BMW X7 Transfer Case Failure Causes Rough Jerking

Hey there! I faced almost identical issues with my 2020 BMW X5 last year. The symptoms you're describing, jerking, rough shifting, and AWD warnings, mirror what I experienced. After taking it to the garage, they diagnosed defective gears in the transfer case. The bearings were worn out, causing metal shavings to contaminate the transfer case fluid. This was definitely a serious repair that took about 4-5 days to complete. They had to remove the entire transfer case, replace the damaged gears, and install new bearings. While they were at it, they also changed all the transfer case fluid and checked the transmission. The jerking you're experiencing isn't something you should ignore, it can lead to more severe damage if left unchecked. In my case, catching it early prevented damage to the transmission itself. Since you mentioned having a bad experience with your previous mechanic, I'd strongly suggest going to a BMW certified service center for this specific issue. The transfer case is a complex component that requires proper diagnostic tools and expertise. Hope this helps with your decision.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. I was worried it might be the transfer case, good to hear they caught yours before it caused more damage. Would you mind telling me what the final bill came to? Also, has everything been running smoothly since the repair? I'm trying to budget for this and really hoping it's a one-and-done fix.

Hey again! Just wanted to follow up, after getting my X5's transfer case fixed, it's been running like a dream! Been about 8 months now with zero issues. The jerking completely stopped and the AWD system is working perfectly. Best 330€ I've spent on the car, honestly. They replaced those defective gears in the transfer case, and it's like having a new car again. Funny enough, when they opened it up, they found exactly what they suspected, worn gears were causing all that metal contamination in the transfer case oil. Once they sorted that out, all those annoying error messages disappeared too. From what you're describing, sounds like you've got the same problem I had. Definitely worth getting it sorted sooner rather than later. Mine took about 4 days in the shop, but at least it was a permanent fix. Haven't had to think about it since! Let me know how you get on with yours, always interested to hear if others have the same experience with the repair.

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! That's actually a huge relief, 330€ is way less than I was bracing myself for. I thought I'd be looking at thousands. Just booked an appointment with a certified BMW service center for next week. Funny story, I actually tried getting it checked at my regular mechanic last month. They spent two hours "diagnosing" it and charged me for an inspection, only to tell me they couldn't figure it out. Guess that's why it's worth going to specialists for these kinds of issues. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it helped me understand what I'm dealing with and gave me confidence about getting it fixed. The four-day timeline helps me plan better too. I'll make sure they check for those metal shavings you mentioned. Time to get this sorted and stop worrying every time I accelerate! Thanks again for all the help. I'll probably update the group once it's fixed in case anyone else runs into similar problems in the future.