BMW Automatic Transmission

What Makes The Automatic Transmission Slip in a BMW?


By Bavarian Performance Specialists April 21, 2022

Transmission slipping occurs when your car shifts into a gear that isn’t appropriate for its current speed. This can be unsettling and worrying. It’s usually an indication that your BMW needs to be serviced right away.

Slipping is one of the most typical difficulties with an automatic transmission that is failing. This condition also has the potential to be hazardous. As with many other problems cars can have, the earlier one addresses the issue, the better for your budget and your car, especially since gearbox sliding can always get worse.

When your car shifts gears while driving, you want your car to remain in that gear until you reach a speed where it needs to change. When the gear is selected in an automatic transmission, the vehicle’s computerized system does so by a feedback indicator to the gearbox. This permits the change to take place.

Gears can sometimes shift, or slip out of place, on their own. The gear may change to neutral, but this is not always the case. Your gear change may be rejected by the transmission, which will revert to the prior gear.

What causes the automatic transmission slip to occur in a BMW?

Automatic transmission problems in your BMW could be caused by serial fault, but you should start troubleshooting with low fluid levels and a leak, which are two issues that might affect your transmission.

Insufficient fluid levels are often triggered through leaks in the system, and these issues are the most frequent in transmission. The seals within a transmission can wear down and leak, which is why it’s critical to have your gearbox checked and fixed regularly as part of your scheduled maintenance. Transmission fluid leakage or insufficient fluid levels can cause gear slippage and delayed or irregular shifting.

There are many factors that can cause gear slipping in your BMW’s automatic transmission:

  • Torque Converter: Over time, the torque converter might get worn or broken, causing damage to your transmission or failure. When your needle bearing wears out too much, it can make strange noises when you’re shifting gears. You won’t hear any noises while the car is in neutral, but you might hear grinding sounds while driving.
  • Solenoid: The fluid that passes through the transmission is controlled by the solenoid. Driving with low transmission fluid levels regularly can destroy the solenoid’s time progress, but then the solenoid will suffer from technical issues that affect its operation. The evidence of a solenoid problem is equivalent to a shortage or leaking transmission fluid. If your gearbox is slipping but then no leakage, the problem is most likely with the solenoid.
  • Clutch: The clutch in your vehicle is located within the torque converter and can jam on occasion. When this occurs, the solenoid is seized and the torque converter’s transmission fluid level is uncontrollable. The symptoms of a clutch problem are similar to that of low fluid levels or leaking fluid since it creates fluid concerns. Clutch difficulties might also result in vibrations under the vehicle or overheating in the transmission and also a decrease in engine’s power and performance.
  • Band: In an automatic gearbox, transmission bands are crucial for shifting gears. They connect all the gears.. They do not hold the gears in proper condition if they are worn or fractured, which often occurs over time. Sometimes, all that’s needed is a little tweaking. Nevertheless, whether your transmission bands are old and worn out, you may need to replace them completely to prevent further transmission slipping.

Bavarian Performance Specialists: Automatic Transmission Experts

At Bavarian Performance Specialist, we BMW Automatic Transmission Repairensure our staff delivers remarkable customer service as well as expert auto repair service. Our company is proud to provide quality services to our neighbors in the Conejo Valley region since 1983. We are the most advanced auto garage in the Thousand Oaks area including Agoura Hills, Westlake, Malibu, and Newbury Park, CA.

From standard maintenance of your repairs, our friendly staff is here to help. Please call or visit our shop today. We look forward to earning your business for all your BMW’s needs to keep it safely on the road in its top condition for years to come.