Transmission warning light?

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Transmission warning light?

Post by Warrior »

Had the transmission warning light come on the other day. Pulled over, took out the handbook which reads something like this - was was copied offline:

If there is a problem with the automatic transmission, this warning light is lit in yellow or red on the instrument panel. If the emergency warning lamp is illuminated when the emergency warning lamp ON, carefully drive the vehicle in the P, R, N, D (forward gears only 3rd and 5th gears) works. It is recommended that you drive your car at low speed and enter the nearest authorized service station.

Set off again, no problem. Came back on again today for a few minutes. Disappears on re-start?

Any ideas what the problem could be - oil change perhaps?
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Transmission warning light?

Post by colb »

Get a code reader on it and check the gearbox module for codes that may be set to see if that shows up. INPA probably best diagnostics to use for this. ATF change and filter change always a good idea if you don’t know it’s history but expensive if it has to come out again to fix a fault with the box.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
LaRy
Joined: Mon 12 Nov, 2018 17:47
Posts: 149

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Transmission warning light?

Post by LaRy »

I would change the oil and filter! Remember that you probably use an oil, that is now 17 years old!!!!! When I bought mine Z3 several years ago, I met an auto tranny expert. He told me to change oil immediately, BMW transmission is very sensitive and expensive to renovate, at that time my car was "only" 13 years old. That oil and the filter is probably totally black from dirt. I have had several auto tranny cars through my life, and in all cases except one, oil change has solved the problems.
But use an experienced BMW garage. This tranny is a little bit odd, using two separate oil pans, the front one has to be filled at reassembling. Oil level is filled and checked at a specified temperature. What I'm saying, this is not just a simple standard one with bottom plug and oil level stick. The technician doing it must follow BMW instructions.
I am not sure how much information a fault code reader would give you. This car is, I would say, the first generation using bus systems and fault code, but most of the codes are related t the engine.
Be clever, change also the 17 year old oil in differential gear at the same time.
Brian4
Joined: Mon 19 Dec, 2011 19:02
Posts: 541

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Hinckley

Re: Transmission warning light?

Post by Brian4 »

Warrior wrote: Wed 10 Jul, 2019 23:21 Had the transmission warning light come on the other day. Pulled over, took out the handbook which reads something like this - was was copied offline:

If there is a problem with the automatic transmission, this warning light is lit in yellow or red on the instrument panel. If the emergency warning lamp is illuminated when the emergency warning lamp ON, carefully drive the vehicle in the P, R, N, D (forward gears only 3rd and 5th gears) works. It is recommended that you drive your car at low speed and enter the nearest authorized service station.

Set off again, no problem. Came back on again today for a few minutes. Disappears on re-start?

Any ideas what the problem could be - oil change perhaps?
If yours is a facelift with the steptronic box change the brake light switch. I had this on ours last year, the light had been getting more regular in coming on and not been back since brake light switch change.
The brake switch is double pole and is wired through the gearbox controller.
Brian
3.0I Topaz Blue


2000 E36/7 Z3 3.0i
2016 F31 335d
2015 F21 118i
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