BMW 1 Series Grinding & Stalling: Transmission Crisis

Hey there! I had nearly identical issues with my 2016 BMW 2 Series last year. The symptoms match exactly what I experienced, sluggish acceleration, grinding during shifts, and warning lights. My torque converter was indeed failing. Had it fixed at a garage specializing in transmissions. They found metal debris in the transmission fluid, and the converter was completely shot. The whole repair involved replacing the torque converter and flushing the transmission system. It was a major job that took about 4 days. The transmission specialist confirmed it was serious, if left unfixed, it could've led to complete transmission failure. Since the repair, my car's been shifting smoothly with no issues. Don't wait too long on this one, and definitely get it checked by a reputable transmission specialist rather than a general mechanic. Best of luck with the repair.

Thanks for sharing your experience, it's really helpful to know I'm not alone with this! I was worried it might be the torque converter, and your story pretty much confirms my suspicions. Mind if I ask how much the whole repair set you back? Also, have you had any other transmission-related problems since getting it fixed? Just want to know what I might be dealing with down the road.

Hey again! Happy to give you an update! The repair for the torque converter actually cost me 2120 €, pretty steep, I know, but worth every penny. And here's the good news: since getting it fixed at the transmission specialist, my car's been running like a dream. You know that horrible grinding noise we both experienced? Completely gone! The transmission shifts are now buttery smooth, just like when the car was new. I haven't had a single transmission-related issue since the repair, and it's been over a year now. The specialist really knew what they were doing, they sorted out the Automatic transmission torque converter lock-up clutch problem properly the first time. No more warning lights, no more sluggish acceleration, nothing. Trust me, once you get it fixed, you'll feel the difference immediately. Just make sure you go to someone who really knows their stuff with transmissions. Looking back, I'm just glad I didn't wait any longer to get it sorted, could have ended up being way more expensive if the whole transmission had failed. Let me know how it goes with yours!

Thanks so much for all the details! Just got back from a transmission specialist actually. You won't believe it, my repair came in at 1980 €, slightly less than yours! The mechanic was super professional and took the time to explain everything. They showed me all the metal bits in the old transmission fluid, pretty scary stuff! They've got my car for the next few days to replace the torque converter and flush the system. The specialist mentioned I caught it just in time before it could cause more damage. Really glad I asked here and got your advice instead of going back to that sketchy mechanic who probably would've made things worse. Can't wait to get my car back and experience those smooth shifts you mentioned. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it helped me make the right decision! I'll definitely keep an eye on it and make sure to maintain it properly from now on. Thanks again for all your help!