2005 BMW 5 Series Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I PURCHASED THIS BMW 525I USED FROM A PERSON THAT OBTAINED IT FROM A WHOLESALE DEALER, IT HAD SOME MINOR FRONTEND DAMAGE FROM A FENDER BENDER (BROKEN GRILL, DING TO HOOD) SHOWING 107900 MILES. EVERYTHING ELSE CHECKED OUT. I FEW MONTHS LATER I NOTICED A SLIGHT CHANGE IN TRANSMISSION SOUND, BUT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE COLD TEMPERATURES HERE IN WISCONSIN. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER WHILE JUST FINISHING GOING UP A SLIGHT STRAIGHT INCLINE AT AROUND 45MPH THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED DOWN INTO LIMP DOWN MODE AND A TEMPORARY NOTICE CAME UP ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN INDICATING A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE CLEARED THE PROBLEM, THE NEXT DAY NEAR THE SAME SPOT IT OCCURRED AGAIN. I ASSUMED THE TRANSMISSION MIGHT BE LOW ON FLUID BUT LOOKING ONLINE BMW INDICATED THIS IS A NO SERVICE TRANSMISSION BUT THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL BY ACCESSING A PLUG UNDER THE CAR. WHEN A SERVICE TECH CHECKED HE SAID THE FLUID LEVEL WAS NORMAL BUT SMELLED BURNT. HE RECOMMENDED AGAINST ANY SERVICE IN THAT IT LIKELY WOULD RESULT IN FASTER COMPLETE FAILURE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED AND NO CODES SHOW IN THE SYSTEM FILE, IN THAT BMW INSISTED ON NO PROVIDING A METHOD TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, THEY ASSUMED THE LIABILITY FOR FAILURE IF REGULAR MAINTAINANCE (TRANSMISSION FLUSH) COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS FAILURE.

THERE ARE 3 RECALLS REPORTED FOR MY YEAR MAKE AND MODEL OF A CAR I JUST PURCHASED THAT AT GIVING ME PROBLEMS AND I'M RECEIVING WARNING MESSAGES ON MY NAVIGATION BUT MY VIN IS NOT REGISTERING WITH DEALERSHIP FOR BEING ELIGIBLE FOR RESOLUTION PLEASE REPLY BACK WITH STEPS TO REPAIR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE BEING OPERATED AT LOW SPEEDS. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR AND SERVICE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. UPDATED 02/16/17*LJ

I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, IT APPEARS THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS STRUGGLING TO GET TO THE NEXT GEAR. THE RPMS WILL FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN AND SOMETIMES REV WAY UP BEFORE THE CAR KICKS LIKE I HAVE BEEN HIT. IF I TRY TO ACCELERATE FAST FROM A STOP, THE ENGINE WILL REV UP TO ABOUT 5K RPM AND STOP RESPONDING UNTIL I LET OFF THE GAS AND LET THE RPMS DROP DOWN AND THEN IT WILL KICK INTO GEAR. IF I SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST A STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE IT WILL MOST CERTAINLY KICK, SO I HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS. I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM WHEN PULLING OUT OF AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL ACT UP (WHICH IS MOST OF THE TIME) AND HINDER MY ACCELERATION. ONCE I GET UP TO CRUISING SPEED (ABOVE 45 MPH) IT RUNS SMOOTHLY, BUT IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT I DREAD EVERY TIME I HAVE TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION OR SLOW WAY DOWN. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND SAID IF IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION THEN THE SERVICE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. HE ASKED ME WHAT KIND OF GAS I USE AND I SAID SHELL HIGH OCTANE AND HE SAID THAT IS GOOD. OTHER THAN THAT, HE DIDN'T TELL ME MUCH MORE. I WANT TO SELL THE CAR NEXT SPRING BUT WHO WILL BUY IT WITH IT PERFORMING THIS WAY?

WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE CAR GAS PEDAL BEGAN TO REV UP ON ITS ON AND THEN THE WARNING LIGHT ALERT "TRANS. MALFUNCTION" THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE REDUCED ACCELERATION. HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY THE NEAREST BMW CENTER. TRANS. FAULT DRIVE MODERATELY, WE PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR FOR A WHILE I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BUT THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPENS, I HAVE CHECKED ON WWW.MOTORTREND.COM FOR RECALLS AND EVERYONE THAT IS LISTED ARE PROBLEMS IM HAVING,RECALL # 76534 AIR BAGS FRONTAL LIGHT, RECALL 51587 POWER TRAIN; AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, RECALL #93389 ENGINE & ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: FAN, RECALL 71260 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST: VACUUM, I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY CAR IN ALL THESE RECALLS, PLEASE HELP. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH IN MYCERTIFIED PRE OWNED 2005 BMW 530I THAT I HAVE OWNED FOR 3 AND A HALF YEARS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I GOT A MESSAGE IN THE IDRIVE THAT READ :TRANSMISSION FAILSAFE, DRIVE MODERATELY". I THEN PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAY I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST BWM SERVICE CENTER WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRASMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD 46K MILES ON IT WHEN I PURCHASED IT SO THAT MEANS THAT I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN 50K WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I JUST FIND IT DISCERNING THAT A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE IS IN NEED OF A TRANSMISSION. I HAVE KEPT UP THE MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE AND AS I MENTION ABOVED I PURCHASE A PRE- CERTIFIED VEHICLE AND I HAVE NEVER HAS A VEHICLE TO NEED A TRANSMISSION THIS SOON. AFTER CHECKING THE INTERNET IT CONCERNS ME THAT ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THAT BMW HAS NO ADDRESS IT. *TR

COMING ONTO HIGHWAY PUSHED GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT BUT LOST POWER WITH A LARGE WARNING DIAGNOSTIC ON CONTROL PANEL -- TRANSMISSION ERROR INDICATING THAT CAR WOULD NOW OPERATE IN A DIMINISHED STATE. LUCKILY MANAGED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE WITHOUT CAUSING ACCIDENT. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS SITUATION THE LOSS OF POWER COULD EASILY HAVE HAD MORE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. *TR

GOING 55 MPH. THE CAR LOST POWER WITH A LARGE WARNING DIAGNOSTIC ON CONTROL PANEL -- TRANSMISSION ERROR INDICATING THAT CAR WOULD NOW OPERATE IN A DIMINISHED STATE. LUCKILY MANAGED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE WITHOUT CAUSING ACCIDENT. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS SITUATION THE LOSS OF POWER COULD EASILY HAVE HAD MORE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. IT WAS SPUTTERING AND I SHUT ENGINE OFF AND IT STARTED AGAIN. I DROVE HOME. TOOK IT TO A BMW REPAIR SHOP AND BMW AND NO ONE COULD FIND PROBLEM. *TR

TRANSMISSION JERKS AS IF YOU ARE MISSING A SPARK OR IT IS TRYING TO FIND A HIGHER OR LOWER GEAR WHILE CRUISING IN TRAFFIC BETWEEN 32-40 MPH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 525I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PAN SLEEVE GASKET LEAK COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION WHEN THEY FOUND THE TRANSMISSION LEAK. THE DEALER STATED THAT A GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

CAR SLAMS LIKE YOU JUST GOT REAR ENDED IF YOU SPEED UP WHILE ROLLING AT AROUND 35MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT HAPPENS WHEN I'M TRYING TO CHANGE LANES AND SPEED UP. ALSO TRANSMISSION JERKS AS IF YOU ARE MISSING A SPARK OR IT IS TRYING TO FIND A HIGHER OR LOWER GEAR WHILE CRUISING IN TRAFFIC BETWEEN 32-40 MPH. IT JERKS NOTICEABLY WHERE MY SON ASKS WHY ARE YOU DRIVING LIKE THAT. THIS IS TERRIBLE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH, REGARDLESS WHETHER THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY OR NOT. NONE OF THESE INCIDENTS SIGNALS A CHECK ENGINE WARNING. THE BANG AT ROLLING IS ENOUGH TO GIVE ONE WHIPLASH. *TR

MY BMW 545I 2005 HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH MECHATRONICS FOR SOME TIME. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING HOME AND MY CAR HAS DOWN SHIFTED FROM HIGH 4TH GEAR TO 2ND AND CAUSED ME TO DRIVE INTO A DITCH. LUCKILY I WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT BUT STILL EXPERIENCED NECK INJURIES FROM HITTING THE DITCH. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS A RECALL BEFORE SOME ONE GETS KILLED. BMW CAN NO LONGER COVER THIS UP AND THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. MANY FORMS ON THE INTERNET HAVE ADDRESSED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS NO LONGER A ISSUE, ITS A LIFE SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE BEEN REVIEWING BLOGS ON THE 2005 BMW 545I SERIES. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I STARTED EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY CAR. THE CAR IS ACCELERATING AT TIMES ON ITS OWN AS I SWITCH THE TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AND I LET GO OF THE BRAKE. IT GIVES A BOOST OF ACCELERATION WHERE I ALMOST HIT MY GARAGE DOOR. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN I ROLL FROM A STOP SIGN THE CAR EXPERIENCES A BIG JOLT AS IF I JUST GOT REAR ENDED. IT IS SO HARD THAT MY 4 YEAR OLD GOT FLUSTERED AND STARTED TO CRY. AT 30-40 MILES THE CAR STARTED TO JERK AS WELL. I TOOK IT INTO BMW BUT SINCE THE SENSOR DOES NOT PICK UP THE PROBLEM THEY WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ACCORDING TO THEM. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT IS HARD TO TELL WHAT IS WRONG IT COULD BE TRANSMISSION, SENSOR, BRAKES, ENGINE, ETC...I FEEL THEY KNOW BUT DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE EXTEND OF THE PROBLEM IS. THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THEY NEED TO ADMIT IT AND IT MIGHT BE AN ELECTRONIC ISSUE WITH THE GEAR BOX FUNCTIONALITY. IT SEEMS THEY NEED SOME PRESSURE BEFORE IT CAUSES A FATALITY. THE ACCELERATION AND JOLT ARE A BIG PROBLEM. PLEASE ADDRESS AND LET'S NOT ADD TO YOUR NUMBER OF DEATHS COLUMN BEFORE YOU REACT.

I OWN A 2005 545I. I WAS PULLING INTO THE GAS STATION TO REFUEL. I BEGAN TO HIT THE BRAKE THE CAR STARTED TO JERK BACK AND FORTH AND THEN IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I BEGAN TO PUMP THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STOP SHORT OF THE MINI MART THANK GOD! AFTERWARDS A GEAR INDICATOR APPEARED AND THE CAR WENT INTO SAFE MODE AND SHUT OFF. I COULDN'T START THE CAR AND I TRIED FOR THIRTY MINUTES AND ONLY THE GEAR INDICATOR WOULD COME ON. I THEN CALLED A TOW TRUCK COMPANY AFTER THIRTY MINUTES, RIGHT BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED THE CAR STARTED. I TOOK THE CAR TO BMW OF ROXBURY AND I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE MY DSC LIGHT WAS ON THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIR TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER CHALLENGING THEM, HOW CAN A ADD ON FEATURE (TO INCREASE STABILIZATION AND TRACTION) THAT I NEVER USED WHEN IT WAS WORKING CAUSE THE CAR TO DRIVE BY ITSELF. THEY DROPPED THE ISSUES CALLED ME BACK AFTER A HOUR AND SAID THEY DROVE THE CAR AROUND FOR 25 MIN AND NOTHING IS WRONG. ALSO THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE GEAR INDICATOR COMING ON EVEN THOUGH IT CAME ON TWENTY OR SO TIMES WHEN I WAS TRYING TO START THE CAR. SO I GUESS I WILL GET MY CAR BACK AND PAY THEM A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR NOTHING. IS FINE AND THERE IS NO RECORD THE GEAR LIGHT EVER CAME ON. SO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG AND POWER TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE ALSO OCCASIONALLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND MADE THE CONTACT AWARE OF THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V504000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) RECALL, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

I HAVE A 2005 BMW 545I. WHEN I AM DECELERATING AND ROLLING TOWARDS A STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE BEFORE A FULL STOP I WILL GET A LARGE JERKING TRANSMISSION BANG COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. IN ADDITION WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AROUND 35-40 MPH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS FROM ONE GEAR TO THE NEXT AND BACK CAUSING THE CAR TO SURGE AND JERK SLIGHTLY. *TR

I PURCHASED MY USED 2005 BMW 545I WITH ONLY 55K MILES ON IT IN MAY 2009. ON OR ABOUT MARCH 2010, THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING DURING ACCELERATION AND SOMETIMES A HARD "JOLT" AS IF YOU HIT A LARGE OBJECT IN THE ROAD OR HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE REAR. ON ACCELERATION, THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES REV WAY UP, WITHOUT ENGAGING THE TRANSMISSION, AND THEN SLAM INTO ACTION SO FAST THAT IT FEELS LIKE BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. IT IS LIFE-THREATENINGLY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT IS SUCH A SHOCK YOU ARE DISTRACTED FROM DRIVING. IT NORMALLY HAPPENS FROM A FULL STOP, BUT HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY NUMEROUS TIMES AS I WAS TRYING TO MOVE FROM A SLOW LANE TO A FASTER LANE. WHEN IT SLAMS, THE NATURAL TENDENCY IS TO LET OFF THE GAS, HOWEVER, THERE WAS FASTER TRAFFIC APPROACHING FROM THE REAR, AND I ALMOST GOT HIT. AFTER CHECKING POPULAR BMW OWNER WEBSITES SUCH AS BIMMERFEST, I NOTICED THERE WERE COUNTLESS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME MODEL YEARS (2004-2005 545I) WHICH HAS THE V-8 ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN. BMW HAS NOT RECALLED THIS DEFECT AS OF THIS DATE AND WILL NOT UNLESS SOMEONE GETS KILLED, SERIOUSLY INJURED, OR RECEIVE MAJOR PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT LIKE TOYOTA'S ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS A SOFTWARE UPGRADE (FIX) AVAILABLE FROM BMW THAT WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY PREFER CUSTOMERS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET (OUT OF WARRANTY CUSTOMERS) OPPOSED TO VOLUNTARY RECALLS FORCED BY THE GOVERNMENT OR BAD PR FROM THE MEDIA PRESS. THE BMW SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN (SIB) THAT ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM IS: 24 03 05 SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR TRANSMISSION. I PLAN TO TAKE THIS MATTER TO THE MEDIA PRESS IF SOLUTIONS AREN'T OFFERED FROM BMW OR THE GOVERNMENT. *TR

2005 BMW 545I. IF THE CAR DOES NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND I ACCELERATE WHILE IN A SLOW ROLL, THERE IS AN EXTREMELY HARD SLAM FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THROUGHOUT BMW OWNER OF THE 545I SERIES. BMW HAS TO KNOW ABOUT THE FAULT IN EITHER THERE PROGRAMMING OR THERE TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD RECALL AND FIX PROPERLY. ANYONE CAN GO TO THE NUMEROUS BMW FORUMS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET AND FIND THE MANY THREADS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 545I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKING, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED AND THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED BARELY MISSING A COLLISION WITH A PEDESTRIAN. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 20-40 MPH. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS A PROGRAMMING ERROR THAT COULD BE REPAIRED, BUT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CONTACT'S WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

MY 2005 BMW 545I HAS A HESITATION, AND STRONG HARD DOWNSHIFT PRESENT, UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS, AND NOW OUTSIDE OF FACTORY WARRANTY I AM STILL HAVING ISSUES, AND NO ONE IS WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AT MY DEALER BASNEY IMPORTS. WHEN CALLING BMWNA THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP UNTIL A "HARD CODE" IS PRESENT, EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE ADVISOR, AND TECHNICIANS HAVE ROAD AROUND WITH ME IN THE CAR, AND FELT THE SITUATION. *TR