It's Baaaack!! '04 330cic Steptronic slipping AGAIN

Kirby · Nov 11, 2003

Tuesday morning it behaved. No problem at all. I'm calling the dealer to let him know it's acting up, but I will wait a few days to see how repeatable it is before I schedule an appointment. If it's like before, in a week or two it will be consistent.

donmbmw · Nov 11, 2003

Oh my Gawd

Just read this post on the tranny problem with '04 330's [mad]

I've had mine for about weeks and yesterday when it was cold I thought the transmission was slipping a little but didn't give it another thought till now. AAAAAARgh! I don't want no stinkin' tranny problems!!!! [?|]

cdotger · Nov 11, 2003

Kirby,

I don't know if you will remember me but I had the same problem. Looks like this is a known issue with the Tranny. There is a problem with the clutch plates leaking and they must be replaced. My local Dealer is booked with cars with this problem. Mine is going in next week. I have a 2003 325i

Gren · Nov 11, 2003

To All, we have also encountered the SLIPtronic issue. We have been experiencing the problem with our new 2003 330i BMW. It's a late 2003 built car. Here is a list of all the problems we have encountered since getting this car in May.

1. The transmission was replaced with a new one. That happened about 3 months ago. It was OK for a month, then the problem came back with the new tranny. Not too often at first, in the last month more regularly.
2. One morning in mid-October the car wouldn't start. To our chagrin we had to have the car towed out of our garage!!!

(). Apperantly the battery was drained, due to a fautly light component [B)]

. The dealer replaced the battery. During its X time back at the dealer we complained about the tranny problem, but they were not able to reproduce the problem. Four days latter we took the car back with no fix. The dealer asked us to monitor the problem and report back to them when the problem occured.
3. The muffer was also replaced due to the butterfly valve rattling. That was nice when idling at red lights.
4. The car is now back a the dealer as the tranny problem is getting worse. The dealer has had the car for one day now, without being able to reproduce the damn problem. The dealer wants to keep the car for several days to try to reproduce the problem.

We will report back at the end of the week, if the dealer found anything. Now that we are not alone we feel better... we're not losing our minds.

Cheers!, Gren

MyHarley · Nov 11, 2003

I've been saying thank you for the last couple of months that I got a 2003 330 CIC since all the tranny problems of the 2004, even tho I have had problems with the tires, wheels, overall vibration and rattles galore and yesterday the traction problem at a red light......now for the oncore of today.......

First, on my way to my office to pick up birthday flowers from a customer I get a speeding ticket.......stupid tow truck kept playing with me on the freeway everytime I tried to pass on the right or left, he would swerve over and not let me pass....so of course after several miles of this idiot, I gun it and get passed only to see a Sheriff's Patrol..........duh I get the ticket....it had to be a woman sheriff patrol at that..........get to the office to pick up flowers and leave after an hour to start my three day birthday celebration.......stupid car won't start, just clicks......call my service advisor, he says I've been trying to find you a loaner car for a week (to fix the other problems), call BMW Roadside and have them jump the car, I ask, is this a one time deal, he says no, it will do it every time you let it sit, the computer is off........I laugh and say ok, I'll just put BMW Roadside on notice.......well I get to one bar with my girlfriends, leave, stupid car won't start, so call for jump and tell my friends I have to go.......cant live like this all night......

You know what the worse thing is.......I work at a manufacturer with a lot of Chevy's, Ford's etc.....blue collar right....here I am constantly with a car in the shop that was almost $50K, everyone leaving at the same time and are laughing at my stupid car, it may look pretty, but it becomes a joke after awhile......[fake] [fake] [fake]

I know its long..........but I'm p.o.'d!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess in the morning I'll call BMW Roadside again to get to the dealership........jiminy cricket!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kirby · Nov 11, 2003

cdotger said:

Sure, I remember Emailing with you about 6 weeks ago. Your description is the first specific explanation of the problem that I have heard. That confirms what I have felt all along - that it is a design problem or bad batch of parts, not software, not random failures.

Do you know how they are addressing the problem? Do they finally have repaired transmissions to swap, or are they doing a repair/rebuild of your transmission at the dealer?

Thanks for the information!!

Kirby · Nov 11, 2003

Gren said:

No, unfortunately, you're not losing your mind. Tell the dealer to let it sit for 2 or 3 days. It seems as though the longer it sits, the more likely it will happen. And with cdotger's description of it being a leak down problem, that makes sense. Then start it and put it reverse ONLY (do not put it in forward, do not pass go, do not collect $200!). Backup 30 to 40 feet and put it in Drive. Several people have told me that this was the best way to demonstrate the problem with their cars. My dealer was able to regularly repeat the problem this way.

Harman1 · Nov 12, 2003

Kirby- didn't they also replace the trans on you car. If so this tells me that this may totaly be a software problem. My car does the same, this has been a problem from day one. I have not made it to the dealer yet to have it checked out due to the fact that the dealer is about 50 miles away one way. I would rather wait until BMW comes up with a definite fix to take it.

bmwrocks · Nov 12, 2003

cdotger said:

That would make sense except this is happening with brand new transmissions. Are you saying the clutches in the new trannys are different than the clutches that would go into a tranny if you were to replace them? I can't believe BMW is building new trannys with faulty clutch plates that leak, then providing replacement clutch plates that work (don't leak).

WTF!!!!!!?????

Harman1 · Nov 12, 2003

I noticed on my window sticker that the transmission in my car was from France, do any of you that are having this problem know were the trans in your cars are from. I wonder if any trans are built in Germany. I don't know but perhapse this my be some kind of lead to the problem if some are produced in Germany or elsware. I was just thinking perhapse if so maybe the origan of the trans is the key.

Gren · Nov 12, 2003

Hi All!

Just talk to the dealer, and he as been talking to the BMW rep. The rep told him that they are aware that some transmission are a little leazy in the morning and that a fix should be available in the next two week. Is it a hardware or software fix, the dealer wasn't told. Now I have to get the car and live with the problem until the fix is available. The worse part in all this, I have to go back to the dealer again when the fix is available. My wife and I have been spending more time at the dealer with this car than any other car we own before [mad]

.

Cheers!, Gren

Kirby · Nov 12, 2003

Well, I hope they REALLY have a fix this time.

I was told the same story TWICE - The first time a software patch was the fix, the second time a new transmission was the fix. Still have the problem......!

cdotger · Nov 12, 2003

Kirby, From my understanding BMW is opening up the tranny and replacing the faulty plates. I have a couple buddies in the biz and found out through them.

bmwrocks · Nov 13, 2003

If BMW can provide replacement plates that don't leak to fix the problem, then they must know a good one from a bad one. So here is the question again: How can they still be building trannys with leaky clutch plate seals? I am referring to the new tranny Kirby had installed recently. This just doesn't make sense to me.

If their quality control is that bad, and they are still delivering trannys with bad parts, heads must roll.

Does anyone else see it the way I have described?

cdotger · Nov 13, 2003

I have an interesting experiment for you guys. Try after backing up to put your car in manual mode first gear and see if you still have the problem. Mine seems to go away.

flashinthepan · Nov 13, 2003

Girlfriend '"s"......

Its a good life [:D]

...lol

MyHarley · Nov 13, 2003

really good life if I said Boyfriend (s).............. [rofl]

flashinthepan · Nov 13, 2003

Flash Clears his throat....sticks with the Girlies [:D]

donmbmw · Nov 13, 2003

Love that Steptronic. I had one morning where I thought the transmission was slipping a little but it hasn't happened again. I'll be on the alert that for sure, but meanwhile I just gotta tell ya' this is one great transmission. I love to pull it to the left and feel the car accelerate without stepping harder on the gas. When I want to pass I put it in sport mode and "pop" the shifter forward twice, the downshifts are instant and smooth and the car jumps forward and its "bye bye" to the SUV's. Speaking of SUV's I acutally had some guy in a Jeep Cherokee want to race. This guy must have been smoking something because he pulls up next to me at a light on turning lane. The road is two lanes and is all twisty for about a half mile before going down to one lane. Can you imagine a Cherokee thinking he can beat a 330i on smooth blacktop banked curves?? [hihi]

Some people are just gluttons for punishment [hah]

[driving2]

flashinthepan · Nov 13, 2003

Definately sounds like crack !! [:D]

Hope the tranny thing gets a fix, and hopefully just something as simple as software. I too drove a step and really liked it, I did pick the 6-sp, but also liked the step.

It's Baaaack!! '04 330cic Steptronic slipping AGAIN

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