2003/2004 Steptronic Transmission Problems?

[Kirby]

Do you have a 2003 or 2004 with this problem:
1. Let the car sit overnight - this seems to only happen once on a cold start.
2. Back out of your garage, driveway, parking space.
3. Shift to D.
4. Step on the gas.
5. The engine races up to 2000 rpm or so and slooooowwly starts to grab after 3 -7 seconds.

 

[Tweet227]

My car doesn't have to sit overnight for this to happen. I can leave it for 3-4 hours and come back and it will happen again, and the car doesn't even have to be that cold. However, the longer I leave it sitting, the longer it takes to grab.

 

[mallards]

i have a 2003 325i and it does it sometimes ... but not for that long ... maybe 1-1.5 seconds

Kirby ... do you use the steptronic feature alot?

Ben

 

[Kirby]

Yes - I use Steptronic at least 50% of the time, maybe more. It's crossed my mind more than once if that might be related.

From others that I have talked to, it seems to start out similar to yours and get progressively worse. During the 'early' days, mine would do it for about a second. I didn't think there was anything wrond until it got up to 3 - 4 seconds. I have talked to one person who said his would sometimes do it for as long as 12 seconds.

 

[Tweet227]

Wow, thats a safety hazard.

 

[Mick]

I have a 2003 330 xi with the same problem.

 

[BlackandSand]

I've had this happen twice in my first 5k miles. Both times were exactly as other poeple have described. Back out of the driveway from a cold start, put into drive, engines revs but doesn't catch the gear, then after about a second, maybe two, it catches and off I go. BTW, I drive about 50% of the time in manual mode. This seems to be a cosistent problem which BMW needs to address.

 

[Gren]

Hi Kirby!

I have the same problem with my 330i 2003. The dealer replaced the tranny and after three months the new one is starting to do the same.

Cheers!, Steph

 

[///M SPEED]

Sorry folks, but I have a 2000 328i with Step. and have had no problems at all with what you describe. I use the Sport mode almost exclusively (hardly ever in auto mode) and it works like a dream so far. I am, however maybe looking into selling it and buying a very good manual tranny "00-01" model. I hate autos. I would have never bought it had I not got such a good deal for it. Very nice car, but I need a manual tranny bad. The Steptronic tranny has been a very good one and it is fun to drive as well.