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

outpost22 · Dec 9, 2003

Well, we have less than 300 miles on our new car and it has the "sliptronic" issue as well. I called our SA and he has indicated that we will be receiving a NEW transmission from BMW in about a month or so. So it appears they are addressing the problem in a big way. This is gonna cost some major $$$ [eek]

. I wonder if they've priced the '05's yet? This may signal a new price increase [8]

Harman1 · Dec 9, 2003

cdotger said:

Let me understand this, are you saying they installed the clutch pack on your existing trany. How is this possible, I thought the trans was a sealed one, from what I was told they will only be replacing them not replacing parts inside of the trans.

cdotger · Dec 9, 2003

From what I have been told by BMW, my dealership has fixed several cars with this problem with a clutch pack swap. They have a tranny specialist come in and they actually do the work. I have some friends in the biz, so I have a pretty good idea as to what is going on.

Harman1 · Dec 9, 2003

cdotger said:

So how is this trans considered a sealed one if they are being opened up and worked on.

cdotger · Dec 9, 2003

Just out of curiousity, who said it was a sealed trans? I know I have never stated such, so I have no idea where that info comes from. BMW has told me that only certain specialists are authorized to work on the transmissions, maybe that is what they refering too.

flashinthepan · Dec 9, 2003

I think BMW means..Maintenance free from Tranny fluid changes ?

Thus "sealed" ?

Tweet227 · Dec 9, 2003

flashinthepan said:

That's what I thought it meant. The tranny can still be disassembled and repaired it just doesn't require fluid changes.

Kirby · Dec 9, 2003

I asked my dealer the question about the sealed transmission. He said that it really means Maintenance Free / Sealed against CONSUMER maintenance. They still can and will change the transmission fluid on certain major service intervals. He even described how they do it.

He said there is a pair of tubes that are accessible by the service techs. They can pump fluid into one tube and the second tube acts like an overflow stand pipe. In other words, they pump oil in until it starts running out the 2nd tube, then they know it is at the proper level. No dipstick necessary.

He said that the one of the main reasons is that they use a special ATF and BMW had transmissions damaged by owners putting in the wrong fluid. So they "sealed" it to protect us from ourselves.

And I'm sure they never even thought about the revenue opportunities it gives them! [fake]

dzervit · Dec 9, 2003

The tranny is even 'sealed' from the dealers except for the tranny fluid transfusions that Kirby described. The dealer is not allowed to crack open the tranny - that's reserved for the French folks who build it and their specialists.

wallace · Dec 9, 2003

bmwrocks said:

I wish I wasn't! I am just frustrated to all h*((!!! I don't believe one word that comes from my dealership. They have filled me with so much bs. My tranny is worse then the original. I waited for a good 20 seconds ( I count now) this morning. The other morning I parked backwards and just went forward, because it was ticking me off so bad. No luck, I don't even have to put it into reverse first anymore. [?|]

If this keeps up I'm putting a huge Lemon on my car and driving it past the dealership all weekend.

cdotger · Dec 10, 2003

Well, I can report good news with my car since the Clutch Pack install, No issues this morning (And I had issues every day) I will let you guys know how it is @ the end of the week, after I give it a few days. But, so far so good.

Harman1 · Dec 10, 2003

The GM at my dealer told me it would be less expensive for them to replace the trans then fix it. I agree with the DZERVIT, the trans is not to be opened by the dealer. How do we know that other problems will not arise as a result of replacing something in a supposed sealed trans. As for myself I want a new trans, the slip problem could have caused metal shavings to form in the rans whick could have hurt other parts, that my not show up for some time.

wingedtiger · Dec 10, 2003

Had My Tranny Replaced 12/9/03

Well, the second transmission has been installed. The $0.00 dollar invoice did note "RECALL in the Cause section. I that this fixes it once and for all. If you need additional information please feel free to email at terry@borntxn.com or reply to this post.

Thanks,
Terry

Bmw 325i 7803 · Dec 10, 2003

For some strange reason (the car always seems to behave strange when the engine is cold) after pulling out backwards from my driveway and turning on to the road, I put the car in D and it started moving forward only for the engine to rev up to 5k for a second then it seemed as if the tranny caught it and it accelerated at 2k then it again revved to 5k like it was in neutral for a second again and then I guess the tranny caught the gear again and it moved on forward after the usual bump it makes when first accelerating with a cold engine... However I never had this happen before could it have been due to the fact that I had driven it two days earlier in steptronic mode?

bmwrocks · Dec 10, 2003

Bmw 325i 7803 said:

You have the infamous Sliptronic transmission!!!! Welcome to the club and read this entire thread for some ideas on how to approach the problem......the fun for you begins now.

Bmw 325i 7803 · Dec 10, 2003

I doubt I have the so called sliptronic, ( I have an 03' 325i, not the infamous 04' 330c's...) this was the first time it has ever happened, all the other times when its cold the car needs a generous amount of throttle and it does like a bump and accelerates like its no problem. I think when its cold the tranny just has a problem with engaging the gears, after all it is up a hill when coming out of my driveway, or maybe you're right..... Either way I confess ignorance on this issue.[???1]

bmwrocks · Dec 10, 2003

Bmw 325i 7803 said:

Denial is the first stage that Sliptronic owners go through.[joke]

A generous amount of throttle followed by a bump and then acceleration is not normal and never will be.

The sliptronic is not an '04 330C unique problem. Models affected just in this thread include '03 325i and 330i...don't they?

Well even if you didn't think you had a Sliptronic, it sounds like now you do. Mine didn't show up until 3 months after I got the car.

recognize · Dec 10, 2003

great. i haven't even gotten my car and i'm already worried. i hope my brand new 04 330i doesn't have this problem. grrrrr

ddone · Dec 10, 2003

BMW 325i 7803,

I too have a 2003 325i (May 2003, SA) and believe that I have this problem as well.
I've also been following this and related threads on this and other boards. I believe
that other 03 325i's also have this problem. It's scheduled for a dealer visit next week.

Regards.

cdotger · Dec 10, 2003

ddone, you are right. I have a 2003 325i and had the problem also.

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

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