2004 530 Transmission acting up
11-30-2010, 04:38 PM
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Just purchased a 2004 530 from a private owner. Noticing a tranny issue more and more as time goes on. Doesn't want to shift into next gear at times. Seems like converter is locking up? Are there any known issues? Any suggestions? Is there a software update? Fluid change? Kinda worried as I had a 2003 e320 before this car w same issue and turned out to be coolant in fluid which eventually lunched the trans.
11-30-2010, 04:52 PM
#2
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how many miles on it? Do a tranny reset first.
You may have too much or too little fluid. Use ONLY recommended fluid. Do NOT trust just anyone to work on your car.
There's a DIY in here you can follow for reset and/or flush.
Could be also your Mass Air Flow sensor is dirty. Get some MAFS cleaner and clean it.
Could be your air filter. If dirty replace. If replacing be careful of Oiled re-useable filters like K&N. Try to get access oil off it first.
Try tranny reset first. Let us know. The tranny says lifetime fluid don't believe that.
Napa carries the tranny fluid for about $14.50 a liter. Rmeuropean has pan kit for like $130 or something. Cost you about $300 to do yourself but you'll need to do anyway eventually and save yourself troubles. JUST MAKE SURE IT'S DONE BY A BMW EXPERIENCED TECH. Read the DIY you'll see why.
You may have too much or too little fluid. Use ONLY recommended fluid. Do NOT trust just anyone to work on your car.
There's a DIY in here you can follow for reset and/or flush.
Could be also your Mass Air Flow sensor is dirty. Get some MAFS cleaner and clean it.
Could be your air filter. If dirty replace. If replacing be careful of Oiled re-useable filters like K&N. Try to get access oil off it first.
Try tranny reset first. Let us know. The tranny says lifetime fluid don't believe that.
Napa carries the tranny fluid for about $14.50 a liter. Rmeuropean has pan kit for like $130 or something. Cost you about $300 to do yourself but you'll need to do anyway eventually and save yourself troubles. JUST MAKE SURE IT'S DONE BY A BMW EXPERIENCED TECH. Read the DIY you'll see why.
11-30-2010, 05:47 PM
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how many miles on it? Do a tranny reset first.
You may have too much or too little fluid. Use ONLY recommended fluid. Do NOT trust just anyone to work on your car.
There's a DIY in here you can follow for reset and/or flush.
Could be also your Mass Air Flow sensor is dirty. Get some MAFS cleaner and clean it.
Could be your air filter. If dirty replace. If replacing be careful of Oiled re-useable filters like K&N. Try to get access oil off it first.
Try tranny reset first. Let us know. The tranny says lifetime fluid don't believe that.
Napa carries the tranny fluid for about $14.50 a liter. Rmeuropean has pan kit for like $130 or something. Cost you about $300 to do yourself but you'll need to do anyway eventually and save yourself troubles. JUST MAKE SURE IT'S DONE BY A BMW EXPERIENCED TECH. Read the DIY you'll see why.
You may have too much or too little fluid. Use ONLY recommended fluid. Do NOT trust just anyone to work on your car.
There's a DIY in here you can follow for reset and/or flush.
Could be also your Mass Air Flow sensor is dirty. Get some MAFS cleaner and clean it.
Could be your air filter. If dirty replace. If replacing be careful of Oiled re-useable filters like K&N. Try to get access oil off it first.
Try tranny reset first. Let us know. The tranny says lifetime fluid don't believe that.
Napa carries the tranny fluid for about $14.50 a liter. Rmeuropean has pan kit for like $130 or something. Cost you about $300 to do yourself but you'll need to do anyway eventually and save yourself troubles. JUST MAKE SURE IT'S DONE BY A BMW EXPERIENCED TECH. Read the DIY you'll see why.
11-30-2010, 11:37 PM
#4
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Well it depends on the car's history. Honestly it's worth it... Lifetime Fluid? Well BMW recommends change @ 100K miles. Right now as it is......I will say this: If you don't know if the fluid is low or high and you have no way to check (you don't) and IF you have 50K on the car, I would warm up the tranny by a 5 min drive and drain the oil out of the pan. Pan replacement is NOT necessary at this point. After you drain measure it in Liters. When you refill the running car properly at at the required temperature range...the car will only allow you to put in the correct amount of oil. The rest will continue to drip out as you fill. Deduct how much you put in from what you bought. Don't forget to check the DIY out and study it first. Ask questions., get answers. So this will cost you probably $75 total to do and you will know you have the correct amount of fluid and half of your fluid will be new. The rest is only 50k old (half its life) and therefore you have a filled tranny with oil that has about 75% of it's life left. Change again at 100K
12-01-2010, 04:41 PM
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Well it depends on the car's history. Honestly it's worth it... Lifetime Fluid? Well BMW recommends change @ 100K miles. Right now as it is......I will say this: If you don't know if the fluid is low or high and you have no way to check (you don't) and IF you have 50K on the car, I would warm up the tranny by a 5 min drive and drain the oil out of the pan. Pan replacement is NOT necessary at this point. After you drain measure it in Liters. When you refill the running car properly at at the required temperature range...the car will only allow you to put in the correct amount of oil. The rest will continue to drip out as you fill. Deduct how much you put in from what you bought. Don't forget to check the DIY out and study it first. Ask questions., get answers. So this will cost you probably $75 total to do and you will know you have the correct amount of fluid and half of your fluid will be new. The rest is only 50k old (half its life) and therefore you have a filled tranny with oil that has about 75% of it's life left. Change again at 100K
12-01-2010, 05:07 PM
#6
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Anytime. You may want to check your car's software version and if you ever do mods to the car like ipod or aux input and need to have coding, ask them to upgrade your car's firmware at the same time. Usually they'll do this first but make sure you're not paying extra for it. For the next 1000 miles drive it easy as it's adapting to your driving conditions and will store your driving in memory as if you're the first person to touch the pedal. Glad it worked out.
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