2007 BMW X3 Power Train

2007 BMW X3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STALLING WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS. *LD *JS

THE GEARBOX FEELS LIKE IT'S FAILING TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUTS WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, IT FAIL TO ENGAGE A LOWER GEAR- DOWNSHIFTS VERY ROUGHLY IN NORMAL DRIVE MODE. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO AND CONTINUED TO TAKE PLACE FROM TIME TO TIME AND IT FEELING LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO FAIL COMPLETELY.

SEVERE ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION ON 2007 BMW E83 X3. ONCE THE ENGINE HAS REACHED NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, TRANSMISSION ISSUES ARE MORE NOTICEABLE. MY VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO THROTTLE INPUT WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP. SEVERAL HESITATIVE JERKS ARE FELT AND THEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY. OFTEN TIMES DURING THIS SEQUENCE, THE EXHAUST EMITS A HUGE PLUME OF SMOKE, BLINDING DRIVERS BEHIND THE VEHICLE. UPON DECELERATION, MY VEHICLE MAY DOWNSHIFT HARSHLY, GENERATING A FORWARD SURGE OF ACCELERATION BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO MATCH ENGINE REVS WITH THE LOWER GEAR; I HAVE ONLY EXPERIENCED THIS PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTIC AT LOW SPEEDS (<20 MPH). ALSO WHILE DECELERATING, MY VEHICLE MAY LOSE POWER, WHICH RESULTS IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE A DECELERATION RATE THAT "TRIGGERS" THIS BEHAVIOR. I AM A TEST ENGINEER AND A PERFORMANCE DRIVING INSTRUCTOR WITH BMW CCA. I HAVE REGULARLY DRIVEN BMWS OVER THE PAST DECADE AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OTHER MODELS THAT I HAVE DRIVEN (E46, E39, E63). I ALSO HAVE LIMITED RACING EXPERIENCE IN E30 BMWS. I.E. I KNOW HOW AN ENGINE/TRANSMISSION IS SUPPOSE TO ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE UNDER A WIDE VARIETY OF CONDITIONS. THESE ACCELERATION/DECELERATION ISSUES ARE VERY CONCERNING TO ME. *TR

THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP DESPITE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE HESITATION RANGES FROM 1-3 SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THE HESITATION IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE DYNAMIC TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATION LIGHT ILLUMINATING. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TROUBLING WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION OR MAKING A TURN FROM A STOP THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE LETTING MY FAMILY DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 2007 MODEL YEAR IS A 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THERE HAS BEEN GRADUAL INCREASE IN UPSHIFT KICK AND DOWNSHIFT KICK AFFECTING THE ACCELERATOR FOOT PEDAL FEELING. AT TIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS READY TO MOVE FROM A DEAD STOP, THIS IS SPECIALLY CONCERNING ON STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WHERE THE TRANSMISSION IS CONSTANTLY UPSHIFTING AND DOWNSHIFTING IN LOW GEARS. THE DOWNSHIFT KICK IS MORE PREVALENT IN THE LOWER GEARS 3RD TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 1ST. THE UPSHIFT KICK IS MORE PREVALENT IN 2ND TO 3RD. A SENSE OF CONCERN HAS CREEPED UP ON MY WIFE EVERY TIME SHE DRIVES THE VEHICLE WITH NO SENSE OF SECURITY AS SHE TRIES TO MAKE LEFT TURNS OR IN SLOW STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT REACT AND BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND THEN LUNGE FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

THERE IS A DELAY IN THROTTLE RESPONSE THROUGH THE 1-2, 2-3 UPSHIFT WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP; THERE IS A LACK OF POWER OR HESITATION WHEN REAPPLYING THROTTLE, DURING EITHER A 4-3 OR 3-2 TIP-IN DOWNSHIFT. THIS MAY OCCUR AFTER SLOWING AND COMING TO A STOP ON A HILL AND THEN CONTINUING INTO A TURN; HARSH DOWNSHIFTS WHEN SLOWING ON A ROADWAY WITH HILLS; DOWNSHIFTS BECOME VIOLENT. BMW DEALER HAS LOOKED AT VEHICLE TWICE FOR SAME CONCERN BUT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. THIS ALL HAPPENS UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE HAS ALMOST STALLED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 DAYS, ONCE MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT AN INTERSECTION WITH NO LIGHT, AND THE OTHER TWO TIMES WHILE ENTERING A ROUNDABOUT. BMW NA SAYS SEE A DEALER AND THE DEALER DOES NOTHING. *TR

TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO HESITATE @ LOW GEARS, ESPECIALLY AT INITIAL ACCELERATIONS WHILE STOPPED @ A STOP SIGN OR SIGNAL LIGHT. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATES,CAR JOLTS TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT GEAR. THE CAR THEN JUMPS INTO A HIGHER GEAR AND DANGEROUSLY ACCELERATES RAPIDLY. IN ADDITION, WHEN DRIVING ON A STEEP DOWNHILL DECLINE, THE CAR ADJUSTS WELL; HOWEVER, WHEN TRANSITIONING TO A LEVEL SURFACE STREET AFTER A STEEP DOWNHILL, THE GEAR WILL NOT SHIFT INTO THE APPROPRIATE GEAR (I.E., WAS STUCK IN PREVIOUS GEAR). ON 6/14/2010, TOOK CAR TO DEALER. THEY "PERFORMED BMW DIAGNOSIS CONTROL UNIT FUNCTION, THERE IS NO FAULT RECORD IN CONTROL UNIT, AND AT TEST DRIVE I9 COULD NOT DUPLICATE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT AT THIS TIME." NO FIX WAS PROVIDED. AFTER YEARS OF MINOR JOLTS WHEN ACCELERATING (I BELIEVE IN 1ST AND 2ND) & THEN A RAPID KICK ACCELERATION TO 3RD, NO MAJOR INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED BUT SAFETY ON ROAD HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. I HAVE LEARNED TO EASE INTO ACCELERATIONS WITH THIS CAR AND DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE OF UNEXPECTED HESITATIONS/ACCEL. ON 1/14/2012, I HAD A CLOSE CALL ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AFTER I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT. AS I PROCEEDED INTO THE INTERSECTION TO TURN LEFT, THE CAR HESITATED & STALLED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION, THEN JERKED FORWARD AND YELLOW TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON. I PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PUT IT IN "P" & TURNED ENGINE OFF. TURNED IT BACK ON AND TRANNY LIGHT REMAINED ON AND CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE IN "D"; HOWEVER, IT WOULD ALLOW ME TO "REVERSE." IT TOOK THREE ATTEMPTS (ON/OFF ENGINE) AND THE CAR WENT INTO "D" WITH HESITATION. I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE HOME AND CAR STALLED AT THE NEXT LIGHT. WAS STUCK IN MIDDLE OF ROAD FOR 2 MINUTES TRYING TO GET IT IN GEAR. "D" FINALLY WORKED. I PARKED IN A LOT, TURNED ENGINE OFF FOR 15 MINUTES. CAR HAS BEEN WORKING OK REST OF DAY BUT IT IS NOT SAFE! THIS IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS!!!!! *TR

IN ACCELERATION THE CAR WILL HANG AND HESITATE, AND LUNGE. IN A SLOW DOWN SITUATION THE CAR WILL VIOLENT LERCH FROM ONE GEAR TO THE NEXT, AND CAN NOT THINGS OUT OF THE SEATS. *TR

TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS IN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR AROUND 2000 RPM UPHILL. THE SHUDDER GETS WORSE AND WORSE AS MILES ADD UP. THEY HAVE HAD THE CAR TWO WEEKS THIS TIME AND STILL NOT FIXED. *TR

TRANSMISSION ON MY 07 BMW X3 IS NOT HANDLING PROPERLY. I HAVE HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE MULTIPLE TIMES, AND YET AGAIN FOR REDLINING AND STALLING. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND I WOULD HAVE NEVER EXPECTED THIS FROM A BMW. WAITING FOR SERVICE DEPT. TO CALL BACK WITH A CRAZY PRICE THAT I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM NOW. *TR

OVER A YEAR AGO I BEGAN HEARING LOUD NOISES UNDERNEATH MY 2007 BMW X3. I HAVE HAD IT SERVICED FOUR TIMES FOR THE FOLLOWING: LOUD POPPING FROM UNDERNEATH ESPECIALLY WITH SLOW DRIVING (5MPH ), PROBLEMS WITH JERKING WITH ACCELERATION, & A SIGNIFICANT RATTLING AND OR SHAKING FROM UNDER THE CAR BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. THE FIRST TWO TIMES IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIMED TO HEAR NOTHING. THE 3RD TIME THEY TOLD ME THE TIRES WERE TO BLAME. WHEREIN THEY FURTHER TOLD ME THAT IF IT WAS TRANSMISSION ISSUES ( I TOLD THEM EACH TIME IT WAS TAKEN IN WE THOUGHT IT WAS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION) THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE CAUSING AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSFER CASING. THE FOURTH TIME WAS THE SAME AS BEFORE WITH STILL NO RESOLUTION. *TR

2007 BMW X3 TRANSMISSION ISSUES. TRANSMISSION WENT INTO FAIL SAFE MODE (4TH GEAR) AND TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ON DASH APPEARED. BMW DEALER IS AWARE OF THIS MALFUNCTION AND HAD A BULLETIN THAT RECOMMENDED A SOFTWARE FIX. THIS IS APPARENTLY A FAR REACHING MALFUNCTION AND QUITE COMMON ON THIS MODEL. THE NHTSA SHOULD MAINTAIN METRICS FROM DEALERS TO SEE IF THE FIX WORKS BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T THEN THIS CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS TO THE OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS OTHERS ON THE ROAD. *TR

2007 CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED BMW X3 NEEDED AN ENTIRE NEW TRANSMISSION AFTER ONLY 30,000 MILES. *TR

FAULTY TRANSMISSION. THE GEARBOX WILL FAIL TO RESPOND AT RANDOM TIMES USUALLY IN CRITICAL LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS SUCH AS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC OR AVOIDING OTHER CARELESS DRIVERS. CAN'T SEEM TO DECIDE WHAT GEAR TO BE IN WHEN MAKING QUICK UPHILL TURNS. WHILE DOWNSHIFTING IN SD THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DOWN SHIFTS SO ROUGH IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER DRIVER. COLD TEMPERATURES SEEM TO ALWAYS MAKE THE SHIFTING ISSUE WORSE AND THE VEHICLE MAY RED LINE OR NOT SHIFT AT A NORMAL RATE.

2007 BMW X3 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO BMW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE SPRING OF 2007. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN A MONTH (TOTAL FROM NUMEROUS VISITS). AT A STOP LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION WILL OCCASIONALLY SURGE & IF NOT FOR FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE THAT SURGE WOULD THROW ME INTO THE CAR AHEAD. IT HAS SURGED WHEN PARKING ALMOST RAMMING ME INTO THE SIDE OF A BUILDING. I ALMOST WENT THROUGH A FILE CABINET AND INTO THE WALL IN MY GARAGE YESTERDAY. HESITATES WHEN CHANGING LANES & THROUGH INTERSECTIONS. I'VE ALMOST BEEN HIT NUMEROUS TIMES. ALMOST RAMMED FROM THE REAR AT 70MPH ON THE FREEWAY WHEN TRANSMISSION HESITATED & WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE WILL REV AND THE TRANSMISSION WON'T KICK IN FOR A FEW SECONDS. THEN THE CAR TAKES OFF LIKE A ROCKET. THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION IS DANGEROUS. I'VE BEEN TRYING INCESSANTLY TO GET BMW TO HELP ME FOR WELL OVER A YEAR. ALL LEVELS SAY THEY WILL HELP BUT IT NEVER HAPPENS SHORT OF A TRANSMISSION REPROGRAMMING WHICH DOESN'T ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM...AND THEY KNOW IT. BMW STATES THE "VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED". WHAT A STUNNING ADMISSION! THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND QUITE EASY TO VERIFY. SERVICE MANAGERS ADMIT THE PROBLEM TOO...AND BMW IS SAYING THEY DESIGNED THE VEHICLE THIS WAY??? WHO HAS TO DIE IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THIS IS TAKEN CARE OF? BMW HAD A REGIONAL TECH ENGINEER EVALUATE MY VEHICLE. HE SAYS IT'S "OPERATING AS DESIGNED". HE ALSO SAID THERE ARE NO 'FAULTS'. A SERVICE MGR ONCE TOLD ME THAT 'FAULTS' DON'T ALWAYS REGISTER IN THE COMPUTER SO HAVING 'NO FAULTS' ISN'T UNUSUAL. BY THE WAY, BMW HAD ME TAKE THE CAR IN TO GET REPROGRAMMED SHORTLY "BEFORE" THAT REGIONAL TECH DID HIS EVALUATION. YES, THEY REPROGRAMMED IT "THEN" SENT HIM IN! NOTHING WAS FOUND? GO FIGURE! WHAT COULD I DO? IT'S A LEASED VEHICLE. I COULDN'T JUST SELL IT OR TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. WHY DO THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME WHEN IT WOULD COST NEXT TO NOTHING. THEY LOVE MY $$$. *TR

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

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY, HESITATES ON OCCASION AND WHEN COLD IT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO REV IN EXCESS OF 3,000 RPM BEFORE SHIFTING. *TR

MY CAR HESITATES TO CHANGE GEARS DURING A COLD START AND THERE IT IS A CLICKING NOISE WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. *TR

THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND IS QUITE UNSAFE ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS. CARS WOULD BE COMING AT YOU WHILE YOU ARE 'PRAYING' FOR IT TO MOVE! IT HAPPENS REGULARLY BUT UNPREDICTABLY. SORT OF LIKE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE! THE MAIN PROBLEM, ASIDE FROM PERFORMANCE IS SAFETY-SAFETY-SAFETY! THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW AND IS STILL UNDER BMW WARRANTY. IT'S BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 WEEKS NOW! ACCORDING TO THEM, THEY ARE REPLACING THE TRANS-AXLE! THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM IS HAPPENING TO ALL OF ITS OWNERS. CHECK: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F11FFDC/0 SUBJECT: BMW X3 HESITATION ON ACCELERATION. *TR

BMW X3 SAV SURGES FORWARD OR LOOSES POWER UNEXPECTEDLY. UNEXPECTED POWER SURGE HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN TAKING TURNS, COMING OUT OF THE TURN THE CAR TAKES OFF. LOSS OF POWER, HAPPENS OFTEN WHEN GOING UP A HILL OR SOMETIMES AFTER A STOP TO TAKE A TURN THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN ACCELERATES UNCONTROLLABLY. HAVE HAD CAR IN TO DEALER 5 TIMES AND STILL IS NOT RESOLVED. *TR

VEHICLE DOES NOT PROPERLY RESPOND TO MY PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND HESITATES TO MOVE FORWARD. ALSO, SEVERELY LURCHES FORWARD ON DECELERATION, ESPECIALLY ON DECLINES. VERY UNSAFE. *TR

WE HAD A NEW 2007 BMW X3 THAT HAD HORRIBLE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IT WAS VERY SCARY - THE CAR WOULD HESITATE WHEN YOU WANTED IT TO ACCELERATE, IT WOULD SEEM TO LOSE POWER AT TIMES - A REAL DISASTER AND SAFETY CONCERN. BMW WAS TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE - TOLD US ALL SORTS OF NONSENSE ABOUT US NOT KNOWING HOW TO DRIVE. INITIALLY THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A MONTH CLAIMING THEY NEEDED SOFTWARE. THEN THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THAT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE CAR. WE SENT THE CAR BACK FOR SERVICE AGAIN, AND AFTER ANOTHER MONTH THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. FINALLY, AFTER JERKING US AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, THEY AGREED TO SWAP THE CAR OUT FOR A 2008, BUT EVEN THEN, THE WAY IT WAS HANDLED WAS ABOMINABLE. THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE DEALING WITH BMW, THEY KEPT ACTING LIKE THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEMS WE WERE HAVING, YET A SIMPLE SEARCH OF THE INTERNET REVEALED THE MANY MANY COMPLAINTS THAT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. OBVIOUSLY, BMW IS TRYING TO AVOID A RECALL. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS A TREMENDOUS LAG WHEN U STEP ON THE GAS.... *TR

FAULTY TRANSMISSION/ENGINE - HESITATES AND CAUSES MANY NEAR FATAL ACCIDENTS WHEN GETTING ON A HIGHWAY. HESITATION IS ALSO SEEN WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THIS IS FRIGHTENING AND VERY STRESSFUL TO DRIVE. *TR