e39 540i Tranny problem/not going into gear

[tangalife 1]

Expecting this is going to be to big of a problem and im just going to have to get it to a shop but thought i'd try the forums first.

1997 E39 540i, Tiptronic Transmission, 180xxx k's.

Driving to work this morning, stop at T intersection. Might have been in neutral while I was stopped, but as I go to drive it pops out of gear and from there no gear will work, not reverse, and putting into tiptronic I tried all the gears and no luck. No warning lights came up either. I managed to roll to the side of the road thankfully.

I do notice, when I put it into park there is a groaning noise as I do this. Evident on the youtube vid below (15 seconds long, you can hear the problem clearly.

Does it seem like the transmission has given up? Or could it potentially be something small?

Things to note lately:

1. my battery was playing up after been drained flat a couple times, and I got the Trans Prog Failsafe error twice recently but the battery was dead flat at this point, which is a common problem with a faulty battery I hear. Problem went away once battery was charged up.

2. loud whining noise from the rear, have suspected this to be a wheel bearing or diff, but wonder if this could have been be trans related instead?

3. I have had the ABS/Traction Control lights come on problem a couple times recently too. It goes away after a while though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY-DzU8Kcq4

edit - forgot to add, will codes be thrown? I have a reader somewhere around I should stick on.

Edited May 28, 2014 by tangalife

[aja540i 1903]

Has it got any oil in it?

[tangalife 1]

As far as I understand you cant check because aren't they sealed off?

[Allanw 1052]

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You can check the oil level, there is a fill hole. Google should show it.

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That noise is weird though.

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I think you may actually find you've lost a CV, or giubo etc.

When you put it in gear, it's working fine, but the drive isn't getting to the wheels. The noise when you put Park is because the drivetrain is still spinning and the Park rachet pawl is clunking until it slips into a spot. Normally you would have stopped the trans output shaft when the car came to a complete stop. If drive from the trans to the wheel is disconnected, it can all spin freely.

If you go from drive to neutral, wait 30 seconds or so, and whip it up into park quickly, it probably won't make the noise. But will if you do it from reverse too.

DON'T do this, but IF you could look under the car, the output flange of the trans would be spinning, possibly even the driveshaft.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Allanw

[MISS BM 712]

No, they are not sealed off. Just a sticker saying lifetime fluid or what not.

Check your oil level.. Jack it up and look for fill hole.

You will need ZF Lifetime oil if you want to top it up, or the equivalent.

[tangalife 1]

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You can check the oil level, there is a fill hole. Google should show it.

manual conversion manual conversion manual conversion manual conversion

That noise is weird though.

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I think you may actually find you've lost a CV, or giubo etc.

When you put it in gear, it's working fine, but the drive isn't getting to the wheels. The noise when you put Park is because the drivetrain is still spinning and the Park rachet pawl is clunking until it slips into a spot. Normally you would have stopped the trans output shaft when the car came to a complete stop. If drive from the trans to the wheel is disconnected, it can all spin freely.

If you go from drive to neutral, wait 30 seconds or so, and whip it up into park quickly, it probably won't make the noise. But will if you do it from reverse too.

DON'T do this, but IF you could look under the car, the output flange of the trans would be spinning, possibly even the driveshaft.

Thanks, will give these a go after work. I can select gears as normal, and prior to this there was no erratic shifting or noises or anything that made it suspect like it was going to give... It is almost like something popped loose randomly.

Edited May 28, 2014 by tangalife

[tangalife 1]

Ah just on the Guibo, after doing some googling. I have had this clicking noise coming from the car recently also, I thought it was to do with my wheel because the noise appeared after being coming back from a shop for getting some break pads/alignment/wheel bearing but it sounds exactly like this noise in this video which is a guy demonstrating a clicking noise from his flex disk guibo...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcEHDidPYBc

[Allanw 1052]

Ah just on the Guibo, after doing some googling. I have had this clicking noise coming from the car recently also, I thought it was to do with my wheel because the noise appeared after being coming back from a shop for getting some break pads/alignment/wheel bearing but it sounds exactly like this noise in this video which is a guy demonstrating a clicking noise from his flex disk guibo...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcEHDidPYBc

That vid is on a 6 speed manual trans - that noise is the play in the gearbox - normal... for his trans!

Yours cold have been a rear cv clacking, before it let go.

[tangalife 1]

Ah I see.... Just did what you said in the post, exactly as described. Would wait 30 sec after putting it into neutral from drive, then put into park and no noise. Got a tow home and the battery decided to act up again and lose power and subsequently got the trans prog fail safe error, so now im dead flat too lol... Cant get under the car tonight to check for anything loose, but by the sounds of it, do you reckon this will be the case?

[Allanw 1052]

If you jack up a back wheel, chock ALL the others, car off, in park, hand brake off, you shouldn't be able to turn the wheel. I reckon you might be able to... possibly with a bit of effort or quiet-ish funny noises.

Could be WAY cheaper than a trans :-)

[tangalife 1]

The good thing is my dad is a panelbeater so i can use a floor jack and possibly the hoist if its free. Am I doing a visual inspection and will I be able to see everything without the exhaust being in the way? Also one last question, would my faulty battery have anything to do with this?

[Allanw 1052]

The good thing is my dad is a panelbeater so i can use a floor jack and possibly the hoist if its free. Am I doing a visual inspection and will I be able to see everything without the exhaust being in the way? Also one last question, would my faulty battery have anything to do with this?

You won't be able to see much, unless it's a rear halfshaft CV that's gone.

If you can turn a rear wheel, something is broken - If you can get the car on a hoist (witht the wheels off the ground) You can turn a rear wheel and see which bits of the axle or driveshaft turn (or not).