Worst time for the BM to go wrong....HELP!
Discussion
After 1yr and 20,000 trouble free miles I have booked my 162k 2000 BMW 530iA in for an LPG conversion.
However, 36hrs before it goes in all has gone wrong.
After exiting a roundabout all the lights came on and it said "transmission failsafe prog"
I automatically assumed my auto box had gone bang, and even after restarting it would not change gear in manual mode and was rough to say the least.
After leaving it 10mins I restarted it, and all was ok, except the battery light remained on.
Drove it for 10mins and all was ok until all the lights illuminated again, airbag, DSC, handbrake, ABS etc and the sat nav screen turned off. But no transmission warning.
I parked on the drive and after 5mins tried to restart, which it would not do. The lights on the dash were flashing, and the electric window would barely open.
I put jump leads on and tried again and started and all was fine.
Do I have a transmission problem, need a new battery or is my alternator gone bang. Anyone near to Daventry, Northants who have a BMW diagnostic system to read the fault code if I bought the car over?
Incidently a headlight went bang 5minutes before Blackpool illuminations came on, maybe connected, maybe not.
Really worried as it is going in Monday and until this point the car has proved faultless.
Any help or advise MUCH appreciated!
However, 36hrs before it goes in all has gone wrong.
After exiting a roundabout all the lights came on and it said "transmission failsafe prog"
I automatically assumed my auto box had gone bang, and even after restarting it would not change gear in manual mode and was rough to say the least.
After leaving it 10mins I restarted it, and all was ok, except the battery light remained on.
Drove it for 10mins and all was ok until all the lights illuminated again, airbag, DSC, handbrake, ABS etc and the sat nav screen turned off. But no transmission warning.
I parked on the drive and after 5mins tried to restart, which it would not do. The lights on the dash were flashing, and the electric window would barely open.
I put jump leads on and tried again and started and all was fine.
Do I have a transmission problem, need a new battery or is my alternator gone bang. Anyone near to Daventry, Northants who have a BMW diagnostic system to read the fault code if I bought the car over?
Incidently a headlight went bang 5minutes before Blackpool illuminations came on, maybe connected, maybe not.
Really worried as it is going in Monday and until this point the car has proved faultless.
Any help or advise MUCH appreciated!
I imagine a local garage would be able to do some simple diagnostics. Maybe the alternator or regulator has gone faulty and is over or under- volting, or the battery is faulty (might be a symptom rather than a cause). Putting a voltmeter on the battery should tell you. Getting it sorted it a bit more complicated, obviously.
ked (dials went mad, all the warning lights going on and off etc)Hi Matt,
bit of a coincidence, my E39 has done the same earlier in the week and I'm also in Chaventry. Booked into a garage for Tuesday so will let you know the outcome if its before yours!
Just saw your post but I was also suspecting alternator, and I have the exact same symptoms.
Initially I saw the battery light flash on the dash, then about 30 seconds later the car went into "trans failure mode". Also had tractuion control, handbrake and ABS lights light up the dash.
Hope yours isn't the expensive water cooled alternator they use on the 540's.... £360 from euro car parts for a new Bosch one.
There is a place on Royal Oak industrial estate called Electroparts, he quoted me for £290 for a new alternator, so if you want you can give him a try as its the cheapest I can find
Chris.
bit of a coincidence, my E39 has done the same earlier in the week and I'm also in Chaventry. Booked into a garage for Tuesday so will let you know the outcome if its before yours!
Just saw your post but I was also suspecting alternator, and I have the exact same symptoms.
Initially I saw the battery light flash on the dash, then about 30 seconds later the car went into "trans failure mode". Also had tractuion control, handbrake and ABS lights light up the dash.
Hope yours isn't the expensive water cooled alternator they use on the 540's.... £360 from euro car parts for a new Bosch one.
There is a place on Royal Oak industrial estate called Electroparts, he quoted me for £290 for a new alternator, so if you want you can give him a try as its the cheapest I can find
Chris.
that is a coincidence - where in Daventry are you?
that price sounds scary. I have a mate who works for GSF, so hoping he can get a handsome discount. what age is your E39. The bmw5 forum boys reckon circa £150.
I went out in it this morning and started fine, although battery light remained illuminated.
after 2 miles "trans failsafe prog" came back followed by an array of dashboard lights.
1 mile later (on my way back!) the speedo and sat nav packed in, before the power steering then eventually engine died.
I rolled to within 100 metres of my house, parked up, rang the RAC and went in to watch the F1.
The RAC man turned up and jump started it fine, no problems. He said pretty quickly that it was the alternator.
The car has been recovered to a trusty mechanic neighbour who will do the alternator change tomorrow. Are these symptoms typical of an alternator or should I be worried something else may be wrong?
LPG will be postponed until Tuesday!
that price sounds scary. I have a mate who works for GSF, so hoping he can get a handsome discount. what age is your E39. The bmw5 forum boys reckon circa £150.
I went out in it this morning and started fine, although battery light remained illuminated.
after 2 miles "trans failsafe prog" came back followed by an array of dashboard lights.
1 mile later (on my way back!) the speedo and sat nav packed in, before the power steering then eventually engine died.
I rolled to within 100 metres of my house, parked up, rang the RAC and went in to watch the F1.
The RAC man turned up and jump started it fine, no problems. He said pretty quickly that it was the alternator.
The car has been recovered to a trusty mechanic neighbour who will do the alternator change tomorrow. Are these symptoms typical of an alternator or should I be worried something else may be wrong?
LPG will be postponed until Tuesday!
matt21 said:
that is a coincidence - where in Daventry are you?
that price sounds scary. I have a mate who works for GSF, so hoping he can get a handsome discount. what age is your E39. The bmw5 forum boys reckon circa £150.
I went out in it this morning and started fine, although battery light remained illuminated.
after 2 miles "trans failsafe prog" came back followed by an array of dashboard lights.
1 mile later (on my way back!) the speedo and sat nav packed in, before the power steering then eventually engine died.
I rolled to within 100 metres of my house, parked up, rang the RAC and went in to watch the F1.
The RAC man turned up and jump started it fine, no problems. He said pretty quickly that it was the alternator.
The car has been recovered to a trusty mechanic neighbour who will do the alternator change tomorrow. Are these symptoms typical of an alternator or should I be worried something else may be wrong?
LPG will be postponed until Tuesday!
I'm in Ashby Fields.that price sounds scary. I have a mate who works for GSF, so hoping he can get a handsome discount. what age is your E39. The bmw5 forum boys reckon circa £150.
I went out in it this morning and started fine, although battery light remained illuminated.
after 2 miles "trans failsafe prog" came back followed by an array of dashboard lights.
1 mile later (on my way back!) the speedo and sat nav packed in, before the power steering then eventually engine died.
I rolled to within 100 metres of my house, parked up, rang the RAC and went in to watch the F1.
The RAC man turned up and jump started it fine, no problems. He said pretty quickly that it was the alternator.
The car has been recovered to a trusty mechanic neighbour who will do the alternator change tomorrow. Are these symptoms typical of an alternator or should I be worried something else may be wrong?
LPG will be postponed until Tuesday!
Mine is a 2002 Alpina B10, it uses the same alternator as a 540 which is watercooled and costs a lot more than normal one
. Hopefully for you the 530 has a normal one that costs a lot less. Someone else on thealpinaregister forum has had the same symptoms and it was also the alternator for him so seems fairly common on E39's.I haven't driven mine much since it happened so can't say what else would go wrong on a longer drive, I guess my battery had enough juice in it to keep me going. Since it happened I've put the battery on charge to keep it topped up till I go to the garage, but the battery light is on permanently now.
Check out bimmerforums.com - search for trans failsafe. There's a lot on the E38 forum (notably some by myself).
From what I know it can be:
1. Battery low (unlock the OBC and check out your resting, idle, driving and crank voltages to see if alternator's charging the batt)
2. Ignition switch (yeah I know wtf but that's what mine was)
3. Something to do with the unit that throws up the trans failsafe message.
4. Actual gearbox problem.
For yours I'd guess 1 or 2. Feel free to PM if I can help out with the diagnosis.
And if you do try a charged/new batt, make sure you leave hazards on with batt not attached for 1/2 hr or so to make sure all power is drained out.
From what I know it can be:
1. Battery low (unlock the OBC and check out your resting, idle, driving and crank voltages to see if alternator's charging the batt)
2. Ignition switch (yeah I know wtf but that's what mine was)
3. Something to do with the unit that throws up the trans failsafe message.
4. Actual gearbox problem.
For yours I'd guess 1 or 2. Feel free to PM if I can help out with the diagnosis.
And if you do try a charged/new batt, make sure you leave hazards on with batt not attached for 1/2 hr or so to make sure all power is drained out.
Edited by joebongo on Sunday 18th April 16:46
Zad said:
If it were the battery, it would have kept going once the engine had been started.
I read that there's something a bit odd with these generation Beamers in that they need a decent battery to run because a lot of the electrickery brains draw their power from the battery and if it's not charged then they can't work properly.I could well be wrong though!
joebongo said:
Check out bimmerforums.com - search for trans failsafe. There's a lot on the E38 forum (notably some by myself).
From what I know it can be:
1. Battery low (unlock the OBC and check out your resting, idle, driving and crank voltages to see if alternator's charging the batt)
2. Ignition switch (yeah I know wtf but that's what mine was)
3. Something to do with the unit that throws up the trans failsafe message.
4. Actual gearbox problem.
For yours I'd guess 1 or 2. Feel free to PM if I can help out with the diagnosis.
And if you do try a charged/new batt, make sure you leave hazards on with batt not attached for 1/2 hr or so to make sure all power is drained out.
why must you drain all the power. thanks for the pm offer, what details did you want to know, ill send a message.From what I know it can be:
1. Battery low (unlock the OBC and check out your resting, idle, driving and crank voltages to see if alternator's charging the batt)
2. Ignition switch (yeah I know wtf but that's what mine was)
3. Something to do with the unit that throws up the trans failsafe message.
4. Actual gearbox problem.
For yours I'd guess 1 or 2. Feel free to PM if I can help out with the diagnosis.
And if you do try a charged/new batt, make sure you leave hazards on with batt not attached for 1/2 hr or so to make sure all power is drained out.
Edited by joebongo on Sunday 18th April 16:46
thanks guys
Chris944_S2 said:
matt21 said:
that is a coincidence - where in Daventry are you?
that price sounds scary. I have a mate who works for GSF, so hoping he can get a handsome discount. what age is your E39. The bmw5 forum boys reckon circa £150.
I went out in it this morning and started fine, although battery light remained illuminated.
after 2 miles "trans failsafe prog" came back followed by an array of dashboard lights.
1 mile later (on my way back!) the speedo and sat nav packed in, before the power steering then eventually engine died.
I rolled to within 100 metres of my house, parked up, rang the RAC and went in to watch the F1.
The RAC man turned up and jump started it fine, no problems. He said pretty quickly that it was the alternator.
The car has been recovered to a trusty mechanic neighbour who will do the alternator change tomorrow. Are these symptoms typical of an alternator or should I be worried something else may be wrong?
LPG will be postponed until Tuesday!
I'm in Ashby Fields.that price sounds scary. I have a mate who works for GSF, so hoping he can get a handsome discount. what age is your E39. The bmw5 forum boys reckon circa £150.
I went out in it this morning and started fine, although battery light remained illuminated.
after 2 miles "trans failsafe prog" came back followed by an array of dashboard lights.
1 mile later (on my way back!) the speedo and sat nav packed in, before the power steering then eventually engine died.
I rolled to within 100 metres of my house, parked up, rang the RAC and went in to watch the F1.
The RAC man turned up and jump started it fine, no problems. He said pretty quickly that it was the alternator.
The car has been recovered to a trusty mechanic neighbour who will do the alternator change tomorrow. Are these symptoms typical of an alternator or should I be worried something else may be wrong?
LPG will be postponed until Tuesday!
Mine is a 2002 Alpina B10, it uses the same alternator as a 540 which is watercooled and costs a lot more than normal one
. Hopefully for you the 530 has a normal one that costs a lot less. Someone else on thealpinaregister forum has had the same symptoms and it was also the alternator for him so seems fairly common on E39's.I haven't driven mine much since it happened so can't say what else would go wrong on a longer drive, I guess my battery had enough juice in it to keep me going. Since it happened I've put the battery on charge to keep it topped up till I go to the garage, but the battery light is on permanently now.
matt21 said:
joebongo said:
Check out bimmerforums.com - search for trans failsafe. There's a lot on the E38 forum (notably some by myself).
From what I know it can be:
1. Battery low (unlock the OBC and check out your resting, idle, driving and crank voltages to see if alternator's charging the batt)
2. Ignition switch (yeah I know wtf but that's what mine was)
3. Something to do with the unit that throws up the trans failsafe message.
4. Actual gearbox problem.
For yours I'd guess 1 or 2. Feel free to PM if I can help out with the diagnosis.
And if you do try a charged/new batt, make sure you leave hazards on with batt not attached for 1/2 hr or so to make sure all power is drained out.
why must you drain all the power. thanks for the pm offer, what details did you want to know, ill send a message.From what I know it can be:
1. Battery low (unlock the OBC and check out your resting, idle, driving and crank voltages to see if alternator's charging the batt)
2. Ignition switch (yeah I know wtf but that's what mine was)
3. Something to do with the unit that throws up the trans failsafe message.
4. Actual gearbox problem.
For yours I'd guess 1 or 2. Feel free to PM if I can help out with the diagnosis.
And if you do try a charged/new batt, make sure you leave hazards on with batt not attached for 1/2 hr or so to make sure all power is drained out.
Edited by joebongo on Sunday 18th April 16:46
thanks guys
Unlock it with test 1 and then test 9 is the volts. Once unlocked, if the trans failsafe message appears then you have to press the button and go back to test 9 again. Also once unlocked it will stay unlocked until the battery is disconnected. And the other good news is that once you've calculated your unlock code from the VIN it won't change, so write it down and keep it in the glove box along with the unlock procedure for future use.
So you're looking for a volt reading when the key's in the ignition at position 1 or whatever it is that makes it work (might be 2 I can't remember).
They're 12v batteries so if it's a lot under it would be worth a *disconnected* battery recharge and try again.
When started, the volt reading should be above 12v, my E38 gives 13.2-13.5v (rises when driving) and I believe this means the alternator's working and charging the battery.
Now I'm a complete amateur at anything else, so 3 and 4 would need (I think) the codes pulling from the computer and if you don't have the kit then it's a trip to the indy to see what's wrong.
Off to bed now, but do check out the forum cos it's full of posts on this subject. I'd be surprised if there's not a few for your car on there.
If I had to place a bet, then I'd be evens on battery/alt or an actual problem with the tranny.
Do post your results back - I'd be interested to learn how yours goes so I can be better prepared for my next time!
ETA I know bugger all about gearbox position sensors so maybe that's another line of enquiry?
Edited by joebongo on Sunday 18th April 21:39
I had almost identical symptoms (trans fail safe warning, lights everywhere, limited gears) on my 2000 X5 4.4 whilst we were on holiday in France a couple of years back. Dreading the worst we ended up going to a BMW main dealer who diagnosed the battery which we replaced. Everything back to normal and has been fine since.
OK so using a Stealer wasnt the cheapest way to replace the battery but at the time with family in tow and in the middle of the holiday was the quickest.
You dont mention how old your battery is but could be a candidate based on my experience
OK so using a Stealer wasnt the cheapest way to replace the battery but at the time with family in tow and in the middle of the holiday was the quickest.
You dont mention how old your battery is but could be a candidate based on my experience
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