[cdgatti]

Now that the cold weather is here, I am experiencing some issues that seem to be temperature related.

My old friend the sluggish transmission is back. This has happened every winter that I have owned this car. Seems like the transmission just has trouble shifting, like the fluid is just too thick. It only lasts a few minutes till everything warms up, then back to normal. Odd to me that BMW has this issue more than any car I have ever owned.

2nd issue just started for the first time today. Upon braking during the first few miles, the brakes were making this chirpy squealing sounds. This too goes away after a few miles which I assume the pads/calipers and rotors heat up a little bit.

Anyone else experience these issues?

[Rsoxs19]

I haven't experienced those issue but I have a similar issue. In the cold, when I shifted from 1st to 2nd (MT) it would grind even when I had the clutch in. No matter how slow I tried to shift it, it grinds I don't know how I have an second gear left lol

[BIMGUY]

Not related but at -30C the fuel door freezes shut. Not even the manual open works.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by cdgatti

Now that the cold weather is here, I am experiencing some issues that seem to be temperature related.

My old friend the sluggish transmission is back. This has happened every winter that I have owned this car. Seems like the transmission just has trouble shifting, like the fluid is just too thick. It only lasts a few minutes till everything warms up, then back to normal. Odd to me that BMW has this issue more than any car I have ever owned.

Entirely normal operation. ECU keeps the shifts high to help warm the engine and transmission oil.

Brakes; no idea.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by cdgatti

Now that the cold weather is here, I am experiencing some issues that seem to be temperature related.

My old friend the sluggish transmission is back. This has happened every winter that I have owned this car. Seems like the transmission just has trouble shifting, like the fluid is just too thick. It only lasts a few minutes till everything warms up, then back to normal. Odd to me that BMW has this issue more than any car I have ever owned.

2nd issue just started for the first time today. Upon braking during the first few miles, the brakes were making this chirpy squealing sounds. This too goes away after a few miles which I assume the pads/calipers and rotors heat up a little bit.

Anyone else experience these issues?

Change out the transmission fluid & pan filter. Flush it by disconnecting the trans cooler "in" line coming from the transmission; it will be the line that is warm.

You basically, change out the pan & add 4 plus quarts, and then run it through the gears 6x; add 1-2 quarts back in the pan so it over flows & put the fill plug back in. Turn off the car. Then disconnect the trans cooler line that is warm. Find a 1 gallon milk jug. Fill it with 3 quarts of water & mark it with a black marker so you know exactly where the 3 quart mark is. Put the cooler line open end in the milk jug. Turn on the car and fill the jug up to the 3 quart mark. Fill the pan back up 3 quarts.

Repeat this process 3x - presto the entire system has new tranny fluid, even in the torque converter.

On the last fill of the pan, you'll need to wait until the tranny fluid comes up between 95 - 120 degrees F, then do the final fill until the fluid starts to drizzle out of the fill plug.


There are DIY's on this.

You will need the special $14.00 tool to disconnect the hydraulic fitting on the trans cooler, but no big deal.

Redline, Amsoil, BMW all make great transmission fluids.

You will need about 12 quarts of tranny fluid.

[cdgatti]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

Entirely normal operation. ECU keeps the shifts high to help warm the engine and transmission oil.

Brakes; no idea.

thanks - yea that makes sense.

the brakes issue seems like perhaps a lubrication/grease issue or some type of dissimilar metal contraction issue. it only happens the first couple miles if the temperature is in the 20's.

[asiflicious]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

Entirely normal operation. ECU keeps the shifts high to help warm the engine and transmission oil.

Brakes; no idea.

Originally Posted by floydarogers

Entirely normal operation. ECU keeps the shifts high to help warm the engine and transmission oil.

Brakes; no idea.

This. Totally normal OP. If it really bothers you and you have the ZF transmission get the xHP flash and that should solve it

[ny325]

My E90 acts up when temperatures drop. The gremlins seem to come out.

[cdgatti]

I'm the OP. I have a 328, so the tranny is the GM unit. So no flash available. Currently at 130K, at about 100K I had a drain and fill done, will probably do that again next time it is convenient. The brake chirping when the temp drops in to the 20's is the really only new thing, the tranny has always been sluggish since I have had the car in 2011.