Steptronic Issues, What is the REAL fix?

[reblyn]

I recently bought a 2004 certified 545. I love it, EXCEPT it is having transmission problems or maybe it is computer problems. Having researched my issues which are delay when shifting from reverse to drive, then it lunges forward AND flat spot in initial excceleration, then it lunges. Both of these occur when it is cold, but even after a 3-4 minute warm up.

I took it in, and they acted as if they were not familiar with this problem, but in their defense I do live in San Diego Co, and it is not that cold here very often.

I was told that they could not duplicate the problem and my car would be returned. I asked them to test drive it again in the morning which they did and thankfully the problem manifest itself to them.

Their fix is to download new software. I have read this was tried in the beginning when the problem first started appearing but was not the fix. It looks like replacement of the transmission was what was needed.

For those who have already been down this path, could you tell me your experience and did the fix work? Is new software the first step or is this a waste of time?

Thanks

Reblyn

 

[Kirby]

I was one of the first Steptronic guinea pigs. My '04 330 developed the problem after about 2500 miles. They thought it was a bad transmission. It was replaced, and my original transmission was sent to Germany for analysis according to the BMW specialist from BMW USA (not the dealership). The problem came back again a few months later with the replacement transmission. They asked me to wait a few weeks because Germany thought they had found the source of the problem and they were working on it. They offered to replace the transmission a second time if I was unwilling to wait. Since I am a software engineer and work on real time control systems, and I understand these types of software issues, it was acceptable to me to wait a bit.

A few weeks later they said that the analysis indicated that it was a programming problem related to cold startup pressure settings in the program. They tried a software path, this improved the problem. A second software patch a few weeks after that solved the problem. The car now has 45K miles on it and is still running fine.

 

[deutsch100]

The software update was also done to my 2004 330cic. Being in Los Angeles, it is probably warmer than San Diego, but my dealership was aware of the problem, and never really tried the "could not duplicate" route/excuse. Once the update was installed, the cold start problem (reverse to drive, hesitation) was fixed.

 

[reblyn]

Took my car in, and they did the software upgrade. So far the reverse to forward hesitation and lunge have not shown up. However, the stop, with flat spot on exceleration and then lunge is still there.

Also, there have been a couple of new developments. One seems related. When turning on to a street with a steep grade, about half way up the hill the car skipped a beat. It felt like the transmission slipped, or that it didn't know what gear to go in to. Because of the grade there was a complete stop and then a tremendous jerk as it caught itself before rolling backwards. Really not good!!!!

Then since the software upgrade, the I Drive screen has stopped working 4 times. It is just dark. There is no radio, no navigation, no nothing. Doesn't seem to affect how the car runs. If it is going to do it, it is always at start up, it doesn't just blink off. Of course it does it at night or minutes before I have to be somewhere, otherwise I would take it straight to the dealer so they could see it.

So now my car sits in service AGAIN. It's Thur. and they just told me they don't expect to hear from BMW till Mon. I REALLY love this car in all other respects, but I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

 

[Kirby]

Thanks for the update. So it worked halfway, I guess. Please keep us informed as to what happens next.