Steptronic gearbox problem.

Mike G wrote:

>2000 reg BMW E46 330i 90k miles.
>Problem selecting reverse gear. Sometimes it does sometimes it
>doesn't.
>All forward gears work as normal.
>
>Belongs to a friend. He tells me that he has to re-select reverse
>maybe once or twice before it engages. When it does, it works
>normally. When it doesn't, it like it's in neutral. The engine
>revs. Car stays put.

And it's definately a "Steptronic", not just an "automatic"?

In article >,
dizzy > wrote:
> Mike G wrote:

> >2000 reg BMW E46 330i 90k miles.
> >Problem selecting reverse gear. Sometimes it does sometimes it
> >doesn't.
> >All forward gears work as normal.
> >
> >Belongs to a friend. He tells me that he has to re-select reverse
> >maybe once or twice before it engages. When it does, it works
> >normally. When it doesn't, it like it's in neutral. The engine
> >revs. Car stays put.

> And it's definately a "Steptronic", not just an "automatic"?

Would that make any difference to the described fault?

--
*If tennis elbow is painful, imagine suffering with tennis balls *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:09:07 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
> wrote:

>In article >,
> dizzy > wrote:
>> Mike G wrote:
>
>> >2000 reg BMW E46 330i 90k miles.
>> >Problem selecting reverse gear. Sometimes it does sometimes it
>> >doesn't.
>> >All forward gears work as normal.
>> >
>> >Belongs to a friend. He tells me that he has to re-select reverse
>> >maybe once or twice before it engages. When it does, it works
>> >normally. When it doesn't, it like it's in neutral. The engine
>> >revs. Car stays put.
>
>> And it's definately a "Steptronic", not just an "automatic"?

Probably about £500 to a cowboy operator.


>
>Would that make any difference to the described fault?
--

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen

Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

>In article >,
> dizzy > wrote:
>> Mike G wrote:
>
>> >2000 reg BMW E46 330i 90k miles.
>> >Problem selecting reverse gear. Sometimes it does sometimes it
>> >doesn't.
>> >All forward gears work as normal.
>> >
>> >Belongs to a friend. He tells me that he has to re-select reverse
>> >maybe once or twice before it engages. When it does, it works
>> >normally. When it doesn't, it like it's in neutral. The engine
>> >revs. Car stays put.
>
>> And it's definately a "Steptronic", not just an "automatic"?
>
>Would that make any difference to the described fault?

Yes. It could mean GM or ZF.

In article >,
dizzy > wrote:
> >> And it's definately a "Steptronic", not just an "automatic"?
> >
> >Would that make any difference to the described fault?

> Yes. It could mean GM or ZF.

Not in the UK.

--
*He's not dead - he's electroencephalographically challenged

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

>In article >,
> dizzy > wrote:
>> >> And it's definately a "Steptronic", not just an "automatic"?
>> >
>> >Would that make any difference to the described fault?
>
>> Yes. It could mean GM or ZF.
>
>Not in the UK.

You know for sure that the introduction of "Steptronic", with the push
up-or-down to shift, did not coincide with the switch from GM to ZF?

Or are you saying that you never got GM in the UK?

What are you saying?

sIn article >,
dizzy > wrote:
> >> >Would that make any difference to the described fault?
> >
> >> Yes. It could mean GM or ZF.
> >
> >Not in the UK.

> You know for sure that the introduction of "Steptronic", with the push
> up-or-down to shift, did not coincide with the switch from GM to ZF?

I dunno. But I understood on an E39 there were Steptronics with the GM box.
But don't know dates - and if it was fitted to the E46.

> Or are you saying that you never got GM in the UK?

Correct. We had the 5 speed ZF from about '92. Steptronic option with the
introduction of the E39. Gawd knows what made BMW fit the GM four speeder
in the US since the 5 speed was so much better.

> What are you saying?

HTH. The OP is in the UK and says so.

--
*Go the extra mile. It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote in message
...
> sIn article >,
> dizzy > wrote:
>> >> >Would that make any difference to the described fault?
>> >
>> >> Yes. It could mean GM or ZF.
>> >
>> >Not in the UK.
>
>> You know for sure that the introduction of "Steptronic", with the push
>> up-or-down to shift, did not coincide with the switch from GM to ZF?
>
> I dunno. But I understood on an E39 there were Steptronics with the GM
> box.
> But don't know dates - and if it was fitted to the E46.
>
>> Or are you saying that you never got GM in the UK?
>
> Correct. We had the 5 speed ZF from about '92. Steptronic option with the
> introduction of the E39. Gawd knows what made BMW fit the GM four speeder
> in the US since the 5 speed was so much better.

My first two BMW's had five speed manual boxes, but these became very hard
to get on 7 series after the E32 came in.

The next had a four speed auto - pretty sure this was NOT GM.

The next had the five speed switchable box above - nice, but not as nice as
the manual or

The latest has five speed Steptronic, which is super. I occaisionally use
the sport option, but very rarely use the manual option.

I am looking forward to the six speed Steptronic in my next one. There are
six speed manuals (two sorts IIRC) in the the 6 series, but the Steptronic
probably does better than an average driver like me and certainly gives
better economy, so I now wouldn't go back even if they were available in the
7 series.

>
>> What are you saying?
>
> HTH. The OP is in the UK and says so.
>
> --
> *Go the extra mile. It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker *
>
> Dave Plowman London SW
> To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article >,
R. Mark Clayton > wrote:
> > Correct. We had the 5 speed ZF from about '92. Steptronic option with
> > the introduction of the E39. Gawd knows what made BMW fit the GM four
> > speeder in the US since the 5 speed was so much better.

> My first two BMW's had five speed manual boxes, but these became very
> hard to get on 7 series after the E32 came in.

> The next had a four speed auto - pretty sure this was NOT GM.

BMW didn't fit the GM box in the UK at that time. I've never really had it
explained why they took this retrograde step in the US - it's a long time
since GM were the definitive auto. Probably 40 years. ;-) They were late
in deciding to using electronics even when it was obvious this would be
the way forward.

> The next had the five speed switchable box above - nice, but not as nice
> as the manual or

> The latest has five speed Steptronic, which is super. I occaisionally
> use the sport option, but very rarely use the manual option.

The Steptronic is merely a different user interface. If you don't use the
manual option there shouldn't be any real difference. But I do like the
more simple selector it gives for normal use. What I don't like is the way
it overrides in manual mode - my earlier 5HP locked in the selected gear
regardless of speed or revs in manual mode. The Steptronic is a sort of
nanny manual.

> I am looking forward to the six speed Steptronic in my next one. There
> are six speed manuals (two sorts IIRC) in the the 6 series, but the
> Steptronic probably does better than an average driver like me and
> certainly gives better economy, so I now wouldn't go back even if they
> were available in the 7 series.

Modern autos can really be quite superb. Locking out the TC whenever
possible improves efficiency. The race between DSG and conventional autos
is not over...

--
*Stable Relationships Are For Horses.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

> dizzy > wrote:
>>
>> Or are you saying that you never got GM in the UK?
>
>Correct. We had the 5 speed ZF from about '92. Steptronic option with the
>introduction of the E39. Gawd knows what made BMW fit the GM four speeder
>in the US since the 5 speed was so much better.

My 2000 323i has a 5-speed GM. It's nice, for an auto. I've always
been a "manual guy", and my "other car" is still a manual, but I don't
hate the GM slushie at all. 8)

>> What are you saying?
>
>HTH. The OP is in the UK and says so.

It does help. It's more evidence that this "reverse" issue is with
ZF, not GM.