[///Msport]

Hello all,

I have been experiencing a intermittent transmission issue. Only in 1st gear...
Here is what happens:
Clutch in - enter 1st gear
Clutch out - fully in first gear
Accelerate, then gear is thrown into neutral on its own violently.

It feels like i hit a pothole very hard but the car never stalls.

Next time i go into 1st, all is well.

Anyone else have an issue like this? Please let me know.

[Gpfarrell]

Well, actually, yes.

I've got a '12 550i with a 6MT.

I've driven sticks for 30 years... never had this in anything else from F150's to 911's.

About once a week, this one jumps out of 1st gear as I'm pulling away from a stop. It's remarkably violent! It happens in the first 5-10 feet for me, just about the time my foot is ready to be completely off the clutch... BOOM!

And then I put it back into 1st and all is fine.

I've been consciously applying slight pressure to the shifter in 1st and that seems to prevent it, but it occurs so occasionally I can't be sure. I'm guessing its a shifter-linkage issue, but I haven't asked anybody to diagnose it as its nearly impossible to replicate.

[///Msport]

Originally Posted by Gpfarrell

Well, actually, yes.

I've got a '12 550i with a 6MT.

I've driven sticks for 30 years... never had this in anything else from F150's to 911's.

About once a week, this one jumps out of 1st gear as I'm pulling away from a stop. It's remarkably violent! It happens in the first 5-10 feet for me, just about the time my foot is ready to be completely off the clutch... BOOM!

And then I put it back into 1st and all is fine.

I've been consciously applying slight pressure to the shifter in 1st and that seems to prevent it, but it occurs so occasionally I can't be sure. I'm guessing its a shifter-linkage issue, but I haven't asked anybody to diagnose it as its nearly impossible to replicate.

Thank goodness I am not the only one.

The harder you accelerate, the more violent it is. I had the same thought pattern of applying pressure to the shifter while in first, but as you mentioned, you are not always thinking about it. It's is so bizarre.

I am out of warranty so I don't want them taking apart the tranny to be slapped with a enormous bill. Hoping someone has fixed this previously and can advise exactly what the issue is.

[Gpfarrell]

I'm CPO'd so I may have coverage... but it happens so rarely I'm not sure how they could accurately diagnose anything. If there are adjustments on the shifter I think that's the place to start.

With so few 6-speeds we may not find others with the issue. Like you, I'm glad there's at least 1!

[Bmw doubles]

Could be a bad throwout bearing. I've also read about bad transmission mounts.

[///Msport]

Originally Posted by Bmw doubles

Could be a bad throwout bearing. I've also read about bad transmission mounts.

I can see the transmission mounts being the issue, I will have them check on the next oil change. Thanks for the input.

[///Msport]

Originally Posted by Gpfarrell

I'm CPO'd so I may have coverage... but it happens so rarely I'm not sure how they could accurately diagnose anything. If there are adjustments on the shifter I think that's the place to start.

With so few 6-speeds we may not find others with the issue. Like you, I'm glad there's at least 1!

You should talk to them and see what it is.

[Gpfarrell]

Originally Posted by ///Msport

You should talk to them and see what it is.

You're right. Thank you!

[aclockwrk]

When i had my 550i, it did it about 5 times in 3.5 years. The only thing i noticed, it was during hard take off in first. I've driven manuals for 25 years and never had it happen on any other car. I traded in the car so i never bothered to take it to the dealer. Good luck, hopefully they don't BS you and correct it, it's definitely not normal.

[Gpfarrell]

Any fresh ideas on this? Dealer can't duplicate the problem so my CPO just turned into scratch paper. Called BMW customer care and so far, well, they haven't cared!

[Stück]

What you are describing is an likely an internal problem with the transmission. The throwout bearing has nothing to do with it, that is a silly suggestion.

Assuming you are making sure you are completely engaged in gear and it is not a user error..... I would recommend changing the transmission fluid as it is cheap to do. I had a ZF320 5MT in an E39 528i that would do it -every-single-time- if you didn't hold it in 1st. I drained the trans, flushed it out and refilled with RP Syncromax. Shifted slick as snot after, never had a problem again.

Engine and transmission mounts sagged causing the linkage to not positively engage a gear is also a possability.

If that does not resolve the problem the next course of repair is a replacement transmission. Internal parts are not especially available and dealer techs aren't going to want anything to do with splitting the case open anyway.

[Gpfarrell]

Thank you!

Oh, for the record, our first BMW was a '99 528i Touring with a 5-speed! Ran it to 147,000!

[Stück]

My wife's 99 528i 5MT Touring is about to tick over 218,000 :-)