BMW 745Li E66 - gearbox

[Paul Aspinall]

Hi
I have a 745Li (2002), which has 28000 miles on the clock.

Today I came to start the car, but it reported:
"Gearbox fault, drive cautiously, danger of gearbox failure"

Within a few seconds, this changed to
"Gearbox failsafe, do not drive"

Then I also got
"Safety system error: seatbelt tensioners, airbags.... are not operating"

I called BMW emergency service without driving the car.
They came out to see it, and ran a diagnostic. The guy then reset the
errors, and put the car in gear.... the errors all came up again....
He continued to drive it, and said it was an ECU problem, and to take it in
to the dealer.
I was obviously reluctant to drive it, but he told me to drive it in.

I did so, and I am awaiting its repair.

Has anyone else had this problem?? or similar??

Cheers


Paul
'02 745Li
'00 740i Sport
'98 740i Sport

[R. Mark Clayton]

"Paul Aspinall" <paul@aspy.co.uk> wrote in message
news:0n6je.98963$Cq2.81321@fe2.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
> Hi
> I have a 745Li (2002), which has 28000 miles on the clock.
>
> Today I came to start the car, but it reported:
> "Gearbox fault, drive cautiously, danger of gearbox failure"
>
> Within a few seconds, this changed to
> "Gearbox failsafe, do not drive"
>
> Then I also got
> "Safety system error: seatbelt tensioners, airbags.... are not operating"
>
> I called BMW emergency service without driving the car.
> They came out to see it, and ran a diagnostic. The guy then reset the
> errors, and put the car in gear.... the errors all came up again....
> He continued to drive it, and said it was an ECU problem, and to take it
> in to the dealer.
> I was obviously reluctant to drive it, but he told me to drive it in.
>
> I did so, and I am awaiting its repair.
>
> Has anyone else had this problem?? or similar??
>
> Cheers
>
>
> Paul
> '02 745Li
> '00 740i Sport
> '98 740i Sport
>
>

My 740i occasionally comes up with "transmission program...", particularly
if battery volts are low and it is hard starting (car outdoors overnight in
winter).

The first time I had a similar panic, but in reality it is the electronics.
If you start and run briefly and then start again, it usually goes away. If
you do run you will find that it will be in a "get home" mode whereby
throttle is limited and changes are hydraulic (so no 5th).