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

[donmbmw]

EEk! My sliptronic is showing
This morning was bad. It was 26 degrees and I was parked on a slight hill. I came out and put into reverse for about six feet, then into drive. The car kept going backwards down the hill I hit the brakes and held them for a couple of seconds, then went to the accelerator, the car was revving at about 2500 rpm but I was only moving 2-3 mph. This lasted for about 3-4 seconds till the tranny "caught" and I started to drive normally. I would say the transmission slipped for close to 15 seconds. NOT ACCEPTABLE!! and downright dangerous. I have an appointment on the 29th with service to fix my mirror and interior light problem, which are minor "gliches" compared to this.

 

[Kirby]

Another member of the elite Sliptronic Club!!!!

Here's my latest - I have been communicating via private mail with someone else who has been down the same road - he is about 2 or 3 weeks ahead of me in the process. His transmission was also replaced and the problem came back. He took it back again, and last week his dealer told him that Engineering has identified the problem. They Emailed him, told him it was a tolerance problem with the C1 piston in the transmission (whatever that is). They also told him there is a long wait for replacement transmissions/parts. So (fingers crossed) it appears BMW Engineering may have gotten to the bottom of it. Hopefully they tore apart the returned transmissions and figured it out.

I took the EMail to my dealer SA on Monday and showed it to him. He was going to review it with the Service Manager and pursue it with BMW NA. So far I have yet to hear anything, but I told them to take their time because I want it done right this time. So I am waiting.

At this point the car is probably going to go into hibernation for the Winter. They are calling for snow the next few days, so it won't see the road again until next spring when the salt and cinders are gone.

 

[donmbmw]

This whole sliptronic issue really burns my butt. Why, at the end of its production life does a problem of this magnatude come up. These are the kind of things you expect from a new model in its first year. Has anyone gotten an explanation from their dealer or BMW NA as to what is different this year to cause such a headache for so many people?
Inquiring minds want to know

 

[bmwrocks]

Another member of the elite Sliptronic Club!!!!

Here's my latest - I have been communicating via private mail with someone else who has been down the same road - he is about 2 or 3 weeks ahead of me in the process. His transmission was also replaced and the problem came back. He took it back again, and last week his dealer told him that Engineering has identified the problem. They Emailed him, told him it was a tolerance problem with the C1 piston in the transmission (whatever that is). They also told him there is a long wait for replacement transmissions/parts. So (fingers crossed) it appears BMW Engineering may have gotten to the bottom of it. Hopefully they tore apart the returned transmissions and figured it out.

I took the EMail to my dealer SA on Monday and showed it to him. He was going to review it with the Service Manager and pursue it with BMW NA. So far I have yet to hear anything, but I told them to take their time because I want it done right this time. So I am waiting.

At this point the car is probably going to go into hibernation for the Winter. They are calling for snow the next few days, so it won't see the road again until next spring when the salt and cinders are gone.

Kirby,

If it is not inappropriate to ask, can you post the apprpriate email contents here so we all can have it to take to our dealers?

I want to be armed with that email info when I bring mine in.

 

[Kirby]

Kirby,

If it is not inappropriate to ask, can you post the apprpriate email contents here so we all can have it to take to our dealers?

I want to be armed with that email info when I bring mine in.

The Email was sent to another person by his dealer, and he then forwarded it to me. As such, I don't feel comfortable posting the message since it's not mine. He does visit this board on occasion, and next time we chat I'll discuss it with him to see if he is agreeable.

I was hesitant to even post this information, only because we don't know for sure that it is really the solution - they have not fixed his car yet. They seem to think it is the solution, but I have a personal standard that I don't like to post information as facts when I am not 99% positive it is true.

So I would like to hold off until I feel more comfortable that thy REALLY have solved the problem. Then I'll even SCAN my service papers and post them here for everyone to print out for their dealer.

 

[donmbmw]

Strange, but this morning the sliptronic was not as bad as yesterday. But the Dunlop winter sports I ordered won't be in till Monday, and WoW! what an adventure I had driving in todays wet snow on my "all seasons" [joke] I'm seriously beginning to question my decision to get the 330i. My #2 choice was the new Accord EXV6 coupe. I wonder what the boards say about this car?

 

[Mick]

330 xi baby!

So glad I got this now. Yesterday in the wet snow, with "all seasons" even, nailing it through the curves and the thing rides like it's on rails. I couldn't get it to break loose. Very impressed with it's performance on bad roads, and dry.

It does do the sliptronic thing though, I'm waiting to call my service guy till I've heard more here about the fix.

 

[cdotger]

Like I has posted previosly, the problem is with the First Clutch Pack in the tranny. My dealer has fixed several already. Mine and one other car was in Thu. A tranny specialist came in and worked on the cars on Thur and Fri. Just got a call today (Sat) that it is done, I haven't picked up yet due to the snow... I will post how everything looks After I pickup the car Monday night.

 

[Kirby]

cdotger - Do you know if they are replacing the entire transmission now, or just doing a repair?

 

[wallace]

New transmission in. Problem even worse. I live in Phoenix also. I can't imagine what this thing would be doing up north. This is total B.S. I paid this kinda money not to have problems with a car. This is also bringing our car values down. In the service records it will show a new transmission and many different attempts to fix the problem, not cool.

 

[cdotger]

From what BMW has told me, they are doing a repair.

 

[bmwrocks]

New transmission in. Problem even worse. I live in Phoenix also. I can't imagine what this thing would be doing up north. This is total B.S. I paid this kinda money not to have problems with a car. This is also bringing our car values down. In the service records it will show a new transmission and many different attempts to fix the problem, not cool.

Wallace that bites. You are so right about everything you say above.

I am soooooo waiting for all of you to flush out this fix. BMW should pay you for being guinea pigs for their system level Test & Integration. They were supposed to do this testing BEFORE they released the vehicles to market.

 

[donmbmw]

Anyone know if BMW has issued a service bulletin on this problem. It seems that the response is mixed. Some folks getting all new trannies that also slip, and others getting a specific fix that hopefully will correct the problem (time will tell) [???1]

 

[cdotger]

It seems tranny's were replaces before BMW fully understood what the problem was. Seems like they thought initially there were just a few bad tranny's. Then it seems they realized it is a much bigger problem. Expecially when owners were still having the problem, even with the new tranny's... Just my guess.

 

[Kirby]

I agree.

 

[Harman1]

I spoke to the Forman at the local dealer in my area he had not heard of this problem but checked on it then called me to say, what BMW was doing is replacing the transmission. He said what I would have to do is bring the car in for them to verify the problem, then they would put in an order for the transmission then wait. He said they are hard to come by right now it may take some time to get one.
Now all that aside, what I would like to know is why was this problem not detected at factory before the cars were shipped to the dealerships, and what about the dealer do they not do any kind of check on the cars. I have a real hard time believing that the factory and the dealer didn't know about this problem with these cars. I think they knew of this problem and just let it go because they knew they could sell the cars with out it showing up till we had them and they sat around. My car has less than 600 miles on, it really chaps my ass that I have to get a new transmission put in this car. My experience in the past is when ever you have something done on a new car it never works the same. I don't want a new car that had to have that major of a deal done to it.
I think I'll place a call to the GM at the dealer where I purchased the car and see what his take is on this. What are your thoughts on all this, has anyone spoke to the dealer about getting a new car to replace the one they have.

 

[Tweet227]

has anyone spoke to the dealer about getting a new car to replace the one they have.

HAHA... several times infact. My dealership itself won't do anything. They said my car is covered under warranty so anytime I have a problem call them and they will be happy to look at it. Many calls have been placed to BMWNA. My sales person even called BMWNA to see if they would do anything considering the LONG list of repairs I have had on my car in the 7 1/2 months I have had it. And NOTHING! Everytime a new problem arises I notify my sales guy and he calls it into BMWNA for me. I am hoping the new tranny will help push this along, because I agree that once you have major work done on a new car, it never works the same.

 

[Harman1]

Well I spoke to the GM at the dealer today, he said bring the car in they will look at if it req's a new transmission they will put one in, if the same problem comes back he said he would go to bat for me about getting a new car, thoes we his exact words. He told me a couple of years ago they sold a 745i that had a trans problem, after a replacement was put it still had the same problem so he was given a new car. I have less than 600 miles on this car to be having a problem of this magnitude is just outragious. I can't belive that QC at the factory is no better than that. I've enjoyed the car and have had no other problems, I guess if a new trans will fix it and it does not give me any more trouble I will be satisfied, I plan on trading it in when the new 3's come out.

 

[donmbmw]

What a mess! I sent the service dept. at my dealership to let them know that I was adding this problem to the small list relatively minor issues I wanted fixed (can't adjust the passenger side mirror, rear interior light stays on when headlights are on) I asked him if he was aware of the problem and BMW had a service bulletin on it. He has not replied yet. Will keep you posted.

 

[cdotger]

Picked up the car yest after the Clutch pack install, of course all was good cause the valet guy oulled the car out for me. I did not get to go to work today (Have a sick 3 yr old) So i will post how the car does tomorrow morning after my drive into work. But I can tell you, car drives fine after clutch pack install, wouldn;t even know they were in there