1998 328i Tranny Gear light!

[smilezz]

Hello, hopefully I can get some usefull answers/suggestions here.

The tranny gear light comes on while driving (does not come on at start up) Car down shifts and upshifts hard. I'd pull over turn the car off and restart, the light will be off and fine, not even a mile and the light is back on and the car is shifting hard again. Took it to a few places... one place says its electrical and has to do with the tranny, the other said the tranny is fine.The diagnostic says its the mass air sensor. But they could not give me a definate answer if this is the problem or not. I've had engine work on it 2 years ago due to some bad water damage. I was told after the engine is replaced the car is over. I really don't want to dump this car, but this mystery problem is driving me nuts! I really would like to save myself numerous trips to BMW...
Thanks!!!!

[87esir]

I don't know why they would say the it's over when the engine is replaced that's foolish.
As for your problem it's difficult to diagnos problems like this unless it is a common problem. What kind of water damage did you have? This could be the root of the problem. I'd try the cheap or free things first like checking all your tranny sensors to make sure they are plugged in and getting good connection. If you can find out if any of the sensors can be checked with an multimeter that would also be a big help. Lastly if none of that helps I would try to find a used tranny computer cheap to swap out, and it never hurts to have things like that extra lying around.
I think its an electrical problem myself so that's the route I'd go.
good luck

[smilezz]

Thanks for your info. I went through deep water during a storm and the car shut off...I had to get a truck to push me out, since then I've been trying to fix this car back to how it use to run.
I had taken it to a tranny shop, they did a diagnostic on the transmission and no transmission codes came up, they stated the tranny was fine. I guess the diagnostic machine wouldn't pick up the connection of the sensors...?

[87esir]

well I would think the diagnostics would pick up a bad connection and show the sensor bad. However, what computer were they testing? If they were testing the main computer "dme" it wouldn't show any codes regarding the tranny because it controls the fuel injection and timing/firing.

how deep was the water? did it get inside the car?

[smilezz]

Well I assume they tested the tranny computer being that it was a tranny shop. This is the place that rebuilt the tranny. I began to have problems with it after i replaced the engine. After the tranny was rebuilt the gear light was still on, and the car was still shifting hard. One day the car was leaking a lot of tranny fluid, by the time I noticed that...I was unable to drive it back home, had to get it towed. Since then I've been having my mecanic fix things here and there. He replaced the front and rear seals and the toque converter. But that light was still coming on. Took it to another mecanic, he hooked up the diagnostic under the stearing wheel, and the mass air code and 2 front co2 code came up. I replaced the 2 front co2. The car passed inspection. However still have the same problem...light was still on/car shifting hard. Thats when I took it back to the tranny place, they hooked up the diagnostic machine ontop of the engine. This is what came up -08 Mass air single, L53 engine load single, 222 02 sensor control not activated, 02 sensor heater before, 02-1-cat. He said it was all engine codes and the tranny was fine. But then he was saying that the diagnostic was wrong, bc if these 02 sensors problems existed the car wouldn't have passed inspection.

The water was pretty deep, but it did not come inside the car. It did get into the engine, there was water in the oil and all. I believe the water reached the top of the tires....there were other cars moving through the water causing waves so I guess thats how the water got into the engine. And I was trying to restart to get the hell outa there, no one would help...finally a trucker came and pushed me out.

[87esir]

well, water should not hurt the tranny unless you drove it quite a bit with water in the fluid. Have you tried checking the wiring/sensors/plugs or finding a used tranny computer yet?

[smilezz]

I drove it for about 7 mins, i wasn't far from my house and AAA gave me a 3 hr wait time. I went to the mecanic today and asked him to check the sensors and all, but he told me he didnt have the machine for that. So screw it I made an appt with BMW. They have nothing opened for this week so I go in next wed. I'm praying its something minor. I will post what the problem is when I find out. Thank you for all your help.