automatic gearbox failure

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Mario-Laser d.o.o. - 26 Nov 2008 09:43 GMT

I have an '00 X5 with a 3 litre diesel engine (besides '04 530d with a bit
stronger engine) and averything has been perfect so far. Few days ago my
gearbox died. I mean really died. I couldn't get my car moving. Few days
before that I pulled a 4t trailor for a very short time and, at a time, it
seemed OK. The car was able to pull that with no special effort. What could
cause this problem? Did anyone else had this problem? I bought the car
second hand and they told me that all services have been done on the car so
I wouldn't have to worry. Maybe they didn't change the oil in the gearbox?
Or it was me pulling that heavy trailor? Or this what has happened to me is
common? The car has 120000 miles on it.
What do you think?
Regards
Mario

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Dave Plowman (News) - 26 Nov 2008 10:13 GMT

> I have an '00 X5 with a 3 litre diesel engine (besides '04 530d with a
> bit stronger engine) and averything has been perfect so far. Few days
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> heavy trailor? Or this what has happened to me is common? The car has
> 120000 miles on it. What do you think?

You need to check the spec for towing. Should be in the driver's handbook.
Some autos require a larger or additional oil cooler for towing.
Overheating kills them in short order.

The ZF transmission on my car (particularly the torque convertor) is very
compact compared to older ones and I'd guess would overheat very quickly
if overloaded.

As regards changing the fluid originally this was a lifetime type. But now
IIRC it's recommended to change it at about 80,000 miles. A Google should
find details.

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Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
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Jean-Yves - 26 Nov 2008 10:51 GMT

> I have an '00 X5 with a 3 litre diesel engine (besides '04 530d with a bit
> stronger engine) and averything has been perfect so far. Few days ago my
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Regards
> Mario

I had a '00 330d with automatic gearbox.
my bmw service changed the gearbox oil at 150000km (93000 miles)
althought it is not mentionned in the service plan, they did it because
telling me that the gearbox may dye at 250000km if not done... they had
some cases...
it failed mainly when you change too quickly from forward to reverse and
back without waiting a little time between.
this has been corrected on '03 and more gearboxes (204 HP engines)

regards,

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Jean-Yves.

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Mario M - 27 Nov 2008 07:23 GMT

Thanks for the infos. I admitt that I topped the pulling capacity by almost
50% but thought that was for a very short time (some 10 miles done in four
days) so it wouldn't get damaged. As far as the oil is concearned, I have to
ask the dealer who sold me a car.
Regards
Mario

>I have an '00 X5 with a 3 litre diesel engine (besides '04 530d with a bit
>stronger engine) and averything has been perfect so far. Few days ago my
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Regards
> Mario

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Dave Plowman (News) - 27 Nov 2008 09:09 GMT

> Thanks for the infos. I admitt that I topped the pulling capacity by
> almost 50% but thought that was for a very short time (some 10 miles
> done in four days) so it wouldn't get damaged. As far as the oil is
> concearned, I have to ask the dealer who sold me a car.

If the box is completely dead there's a good chance it is the torque
convertor - which does point to overheating. It's about the one fault on
an auto where I'd take the chance of just replacing that - rather than a
total overhaul which is the norm for others. But it does depend on the
labour cost.

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Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
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