E60 Advice needed

[Sportpack]

Hey guys,

So I've just traded my manual E90 320i (yes, I know :rollsmile for a 2010 Auto E60 523i. I've been driving the car since Tuesday, and in the slow Joburg M1 North traffic, the gearbox does not seem to know if it wants to change up to 3rd gear when it "sounds" like it should, or not. When it eventually does, there is a bit of a jerk. Is this normal? From what I've read, these ZF boxes should have almost seamless changes? Also at pull away, their seems to be an occasional split second delay, between accelerating and moving off, accompanied by a slight "nudge". Now Im considering giving the car back to the dealer and cancelling the deal, or having motorplan sort out the issues, and keeping the car...

Am I getting myself into a situation where I'll end up with a car that spends more time at a workshop than being enjoyed on the road?

Any opinions?

Thanks

 

[RAArmstrong]

Might just need the adaptations reset

http://forums.5series.net/e60-discussion-2/hold-down-accelerator-25s-trick-smoother-shift-40018/

Try this first and see if it helps...

 

[Sportpack]

Might just need the adaptations reset

http://forums.5series.net/e60-discussion-2/hold-down-accelerator-25s-trick-smoother-shift-40018/

Try this first and see if it helps...

Thanks...will definitely try this before leaving the office today

 

[sash]

it could be the adaptations, if not.., depending on the car itself and its history, you might want to consider motorplan fixing it.

 

[Gbmw]

Kick the door down at the dealer, get MP to sort :rollsmile:, u paid for MP, let it work.

 

[Rory]

Mine is out of MP and I had tunetech upgrade the gearbox software and its made a massive difference In fact I can't believe the original owner didn't get to enjoy his car to the full extent die to this issue.

 

[Sportpack]

So I tried the "press down the accelerator" trick and there was a slight improvement. It only lasted until I switched off the car though. I would need to "reprogramme" the throttle every time...:nonono: So its going to BMW tomorrow and hopefully everything will be sorted out

 

[OppositeLockMT]

Used to get a similar feeling with or E60 525i when I would drive in auto. I drive in manual almost all the time as I hate waiting.

 

[vescomilkov]

Hi there,

I drive E60 520d MSport Auto and indeed the gearbox is prone to the hunt or looking at the gear you described. Has been reset by Cedar Auto or JSN I recall have done the self adaptations it is basically futile as the box 's software looks back at your driving pattern hence if you do a lot of bumper to bumper traffic it learns this and forgets that every now and then when you step on it needs to shift swiftly ;-) Also you might have noticed after a long term highway cruising when you get to say the offramp the car is not sure what gear it should be in 3 / 4 / 5 it feels confused ;-)
Not sure if MP or a shrink is in order for this split personality.

 

[Sportpack]

Hi there,

I drive E60 520d MSport Auto and indeed the gearbox is prone to the hunt or looking at the gear you described. Has been reset by Cedar Auto or JSN I recall have done the self adaptations it is basically futile as the box 's software looks back at your driving pattern hence if you do a lot of bumper to bumper traffic it learns this and forgets that every now and then when you step on it needs to shift swiftly ;-) Also you might have noticed after a long term highway cruising when you get to say the offramp the car is not sure what gear it should be in 3 / 4 / 5 it feels confused ;-)
Not sure if MP or a shrink is in order for this split personality.

So do you think its better to just give the car back? Its at BMW right now for setting adaptations, but if thats not going to help then whats the point? The F30 they brought me to work with shifts seamlessly. And while I dont expect such seamless shifting from an older car, I dont think its healthy for the gearbox to behave like it is. Also, are there long term side effects to this, i.e. premature wear on gearbox components?

 

[sash]

when you do get the car back try changing your driving style. after getting my E60 i found that it drives quite differently from other autos.

I believe Phantom mentioned it as well, but I drive it similar to a manual, as in accelerate sufficiently, let off a bit and the car will change up, then accelerate again. Over time i learned where the lowest shift points are in each gear(estimates) and i enjoy the drive more. When driving it like an auto, it would rev to a point then realise that you arent reving any higher then decide to change, getting the car to change down also i found that by accelerating slowly, it would try to accelerate in the current gear, but one needs to indicate to the car that you want it to change up by moving your foot quicker.

Apologies if you know of this, i had to learn as my E60 was my first Auto.

 

[Sportpack]

when you do get the car back try changing your driving style. after getting my E60 i found that it drives quite differently from other autos.

I believe Phantom mentioned it as well, but I drive it similar to a manual, as in accelerate sufficiently, let off a bit and the car will change up, then accelerate again. Over time i learned where the lowest shift points are in each gear(estimates) and i enjoy the drive more. When driving it like an auto, it would rev to a point then realise that you arent reving any higher then decide to change, getting the car to change down also i found that by accelerating slowly, it would try to accelerate in the current gear, but one needs to indicate to the car that you want it to change up by moving your foot quicker.

Apologies if you know of this, i had to learn as my E60 was my first Auto.

The car does all those things you are explaining. I think I've read about the whole "adapt your driving style" thing once in a UK forum. Thing is that you...well I, expect a BMW to drive like a BMW, intuitively. The F30 did that effortlessly this morning. I've only owned BMWs, and I've only ever had to adapt my seating position and steering wheel angles when moving from one to the other. The reason I got an auto was for the JHB M1 North and South traffic. Having to "work" the accelerator sort of defeats the purpose for me and in the daily bumper-to-bumper "drive like you Miss Daisy" situation its kinda hard to drive it like a manual.

I really dont want to drive like the car thinks I should...I want the car to drive like I think it should. That for me, is where the Sheer Driving Pleasure is.

 

[irq5]

I had an e90 335i Steptronic for 6 years (traded in last week for an F30). Last year November I noticed similar issues with the gearbox - I would get jerky shifts and shifts not happening when they would normally happen. Took it to BMW only to find out that the gearbox was almost devoid of oil due to a slight crack in the sump.

The undertray of the car was catching the oil, so I would never have noticed the leak... But yeah, take it in and have them look at it - I agree, the car should drive like you want it to drive. After they changed the sump and topped up the oil, she drove like a dream again

 

[sash]

The car does all those things you are explaining. I think I've read about the whole "adapt your driving style" thing once in a UK forum. Thing is that you...well I, expect a BMW to drive like a BMW, intuitively. The F30 did that effortlessly this morning. I've only owned BMWs, and I've only ever had to adapt my seating position and steering wheel angles when moving from one to the other. The reason I got an auto was for the JHB M1 North and South traffic. Having to "work" the accelerator sort of defeats the purpose for me and in the daily bumper-to-bumper "drive like you Miss Daisy" situation its kinda hard to drive it like a manual.

I really dont want to drive like the car thinks I should...I want the car to drive like I think it should. That for me, is where the Sheer Driving Pleasure is.

I have not driven another E60 auto, i havent had the pleasure of driving a E60 manual, so I cant say whether its a design flaw or a problem. Based on other autos i have driven it is still more in tune with what the driver is doing. I cant compare F30 either, but keep in mind the age of the technology between E60 and F30, with the E60 designed pre 2003 and the f30 Pre 2012.

 

[TOOFAST MP]

A few cars back I had a E60 the gearbox was smooth never had gear change problems but I also had the issue with leaking oil fron the gearbox it was a hairline crack in the gearbox sump pan and a leaking seal where the electrical conection happens I think it was c alled a mechano seal after the gearbox service it was even More smoother , when I looked it up on the net , I found that this happens round 160k km
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[Zig]

Hey guys,

cancelling the deal, or having motorplan sort out the issues, and keeping the car...

Am I getting myself into a situation where I'll end up with a car that spends more time at a workshop than being enjoyed on the road?

Any opinions?

Thanks

If it has motorplan let them sort it out - if they can. I don't know if they send the cars so ZF themselves can do the fixing.
I drive a E60 550i and had the same issues but at much higher mileage 137000km. Oil change and service at Tune-Tech sorted mine out.
If they can't sort it out, cancel the deal IMHO.

---

So I tried the "press down the accelerator" trick and there was a slight improvement. It only lasted until I switched off the car though. I would need to "reprogramme" the throttle every time...:nonono: So its going to BMW tomorrow and hopefully everything will be sorted out

The throttle reset is just what it is. Reset of the throttle. I don't think it affects the gearbox in any way, just the way the throttle responds until it re-learns your driving habits.

 

[MikeR]

:thumbdo: ZF boxes

 

[Zig]

:thumbdo: ZF boxes

Mike, I don't think it's really the boxes that are bad. Had a lengthy discussion with someone at ZF who told me the problem is BMW instruct them to design a box that will last for the duration of the motor-plan.
He says they can only do so much with the given budget for the design of the box.
I was told that the current crop of BMW auto boxes have been built on a shoe-string budget and these things will not last long outside of motor-plan.
So I would advise staying away from late model second-hand BMW's with auto boxes in future.
:thumbdo:

 

[RAArmstrong]

E39 FTMFW :rollsmile:

 

[Sportpack]

So I got the car back from BMW and they say that they reset the adaptations, but it doesnt appear on the invoice because there is no charge for "pressing a few buttons". I dont buy that for one minute, because they would certainly charge for labour if I took it in out of motorplan. That, and the car still does the same thing. So I sent the service manager and BMW customer care an email telling them how unhappy I am with premium branded luxury car thats no more smoother than a metrobus when going through the gears. Now Im booked in for next Tuesday when, hopefully BMW will approve a gearbox service.