98 328i Tranny Gear light!

[smilezz]

OK, I'm back here again.
I had posted a thread last year about my problem. Pls read it for background on this.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...21#post4198621



So I went to BMW. After 2 trips out there the car was finally running good. No tranny light, no check engine light. Working fine for jus about a year. Now I am having the same damn problem with the tranny light and the car driving in "limp mode". I do not want to go back to BMW , they only seem to give me a quick fix, and really dont get into the problem. I had the air ducting changed, changed the main relay, had the mass air sensor changed twice. Every now and then, since I had this fixed last year, the check engine light comes on. After a few days it'll turn off.

Ok so yesterday that damn tranny light came on. (and the check engine has been on for 2 days) I've turned the car off and restarted...no light. I wasn't really worried about it. But today that light will not come off. Once I start the car, rev the motor....there it is. I turned the car off, start up again...no tranny light. Rev the motor on it goes.

I'm wondering if it can be the throttle position sensor or the Inlet air temp sensor. I have a feeling it's something small. Something with the air / fuel mixture. I don't think it has anything to do with the tranny.

I can't be the only one that has had this problem! Pls HELP ME!

Thanks!

[shomidas]

The tranny light on my 316i automatic comes on when I press down on the kickdown switch. After switching off engine it works normally after restart. The dealer pronounced it as a shorted k/d switch. So I changed the switch but the problem remains - as soon as I kickdown the car accelerates and shoots forward but almost immediately slows down and the tranny light come on and stays on until I switch off and switch on after sometime. I have also found that the shift to lower gears works but as the revs buildup the car starts to jerk as if there is a fuel shortage - this doesn't happen on Drive position of the shift lever. Therefore it could be a problem with the fuel injection or what else? So may be you should check engine and not the transmission. I haven't had time to get mine checked but will post when I do with the result unless the whole thing jams up before!

[shomidas]

I was reviewing the forum and came across my contribution to your question today! I thought I should finish my story - turns out it was the knock sensors which are attached to the cylinders ( one sensor for 2 cylinders). The car is running very smoothly since then. I have learnt at some cost that these sensors are everywhere in the car and are meant to act as feed back sensors to make the car run at optimum. So when any of them go wrong the engine or any other part runs at less than optimum or ceases. If only all sensors had warning lights! One is led on a wild goose chase otherwise unless there are more comprehensive softwares. I had posted a letter earlier about the kickdown switch which the workshop computer showed as shorting. So off I went and bought a new switch. How was I to know that it was the knock (ping) sensors?