seven11

car is 2008 535i with 132k miles... tranny fluid was probably never changed.

So i parked on a steep hill, facing up, overnight and i tried driving up the hill and the car felt like it was in 3rd gear barely pulling, or like a clutch slipping. I reverse and drive down the hill and get the dreaded Transmission Malfunction error.

Restart the car, the error went away. Drives normally.Went to get coffee, get back and and try to drive away and the car is barely driving. Limped it a block to a Gas Station with repair shop. I thought it could be low on fluid or needs a new seal. Once i stop, the car won't go into drive or reverse or neutral. It would just go back into park.

The shop ran the code and told me its says the tranny is slipping clutches, dont have the actual code. Pretty much he said i need a new tranny.

Once the car cools down, you can drive it a couple blocks and then it would start slipping and then the same would happen where it wouldn't go into drive or reverse.

I am not sure if i should just change the whole tranny or get a new valve body.

What do you guys think?

Any shops in San Francisco, Bay Area specializing in that?

Booyaazaa

Damn I thought you did that when you first got it. Well I'd be interested in seeing what codes were thrown since iirc there isn't a code for clutch slippage. At that mileage it's a tough call. Depending on the codes you could chance it and do a complete fluid, pan, mech sleeve, and bridge seal replacement. If it happens to be the solenoids going bad you can have those replaced and do the previous stuff at the same time. The only shop that is ZF authorized in the area I know about is this place, MZF Bayer-Transmissions Rebuilt San Francisco San Mateo. Also Wing at P-Tech is pretty damn good with our cars and has been the one that does all the work on my car for the last few years.

seven11

i found a transmission from a low mile 335i for a good deal.

i think the build date is before 03.2007. which i think has a little different valve body and the tcu than the ones after 03.2007. But thats for the E9x 335. so i am not sure how that applies to E6x 535i

u think it will fit?

KyleB

If the transmission is slipping you'll get "RATIO MONITORING" fault codes, with something like "4F85" or "4F81"; the last part of that code is telling you which drum has clutches that are slipping (A drum,B drum,C drum, etc etc)

KyleB

Ugh, I hate that diagnosis. It's so lazy. So I guess a misfire code in your engine means you need a new engine too....

A transmission that is low on fluid, or isn't building appropriate pressures, will slip and register faults that are consistent with a transmission that has catastrophically failed. The fact that yours does it intermittently makes me think you have a fluid level, fluid quality, or valve body problem. I'd certainly look into those possibilities before I condemned the whole transmission.

good luck.

E60Japanese

My 2004 525i had both codes and the car was stuck in safety mode when i bought it
I had the valve body reconditioned and new Solenoids and now all the codes are clear and no problems

I also helped another guy with the same problem in his 525I
same repair to the valve body and solenoids

BMW both times said the transmissions needs replacing

In my short history with BMW transmissions the code for a slipping clutch can be set of from
low fluid
bad seals between the valve body and clutches
and faulty solenoids

Don't be scared to have a go yourself

a lot of great people on this forum to help you as they did me

Booyaazaa

Cool. I'm not the most knowledgable on trans dtc's but I figured you'd chime in since you've worked on yours quite a bit.

seven11

thank you guys for chiming in, really appreciate it

i guess i am gonna recondition the valve body first

let me see if i can pull the codes first.

my BMWhat App became terrible after an update they had and i cant get it to work properly.

E60Japanese

There are sensors in the transmission that register when the front input is travelling at a different speed that the output
That is then shown in an error code
that can result in a number of reasons
Kyle is absolutly correct in what he says although both transmissions i have repaired had the same codes 4F85 and 4F81

Thats because low fluid and bad solenoids can also cause the same problems so that the sensors think the clutches are slipping.

All the error codes have never returned since i did the valve body and solenoids

If you are in the states I would suggest you contact seanjordan20 on this forum as he knows a great and reasonable priced company to do your valve body

For himto replace the solenoids alone would have cost $600 but they serviced the VB and replaced all the solenoids and tested the VB for just $700
But of course you will have to remove the VB, replace your filter and fluid so you will be looking at around $1,000

I hope this helps

i'm not trying to disagree with anyone on this forum
everyones been great to me but in my understanding the soleniods and valve body will more than likey be your problem than slipping or damaged clutches

seven11

thanks, i was actually wanted to talk to you about my transmission problem, to see what your thoughts on it was.

i think i am gonna get my valve body rebuilt and then if that doesn't fix the problem i am gonna get a used tranny and swap in my overhauled valve body.

i am gonna contact seanjordan20 and see what he can do for me.

thanks for the help E60Japanese