HennFriedrich
BMW X5 Transmission Grinding Sparks Sensor Investigation
Grinding noise when shifting gears
Transmission slips/shifts erratically
Illumination of the engine warning light (MIL) or transmission warning light
Fault stored
Gearbox is in emergency mode
4 comment(s)
Hey, thanks so much for sharing your experience! My BMW's been sitting in the garage for a few days now since I'm nervous about making things worse. It's somewhat reassuring to hear someone had similar issues and got them sorted without needing a complete transmission replacement. Can't recall you mentioning the final cost though, would you mind sharing how much you ended up paying for the whole job? Also, curious to know if you've had any transmission-related problems pop up since the repair? I'm trying to get a sense of whether this might be a one-off fix or if I should brace myself for more issues down the road.
Hey there! Glad I could follow up on this. Just got back from the mechanic last week actually, they sorted out that transmission oil pressure sensor fault I mentioned before. Total bill came to 365 € for fixing both the sensor and dealing with the low gearbox oil level. Since getting it fixed, my X3's been shifting smooth as butter, absolutely no issues whatsoever. Those nasty grinding noises are completely gone, and the warning lights haven't come back on. It's running just like new now. I know exactly how you feel about being nervous with your car sitting there. I was in the same boat! But honestly, getting it sorted sooner rather than later was definitely the right call. Mine's been perfectly fine for almost a year now with zero transmission problems. The cost might seem a bit steep, but it's way cheaper than having to deal with a completely busted transmission. From my experience, once they get the fluid levels right and sort out any sensor issues, these BMWs tend to behave themselves pretty well. Just keep an eye on those fluid levels during regular service checks and you should be good to go.
Thanks for the detailed follow-up! Finally took my X5 to the mechanic yesterday. Turned out you were spot on, it was a combination of low transmission fluid and a faulty sensor. Damage came to about 400 for parts and labor, which wasn't as terrible as I'd feared. The mechanic I found was actually great. They took the time to show me exactly what was wrong and even gave me a heads-up about what to watch out for in the future. Took the car for a test drive this morning and what a difference! No more grinding sounds, and the shifts are butter smooth now. Really glad I didn't put this off any longer. You were right about catching it early, apparently, there wasn't any permanent damage to the transmission. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it really helped me make the decision to get it checked out sooner rather than later. Guess I'll be keeping a closer eye on those fluid levels from now on!
I had a similar issue with my 2004 BMW X3 3.0i last year. The symptoms were nearly identical, harsh shifting, warning lights, and that awful grinding noise. Initially thought it was just a sensor, but when I took it to the garage, they found the gearbox oil level was critically low, which was causing the pressure sensor to give faulty readings. The transmission was starving for fluid, explaining the rough shifts and grinding. The fix involved a thorough transmission fluid flush, replacement of the filter, and fixing a small leak at the transmission pan gasket that was causing the fluid loss. While not cheap, it wasn't as serious as a full transmission replacement, which I initially feared. What's concerning about your symptoms is that grinding noise, that's exactly what I heard before getting it fixed. Don't wait too long on this one. Low transmission fluid can cause permanent damage if not addressed quickly. Worth getting it checked out by a transmission specialist rather than a general mechanic.