2008 BMW 5 Series Powertrain & Transmission Problems

Car is over heating. Replace water pump and thermostat. Car still over heating. Bad water pumps.

Transmission system is not functioning properly. The shifter automatically shifts into "N" or "P" when shifting into "D" or "R". The instrument cluster displays "transmission malfunction". Check engine light comes on. The code is P17E1 "Ratio monitoring clutch "A"

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THE POWER TRAIN LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LOOSE A LOT OF POWER THEN WHEN I PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD THE CAR TURNED OF AND WOULD NOT START UNTIL SEVERAL ATTEMPTS . I WAITED ABOUT 8 MIN THEN STARTED TO DRIVE . AND IT DOES THIS ALL THE TIME NOW . THEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT AND DRIVES FINE . BUT THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS . AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. I'VE BEEN IN SOME TIGHT SITUATIONS.

I WAS DRIVING HOME STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT , THEN TURNED GREEN WENT TO ACCELERATE CAR TOOK OFF AND LOST ALL POWER WOULD NOT MOVE PRESSING ACCELERATOR AND 2 SEMI TRUCKS COMING REAL FAST FROM CROSS TRAFFIC ALMOST KILLED ME LIGHT TURNED RED FOR ME AND GREEN FOR SEMI TRAILERS WITH NO TIME TO EXIT CAR.

FOR OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE (SMALL) ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY & CONSTANTLY GOING ON/OFF. I'VE HAD SENSORS, SPARK PLUGS, TUBES & EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN REPLACED AND HAVE TAKEN (OR TOWED IN MOST CASES) THE CAR TO MANY DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIR SHOPS FOR MULTIPLE QUOTES & REPAIRS. THE LATEST PROBLEM IS THE SMALL ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & THE CAR WAS STUCK IN PARK AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. IT WOULDN'T SHIFT. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMPLETELY GONE & THE CAR WAS FINE TO DRIVE/REVERSE. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR A FEW BLOCKS, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION/REDUCE SPEED LIGHT CAME ON, THE POWER WAS DRASTICALLY REDUCED & I ALMOST GOT HIT BY A DUMP TRUCK. IN 2008, I BOUGHT MY BMW BRAND NEW BECAUSE I WANTED NO CAR ISSUES BECAUSE I AM NOT A MECHANIC. EVERY SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT REPEATED & DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT NO MECHANIC CAN IDENTIFY. AND IT ALL STARTED WITH THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES (HPFP). AFTER THE THIRD HPFP WAS REPLACED, AND THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP LITERALLY FOR THREE MONTHS STRAIGHT, I GOT A LAWYER INVOLVED AND BMW CORP APOLOGIZED & SAID I COULD HAVE A CHOICE OF: 1/ GETTING A DIFFERENT CAR THAT THEY PICKED OUT (A 535I NOT THE XI I BOUGHT BECAUSE OF SNOW AND ICE CONDITIONS) 2/ THEY CUT ME A CHECK FOR A FEW THOUSAND AND TOLD ME TO SHUT UP AND I COULD NEVER SPEAK OF WHAT HAPPENED OR BE PART OF FUTURE LAWSUITS OR CLASS ACTIONS. I'VE NEVER FELT SAFE DRIVING MY 2008 BMW (116K MILES ON IT OVER 12.5 YEARS) EVERY BMW OWNER THAT BOUGHT A BMW BETWEEN THE RANGE OF YEARS KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT RE: THE CONSTANT AND NEVER-ENDING ISSUES THAT ALL START WITH THE HPFP & ESCALATE FROM THERE. REPAIR SHOPS CAN'T FIX THE ISSUES & BMW COVERS UP. NHTSA HASN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MASSIVE BMW ISSUE AFFECTING THE VAST MAJORITY OF OWNERS. JUST GOOGLE IT!

WHEN AT A STOPLIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF AND THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AT ANY RATE OF SPEED WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE FAILURES OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER (BMW OF TOWSON, 700 KENILWORTH DR, TOWSON, MD 21204, (410) 317-2237) WAS NOTIFIED, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED EXCESSIVE SMOKE ENTERING THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE AIR VENTS AND THICK, WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TAILPIPE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

IN MY 2008 528I I WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME AS MANY OTHERS WHERE IF YOU ARE AT A COMPLETE STOP AND YOU GO TO ACCELERATE THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND RIGHT AWAY AND YOU NATURALLY APPLY MORE GAS AND THEN THE CAR JUMPS AHEAD OF YOU. IF YOU WERE TO MOVE TO THE D/S POSITION, THE CAR WAS PERFECT AND YOU DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ANY LAG IN ACCELERATION, SEEMS PEDAL HAS TO BE PRESSED MORE THAN IT SHOULD BEFORE GETTING AN IMMEDIATE THROTTLE RESPONSE. LIKE A SMALL DEAD SPOT, I SUPPOSE. ONLY IN NORMAL MODE. NO LAG IN SPORT MODE. RESPONSE IS IMMEDIATE. IT HAS SCARED ME A FEW TIMES WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP SIGN INTO TRAFFIC, THINKING YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME AND EASE ONTO THE ACCELERATOR ONLY TO FIND YOURSELF MOVING LIKE A SNAIL, THEN HAVING TO STOMP ON IT TO GET MOVING AS TRAFFIC NEARS.

I HAVE A HARD TIME ACCELERATING

DRIVING FAMILY DOWN THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH. I LOOSE ALL POWER IN THE CABIN. THE CAR STARTS THROWING ALL WARNING LIGHTS, ABS, STEERING,SWAY CONTROL, TRANSMITION, ETC. ENGINE STILL RUNNING WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL HAD TO USE E BRAKE TO PULL OVER THEN IT WANTED TO KEEP GOING HAD TO TURN CAR OFF TO STOP IT. CALLED TOW TRUCK SENT FAMILY HOME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE OUTSIDE LANE OF I-75. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE INSIDE LANE OF I-75 AND WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALBANY BMW IN ALBANY, GA WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.

THE DRIVE SHAFT FOR MY BMW 535XI BROKE WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT ANY WARMING. THIS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE UNDERNEATH COMPONENTS OF THE CAR. SUCH AS RIPPING THE DATA CABLE AND BURST THE TRANSMISSION AND ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LICKED OUT INSTANTLY. MY VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WITH ON COMING CARS. I HAVE UPLOADED A PICTURE OF THE BROKEN DRIVE SHAFT WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING TOWED . I HAVE THE DOCUMENTS BUT I AM UNABLE TO UPLOAD THEM AT THIS TIME. IN ADDITION THE PRESSURE HOSE FOR THE POWER PUMP BURST AND IT IS UNFAIR THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE ALL 3 POWER HOSTS BECAUSE IT IS A BMW RECOMMENDATION.

WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL HIGHWAY TO WORK THE CAR SHUTDOWN COMPLETLY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOTIC CHECK. THE CAR NEEDED ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP. I CALLED BMW BECAUSE THERE IS A RECALL ON THE WATER PUMP ON MY VEHICLE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP STATED THAT RECALLS ARE VENDOR SPECIFIC. THAT DOES NOT MAKE SINCE TO ME SINCE CARS ARE MADE ON AN ASSEMBLY LINE.

VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY DRIVEN THE DAY BEFORE DROVE PERFECT NO PROBLEMS, THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WHEN YOU PUT IN DRIVE OR REVERSE IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GO BACK TO PARK ON IT'S OWN AND WOULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY AS NORMAL. I HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO BMW THEY DIAGNOSED AS THE MECHATRONIC SLEEVE NEEDED REPLACING THEY CHARGED ME 1300 DOLLARS MY WIFE PICKED THE CAR UP AND DROVE 50 MILES AND THE CAR STARTED DOING THE SAME PREVIOUS BEHAVIOR I CONTACTED BMW THEY HAD ME TO TOW BACK TO THEIR DEALERSHIP A SECOND TIME BOTH TOWS COST ME 125 DOLLARS EACH THE CAR WAS THEN DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A 9000 TRANSMISSION AND I WAS TOLD THE PREVIOUS REPAIR THAT I PAID FOR WOULD NOT BE CREDITED TOWARD THE NEW TRANSMISSION I'M OUTRAGED. MY SERVICE ADVISOR IS JOHN ARD AT TOM WILLIAMS BMW IN IRONDALE ALABAMA.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VIBRATED SEVERELY AFTER SHIFTING INTO DRIVE AND THE POWER TRAIN WAS NOT OPERATIONAL. AFTER THE THIRD ATTEMPT TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE, IT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY AND THE "SERVICE VEHICLE, NO POWER TRAIN WAS DETECTED" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 29,000.

I LIVE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES WITH MY 2008 BMW FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW. MY COWORKER HAS THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL, AND IS ALSO EXPERIENCING OR HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES. WE BOTH HAVE HAD OUR CARS IN THE SHOP AT THE SAME TIME AND THE VEHICLES ARE NOW REPAIRED. THE ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE IS IT BEGINS TO STALL AS DRIVING WHICH IS DANGEROUS IN OUR AREA FOR TRAFFIC. THE CAR WILL NOT PICK UP SPEED WHILE DRIVING AND YOU CAN NOT GO OVER 10 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR ALSO JERKS. THE PROBLEMS WITH BOTH OUR VEHICLES WERE THE SAME ; OIL LEAK, A TRANSMISSION LEAK, AND A PROBLEM WITH THE CYLINDERS NOT WORKING AS CONNECTED TO THE SPARK PLUGS. AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. AND TIMES WHEN YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE THE CAR STALLS WHICH ALMOST CAUSES THE CAR BEHIND YOU TO RUN INTO YOU.THE MAINTENANCE FOR MY CAR WAS 3200 DOLLARS AT THE DEALERSHIP. MY COWORKER TOOK HER CAR TO AN IMPORT REPAIR SHOP AND OVER THE COURSE OF 2 TIMES, SHE ENDED UP SPENDING ABOUT 1200 PLUS DOLLARS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AS I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE REPORTING IT TO THE RIGHT AUTHORITY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY FANTASTIC (EXPENSIVE) 535XI AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I WOULD IMPLEMENT ANY PRESSURE ON THE THROTTLE I EXPERIENCED A JERKING/STUTTERING SENSATION. *TR

FOR THE PAST 8 MONTHS, MY CAR, A 2008 BMW 528I SLIPS OUT OF DRIVE (D) INTO PARK (P) AS I WAS BACKING UP & MOVING FORWARD EITHER FROM A PARKING POSITION OR AS I BEGIN TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. *JS THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD GO FROM (D) INTO (P) AND CAUSE THE CAR TO JERK TO A RAPID STOP. IT MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE AS IT GRINDS TO A STOP. IT REQUIRES ME TO PUT IT BACK INTO PARK AND TURN IT OFF SOMETIMES AND THEN START IT AGAIN. I THOUGHT I MIGHT BE DOING SOMETHING WRONG UNTIL I READ ALL THESE OTHER POSTS SO I HAVEN'T REPORTED IT TIL NOW. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I ALWAYS START SLOW NOW FEARFUL THAT IT WILL JUMP INTO P AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. I COULD BE IN A PARKING LOT OR ANYWHERE, MOVING BACKWARD OR FORWARD WHEN THIS HAPPENS.

PRESSING THE SHIFT (TRANSMISSION) SELECTOR INTO THE REVERSE POSITION, CAUSES THE SHIFTERS ELECTRICAL RIBBON CABLE TO GET PINCHED AND THE LIGHTS IN THE SHIFTER AND SPORT BUTTON FAIL TO WORK ANYMORE. REPOSITIONING OF THIS RIBBON CABLE OR USING A DIFFERENT INSULATION METHOD WOULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

FOR THE PAST MONTH, MY CAR, A 2008 BMW 528 I (AUTOMATIC) WOULD SLIP OUT OF REVERSE (R) INTO PARK (P) AS I WAS ACCELERATING BACKWARD FROM A DEAD STOP. THE STEPTRONIC GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM WOULD DO THIS APPROXIMATELY 30% OF THE TIME, AND CAUSE THE CAR TO JERK TO A STOP. IT WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE AND START AGAIN. EVENTUALLY AS I KEEP DRIVING AND I'M AT A STOP LIGHT OR SITTING IDLE, THE "TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION" MESSAGE WOULD POP UP ON MY LCD AND THEN THE GEAR WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL AND STOP DRIVING ALL TOGETHER. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AS SOMETIMES I WAS IN AN INTERSECTION WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM IS FAULTY! *TR