tube and bridge seal replacement and again refilled with valvoline. Definitely, much better.
I've attached the link to a Valvoline PDF website where it says its compatible with ZF Lifeguard 6.

https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publi...2-ac162d889bd1

[cornfucious]

2008 750li changed pan and used Valvoline MaxLife Full Synthetic ATF. didn't do a full flush, Now Trans shifts very hard in 2nd & 3rd..when cold its awfull not so bad when warm 154,000 miles.. Trans shifted fine before Fluid change.. Going to do a full flush will update the results..

- - - Updated - - -















































2008 750li changed pan and used Valvoline MaxLife Full Synthetic ATF. didn't do a full flush, Now Trans shifts very hard in 2nd & 3rd.. 154,000 miles.. Trans shifted fine before Fluid change.. Going to do a full flush will update the results..

[Critter7r]

Have posted in here before, but since I'm still driving the same car, I'll update ...


2005 325Xi E46 @ 320k miles. Did trans fluid and filter replacements at 100k, 200k, and 300k. Not a full flush, just drained, replaced filter, and refilled. Used about 5 liters each time.

Original trans, works perfectly.

[bmwdirtracer]

Cornfuscious, I highly recommend that you use the ZF Lifeguard 6 fluid by the people who made your transmission. Probably a good idea to get all your software updated, too. I'm sure there have been several transmission computer updates.

All that said, 154,000 miles without changing the fluid is a very long time.

[cornfucious]

Thx for the advice. I will do just that and let you know the results soon..

[bmwdirtracer]

Factory original fluid. DIY Transmission fluid change using valvoline maxlife multi vehicle on a 2007 525xi at 98,000miles in an attempt to fix harsh shifting and clunky reverse and jerky park. There was noticeable improvement on the shift but clunky reverse and jerky park remained. At 107,000, i did a transmission pan, solenoid replacement, tube and bridge seal replacement and again refilled with valvoline. Definitely, much better.
I've attached the link to a Valvoline PDF website where it says its compatible with ZF Lifeguard 6.

https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publi...2-ac162d889bd1

Yes, I see that BMW specifies 23 different transmission fluids, Volkswagen , GM and Ford another 20 each, et al.....and Valvoline says they've got one oil that's great for all of them. ZF's oils differ greatly from each other, for different ZF transmissions. But Valvoline says that although these manufacturers have NOT said their one-size-fits-all fluid is okay, we should take Valvoline's word for it. I'll stick to ZF or BMW approved fluids for ZF transmissions, and GM or BMW approved fluids for GM transmissions.

Any shop that does otherwise is very foolish; if the transmission fails after the fluid change (which happens), and the shop used an unauthorized fluid, guess whose fault it is?

[Joe Lockhart]

A top notch auto trans rebuilder explained to me like this, at around 80 to 100K miles if the fluid has not been changed the clutch plates have absorbed all of the additives in the original fill of fluid. Changing it at this point the plates will absorb the additives from the new fluid and it will be to much for the clutch plates and they will fail (come apart). I have been a working mechanic all my life and this make sense. Given my experience and the wisdom of many old trimmer mechanics. If you have a higher mileage car and the fluid has never been changed do not do it. Failure is likely.