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$3000+ in maintenance and repairs...then auto transmission breaks

32K views 122 replies 42 participants last post by  Cobra 
#1 ·
2002 330xi 78k miles (I read all 16 pages of the transmission sticky)

I love my car and baby the hell out of it but it's killing my wallet. I know you guys / gals can relate. I'm looking for some advice:

I was driving on the highway cruising at 75 and my transmission completely goes. I see the RPMs spike so I pull over. I put the car in park and it starts rolling backward. I restart the car and the transmission just won't engage. I engage the parking brake and get it towed.

I recently had maintenance and service done (at an indy shop) to the vehicle including:
- fuel service / tune up
- all belts replaced
- brake fluid flushed
- front right tie-rod replaced
- CV joint replaced
- control arm bushing replaced
- alignment

about $2300

I drive the car for about 20 miles and my ABS and DSC lights illuminate orange. I bring the BMW dealership and they replace a sensor for $170.

I drive the car for about 50 miles after that and my transmission goes on the highway.

I drove the car every day for about 3 years and had no problems with the transmission; it was like butter. Then, right after this series of repairs it completely goes. Do you guys see anything that was repaired or serviced that could have done this? The indy shop I brought it to does not see many BMWs.

I have it being looked at another indy shop closer to where I broke down and I opted to go for a used transmission they found in a junkyard for $1800 + $900 in labor. As you can see my wallet is hurting and I'm wondering if there is any foul play involved.

I'd like to consult the experts here...

- Greg
 
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#85 ·
If my car was functioning normally, my transmission would not be freewheeling / moving while my car is not in motion ( while pulled over).

My question is, with the CV axle being popped out, what changes? Why is my transmission now freewheeling even though my vehicle is not in motion and the engine is idling?

Your explanation definitely 'clicks' with me and I comprehend it, just not that one detail.
 
#89 ·
Be careful here, there are a lot of things that may not be 100% correct.

Again, I do not know the xi technology very well, but I will not a few things.

1. Most BMW's register speed off a rear wheel sensor from my understanding?? Assume the xi may be the same way? Some cars do measure speed from the transmission output, but I am not sure this is the case with E46 BMW's? Again, I may be off slightly on this statement?

2. The xi has open differentials and I believe and open transfer case. If the car was just 2 wheel drive and the axle shaft could pop out, your car would have gone nowhere. All the engine power would be transferred to missing driveshaft.

3. The situation of the trans moving while putting the car in park is a pretty good possibility. When you are in drive, all the engine power would be sent to the location of the missing axle. Non of the wheels would turn, but the transmission, transfer case and the driveshaft to the missing axle would be turning. I do not think in this case you would have a speed reading unless the car was coasting on the road.

4. The parking pawl is supposed to lock into the output of the transmission. I have seen many cases where the car was put into park with the car still moving and the parking pawl not be broken. You may have a bit of bad noises, but it is usually spring loaded as I recall and will not usually jam itself into the openings in the output shaft. It would be interesting to find out if the parking pawl is broken and/or the transmission case where the parking pawl is supported?

5. I need to think of a good analogy about this situation. But in any event if you had any responsibility in the breaking of the parking pawl, you would have done so totally unknowingly. With the driveshaft not connected, you operated the car as you have likely done so for probably 7 or so years if you are an original owner and it was really the shops negligence that started this cascade of events that may have caused more damage than just a axle shaft that needs to be reseated.

It kind of like if the shop worked on your brakes and did something that caused your brakes to fail, you then wreck your car when trying to apply faulty brakes, the shop then take no responsibility for faulty brakes because you wrecked the car. Again, not the best analogy, but I find if you can put together a good solid analogy that proves your actions were not foolish of negligent, then it is easier to present and make your case.

Good luck, this really sucks and should be resolved by the shop. At the end of the day their insurance will have to cover the repairs anyway.
 
#93 ·
All,

The ordeal has finally concluded. I'm happy to say that Firestone paid 100% of the bill. They had a second claims adjuster come out and he verified that the damages occurred due to Firestone's improper installation of the right-front CV axle and lead to the breaking of the transmission.

$6000 in damages.

What happened
Firestone installed a CV axle that was aftermarket and was 1/16th of an inch too big. Instead of stopping right then and there, they decided to jam it in with a blunt object, likely a hammer. They completely destroyed the bearing and partially the transfer case. When the CV axle popped out it lead to the below scenario:

I lost power to the vehicle and I brought the vehicle to a stop. I put the vehicle in park. Even though the vehicle was not in motion the transmission internals were still freewheeling. When I put it in park the parking pawl snapped and got sucked into the transmission causing it to break.

I can't thank you guys enough for giving me the knowledge to state my case and stick to my story. It was invaluable in the claims process.

Here is a picture of the vehicle you guys indirectly saved ( I may have had to trade it in if I had to pay $6k myself) . It is a little dirty but I wanted to provide closure to this thread while I have free time.

P.S. Anyone want to recommend a reliable shop in northern New Jersey? I live near Parsippany and Morristown.

 
#94 ·
Just read all of this today gvg, congratulations with the outcome, but it stinks having to go through the whole ordeal. I just had a situation that went much smoother. Shop cracked an oil pan doing an oil change, shopped paid for new oil pan/installation, and a free oil change lol.
 
#110 · (Edited)
about $2300!!

Based on what I've been quoted myself and what I've read on these maintenance repairs below in the red ink is what the normal prices are with labor and parts for what you repaired on your car:

- fuel service / tune up - not sure what this is-fuel injection cleaner - $10 or fuel filter - $100 or fuel pump - $200?
- all belts replaced - under $100
- brake fluid flushed - $80
- front right tie-rod replaced -under $100
- CV joint replaced - under $100
- control arm bushing replaced - $300
- alignment -ALWAYS free with replacement of tires or suspension parts


All the above should at MOST (if you did a full a fuel service-pump-filter-cleaner) should be equal to $990 parts and labor. Even if you are generous and say the labor was higher than average or you have an XI so parts cost more and you add $310 to the $990 to make it $1300 total then the shop still got at least $1000 for free from you!

I get angry when I see sh1t like this!



+1

Glad to see it worked out!
 
#118 ·
Morals of the story:

The indy shop I brought it to does not see many BMWs.
FYI it's Firestone, I'm not sure if anyone has gone through their claims process...
  1. If you use an indy shop instead of BMW, use one that does work regulary on BMWs and Mercedes.
  2. Firestone (or any tire store) is okay for suspension and brakes, but limit using them to those areas. My tire store recommended me to a transmission shop when I had a differential noise (in my Kia).
 
#119 ·
So.... Nothing like resurrecting an old and dead thread huh... Everyone always says to use the search function so here I am. Finally found a thread though that sounds a lot like the issues I am having. Heading out now to check the CV Shafts as the car is on jack stands in the garage at the moment. So when going from Drive or Reverse to Park, there is a brief grinding noise. Crawled underneath while the Mrs. shifted from Reverse to Park for me and the noise is a bit difficult to pin point. It is either the transfer case or the rear of the transmission. Even with a stethoscope, it is hard to tell for certain. After reading through this thread, one question came to mind, what is a Parking Pawl? Is this possibly the grinding noise I hear shifting into Park?

Other important details - 2003 325XI Automatic 158k Miles.
Changed Transmission Filter and Fluid - No shavings, No burnt smell
Changed Front Differential Fluid - No Shavings
Changed Transfer Case Fluid - Also No Shavings

In a way, I was hoping to find a broken piece of anything come out of the transmission just so I could have some sort of closure to this issue I have been researching for about a month or more now. But this thread may have been just what I was looking for.

Any description for the Parking Pawl that may aid in my diagnosis??

Off to the garage now

Thanks in advance!!
 
#120 ·
So.... Nothing like resurrecting an old and dead thread huh... Everyone always says to use the search function so here I am. Finally found a thread though that sounds a lot like the issues I am having. Heading out now to check the CV Shafts as the car is on jack stands in the garage at the moment. So when going from Drive or Reverse to Park, there is a brief grinding noise. Crawled underneath while the Mrs. shifted from Reverse to Park for me and the noise is a bit difficult to pin point. It is either the transfer case or the rear of the transmission. Even with a stethoscope, it is hard to tell for certain. After reading through this thread, one question came to mind, what is a Parking Pawl? Is this possibly the grinding noise I hear shifting into Park?

Other important details - 2003 325XI Automatic 158k Miles.
Changed Transmission Filter and Fluid - No shavings, No burnt smell
Changed Front Differential Fluid - No Shavings
Changed Transfer Case Fluid - Also No Shavings

In a way, I was hoping to find a broken piece of anything come out of the transmission just so I could have some sort of closure to this issue I have been researching for about a month or more now. But this thread may have been just what I was looking for.

Any description for the Parking Pawl that may aid in my diagnosis??

Off to the garage now

Thanks in advance!!
 
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