The pressure accumulator test was done at my dealer. I don't know how they did it but it was done under test code B2360_S2SVD.

I think pentosin flush/refill plus HCU temp sensor replacement are the next logical step to look into. I'd really like to hear from those who had either or both done in regard to this specific fault code (OBDII:P1717)

GhostM3JP, that was very informative. how much did dealer charge you labor wise to replace the pump?

i have p1717 and p0700 at the same time too. anyone?

my mechanic said i need a pump replacement, damn.

Alright, my buddy's M3 SMG tranny gave out today and his car is at the dealership and he won't get the diagnostic till about Tuesday because of labor day weekend. His car is an 2006 M3 with about 28k miles on it. The warranty ran out yesterday how convenient huh. However, he does have the extended warranty with BMW ( not sure how good that is ).

So he told me he was driving and he was in 4th gear, then he tried shifting into 5th but it wouldnt let him. The engine starts puttering and he has to pull over. He tries to start up the car and it works fine but the SMG transmission will not let him shift into gear. It stays in N mode even if he tries to go into Reverse. When he shifts it to drive, the rear end makes a thumping sound or a thud sound. Anyone got any thoughts or did anything similar to this happen to anyone?


Just a quick follow up to my friends problem. The dealership said that the clutch needs replacement as wells as the ball pins. $3000+ to fix as it's not covered under warranty. Would the clutch cause the car not be able to engage into gear like that? My buddy told me that there was no slippage of any kind or any symptoms before this happened. The service advisor also told him that this was rare and a freak occurence. I have a feeling my buddy is getting bent over. :soapbox:

GhostM3JP, that was very informative. how much did dealer charge you labor wise to replace the pump?

i have p1717 and p0700 at the same time too. anyone?

my mechanic said i need a pump replacement, damn.

The dealer doesn't touch my car... It's in VAC's hands and I'm not sure exactly what it will cost but I believe a pump replacement is at least 4 hours of labor

Well I'm now a member of the "My SMG has stuffed up club".

I've done a bit of reading on various threads here already and I'm leaning towards the gear position sensor but please chime in if you think otherwise.

OK I must admit, this my fault in a way as the first warning sign occurred when I was taking off hard from stand still. I waited for shift lights in 1st, changed to second and that's when I first noticed the SMG "cog" yellow warning light come up on my dash. At this point the gear changes were normal but I was obviously concerned so I pulled over, turned the car off, took the key out and waited a few seconds. Started it back up and no yellow light. Phew..
About a week later of normal driving (some a little spirited) with no problems at all I went to drive to work yesterday morning (heavy traffic so very slow moving) and suddenly I couldn't change into (I think) third. could have been a different gear... anyway it just coasted along with '0' appearing in my gear selection. It coasted a good few seconds before engaging gear again. I had to stop at lights and take off where I had problems getting from first to second. Then I had problems getting into higher gears again so I pulled over tried turning off and on, yellow light went out again but the issue came straight back.
Decided to try get to my indy shop where I had more problems like the above and also skipping gears e.g. one occasion it skipped from 2nd to 5th.
Managed to make it to my indy shop and they looked up the codes. There were quite a few and unfortunately I can't remember exactly what they were but the one that the mechanic seemed to think was likely the source was something along the lines of problem with "Gear selection angle". Sounds to me like the gear position sensor?

What is your take on the above symptoms?

I told the mechanic about the "salmon coloured relay" as I read about that here but he said that was a common problem but was fixed by the 03 models (which mine is) not sure if this is true or not.

cheers

I have a 2003 model, my car just recently started having an SMG problem. The gearbox shifts fine when under load (accelerating) on all gears, but when cruising on 3th and 4th gear and removing most of the load the gearbox disengages the clucth from the flywheel and when I step back on the gas the the clutch engages again but not after reving up for a second or two then the engagement is jerky. I just replaced the salmon rlay this morning thinking it was that, but nothing. ( it only does it on 3rd and 4th) I read somewhere in this thread that some people had problems with broken spring in the gearbox. Can someone tell me what the procedures are to check this springs....does the gearbox have to come off, do I have to remove anything from it.? I'm willing to document the complete process with photos and post it if someone can assist me with the detail.

mine just kicked out of gear last week i would play with it then it would go 1-6 fine then under low rpm kicked me out from 1-2 barely made it to bmw last Thursday only code showing is 1717 smg pump i talked to service manager and i went over my suggestions about hood sensors ,compression springs , and finally last but of course the first salmon relay he said that part of the initial diag/ is to check current from the relay to the pump which in my case he said the relay is sending current so he swears on that its the pump so their about to ars ram me !!

Well I'm now a member of the "My SMG has stuffed up club".

I've done a bit of reading on various threads here already and I'm leaning towards the gear position sensor but please chime in if you think otherwise.

OK I must admit, this my fault in a way as the first warning sign occurred when I was taking off hard from stand still. I waited for shift lights in 1st, changed to second and that's when I first noticed the SMG "cog" yellow warning light come up on my dash. At this point the gear changes were normal but I was obviously concerned so I pulled over, turned the car off, took the key out and waited a few seconds. Started it back up and no yellow light. Phew..
About a week later of normal driving (some a little spirited) with no problems at all I went to drive to work yesterday morning (heavy traffic so very slow moving) and suddenly I couldn't change into (I think) third. could have been a different gear... anyway it just coasted along with '0' appearing in my gear selection. It coasted a good few seconds before engaging gear again. I had to stop at lights and take off where I had problems getting from first to second. Then I had problems getting into higher gears again so I pulled over tried turning off and on, yellow light went out again but the issue came straight back.
Decided to try get to my indy shop where I had more problems like the above and also skipping gears e.g. one occasion it skipped from 2nd to 5th.
Managed to make it to my indy shop and they looked up the codes. There were quite a few and unfortunately I can't remember exactly what they were but the one that the mechanic seemed to think was likely the source was something along the lines of problem with "Gear selection angle". Sounds to me like the gear position sensor?

What is your take on the above symptoms?

I told the mechanic about the "salmon coloured relay" as I read about that here but he said that was a common problem but was fixed by the 03 models (which mine is) not sure if this is true or not.

cheers


In case this helps anyone in the future... My local indy shop called today to say that it is in fact the gear position sensor that's buggered. Pt # 23 41 222 9792

Unfortunately the part is coming from Germany since the dealership here in AUS wants over $900 for it... so will be a little while before I get my car back. Will post back to confirm this has fixed it.

Today I did a hard launch on my car and I had the yellow warning light flashing as soon as I shifted to 2nd. It didn't go out until I turned off the engine and later on just for a test I tried to activate the launch control again - as soon as I touched the throttle and it started flashing again, when I released the throttle the light went out. This is really an amazing piece of hardware. Sometimes I feel it's a living thing..

The dealer doesn't touch my car... It's in VAC's hands and I'm not sure exactly what it will cost but I believe a pump replacement is at least 4 hours of labor

Have you had the problem fixed or pump replaced? If so, what's the outcome? Also would you or anyone know the part # for the pressure sensor for the hydraulic unit? Thanks.

No, not the TV show! ... I looked fairly completely on most forums (didn't read every single post) and only saw one reference to my problem, so thought I would throw this in for those that may experience the same thing.

'06 Coupe SMG fith gear grind. 30,000 miles. Stared out just doing it up from 4th & down from 6th about every 30th time (D or S mode & shift speed didn't matter). Would act just like someone letting the clutch out half way through a shift and make a gear tooth grind sound for just a second then go into 5th. After a couple of weeks, started doing it on every shift up or down into 5th and would even go to nuetral and stay there until manually down or up shifting into 4th or 6th. Took it to Medford, OR BMW.

This is what they found and did to correct: Fault Code 31 for gear popped out, removed shift pins and inspected for damage, found none, replaced entire transmission.

I'm so glad I bought a CPO vehicle! $50 deductible for a $7,600 tranny.

In case this helps anyone in the future... My local indy shop called today to say that it is in fact the gear position sensor that's buggered. Pt # 23 41 222 9792

Unfortunately the part is coming from Germany since the dealership here in AUS wants over $900 for it... so will be a little while before I get my car back. Will post back to confirm this has fixed it.

OK so my car is back and is in 100% working condition. All they replaced (to do with the SMG system) was the gear position sensor Pt # 23 41 222 9792.

Hope that helps someone else.

For those who changed themselve their SMG relay to recover complete usage of the gearbox, does the yellow SMG indicator on the dashboard implie to go to BMW to reset it or not?

Best regards,

No solution?

I was wondering if anyone can help me here.

My SMG has been acting up recently for some odd reason and i dont know why.

For example under hard acceleration in 2nd gear for example and i want to shift to 3rd it wont engage into 3rd and remains flashing unless i let off the throttle then it will engage into 3rd.

Im not getting any SMG cog light or anything like that and topped off my fluid today as it looked pretty low but its still doing the same thing. Ive tried doing the SMG reset by pulling the paddles while driving but the problem is still there.

If anyone can help me that would be great thanks!

Just a quick follow up to my friends problem. The dealership said that the clutch needs replacement as wells as the ball pins. $3000+ to fix as it's not covered under warranty. Would the clutch cause the car not be able to engage into gear like that? My buddy told me that there was no slippage of any kind or any symptoms before this happened. The service advisor also told him that this was rare and a freak occurence. I have a feeling my buddy is getting bent over. :soapbox:

Have your friend bring it over to us... we'll do the same job for 1/2 that price. :thumbsup2:

We can even diagnose the car further prior to replacing the clutch.

Ok, I have been having some issues with my SMG gearbox. I have troubleshot my problem to most likely being the gear position sensor. I know that some other cars had had issues with that particular part. Has anyone actually check the sensor before replacing it???? I'm pretty sure there is a way to do it like reading the resistance on it with a voltmeter. Does anyone have any info on the specific values of this sensor.??? being a $480 part I don't want to just guess. Let's figure this out and stop giving our money to the stealership by not replacing the wrong parts.

I was wondering if anyone can help me here.

My SMG has been acting up recently for some odd reason and i dont know why.

For example under hard acceleration in 2nd gear for example and i want to shift to 3rd it wont engage into 3rd and remains flashing unless i let off the throttle then it will engage into 3rd.

Im not getting any SMG cog light or anything like that and topped off my fluid today as it looked pretty low but its still doing the same thing. Ive tried doing the SMG reset by pulling the paddles while driving but the problem is still there.

If anyone can help me that would be great thanks!

Man!!! I am having the same similar problem, but when I am cruising it will hesitate shifting into 3rd, itll rev up and down like if it is looking for the 3rd gear!! I changed the Gear position sensor, the famous compressor springs (both), then i reset all adaptations on the SMG gear by gear and clutch adjustment and everything with the auto ingenuity tool, Check oils changed salmon colored relay, everything!!!! what can it be????????:hmm:

today my lovely car got stuck on the onramp while slowing for the red light went from 1 to N and would not go back to 1 at all even if i put it in reverse still shows N put it in first gear and it still shows N. what can cause this? i replaced the relay and it fixed it for a day. also i can hear the pump still priming when you unlock the doors... what can it be? the only light that was on was the cog light with the exclamation point in it

I always say enyone with an SMG transmission should invest in a Auto ingnuity tool!!! With it you can run some tests and almost narrow it down, what you are having sounds like the Gear position Sensor. or when I changed the clutch on my car it didn't go into any gear and I conducted a SMG clutch calibration and reset and gear stuff from the auto Ingenuity, its a few hundred dollars, invest in one, its worth it!!

today my lovely car got stuck on the onramp while slowing for the red light went from 1 to N and would not go back to 1 at all even if i put it in reverse still shows N put it in first gear and it still shows N. what can cause this? i replaced the relay and it fixed it for a day. also i can hear the pump still priming when you unlock the doors... what can it be? the only light that was on was the cog light with the exclamation point in it

Slightly OT but I just got curious - on my SMG display I have '0' instead of 'N' for neutral gear. Car is 01/2003 Individual.

Man!!! I am having the same similar problem, but when I am cruising it will hesitate shifting into 3rd, itll rev up and down like if it is looking for the 3rd gear!! I changed the Gear position sensor, the famous compressor springs (both), then i reset all adaptations on the SMG gear by gear and clutch adjustment and everything with the auto ingenuity tool, Check oils changed salmon colored relay, everything!!!! what can it be????????:hmm:

Codes?

Slightly OT but I just got curious - on my SMG display I have '0' instead of 'N' for neutral gear. Car is 01/2003 Individual.

This was switched 0 to N on the 2003.5

Codes?


No, No codes. I'm from Aguadilla, San Ford!!! LOL!

No, No codes. I'm from Aguadilla, San Ford!!! LOL!

I'm from Aguadilla too!

This was switched 0 to N on the 2003.5

I had a 03.5 (almost an 04) and it said 0 instead of N..... strange

Here's my 2 cents worth, and a series of symptoms I have not seen before despite extensive searching.

Symptoms: Driving normally on a warmish day, DSC light comes on (yes the curly arrow round the warning triangle), about 5 minutes later SMG cog comes on yellow. I pull over and stop the car. SMG display is now BLANK and car is stuck in LIMP MODE. Limp home (less than 40kph). Turning off, unplugging battery overnight, changing relay does not fix the problem.

Took it to the dealer who said it was low on hydraulic fluid but they couldn't find a leak. This strange I think as I just checked fluid levels a few weeks ago, including the green SMG fluid level with the dipstick on the cap. So not sure where the fluid went in 2 weeks given there a no leaks. They reset the fault and give the car back.

One week later (again a warmish day) the same thing happens...DSC light....yellow COG.....limp mode. Grrrrrrrr!!!!

Took it back to the dealer again who did a diagnostic with DIS. Codes P1720 (SMG CAN bus error) and P1747 (SMG CAN faulty message). They spend 18hrs testing connections, resistances etc and conclude the SMG control unit/module is faulty. Want me to spend $2000 NZD (~ $1500 USD) so they can try a new one to see if that fixes the problem, but they can't be sure. I find a second hand one for $750. They put it in, reprogram it, test drive and no more errors (so I'm told). I really hope this fixes the problem.

I have never read about anyone with this problem before. Has anyone heard of this?? The DSC light and yellow COG and limp mode??

The other day i started my 04 m3 and started driving, then about 2 mins in the smg light came on, traction control disengaged and brake light came on orange. i have never had this happen before and was wondering if anyone had. i turned the car off. and turned it back on and it hasn't happened since. might have been a fluke but it freaked me out. Were talking easily 6-10 grand for replacement tranny

Long time forum reader, first time poster. So for almost a year now, I've owned a silver grey metallic 2004 BMW M3 w/SMG transmission & 46k miles. I took the car into a local shop to have the windows tinted today. It's pretty cold here, so they ran heaters directed towards the car in an attempt to help dry the tint. On my way home, the dreaded yellow SMG light came on approx 10 miles into my journey. No problems of any kind with shifting, popping out of gear, or any other SMG related issues. I pulled over, turned the car off & immediately re-started the engine. The light went off & did not return. Unfortunately, I won't have a chance to have the codes read this week. Is it possible that the heaters could have somehow caused the temp sensor to be tripped? Any other ideas? Thank you in advance.

Could be a erroneous signal from a hood sensor. Has the hood been opened in that shop?

ok I knew this day would come but I was hoping it would be a lot later! SES and SMG light came on the other day on my commute home. Car drives fine, then a bit later falls out of 3rd gear and then goes to N, a few seconds later it reengages gear again and drives normally.

I replace relay, clean hood sensors, check smg fluid (full and no leaks). Pump primes normally.

Next day drive to work and smg light disappears, after a bit more of driving, the ses light also turns off. I think Im in the clear! On my commute home I make it all the way back with no issues, as I turn the corner to my house, smg light turns on and car falls out of gear to N again. UGH! I havent got the code read yet, but anyone have these symptoms?

ok I knew this day would come but I was hoping it would be a lot later! SES and SMG light came on the other day on my commute home. Car drives fine, then a bit later falls out of 3rd gear and then goes to N, a few seconds later it reengages gear again and drives normally.

I replace relay, clean hood sensors, check smg fluid (full and no leaks). Pump primes normally.

Next day drive to work and smg light disappears, after a bit more of driving, the ses light also turns off. I think Im in the clear! On my commute home I make it all the way back with no issues, as I turn the corner to my house, smg light turns on and car falls out of gear to N again. UGH! I havent got the code read yet, but anyone have these symptoms?

If you figure this out let us know. This has been the issue with a lot of members. Seems that it may be a faulty temp sensor in the SMG pump which BMW does not sell. Most have replaced their pumps.

Could be a erroneous signal from a hood sensor. Has the hood been opened in that shop?


Yes, I believe the hood was opened that day. You may be exactly right on this. I plan on calling the shop to confirm. Thanks for the advice. :thumbsup2:

ok I knew this day would come but I was hoping it would be a lot later! SES and SMG light came on the other day on my commute home. Car drives fine, then a bit later falls out of 3rd gear and then goes to N, a few seconds later it reengages gear again and drives normally.

I replace relay, clean hood sensors, check smg fluid (full and no leaks). Pump primes normally.

Next day drive to work and smg light disappears, after a bit more of driving, the ses light also turns off. I think Im in the clear! On my commute home I make it all the way back with no issues, as I turn the corner to my house, smg light turns on and car falls out of gear to N again. UGH! I havent got the code read yet, but anyone have these symptoms?

I went through the smg manual (http://www.kinmak.com/downloads/doc/m3training/SMG.pdf) and in the troubleshooting guide it mentions multiple times to verify that the battery is over 10V. So now I was praying that it was my battery, took out my voltmeter to check and it measured 12.5V...rats...ok ruled that out.

If you figure this out let us know. This has been the issue with a lot of members. Seems that it may be a faulty temp sensor in the SMG pump which BMW does not sell. Most have replaced their pumps.

That isn't correct.The temp sensor is Bosch part number 0 280 130 026 and BMW part number 13-62-1-709-966. The part must have a light blue connector and have Bosch part number stamped on the brass. (-40-+130C, NTC 2.5K@20C log curve +-5%, 1.0amp max M12x1.5mm, 19mm wrench, 25 NM installation torque) but I don't think that this sensor is the problem of the majority of the people here. Take the codes to make a smart diagnostic.

We're changing the Pump Assemby. It's the same part number as it has always been and looking at the new one and the old one, we don't see anything different, but that doesn't mean they haven't improved the pump or some other sub-assembly while keeping the overall part number the same.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/photos/data/3210/medium/Resize_P1160025.JPG

Got my codes read thanks to eas... generic fault indicating hydraulic unit aka the pump. I guess mine is up, I'm at 65K miles.

I have read through this thread and there is alot of information! I have had the dreaded smg light come up on the drive home from work the other day. Just before it cam up i found there was a lot of clutch judder when pulling away. During the drive home it only got worse and then the smg went into neutral. The only way to get it to select gears again was to turn the car off and leave it for 5 minutes or so, then try again. In the end i could only engage 1st and 2nd gear and no more. Now it wont even select a gear. I got the fault codes read today (not by bmw) and the bloke came back with:

Mode position sensor
Mode not selected
Gear position sensor

Now am i best in replacing the gear position sensor or could it be something else due to the mode errors?

well i checked this thread out (read about 20 pages before i gave up lol) and didnt see anyone with this problem its three things that are bothering me its

1. a yellow cog light always come on whenever i past 85mph and stays on until i turn off the car and when i turn it back on its gone and when its on the car still shifts smoothly. could it be some sort of speed sensor?

2.flashing gear numbers.. thats the hood sensor right?

3.and the last problem is the paddle downshifter sometimes doesnt want to shift down
any ideas what it is?

Well i bought a 2003 E46 M3 SMG with 30,000miles & problem free bout 3 weeks ago of a mate & in the past week its developed a SMG problem, so i'v been reading this thread & couple of others to do with the SMG problems & looks as if a few people have been having a simular problem as i have but i have another problem with it aswell which i dont think anyone has mentioned... so heres a list of problems i'v got...

1)going from reverse to 1st it will by pass 1st & go into 2nd but if put into neutral & back to 1st its ok... this doesnt happen often

2)when going from 1st to 2nd it hesitates for bout 4-5 seconds then it will engage 2nd... if not, it will try for 3rd without succeeding then back to 2nd... this has happened bout 4 or 5 times this week

3)sometimes when come to a halt it will drop thru the gears ok but will stay in 2nd without automaticly going into 1st even if put into neutral & try to select 1st it will sometimes go back into 2nd... this has started to happen recently

4)sometimes when goin from 2nd to 3rd at bout 5,000rpm it will jump straight to 5th.... this doesnt happen that often

5)this had happened last night & is the 1 that i think no-one has mentioned:

this is same as the 3rd problem but slightly different because wasnt able to select neutral or any other gear except 2nd so went to pull off & the car just sat there it didnt even rev... even with accelerator planted to the floor :hmm:, so turned car off then back on & everything was fine :clueless:

so today the car has been fine all day when used it untill after work when problem no.2 happened again but this time the amber info cog came up so hopefully can get it to my mates garage this weekend to plug it in & see what fault codes come up

So possible things to check if im not mistaken are:

1)compression springs
2)salmon coloured relay in engine compartment
3)SMG fluid levels
4)gear indicator switch or whatever its called
5)what fault codes are present

Will hopefully check most of these out over this weekend & let u know what the outcome was but would be greatful for any suggestion to what has caused problem no.5

Thanks in advance to any replys & to having a top notch site with plenty of useful info on :thumbsup:

Hello, lads, could not find exact symptoms and decided to “contribute” mine. E46 SMG 2004 coupe (not M3). Problems:
1) Won’t start in the morning. (can hear the sound of pump after opening the door though) For the rest of the day it starts perfectly fine.
2) While driving shifts to N sometimes, causing vehicle to stop with engine running. Interesting thing here is that car begins kinda accelerating on its own between 1 and 2 gears (limp mode). Need to restart the car.
p.s. Brake and DSC indicators are flashing yellow, but after restarting the engine everything works fine and later are gone.
Took car to the garage. They scanned it, and told me that electronics are completely fine. after sometime check engine sign appeared again.

Are these problems interrelated or completely different?? Any advice is welcome!

Customer got stuck at a parking lot and his M3 would not crank or start. SMG knob is stuck and vehicle is stuck in reverse gear. M3 was towed to the shop.
Had following fault codes:
- (021) 15 HYDRAULIC PUMP RELAY ACTIVATION - CURRENTLY PRESENT - OCCURRED 41 TIMES
- (114) 72 SELECTOR LEVER - CURRENTLY PRESENT - OCCURRED 41 TIMES
- (054) 36 HYDRAULIC PUMP ACTIVATION
- (098) 62 SENSOR VOLTAGE SUPPLY - OCCURRED 41 TIMES - CURRENTLY PRESENT

First thing we did was replaced the SMG relay, cleared the faults, but SMG pump would not activate. Since the M3 was stuck in gear and the vehicle was towed at the end of the day, we had to disconnect the half shafts to push the M3 inside the shop.

Checked power and ground the following day and got nothing. Checked the 40amp fuse in the E-Box and was blown. Installed new fuse and pump now works; however, the pump made an awful noise when it was powered up. Turns out the pump caused too much current draw blowing the fuse. Customer authorize to replace pump. All is good now.

This is the first time I have seen a SMG pump fail and fuse blow on a 2005 M3.

I have a 02 m3 with smg. I was driving down the highway and all of a sudden my car dropped into N and wouldn't go back into gear. I managed to coast the car and get it towed to a shop.

They hooked it up to a GT1 and I was only getting one code. I forgot what code number it was but it said "gear not selectable". They tried shifting it into gear with the GT1 but it would not engage and you can feel a thump in the transmission.

My pump primes when I unlock the car so I don't think it's the pump and it's not coming up with any codes regarding the pump.

Can anyone help me out? Thanks!

I have a 02 m3 with smg. I was driving down the highway and all of a sudden my car dropped into N and wouldn't go back into gear. I managed to coast the car and get it towed to a shop.

They hooked it up to a GT1 and I was only getting one code. I forgot what code number it was but it said "gear not selectable". They tried shifting it into gear with the GT1 but it would not engage and you can feel a thump in the transmission.

My pump primes when I unlock the car so I don't think it's the pump and it's not coming up with any codes regarding the pump.

Can anyone help me out? Thanks!

Have them remove the clutch slave cylinder to make sure the piston didn't go through the clutch fork.

Aaron 90275.....I recently had the exact same thing happen & had the exact same fault code. My pump would still prime ~10 times after this first happened, but eventually wont prime anymore. At first my shop thought it was the gear position sensor, but we replaced that, and no luck. I took it to the dealer who swears it needed a new pump, which they replaced, and it's still having issues. I should know something today regarding what is going on & will let you know. I have my original gear sensor, which i guess was fine, as this didnt fix the problem so probably wasnt faulty, but I have no way to know for sure.....I would be happy to mail it to you to see if that were to fix your problem, just let me know.....open offer

Aaron 90275.....I recently had the exact same thing happen & had the exact same fault code. My pump would still prime ~10 times after this first happened, but eventually wont prime anymore. At first my shop thought it was the gear position sensor, but we replaced that, and no luck. I took it to the dealer who swears it needed a new pump, which they replaced, and it's still having issues. I should know something today regarding what is going on & will let you know. I have my original gear sensor, which i guess was fine, as this didnt fix the problem so probably wasnt faulty, but I have no way to know for sure.....I would be happy to mail it to you to see if that were to fix your problem, just let me know.....open offer

Yea the shop said it might be the pump not being able to hold pressure but im still waiting on what to try next before replacing the pump.

Did you just have one code or multiple codes? I replaced the relay=nothing. i replaced my hood sensor=nothing. I might try the gear position sensor but i doubt its that.

Its giving me quite a headache this whole SMG thing trying to pinpoint the problem :raspberry:

I'm with you on the headache, completely pissed right now. The gear position sensor is supposedly the first go-to for these (after the relay, etc), but that didnt work. Here is what the dealer is saying now:

Pump pressurizes and allows us to proceed through test plans but won’t run through initialization procedure completely.



SMG 0030: SMG: Gear cannot be engaged (OBDII: P1756)

SMG 0031: SMG: Gear pops out (OBDII: P1757)



They are now wanting to replace the actuator. I just put up another post asking folks if a bad pump could damage the actuator or vice versa. I am starting to think they have no clue & are just throwing parts at it. I will let you know what I find out.

I'm with you on the headache, completely pissed right now. The gear position sensor is supposedly the first go-to for these (after the relay, etc), but that didnt work. Here is what the dealer is saying now:

Pump pressurizes and allows us to proceed through test plans but won’t run through initialization procedure completely.



SMG 0030: SMG: Gear cannot be engaged (OBDII: P1756)

SMG 0031: SMG: Gear pops out (OBDII: P1757)



They are now wanting to replace the actuator. I just put up another post asking folks if a bad pump could damage the actuator or vice versa. I am starting to think they have no clue & are just throwing parts at it. I will let you know what I find out.

Let me know how that works out for you. Are you getting this done at a dealer or an indy shop?

To "hopefully" close out my issue:

((I wish there were more consistent "specific solutions" for the varying smg issues we experience, but the problems & solutions from what I can tell from all my research do not exactly correlate, and vary quite a bit, except ultimately it seems the pumps do have more limited lives than other parts & are likely root causes of many problems. It just seems that the varying symptoms, error codes, and ultimate fixes are all across the board. Thanks BWM for building a modern sophisticated car that is so darn hard to fix. I would recommend to anyone having issues, basically just go down the line of least expensive fixes, to most expensive fixes, until all is well. Feel free to edit this list, but I think it is important we keep some record of what these fixes are in order of least $ to most $$:

1) relay
2) SMG rewire technical service bulletin
3) hood sensors
4) inspect fluid level & hoses for leaks etc.
5) compression springs
6) temperature sensor (?)
7) gear position sensor
8) pump
9) actuator
10) from my research the clutch/flywheel/main transmission parts are very robust in these cars, and if a dealer says that's the problem they are grasping for solutions or the car has been driven pretty hard (I never got a good answer why BMW had to open up my tranny)

Also, I've never seen this said before, I know we all love to DRIVE our cars, but I do think there is some wisdom in going thru the gears as little as "possible"...I'm not a mechanical expert, but I would certainly think that the fewer gear changes, the less wear on the pump, etc. If I remember, there is a guy on here with 150-200k on his original pump, but his driving is almost all highway miles, aka few gear changes...I'm just sayin....))

If you want to see my running history of this issue, search: "millionth smg problem post"

I got the M back yesterday after 6(!) weeks in 2 shops (indy & dealer). It is shifting smoother & faster than before, so I am thinking my pump was slowly degrading & I just never knew any difference, as I have only owned the car for ~9 months, and it seemed to be working fine.....but man have I missed the M, sunny day here today, what a beast!

I ended up replacing, in this order, relay, gear position sensor, pump & actuator. The dealer was not sure exactly "how" the pump messed up the actuator (or vice versa), but there is some relationship there that damaged the actuator/pump & kept it from working properly.

Total for everything, parts & labor was ~$4,300. Many thanks to RedBoomer ///M3 for hooking me up with the used actuator for $300. Just a tip for any folks in the Louisville area, I took my car to Evolution Autosport first, and those guys were great, but it ended up needing to go to the dealer for the pump, actuator & reprogramming.....BMW majorly lowered the cost of labor because the Evo guys bring so many cars there for stuff....so go to Evo first, and if it needs to go to BMW will knock the labor down from $120 to ~$70/hr. All this could easily be ANOTHER $3k if I bought a new actuator & paid retail labor cost at the dealer without the hookup.

I am just happy to have the M back, and nice peace of mind that I have a 2 year warranty on one of the major possible issues with this car.

Many thanks to all for advice, etc! Cheers.......

Mine 02 just started having these symptoms today. Drove it to a car wash this afternoon. Car was fine until exiting the car wash. It was stuck in (blinking) 1st. Car wouldn't move when stepping on the gas pedal. I couldn't restart the car because it was still stuck in 1st. The solution was to shut off the car and open and shut the hood. This is how I got it back into neutral. Started up the car and drove to folks home without a hitch. I thought ok, it's just a glitch, I proceeded to drive home which is 9 miles away. On my way home, I must've stopped at least 3-4 times.. The gears would just pop out at random. I would be driving then suddenly the gears would just be blinking. I would have to down shift to get back into gear. The worst is when, I would have to pull over and shut the car off and reopen and close the hood to get it back to neutral from a blinking 1st. I truly think my pump is going because I haven't heard the priming sound in a while when I'm about to start the car. Also the amber cog light came on a few times.

Hood sensor been replaced a few months ago - this solved my intermittent alarm problem.

Just replace the salmon relay but haven't taken it for a test drive.

What do you guys think?

Hey everyone. Please help me understand something. This is related to my thread

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=356831

Once the car is running and is in gear (driving down the highway in 6th gear for example), what function does the pump play in maintaining that gear selection?

Mine 02 just started having these symptoms today. Drove it to a car wash this afternoon. Car was fine until exiting the car wash. It was stuck in (blinking) 1st. Car wouldn't move when stepping on the gas pedal. I couldn't restart the car because it was still stuck in 1st. The solution was to shut off the car and open and shut the hood. This is how I got it back into neutral. Started up the car and drove to folks home without a hitch. I thought ok, it's just a glitch, I proceeded to drive home which is 9 miles away. On my way home, I must've stopped at least 3-4 times.. The gears would just pop out at random. I would be driving then suddenly the gears would just be blinking. I would have to down shift to get back into gear. The worst is when, I would have to pull over and shut the car off and reopen and close the hood to get it back to neutral from a blinking 1st. I truly think my pump is going because I haven't heard the priming sound in a while when I'm about to start the car. Also the amber cog light came on a few times.

Hood sensor been replaced a few months ago - this solved my intermittent alarm problem.

Just replace the salmon relay but haven't taken it for a test drive.

What do you guys think?


Sounds like it's the hood switches (2) located at the front of the car where the latch is, not the black plastic push button switch near the battery terminal.

Mines had begun doing that, sometimes after driving over a bumpy surface or road the hood pins would lose contact with the micro switches and the gear indicator would blink etc. If left blinking for too long while driving, the smg cog symbol would light up. My temporary fix was dropped a small nut in each hole over the micro switch so when the hood is closed, the two pins would maintain good contact.

Hi guys,

Add me to the list of SMG problem havers. Like others, my car (2002 model, 68K miles) just won't go into some gears, usually 3rd. The number 3 sits there flashing at me and the car is coasting b/c it's not in gear. If you hold the gas pedal down, you get the amber SMG light in the dash. Like most others, the SMG error light is generally off again the next morning. Once I get the error light, the computer skips that gear entirely, e.g. goes from 2 straight to 4.

I've done the relay switch with no luck, so there goes the cheapest fix. I guess the next cheapest is the gear position sensor. Has anyone here done just that and not the sensor with the actuator? The only thing that kind of bugs me about this board is that people get on here with their problems but they generally forget to come back and say what exactly FIXED the problem. One poster said his was fixed by replacing the sensor and actuator, but given the price of the actuator, I'm hoping just the sensor might fix it.

The sensor looks pretty easy to replace. Has anyone here done it on their own? Also, I read somewhere about the new sensor having to be programmed in some way. Can anyone confirm that this is the case? Other sensors on the car (e.g. oil level) are "dumb" sensors and can just be swapped out. If it really does have to be programmed, am I correct that the AutoEnginuity Scan Tool does the job? (If so, is there anyone in the D.C. metro area that has one? The BMW on is $430 bucks!)

DrNate, where are you located? It's freezing here in VA and I'm wondering if this is partially a temperature issue. It seems to happen more when it's really cold, but I can't be sure.
I am having the same problems. How did you solve the issues?

I had my SMG controller (computer) swapped out. See my post above for the symptoms I had. It has fixed the problem and have had no problems since (fingers crossed).

Marty

Hi everyone. My car is a 2003 M3 with. I apologize is this has already been covered in this thread, but I am having issues with gear selection. Car will not go into Reverse or any forward gears. I used the autoenginuity tool and pulled codes on the SMG, to find that there weren't any. So upon further inspection one of my hood latch sensors is not detecting closed.. great fixed right? Not so fast... Even when I jumper the sensor closed at the plug, it still shows open.. I even switched latch sensors and the sensor that shows not to be working, works on the other plug. SO.. basically what I have is a problem down wire somewhere that is not allowing the hood sensor to show closed.. has anyone had this problem before?? Any help would be appreciated.

I am having a delay in going from R to 1 the rest of the shifts seem just fine..

Any Ideas guys?? I cant find anything regarding this on these threads.. tried searching.

Again, only when going from Reverse to first gear is the delay obvious. It used to be pretty smooth. 1st gear is seeming a bit jerky at first as well but usually only when cold?

Could this be Clutch?? Car has 65k miles and is ofcourse an SMG

My gear light came on today, but the car still drives fine and nothing seems to be wrong except the light goes on. What can this be?

My gear light came on today, but the car still drives fine and nothing seems to be wrong except the light goes on. What can this be?

Ha mine just started doing the same exact thing. My remote key fob isn't working either so I am gonna start with the pink salmon relay thing. I got one from bimmerspecialist for like 8 bucks and had it shipped next day air, so I should have results by tomorrow evening pacific time. I have read this entire thread and it seems that anything serious that breaks, the car just doesnt function properly. When the light came on I shifted through all gears multiple times and into/out of reverse neutral ect.. and everything is working fine. Fingers crossed its just this dumb relay.

I was working on my hk sub last night doing the tennis ball trick, anyway the battery died. When I jumped it and got it running again, the exclamation point in the circle (guessing this is the smg light) -- excuse me if i'm wrong, new to the m3 driving world. the light stayed on after turning the car off then back on. drove out of my driveway and back in, turned the car off, still had the light. WHILE OFF: put the car in 1st and back in neutral, and when it went from 1 to N, the light left as the 1 did.

Just got the car two weeks ago, should i be concerned or no?

If some had this problem before please help, car is not mine but my friend owns it
So
1. 2002 SMG any gear will not engage it will flash
2. then computer showed pump produce 52 psi instead 70 psi something.
3. brand new pump, 74 psi, it did bleed like 4-5 times, while showing foaming oil
4. Now still will not engage just show flashing, it would try engage like it feels ready to go, but then drop the gear and flash.
5. computer show a msg something (i don't remember exactly word)" something ....low spacing ......something"
6. hood switches are fine computer shows it close

changed the relay in mine, still have smg warning light. I also have a bad ambient temp sensor that is causing SES light, I think this is probably the cause of the SMG light. The car drives fine, all shifts are crisp, the pump is working perfect, and never have any problem wit any gears. Car is going in for diagnosis on tuesday but i am also positive the replacement of the ambient temp sensor will solve the problem. Anyone else lose their temp sensor and have it cause SMG light?

So I have exactly how is wording from BMW computer. It's after replacing pump and bleeding.

"Shift gate spacing below minimum"

Please help

I have been dealing with this issue on and off for the last 3 years.

What fixed it usually is the relay switch, as well as a complete adaption reset with the AE tool every 6 months or so.

Well now im stranded BIGTIME.

The symptoms this time are:
1. Will go into reverse ocassionally, but when put into drive, it goes right to 3rd gear, and doesnt engage. it simply illuminates 3rd thats all.
2. i get the ocassional no crank condition as well.

i would like to DISABLE the temp sensor as i hear someone else on here has done for diagnostic purposes. i would like to know if a resistor of some kind was needed to simulate a temp signal, or if simply disconnecting/jumpering is done instead...????

Im ready to buy a new relay and a sensor on monday. Which sensor should I try out first?

neat photos 6 speed for the win lelwut

Hi All, I am new to the M3 world - or at least hoping to be by the end of next weekend.

I've been trying to read as much as I can - and well... is the SMG issue apply to all years of the e46 m3? I am looking at an 04 cabrio smg with 44k miles on it.


Great site by the way.

We sold the race car to the Sykes (dad Jeremy and son Geoff), but before we did, we did some heat shielding between the pump unit and the engine and then we put a blower with a 2" hose on the unit as well. Hopefully it works well for them (so far in 3 race events it has).

I have an 04 SMG and sometimes when i accelerate (seems to only happen when I accelerate slowly) it seems like it drops out of gear with a large thump, the RPMs climb, and then it catches again. It's also accompanied by some grinding after the thump. It only happens in first gear, and it's never happened as I take off from 2nd gear. Also I can still get my tires to chirp when I shift hard (S6) and all of my shifts seem fine as well so i'm assuming it's not my clutch or TOB. It almost feels and sounds (metal grinding) like it's my actual 1st gear or possibly the diff?!? Doesn't ever happen in reverse, other shifts all seem fine, and my fluid seems fine....? Please let me know any thoughts, I appreciate the help

hi everyone, i have a problem with my SMG :(

my car starts perfect, it is M3 coupe 09/2002.

Sometimes, when I engage 1 or R on gearbox, gear pulled out. I am waiting and gear engage again. Then pulled out and this repeat 3-4 times. Of course immediatelly SES and SMG yellow lights on. Then everythings go fine, but still SMG and SES lights on. I can do lot of kilometers without any problems (expect of lights on instruments).

Also sometimes my gearbox, during ride, from any gear pulled out to 0. After 5-20sec again engage and I can continue without problems.

BUT!!! Sometimes I can ride without any problems and winthout any lights. WHY ???

Done:
- new salomon relay - no change
- new transmission sensor - no change
- new fluid in transmission - no change

Today I check Pentosin CHF 11S - hope it works ...

Sorry for my bad English :(

Please update fixes!!!!!

All please update fixes!!!!!!! That is what this thread is for!!!! There are more problems in this thread and only a few fixes!!!!!!

Thanks to those who come back!

Post your fixes!!!

Yeah you!! The one who comes on here and posts your problems, gets it fixed and don't follow up with a fix to your problem!!!!

Frieking irritating!!!!!

CHECK OUT WHAT THIS GUY DID IN ORDER TO FIX THE NEUTRAL DROPS AND OVERHEATING OF THE SMG PUMP!!!!!!!! ITS WORTH THE TRY....

Tue, Aug-03-2010, 04:17:33 PM #64
CarbonCoup3
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Alright, I haven't posted to this thread in a while and I know that sucks because I started it. Well, I have read a lot of the posts and well as you guys know, most of the quick fixes don't work. I am still having the same heat related issues even after replacing the pump with a used one sourced from ebay. My last resort is that I have an appointment with the dealer to have the pump bled. In addition to the bleeding process done on the computer, the DME for the SMG system needs to be re-initialized. If this is not done, the new (or new used) pump will not be recognized. I hope this works. If not, I will be unplugging the HCU temp sensor. This will leave on the SES light all of the time but will supposedly keep the car from coming out of gear when the hcu gets too hot. I will eventually buy a new pump and install it after I return from an upcoming deployment. If anyone is thinking of tackling the job of replacing the pump yourself, it is not that difficult. If you are limited to oil changes and brake jobs, don't do it. Just take it in. I will post an update after my appointment tomorrow and follow up after the temp sensor unplug if it needs to be done.

Sun, Aug-08-2010, 05:39:58 PM #65
CarbonCoup3
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Ok , the bottom line is don't spend all kinds of money replacing little stuff like i did. The probem is the temperature sensor on the smg pump itself. I know this for sure now because I went ahead and cut the wires (two, one red and one white). Since cutting the wires, my car doesnt come out of gear at all now. The only problem is that the smg light stays on all of the time. There is no SES light like before. So if you can tolerate the smg light being on for a while until you can afford a new pump, I say cut the wires. What's the worst that can happen? Probably nothing because the car is acting like shat anyway and you will save yourself a ton of money in the short term. You have to take out the intake manifold to do this but it is really easy if you follow the DIY in this forum. There is no other way to get to the pump to cut the wires. I know this works because I have been driving around with the ac on and idling for long periods of time in 95-97 degree heat.

Well it doesn't seem like anyone knows what's wrong with my tranny, not even the dealer, and I've gone through every possible part except the tranny itself. Anyone know where I can get a decent used tranny from? It's for my 2004 E46 SMG M3, which btw I can use a regular 6 speed tranny from a non SMG as well right?

Well it doesn't seem like anyone knows what's wrong with my tranny, not even the dealer, and I've gone through every possible part except the tranny itself. Anyone know where I can get a decent used tranny from? It's for my 2004 E46 SMG M3, which btw I can use a regular 6 speed tranny from a non SMG as well right?

I think you would need to remove the shifter centering pin, but don't take my word on it. There are a few transmissions on ebay.

Well it doesn't seem like anyone knows what's wrong with my tranny, not even the dealer, and I've gone through every possible part except the tranny itself. Anyone know where I can get a decent used tranny from? It's for my 2004 E46 SMG M3, which btw I can use a regular 6 speed tranny from a non SMG as well right?


Avoid a headache and use the correct SMG tranny.

Here is some other fixes and tips for the SMG problems on the E46 Fanatics forum that might help some other enthusiasts!!! And the ONEBADM3 posted a real great thread from the guy that fixed some issues wit the temperature sensor! Awesome!! thanks!! that is what we need!! I want to see if we can get a techy to bypass the both temp sensors, one on the transmission and one on the pump, by some type of resistor or something! those two when bad will lock down your transmission.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=686054

EDIT: If you have a bad drivers side door actuator the shifter indicator lights will be blinking and chiming in every gear until a complete stop, and when stopped at a light for a few seconds it will shift to neutral!!! I found this out by having my buddy in his M3 keep his door open and drive a little down the road, and stop and go. The Gear indicator was flashing and there was the chiming sound and it did the same symptoms!!!

Also if you have any gear skip changes after replacing the salmon relay IT IS YOUR GEAR SENSOR INDICATOR! Happened to me! fixed this ASAP! Now it just tries to catch 4th gear and does this in soft driving, I hope it is not due to my LFW, I will trouble shoot once I return!

I highly suggest that you invest in an AUTO Inginuity tool, this tool helped me break it down all the way to see if all my hood sensors, doors, reset my adaptations, reset clutch value etc etc!!

I think you would need to remove the shifter centering pin, but don't take my word on it. There are a few transmissions on ebay.

Thanks for the reply, can anyone confirm this? And I looked on eBay but I could only find higher mileage ones, any other sources...

Read through the thread, did not see this one:

My tranny has now taken it upon itself, upon cold start up and roll away for first time in the AM, to shift on its own as if its in A mode, when it is actually not. I replaced the relay, did not fix.

Does not seem to be an issue that will leave me roadside, but its annoying as hell. It seems as though once I override it on my 20 mile commute with the paddles, that it "learns" I'm not in A mode, and does not do it consistently anymore (though it will intervene from time to time still).

Thoughts?

^ That is weird. My guess is something within the shift lever or the SMG ECU. Refer to the SMG training manual posted in this thread. Print it out if you haven't done so already, it's good to have on hand although I wish it had more information in it. Page 18 talks about the shift lever:

Hall effect sensors are mounted in the shift lever module to detect position and movement of the shift lever. A total of 8 hall sensors are used in the shift lever module with 4 sensors dedicated to +/- gear change requests and mode changes requests (A to S mode). Two sensors are used for detection of the reverse gear position and two for detection of the neutral shift lever position.

Perhaps the hall sensors are faulty or magnet that used to trigger them is out of alignment or something. I'm not sure, I never had any shifting issues or software issues other than the common summertime dropping out of gear problem.

Interesting, thanks. The only other odd thing it will do is not respond every now and then to the input to shift (manually)... I just have to do it more than once (does not matter if using paddles or center stick).

Definitely an electrical issue of some kind. Pump still primes, etc....

Interesting, thanks. The only other odd thing it will do is not respond every now and then to the input to shift (manually)... I just have to do it more than once (does not matter if using paddles or center stick).

Definitely an electrical issue of some kind. Pump still primes, etc....

Yea, that's odd and is the first time I have ever read of such an issue. I wish I had more answers for you.

Sounds more like smg ecu problem. My suggestion is to get new software for your smg if that don't fix it then you have a ecu issue but then again iam not 100% on this since its the first time i or anyone here has ever heard or read before. Good luck... :kittyshifty:

Thanks. Need to get it diagnosed, not sure that its throwing any specific codes. Will do a scan and report back.

Thanks. Need to get it diagnosed, not sure that its throwing any specific codes. Will do a scan and report back.

Definitely let us know what you find. This is the first time I've read of such an issue.


As for those of us that have and are experiencing the more common "dropping into neutral on hot days", a collaborative solution has been found and it's proving to be a success :)

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?p=1064942289#post1064942289

Once again this forum has come thru with an answer to fix my ride....salmon relay replacement FTW!!!

I'm experiencing like a grinding sound in the first gear, or in the higher gears but low RPM. is that because the clutch need to be replaced?

Smg/ssg problem when its hot
When i take my car out for a ride, it workes perfect.. But when it gets hot and i park it for 10 mins, And then take of again. It will not shift from 4-5 gear ..

Any ideas?

+1 My issue is somewhat similar. After driving in bumper to bumper traffic for an hour in 95+ degrees, I shut the car down and restarted. The yellow SMG light came on. I turned the car off then restarted and it was gone. That is the first time it has happened to me so I am not sure what is going on.

Any help is appreciated. Note: the temp gauge was dead center and the secondary gauge was very slightly past center. Don't know if this has anything to do with it. Most of the time my smg feels like it is shifting harder when the temp outside is 95+. Is that normal? Please say yes lol


Smg/ssg problem when its hot
When i take my car out for a ride, it workes perfect.. But when it gets hot and i park it for 10 mins, And then take of again. It will not shift from 4-5 gear ..

Any ideas?

Thanks. Need to get it diagnosed, not sure that its throwing any specific codes. Will do a scan and report back.

UPDATE: Looks like it ended up being the upshift switch for the + paddle shifter. It failed, thus the erratic behavior.

I also learned that when one of the paddle shifter switches fails, and since the paddles override the center stick, the stick will not respond like normal either.

These switches are only sold in pairs, and will run approx $170 with CCA discount. 1.5hrs book labor to install.

Hope this helps others in the future!

BTW, before the diag, we thought it was the SMG ECU...and was quoted $991 new (same on realoem). I quickly found many used on the market for sub 300 in the case that someone has a failure of this part...know there are cheaper used options.

One more item of note: I'm trying to understand if my aftermarket aluminum paddles caused the switch failure....as it is indeed a sharper-edged/harder portion of the paddle that makes contact with the switch. A few weeks before this started happening, it was "clicking" on upshift instead of silent, so I cannot help but think the metal was more abusive than the OEM plastic. Thinking of wrapping the metal of the connection point in electrical tape or something similar.

Anyone else have this problem?

Off to the track!

^ I can't comment on the paddles since I've never changed mines but I'm glad you got the problem solved :thumbsup2:. Interesting fix to keep note of :).

Similar yet different issue w/mine.

Few days ago, smg cog light appears and i lose all gears.
Car revs freely in 1st and R to about 2k rpm before turning into a "bucking bronco." Takes about 45mins of cooling down and starts up again to drive 60km. No problems.

Next day same problem occurs just as i pull into the garage. Let cool down for 20mins. Breaks down twice enroute to bodyshop, progressively getting worse. Change smg relay, no dice.

OBD reveals 0028 fault. Clutch position sensor. Cannot purchase sensor alone and must be bought with clutch slave cylinder.

Waiting on part(s)

Hopefully this resolves the problem.

Anybody ever experience the car revving on it's own between shifts....(like a full throttle shift on a drag car) I experienced this today...between each gear the car would rev on it's on before shifting to the next gear or until I tap the gas pedal again...no codes, no flashing of the numbers, etc...any ideas?

Hi,

was reading through the thread and thought i might find my issue ; but did not ,so maybe someone has an idea. My smg light will come on intermittently.
usually during a cold start. the other day it came on while i was grabbing a coffee. i left it running outside in neutral with the handbrake on, and when i came out the light was on. i have never had any issues with shifting or driving.
the only fault code i get is clutch actuation dynamic. i have replaced the relay. the clutch and slave were recently replaced as well.

any help would be great.
thanks

Potential buyer, considering SMG but afraid of maintenance. I've read through this thread and hope that LA/Seattle weather will treat the transmission better than Midwest or TX heat.

That said, if/when the SMG does totally fail, how hard would a transmission swap from a totalled 6MT car be? Obviously for a shop to do. I understand they'll bolt up fine (same Getrag unit) but wondering about the SMG parts throughout the car (ie, dashboard, etc).

This thread is freakin' me out. I should probably go with the safe route (6MT) but they are harder to find. If a 6MT can be put in fairly easily down the road, then I might not worry at all. If not, then the repairs and stranded experiences might leave me sleepless. :)

Also, what can be done to extend the longevity of the transmission? I imagine avoiding launches, using S6 sparingly, avoiding Auto mode and then proper maintenance (fluid changes). Anything else discovered to help the SMG long-term? Any preventative maintenance?

Sorry if this is the wrong thread for it. Thanks!

* http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=3527

QUESTION - Is there any service info on the SMG available on-line?
ANSWER - (DonE) Yes there is.. see http://jasoncampagna.com/SMG.pdf (thanks to FastDog911 for the link..) Back on line! Thanks FFWD!

Quoted from Stickied thread. Link down, anybody have the PDF saved?

I found a copy (e60) here.
http://www.mediafire.com/?ykwmnm2iuma

Hi,

was reading through the thread and thought i might find my issue ; but did not ,so maybe someone has an idea. My smg light will come on intermittently.
usually during a cold start. the other day it came on while i was grabbing a coffee. i left it running outside in neutral with the handbrake on, and when i came out the light was on. i have never had any issues with shifting or driving.
the only fault code i get is clutch actuation dynamic. i have replaced the relay. the clutch and slave were recently replaced as well.

any help would be great.
thanks

Had this happen to me tonight. Went to a friend's house to pick something up, ended up standing next to the car chatting with it in neutral idling, handbrake pulled up, 2, maybe 3 minutes. I get back in the car to find the cog light on. Nothing was wrong, the car shifted fine into reverse, into gear, up and down shifts smooth. Got home, turned her off and back on the and the cog light was gone... maybe it doesn't like sitting in neutral for that long? I've never done that before, I always just leave it in gear at a drive-up or whatever... Anyone have any thoughts on this? I did just replace my relay a month or so ago. Gotta get another one in for the glove box!

I didn't pull codes, but didn't have an SES light either. Just relieved the light went off by itself.

Anyone know about this?

This needs to be added to the first page FAQ (first post)...

under the heading : --No noise from the pump when unlocking the car. Transmission will not engage any gear.


Issue: Engine off, ignition on; pressing the brake pedal as normal and the transmission won't go into neutral to start the car regardless of moving the shifter left.

Solution: Press the brake pedal more firmly. If for whatever reason you've pumped your brakes with the engine off and pedal feel becomes firm, light brake pedal engagement won't register. You have to mash the brake pedal if this is the case. Up until then I had been used to lightly pressing the brake when I start my car.

My friend and I on separate occasions were like, "aah crap, SMG failed somehow" until we realized the stupidity of it all. :rofl3:

On a separate note, this thread needs to be stickied. After reading this thread and others I've bought a spare SMG relay that I keep in my glovebox :)

Please help.

I could hear my SMG pump prime when I unlock the doors. I am able to start the car but it won't go in gear, not even in R. It just flashes "N". I can hear squeaking sounds under the car when I attempt to put it in gear like it's attempting to find a gear. I already replaced the relay but to no avail.

Has anyone had the same symptoms? Maybe the new relay was bad?

Please help.

I could hear my SMG pump prime when I unlock the doors. I am able to start the car but it won't go in gear, not even in R. It just flashes "N". I can hear squeaking sounds under the car when I attempt to put it in gear like it's attempting to find a gear. I already replaced the relay but to no avail.

Has anyone had the same symptoms? Maybe the new relay was bad?

-Check the SMG fluid level.
-Check the hood latch.

-Mine does this occasionally, even after resetting the hood, new relay, full fluid. But only after I let the car sit for days. So probably voltage-related to the starter system. But, then again, sometimes it will start right up after a 2-week shutdown. It will eventually start with enough key twists. When I do drive it every day it never lets me down. Only after a layoff....

GL

-Check the SMG fluid level.
-Check the hood latch.

-Mine does this occasionally, even after resetting the hood, new relay, full fluid. But only after I let the car sit for days. So probably voltage-related to the starter system. But, then again, sometimes it will start right up after a 2-week shutdown. It will eventually start with enough key twists. When I do drive it every day it never lets me down. Only after a layoff....

GL

Thanks for the reply, Mash3.

Fluid level is good, opened and closed to hood several times.

She starts right up, just won't go into gear.

I forgot to mention that after I try to put it in gear and hear the squeaking noise from under the car, the SMG light comes on and it's solid yellow...

Smg isn't priming when I hit the unlock button but does when I put ignition two clicks forWard. Gears do engage still though. Should. I be concerned? TIA

hi has any one replaced the hydroulic pipes for the smg ?,do you have to take gearbox out or can it be dropt a little ?help

Please help.

I could hear my SMG pump prime when I unlock the doors. I am able to start the car but it won't go in gear, not even in R. It just flashes "N". I can hear squeaking sounds under the car when I attempt to put it in gear like it's attempting to find a gear. I already replaced the relay but to no avail.

Has anyone had the same symptoms? Maybe the new relay was bad?

Thanks for the reply, Mash3.

Fluid level is good, opened and closed to hood several times.

She starts right up, just won't go into gear.

I forgot to mention that after I try to put it in gear and hear the squeaking noise from under the car, the SMG light comes on and it's solid yellow...

So, I finally got the M3 running. It was just my relay but for some reason, it dropped the SMG map. Took it to the shop and 5 hours later she was rippin again. All they did according to the shop was reprogram the SMG. They also inspected all the SMG hardware just to be sure but they found everything to be in working order.

If you're in the Seattle area, Euro Asian Garage kicks ass! Good, friendly, and very knowledgeable guys. Most of all, very honest! Only charged me 2 hours for the work. :thumbsup2:

Hi. New here. 2003 m3 smg. Need Help; after front accident ( hood, bumper, radiator, fan, clutch fan been replaced, engine got slight hit, and transmission bracket was cracked) all replaced and put back together. Problem: Car starts, drives, gear indicator flashes all the time, sometimes it shifts but starts from 2nd, than just skipping 3rd, going to 4th, 5th, sometimes can be engaged to 1st. it all happens randomly (i mean gears). when its hot, it takes a long time (about 30 sec) do get into any gear. I can hear noise from tranny, like its searching a gear.
I changed relay, all fluids ok, visually inspect it, all looks fine, got next errors:
DUTY CYCLE HUDRAULIC UNIT, CLUTCH ACTUATION DYNAMIC, GEAR NOT SELECTABLE.
Before accident car was flawless.
Dont know what to start from. Please help. Thank You.

Hi. New here. 2003 m3 smg. Need Help; after front accident ( hood, bumper, radiator, fan, clutch fan been replaced, engine got slight hit, and transmission bracket was cracked) all replaced and put back together. Problem: Car starts, drives, gear indicator flashes all the time, sometimes it shifts but starts from 2nd, than just skipping 3rd, going to 4th, 5th, sometimes can be engaged to 1st. it all happens randomly (i mean gears). when its hot, it takes a long time (about 30 sec) do get into any gear. I can hear noise from tranny, like its searching a gear.
I changed relay, all fluids ok, visually inspect it, all looks fine, got next errors:
DUTY CYCLE HUDRAULIC UNIT, CLUTCH ACTUATION DYNAMIC, GEAR NOT SELECTABLE.
Before accident car was flawless.
Dont know what to start from. Please help. Thank You.

Sounds to me like its probably the Gear Actuator which is attached to the tranny.. It can crack from impact (when engine/ tranny shift from mounts) are your engine mounts good? I got a new actuator for sale. P/M me if you got any questions..

Here's my original post over a year ago:

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showpost.php?p=4852287&postcount=42

Here's the recent correspondent I have with a fellow E46 M3er at the Forum. I thought to put it here to update my situation:

Hey I saw your post on your m3 dropping into neutral. I am experiencing the EXACT same symptoms and issues. My fluid was topped off by them and it happened the next day.

When you say your RF light was coming on, are you referring to your right front light lamp on your dash? Mine is off and on and deal said I need to replace my blinkers, but they work fine.

Have resolved your issue with the dropping to neutral?

It's the SMG pump that's gone bad. You'll notice it when priming, the sound is low and long as it should be at a higher pitch and short. After $3000 repair and a 'new' (factory refurbished from dealer) everything's normal again - no more gears dropping into 'N', no more yellow SMG dash light, shift is fast and crisp and feels like a new car! It's been a year since the SMG pump was replaced and no issues ever since.

I still do get intermittent 'RF light-out' warning light on dash despite everything's working properly. Minor anyonnace but I still plan to get the RF corner blinker replaced sometime to see if it'll make it go away. Perhaps a bad but still functional bulb? Hope these helps.


Dang, well that sucks. I was hoping it was something cheaper. Is it the pump that you had replaced or is it the whole hydraulic unit? I am under the impression that the hydraulic pump is apart of the hydraulic unit? The dealership keeps referring to it as the hydraulic unit.

Thanks for your response.

It is called the Hydraulic Unit (with pressure accumulator). It's item #1 in the link below:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BL93&mospid=47714&btnr=21_0174&hg=21&fg=10

I'd also recommend getting item #3 the connecting line as the old line tend to leak SMG hydraulic fluid with age. If you decide to keep it for a while like I do, it's worth the repair. :goodluck:

My 2003 SMG started flashing it's gear indicator during the 2-3 shift a while ago. I consulted this sticky that indicated that it was the gear position sensor. I duly replaced it ($650 labour and part later) and still no improvement. Next I tried the salmon relay ($18). Still no fix. In fact it started doing it on the 1-2 shift.

Usually I don't drive hard and lift off during changes. I was driving around today and noticed that whilst putting my foot down and generally driving harder than usual it does it more. I now figure it must be a worn clutch (mine has 113k clicks on it).

I don't know if this jives with anyone else's experience but I hope this helps anyone else in this situation.

I am buying a 2004 M3 it has an SMG transmission. 90,329 miles on it. This car is going to be driven by my wife since the 135 is a stick and she wants an auto. After reading all 36 pages of this thread it is kinda scary to get her this kind of car maybe the Audi A8 would be a better choice. What do you guys think? This SMG stuff is scary.

so I replaced the salmon relay, the gears wont engage and keep blinking and the smg light is still on and yellow.....any ideas?

[QUOTE=dcunited;1065189028]so I replaced the salmon relay, the gears wont engage and keep blinking and the smg light is still on and yellow.....any ideas?[/QUOTE

I HAVE A IDEA AS I JUST GOT MINE FIXED FROM THE SAME FUCEN THING YOU ARE STRUGELING FROM. IT TURNED OUT TO BE MY BRAKE SWITCH IT CONTROLS THE STARTER AND SMG PUMP AS WELL AS THE GEAR SELECTOR SENSOR. I KNOW THIS SUKS BUT TRUST ME THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM. MY SYMPTOMS WERE
1. I PARKED THE CAR
2. CAME OUT AND TRY TO START THE CAR AND NO GO...
3. THE SMG COG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON.
4. I WOULD NOT HEAR MY SMG PUMP
5. I WOULD SHIFT TO REVERSE AND DRIVE AND IT WILL BLINK {N} FOR NEUTRAL REGARDLESS OF WERE IT WAS LOCATED.
6. MY PUMP WOULD PRIME AFTER A WHILE BUT STILL NO GO FROM THE ENGINE OR SHIFTER.
7. I TOWED IT TO AUTO HAUZ OF HOUSTON THEY REPLACED THE BAD SWITCH AND WALLA EVERYTHING IS BACK TO NORMAL.. :-) HOPE THIS HELPS OH BY THE WAY SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS BUT MY COMPUTER IS STUCK ON CAPS.... I DO NOOO.. STUPID COMPUTER, BUT THAT'S NOT HERE OR THERE THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU GET THE INFO... CHEERS MATE..
:goodluck:

Sure would be nice if someone posted the clutch relearn procedure (friction point, engagement, etc.):thumbsup2:

I have a 2004 325i with the SMG. It is stuck in reverse and won't move or start. I pulled the salmon colored relay in the box in front of driver and ordered one from the part store. It came in the same color and size but with a different pin set up. Mine has three large pins and two small. It had five same size large pins with one in the center. I called the BMW parts dept and gave them the part #6136-8366 646 that is on the relay and was told it is an abs relay for a car with the SMG transmission. Does anyone know if it is the correct relay? I'd like to know before I fork out $50 to the sealer.

PN: 21532229716[/B]


relay (salmon colored, located in the relay box on top of the drivers side shock tower)
PN: 12631742690

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l7/hcarter900/BMW.jpg
Source: http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showpost.php?p=3103707&postcount=36


gear position sensor (located near the back of the transmission)
PN: 23412229792


actuators (mechanical arms used to physically change the gears)
PN: 23412229789


hood sensors (two switches located under the hood to detect when open/shut)
PN: 61319119052


SMG hydraulic fluid (Pentosine CHF11s)
PN: 81229407758
My current thinking is that a full hydraulic fluid change would be a tad bit on the expensive size and probably unnecessary. However if you've got a lot of miles you may want to consider using a device to syphon fluid out of the reservoir for a partial fluid change. This way you don't have to worry about properly resealing the system or getting air in the lines.

Troubleshooting

The Autoenginuity tool is an excellent tool for troubleshooting the SMG system and can take a lot of guess work out of the equation in some cases. Generic code readers are mostly useless since the trouble codes it returns are usually non-specific and the descriptions are typically not accurate. The Autoenginuity also allows for DIY work such as clutch changes and pump changes to be done at home in the proper way.

Specific Issues

--Car won't engage 1st gear or reverse after cranking, drops out of 1st, won't start, weak remote key, or other minor nuissance.

Before getting too worried, open and shut the hood once or twice, and make sure all doors/trunk are shut. If still no luck, replace the relay. In general, whenever there is any type of problem with the SMG that seems electrical related, go ahead and replace the relay first. It seems to be a pretty common problem and can cause a wide range of issues. The part is ~$15-$20, takes 5 minutes to replace, and it's a cheap solution that should be ruled out early when trying to diagnose an issue.

Also check the hydraulic fluid level on top of the intake manifold. I have had the car not want to hold a gear and the transmission light came on simply because it was low on fluid. (note: the SMG system "shouldn't" be consuming/leaking fluid, mine was low from a Delage install were I swapped fluid reservoirs and forgot to refill the new one).



-- 2->3 shifts became "delayed". *Sometimes* when shifting from 2->3 it would take 4-5 seconds to engage the gear and the gear indicator (3) would flash on the dash during this time. I had zero power during this time, and was basically coasting. Eventually it became so bad it wouldn't even go INTO gear and then start skipping gears (2->5 instead of 2->3). (original post: http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showpost.php?p=3015055&postcount=25)

Replace the gear position sensor.



--No noise from the pump when unlocking the car. Transmission will not engage any gear.

If you've already replaced the relay and there's still no noise from the pump, the hydraulic unit has likely failed.

If the pump makes noise but will not engage a gear, I'm curious as to whether just the accumulator may be the issue, since the hydraulic unit comes w/ the accumulator from the dealer, and the accumulator is also available separately and costs ~$450, it may be the part that wears out. It's an expensive risk to take though, because if the accumulator is not the problem, then it's the cost of labor x2 and you have to rebuy the accumulator when you get the new pump. If it does fix the problem, it would result in about $1k or so in savings. If somewhat had some input on what the accumulator actually does (stores built up pressure?), that would maybe clear this up.


--Red SMG light on and or flashing gear numbers.

Check/replace the hood sensors.


--3rd to 4th shift delay (broken $2 spring): http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?p=3497344#post3497344


--Transmission light comes on after car heats up. Car violently jerks in and out of gear, and limps forward. Shows fault code - 0028 - faulty clutch position sensor

Replace clutch slave cylinder. http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=366642



SMG paddle and paddle switch replacement DIY:

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=157684
http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=172278&highlight=Paddle

PM me with revisions/input[/QUOTE]

I have a 2004 325i with the SMG. It is stuck in reverse and won't move or start. I pulled the salmon colored relay in the box in front of driver and ordered one from the part store. It came in the same color and size but with a different pin set up. Mine has three large pins and two small. It had five same size large pins with one in the center. I called the BMW parts dept and gave them the part #6136-8366 646 that is on the relay and was told it is an abs relay for a car with the SMG transmission. Does anyone know if it is the correct relay? I'd like to know before I fork out $50 to the sealer.


The main problem on those vehicles, is the SMG hydraulic pump. Only way to know for sure is to get fault codes from the SMG ECU. If you have F6F HYDRAULIC PUMP ACTIVATION then it's the pump. This is per BMW service bulletin 23 04 06.

just fixed my smg problem....
would engage gear but drop out of gear as soon as you step on the gas, would not let you go back into gears. found a small puddle of green fluid on the floor. replaced the clutch cylinder slave and reset the smg via autoenguinuity. runs fine now

Gentlemen, Found this issue with my SMG and I fixed it, the problem were while i was driving the gear indicator light would flash at ALL times, when I came to a stop and release the brake pedal the transmission would shift to N and still blink, then I would have to place it back into gear, BUT.....If i kept the brake pedal on and hard the gear indicator would still flash but not jump out of gear, then while driving the COG light would illuminate and I would reset it with my Autoenginuity tool, the other problem that was having was that my PDC wouldn't work, so the fix was both Hood sensors (51237893575), the 2 that are on the front of the car that locks the hood in place. Once I changed those 2 out 2 days ago, no more issues and runs perfect!! PDC no issues!

Previous to this problem, my gears would skip and jump out gear and the problem was the Gear identification switch (23412229792). With all this said I changed the Salmon Relay just in case.:thumbsup2:

Hope this works for some of you out there!

Hopefully someone can help me out with my smg issue. This just started happening a couple days ago, I would downshift lets say to 3rd on the freeway then ill go straight to 6th
And if i take my foot off the gas the rpms would drop down to 1k rpms like the clutch dis-engaged then Ill put my foot back on the gas then it would re-engage while staying in the 6th gear not going to neutral. Then i notice also downshifting to slow down the same thing would happen its like the clutch dis-engages when i let off on the gas, and this doesnt happen all the time but its pretty frequent.

Hopefully someone can help me out with my smg issue. This just started happening a couple days ago, I would downshift lets say to 3rd on the freeway then ill go straight to 6th
And if i take my foot off the gas the rpms would drop down to 1k rpms like the clutch dis-engaged then Ill put my foot back on the gas then it would re-engage while staying in the 6th gear not going to neutral. Then i notice also downshifting to slow down the same thing would happen its like the clutch dis-engages when i let off on the gas, and this doesnt happen all the time but its pretty frequent.

I had one do this before. The car would drop out of gear when let off the gas.
and go back into gear when back on the gas. We coded the module and performed the learning procedure and its been ok since. This car had no fault codes though.

I had one do this before. The car would drop out of gear when let off the gas.
and go back into gear when back on the gas. We coded the module and performed the learning procedure and its been ok since. This car had no fault codes though.

Yupp exactly no gear light or anything how do you start the learning procedure?

What we did when we put in the new pump unit on the race car was:

1) mount a heat sink on the side
2) run a 3" cooling fan into a 2" hose (route thru the AFE intake box) into the pump unit area
3) put heat shielding between the engine and the pump unit

We sold the car to to Geoff Sykes and he raced it all year and even did a 3 hour enduro at Buttonwillow without any problems.

If anyone could help me figure this out, i would appreciate it.

Symptoms:
1. Gear Indicator Light blinks continuously
2. When coming to a stop, 1st gear dis-engages even though still says "1" and will not. Go into gear for several minutes. Trick i had to do is put it in "0" everytime i came to a stop.
3. After a half hour highway drive with blinking gear indicator light,yellow SMG tranny light came on.
4. Outside air temp was -10C.
5. I let it cool down for 8 hours at destination at -10C.
6. When i cam back, SMG warning was gone, but gear indicstor was still flashing.
7. Left it overnight at 20C heated parking. Opened and closed hood hard. Turned car on and gear all warning lights were gone.
8. Took out the car for a spirited drive (redlined, switched gears heavily in S5 and S6) and everything was fine.

My guess is the hood switches. Thing i dont get is, i never had this probkem and it generally appears after a spirited drive or hard accelerstion and runs through gears.
So im not sure its entirely related to hood switches only. I will check tue SMG fluid reservoir tonight...

Thanx

What we did when we put in the new pump unit on the race car was:

1) mount a heat sink on the side
2) run a 3" cooling fan into a 2" hose (route thru the AFE intake box) into the pump unit area
3) put heat shielding between the engine and the pump unit

We sold the car to to Geoff Sykes and he raced it all year and even did a 3 hour enduro at Buttonwillow without any problems.

I like this. I'll have to do this soon!

Hello All,

My cog light in my 2004 SMG turned on yesterday as I started the vehicle in the morning (garaged). I proceeded to drive to my mechanic's shop about 15 miles away and had no problems engaging any of the gears. There were no flashing lights from the indicator and the car was shifting as normal.

Once at the shop, my friend ran the codes and found: 056 (hydraulic unit...). He reset the light and we drove it for about 10 min around the block until the light came back on. Ran the code system again while the car was running and it said there was an issue with my 2 front wheel speed sensors. However, the 056 (hydraulic unit...) code was gone. The car still engaged all gears properly.

After resetting the light again, we waited for the car to cool down a bit and checked the reservoir (fluid level normal). We then started the car and decided to drive to his wholesaler to pick up the salmon colored relay. On the way there, the car began to show the symptom of having trouble shifting from 3rd to 4th gear (long lag ~3-4 sec). When coming to a full stop at one of the stop lights it would not engage automatically into 1st (was in S3 mode not S1 or S2). Got to our destination and tried the SMG reset while on the straight away (over 30 mph held both paddles simultaneously for minimum of 10 seconds). The reset didn't do anything, at least to my knowledge.

After returning to the shop, the car was still engaging gears without a problem. Except for when it lagged from 3rd to 4th and didn't engage 1st at a full stop. Installed the relay, reset the light and drove it in reverse about 2 ft. before the light came on. Ran the code system again. Now this time the 2 front wheel speed sensors were fine, but two SMG codes came up: 36 and 37 (gear position sensor and some angle thing... can't remember exactly). We called it a day and will start addressing this issue in the morning.

I wanted to share my SMG symptoms to see if anyone has experienced something similar to this. Any thoughts and/or ideas would be great. If not I will update everyone on how it goes tomorrow. Hopefully this will help someone if they have similar problems in the near future.

UPDATE

Checked the codes again, now it's 36, 37 and now 17. Drove the car to my other friends shop and throttle goes out in 3rd on the way there. Cog light turns on and pushed it to the side of the road. Waiting for the flat bed as we speak. Hopefully it's just those 3 codes and nothing else.

UPDATE 04/27/12

The only code showing up now is for the gear position sensor PN 23412229792. Being replaced as we speak and will have the SMG calibration done right after the install. Ill let you all know if it works.

UPDATE 05/02/12

After changing the gear position sensor, the code for it still came up. Also the car would only engage in R, 1, 3, 5. None of the even gears would work. Disconnected the battery for about 20 minutes and completed the SMG reset by holding the paddles back in N while coasting above 40mph. Still nothing. Turned the car off went back to try and bring it to the stealership. NO MORE COG LIGHT!!! The car engages all gears and drives fine. Put about 100 miles on it since with several ignition turn offs and ons. Hopefully it stays this way and no more cog lights. If anyone has similar symptoms, PM with any questions I will be more than happy to help.

Not sure if this is the right part for this but is anyone running a AA flywheel in there SMG? Trying to figure out what issues there are with changing to AA. Other than chatter, any mechanical issues?

Hi been reading this thread and I will replace the relay when I get home from work.

So car was running fine 2 days ago and this morning when I tried to start it, it would not start. The cog light was on and I hear a whining when I turn the key. Any additional feedback anyone can give me?

Hi been reading this thread and I will replace the relay when I get home from work.

So car was running fine 2 days ago and this morning when I tried to start it, it would not start. The cog light was on and I hear a whining when I turn the key. Any additional feedback anyone can give me?

Get the codes read by an Indy shop that knows what they're doing (GT1 or Autologic). There is an area in the forum where you can search for local reputable shops. Go from there and let us know what's going on. Good luck!

Yes it is the hood switches, I had the identical problem!!

If anyone could help me figure this out, i would appreciate it.

Symptoms:
1. Gear Indicator Light blinks continuously
2. When coming to a stop, 1st gear dis-engages even though still says "1" and will not. Go into gear for several minutes. Trick i had to do is put it in "0" everytime i came to a stop.
3. After a half hour highway drive with blinking gear indicator light,yellow SMG tranny light came on.
4. Outside air temp was -10C.
5. I let it cool down for 8 hours at destination at -10C.
6. When i cam back, SMG warning was gone, but gear indicstor was still flashing.
7. Left it overnight at 20C heated parking. Opened and closed hood hard. Turned car on and gear all warning lights were gone.
8. Took out the car for a spirited drive (redlined, switched gears heavily in S5 and S6) and everything was fine.

My guess is the hood switches. Thing i dont get is, i never had this probkem and it generally appears after a spirited drive or hard accelerstion and runs through gears.
So im not sure its entirely related to hood switches only. I will check tue SMG fluid reservoir tonight...

Thanx

Hello all,
If anyone is interested I have a DIY for doing the Gear Position Sensor change. It's Here (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=878863)

I plugged in the salmon relay and everything worked find *crossing fingers*

hello m3 forum i bought an 02 bmw m3 thats not starting. The previous owner told me the hydraulic pumps was bad but im not sure thats the problem.. They disconnected the shifter so the car can get towed. I replaced the salmon relay and still no luck, i have a code reader but its giving me 4 codes P0122,P0223,P2122,P2127 can this be the problem is not starting?? Or the shifter being disconnected?? I have no clue on bmw cars and would like someone with experience to guide me with my problem please pm me if you know any ideas what might be going on thanx

HELP!! My SMG light is on.... changed the salmon relay, checked the smg fluid, disconnected the battery, reset the smg by driving over 40mph and holding both paddlestick on neutral.... all done... yet the smg light is still on.... car is running fine, shifting fine and starting fine. No aggressive driving since it is my daily commute. I just want to get some opinion before i go to a shop. thanks in advance.

my M is 2004 smg.

HELP!! My SMG light is on.... changed the salmon relay, checked the smg fluid, disconnected the battery, reset the smg by driving over 40mph and holding both paddlestick on neutral.... all done... yet the smg light is still on.... car is running fine, shifting fine and starting fine. No aggressive driving since it is my daily commute. I just want to get some opinion before i go to a shop. thanks in advance.

I went through all these as well. After i did the resistor mod that simulates a cooler temperature for the smg i never had the problem anymore. I would at least try this before you take it to a shop. Good Luck :thumbsup2:

How do you do it? Any link on diy pages? Thanks.

How do you do it? Any link on diy pages? Thanks.

Yeah here it is
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=372262&highlight=Resistor+mod

My sad story:

Woke up at 4:30am to go to the gym. It was about 55 degrees outside. Turned the key but gear indicator light didn't come on - no N, no 1, no R, nothing. Car wouldn't start. Tried again and car started. Halfway to the gym, the SMG indicator light came on and about a block later at a stop sign, car went into N and died. Car would not start. I pushed it to the side of the road and waited a few minutes. Car started eventually and I drove it home. The private shop I go to is 40 miles away but the dealership is 0.5 miles away. I decided not to chance it and drove it to the dealership. They said the relay and accumulator needed replacement ($1,700). This all happened yesterday and they said the car would be available for pick up today. I'll update later.

Hmm, a $1692 part and an $8 part?

I'd try the $8 part first... LOL

Yeah here it is
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=372262&highlight=Resistor+mod

thanks.

Hello,

First off, thank you for the wealth of information this forum has.

The car is a 2004 SMG w/74k miles. I'm the original owner and have never had any transmission issues in the past. In the past two days the SMG (yellow) light has been turning on, the car drives fine and the light will turn off after restarting the car. Based on what I have read on here it looks like i need to replace the clutch slave cylinder, but it needs to be bleed with a computer. Are there any shops in the Socal area that can do this? I hate taking my car to the dealer.

Thanks

I have the autoenginuity and can take care of that for you. You can reach me at (310)444-7986. I'm in WLA by btw.

I just ran into a strange issue.

So I've had the SMG COG light come on periodically, and sometimes when it's on, the brake lights remain on as well. I would normally think that this is a brake pedal sensor issue, however the brake lights work as they should when the key is in the #1 (accessory) position and the engine is not running.

Does anyone have an idea of what the issue could be?

(I should note, that the first thing I did was replace the battery, but all is not better :( )

EDIT So I checked all the fuses, they all looked good. Then I decided to replace fuse #9 since it was used in both the SMG and the rear brake circuit. Car fired up with no SMG / COG light, and the rear brakes work just fine. The rear brakes and the COG light have been intermittent, so time will tell if the issue returns.

EDIT 2: Problem returned, still seeking solution :-/

Hi all M3 owners,

I wanted to ask everyone if this has been known problem (may be not a problem). I was driving my M3 (SMG) with AC on yesterday and felt the shifting was a little weird. I usually drive with S5 shift mode but as soon as i start using the ac (air conditioning), the shift seems like gets slower. I don't know if it's actually slower but it take longer for sure. It sounds like more half clutch for engaging clutch.

Has anyone felt the same?

Thanks in advance.

The a/c compressor should have no influence on the SMG shifting, it only consumes some more of the engine power once on. That's only on theory, I can't even feel that given the S54 power. Try different Drivelogic settings (go back from 5 to 1 and forth) with a/c on and see if there is a difference. TBH I don't see how the a/c electronics would bug the SMG software but with those wires you never know...

Thanks for your input. Yea it is very weird. I will try different drivelogic settings with a/c on and see how it does. What i felt was that the after smg disengage the clutch, it seems like it takes more time to drop the rpm and it everntually delay the clutch engaging to the next gear. It still drives with no problem though. I just don't feel of the direct shift change with S5 with a/c on.

Thank you again.

Hey guys,

Finally managed to pull the BMW codes off of my car (brake lights stuck on while engine is running, sometimes... engine not running = brake lights behave as they should).

I have the following codes:

106 - Signal - Brake Light Switch
118 - Electric Throttle, signal, potentiometer, throttle
107 - Electric Throttle, self test
151 - Evaluation, service brake signals via CAN

I would just swap out the brake switch, however due to the fact that its behaving normally, it makes me wonder if something else is going on :-/

Thoughts?

Thanks for your input. Yea it is very weird. I will try different drivelogic settings with a/c on and see how it does. What i felt was that the after smg disengage the clutch, it seems like it takes more time to drop the rpm and it everntually delay the clutch engaging to the next gear. It still drives with no problem though. I just don't feel of the direct shift change with S5 with a/c on.

Thank you again.

How's your battery? Just curious. The AC pump robs power from the motor, but the electronics still need power from someplace and if the battery has a dead cell combined with the AC electronics it could be just enough draw on the altenator to screw with some of the sensor voltages. Just a theory though... I had to replace my battery last week and it completely changed the way the car drove, the battery was getting so bad I had to leave a charger on it every night.

Thank you for your reply. I think my battery is still fine. I mean the starter works fine every morning and all the electronics on my car seems work fine too. But even slight problem on battery could do something wrong on smg? I was thinking it could be the vanos solenoid. I really feel the problem is not coming from the smg, could be from other factors like vanos.

Does launch control mess up the SMG?

Does launch control mess up the SMG?

depends on what you mean by "mess up".

Is this your first car?

Does launch control mess up the SMG?

It might. But it does have some built in safety measures. It will go into a limp mode if it overheats, for example.

I've done dozens, maybe hundreds, of LC launches in the last 9 years and 70k miles, and while it is kind of neat, it's not nearly as fast as a burnout mode launch.

G

Its my first M3 with SMG..... Love the launch with D6 and holding the gear up and letting go when the pedal is to the floor. How else would you be able to start as fast? Any other way that might be less harmful? Faster?

whats a burn out mode launch? If you mean just turning of the dsc, then that is what I do anyways.

whats a burn out mode launch? If you mean just turning of the dsc, then that is what I do anyways.

No, that's not what he means.

I suggest you try using the search function to learn the difference between the 2 launch modes, and also use it before asking any questions, it may save you a lot of time asking questions and waiting for someone to post an answer. I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just pointing out that there's a lot of information on this forum, and it would be quicker if you look for the answer before asking a question that's been discussed 15 or 20 times prior to your asking it.

Hint: The way you put the pedal to the floor changes the launch mode.

Found in 30 seconds searching for "launch mode":
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showpost.php?p=1065511942&postcount=36 :thumbsup2:

I figured it out last night. Thanks for the insight. Had a lot of fun zooming down the Sac River levee and delta country roads!

Hi All,

Just got an e46 M3 SMG yesterday and will be studying everything in this thread closely. So I found out the hard way that the gear selection indicator blinks if hood is not 150% secure.. the tranny malfunction light came on and eventually left me stranged & stuck in 5th gear during traffic hours!

I re-shut the hood and restarted the car - normal again. I freaked out, not a good first-time SMG issue experience.

I'll check all the items in this thread's list, relay was the 1st suggestion from a Master Tech at a local BMW dealership. Good thing we bought the powertrain warranty!!!

So your hood became unlatched on the freeway? I would concentrate on fixing that fault first.

So your hood became unlatched on the freeway? I would concentrate on fixing that fault first.

No, the switch gets a little out of adjustment and a bump will jar it into thinking the hood is open. Opening and closing the hood will jar it into thinking the hood is closed.

I had once erroneous signal from one of the hood sensors which led to a SMG cog light on which from another hand led to check engine light after engine restart. Opening and closing properly the hood extinguished the SMG light but the engine light remained and had to be cleared via diagnostics software.

I had once erroneous signal from one of the hood sensors which led to a SMG cog light on which from another hand led to check engine light after engine restart. Opening and closing properly the hood extinguished the SMG light but the engine light remained and had to be cleared via diagnostics software.

What was the code stored in DME for this error?

I don't know, that time the dealer didn't give me a printout and I forgot to ask. It was 2 years ago.

I don't know, that time the dealer didn't give me a printout and I forgot to ask. It was 2 years ago.

Bummer. That's one I'd definitely want to add to my SMG notes... :shifty:

No, the switch gets a little out of adjustment and a bump will jar it into thinking the hood is open. Opening and closing the hood will jar it into thinking the hood is closed.

Right on.

So this is where I'm at:
- Issue started happening less than 24 hrs after purchasing car
- Private dealership I bought it from referred me to a tech at BMW Dealership
- I'm bringing in my car tomorrow to have it checked. In addition I am also bringing it to a BMW repair shop that i've been doing business with for a few years for a second opinion.
- My powertrain warranty coverage hasn't even started yet since i wouldn't get that info/paperwork until about 2 weeks after car purchase--> I'm currently in Limbo! Who's supposed to be liable for this if I wanted to fix it in 2 days???
- car was purchased AS-IS, yet I still feel dealership basically sold me a lemon bc the car is currently not reliable enough to be on the road. It's not like one mirror isn't working or a taillight is out. The tranny is preventing us from normal driving!

Right on.

So this is where I'm at:
- Issue started happening less than 24 hrs after purchasing car
- Private dealership I bought it from referred me to a tech at BMW Dealership
- I'm bringing in my car tomorrow to have it checked. In addition I am also bringing it to a BMW repair shop that i've been doing business with for a few years for a second opinion.
- My powertrain warranty coverage hasn't even started yet since i wouldn't get that info/paperwork until about 2 weeks after car purchase--> I'm currently in Limbo! Who's supposed to be liable for this if I wanted to fix it in 2 days???
- car was purchased AS-IS, yet I still feel dealership basically sold me a lemon bc the car is currently not reliable enough to be on the road. It's not like one mirror isn't working or a taillight is out. The tranny is preventing us from normal driving!

Warranty should start the date you paid for it or the date you purchased the car if included in the price of the car. If someone tries to tell you you're not covered, small claims court is the answer.

Hood switch repair will not be very expensive, though, not like a pump/accumulator. :thumbsup2: If it were me I'd pay out of pocket then get reimbursed. Make sure whoever does the repair understands it's a warranty fix, so they document it properly.

Warranty should start the date you paid for it or the date you purchased the car if included in the price of the car. If someone tries to tell you you're not covered, small claims court is the answer.

Hood switch repair will not be very expensive, though, not like a pump/accumulator. :thumbsup2: If it were me I'd pay out of pocket then get reimbursed. Make sure whoever does the repair understands it's a warranty fix, so they document it properly.

Right - so far I dont think it's just the hood sensors. It's no longer engaging in 3rd gear and tranny light comes on still. sometimes still skip 3rd and 4th and run in safe mode.

You're right about "when" it should cover me, we DID pay for it at the time we purchased the car AND it was financed into the cost of the car at the same time.

I'm afraid of paying out of pocket first then fighting for reimburstment afterwards... just seems way too risky and perhaps a lengthy process. I think I rather wait a week (as the dealer claims) and use the warranty once i have the actual coverage information and am assigned a member/customer number.

taking it to 2 shops tomorrow for thorough inspection - I'm expecting to get a long list of things to fix since the car wasn't in perfect condition. Hopefully the main $$$ items fall under the powertrain agreement - engine and tranny components.

Right - so far I dont think it's just the hood sensors. It's no longer engaging in 3rd gear and tranny light comes on still. sometimes still skip 3rd and 4th and run in safe mode.

You're right about "when" it should cover me, we DID pay for it at the time we purchased the car AND it was financed into the cost of the car at the same time.

I'm afraid of paying out of pocket first then fighting for reimburstment afterwards... just seems way too risky and perhaps a lengthy process. I think I rather wait a week (as the dealer claims) and use the warranty once i have the actual coverage information and am assigned a member/customer number.

taking it to 2 shops tomorrow for thorough inspection - I'm expecting to get a long list of things to fix since the car wasn't in perfect condition. Hopefully the main $$$ items fall under the powertrain agreement - engine and tranny components.

With this new information, I'd say the hood sensors are probably not the only problem too, and this might get expensive. :shifty: I agree you're better off waiting for the coverage documentation to come through.

With this new information, I'd say the hood sensors are probably not the only problem too, and this might get expensive. :shifty: I agree you're better off waiting for the coverage documentation to come through.

everyone keeps saying there's 2 hood sensors, I'm only seeing one on the passenger side near firewall and ABS module.. where's the other one?

You are looking at the wrong place. The switches are integrated in the two hood latches, which are different for MT cars.

Which thread covered the resistor modification to the smg pump fluid temperature? I couldn't find it...

Which thread covered the resistor modification to the smg pump fluid temperature? I couldn't find it...

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=372262

My car won't start or take any gears out of no where! hood closed doors all that pump turns on fluid seems to be leveled relay. Does turn on or off with ignition on so pump does prime..... Idk what else to check or do just a blinking 0 and the yellow trans light!

How do I check if hood sensors are still in working order!?

I might just have to go shopping buy the resistor hood Sensors salmon relay

Hi to everyone.

I have M3 E46 '04 SMG.
So the problem is, my gearbox works just perfect everything is fine.
But few days ago, i had my first issue, Ussually it happens when i put in 5th gear, simply gear doesnt go, it flashing and sometimes i can just drop down to 4th or 3th, or it just show yellow gearbox light and goes in Neutral, so i need stop, switch off ignition and than i can drive again.
I were driving a lot after and i find out that it happening just with 5th and 6th gear. If i am driving just till 4th gear , everything is just fine.

So i checked with GT1 and DIS diagnostic, it show just gear missing error, i checked how pump working in moment when gear missing, everything is good, Pressure is always like it should be.

I am thinking i have broken spring, i read about them and symptoms are very close to mine.

In have NO Pentosin missing, everything is pefect.


I have video how it happening if somebody interested in, i can download it.

Easy first step in to put a new salmon relay in, then go from there.

Hi to everyone.

I have M3 E46 '04 SMG.
So the problem is, my gearbox works just perfect everything is fine.
But few days ago, i had my first issue, Ussually it happens when i put in 5th gear, simply gear doesnt go, it flashing and sometimes i can just drop down to 4th or 3th, or it just show yellow gearbox light and goes in Neutral, so i need stop, switch off ignition and than i can drive again.
I were driving a lot after and i find out that it happening just with 5th and 6th gear. If i am driving just till 4th gear , everything is just fine.

So i checked with GT1 and DIS diagnostic, it show just gear missing error, i checked how pump working in moment when gear missing, everything is good, Pressure is always like it should be.

I am thinking i have broken spring, i read about them and symptoms are very close to mine.

In have NO Pentosin missing, everything is pefect.


I have video how it happening if somebody interested in, i can download it.

We are in the same club... frustrating huh..

Hello everyone!

At first, please excuse my bad englisch :P

I am new to the forum but i have also a problem with my SMG.

I was driving home without any problems and the next day i could not start because i cant go to N position.
In the cockpit the SMG light goes on (yellow).


When i unlock the car lets say 10 times, 5 times the pump doesnt make any noise and 5 times she does.


The BMW-Servicecar was here to look in the error memory, there was 3 errors:

1. SMG-Relay

2. duty cycle of the pump takes to long

3. SMG low compression deviation



Then the errors were deleted and i try to drive a few meters and it was ok.

Does anybody had the same problem and can tell me whats wrong?

I will change the SMG-Relay tomorrow and then i will post again what happens.

I finally got the m started today! by messing with smg computer and now it doesn't go into any gears..... on the first start I scanned the car and 27 error codes all types of trans and repeated. Codes deleted and just had no gear what so ever really wanna get this fixed car went limp one moment to another!

This SMG stuff is crap.. as soon as I get the car in reliable driving status, i'm done with SMG... i'm going to look for a 6spd manual.

nothing but a headache from the day we bought the car.

This SMG stuff is crap.. as soon as I get the car in reliable driving status, i'm done with SMG... i'm going to look for a 6spd manual.

nothing but a headache from the day we bought the car.

I hear u my smg is giving me a ridiculous amount of headaches!!!

This SMG stuff is crap.. as soon as I get the car in reliable driving status, i'm done with SMG... i'm going to look for a 6spd manual.

nothing but a headache from the day we bought the car.


Still waiting on your warranty?

Still in this struggle car now engages the gear but instant grinding and chucks forward or reverse and shuts down!!! :ratatat:

Still in this struggle car now engages the gear but instant grinding and chucks forward or reverse and shuts down!!! :ratatat:


What repairs have you done so far?

What repairs have you done so far?

Salmon relay fluid reads max don't see no leaks on the floor pump primes when i unlock doors battery fully charged I'm out of ideas....

Wait, you're attempting to fix this with no service manual? Probably not the best idea...

Have you checked the hood switches?

Wait, you're attempting to fix this with no service manual? Probably not the best idea...

Have you checked the hood switches?

Yes don't have a service manual I'm going by what I'm reading here idk how to check if hood switches have gone bad?

Still in this struggle car now engages the gear but instant grinding and chucks forward or reverse and shuts down!!! :ratatat:

Sounds like the clutch isn't disengaging.

Steve

Yes Maybe slave issue I wanna fix but don't wanna buy parts that it does not need

Still waiting on your warranty?

All codes pointed to SMG pump failure - not enough pressure.. i get kicked into neutral - with accuator/gear position sensor next in line, we got the SMG replaced. HOWEVER ----> PowerTrain warranty came back and said "SMG pump denied!!!" Damnit man.

Guys - beware of these warranty companies... there's always fine print MAKE SURE THEY COVER SMG CARS, AND RELATED COMPONENTS - MOST OF THEM DO NOT!!!! My stupid company "NAC" (http://www.nacsolutions.com) only covered "internal parts of the transmission case - ONLY. that's total crap.

....so the dealer we bought it from dished out $1k bc they felt bad and wanted to help pay for pump replacement (total a bit over $3K parts & labor).. and we also canceled warranty and will be getting about $1300 back.. so we paid the rest "out of pocket".. i feel like an idiot.

NOW - it failed again, pressure is there now, shifts more distinctly, but i still got kicked out of gear and into neutral again after only about 10 mins of driving!!!

Having tech come out to diagnose the car AGAIN.. if it points to accuator/gps.. then that's another $900 in labor (i already have the part - used, bought it off of a forum member).

At this point, I'm going to see if dealer can pay for the additional repairs to make things right OR i just wanna resell it and move on with my life....

In this case, it's really no one's fault, dealer didn't know they bought a troubled car from auction, didn't drive it much to know anything else, sold to me, didn't act up during test drive, i didn't know... now i'm stuck dealing with it everyday.

I'm starting to lean more towards a Civic just so we can have a reliable car. sad isn't it????

PM me if you wanna know more - heck, text me if you want - 972-897-3094.. im sure a lot of you are going thru the same thing!

That sux.

Coupla things, though...

The warranty companies are in it to win it, i.e. make money. They'll always try to find a way out if they can, they already got your money. Fine print is their bread and butter, I've seen some that, after reading the contract, I couldn't tell if anything was covered under the warranty. :thumbsdown:

When dealers buy the car at auction, they know there's a reason it's at the auction, if it was a great car it wouldn't be up for auction to begin with. Having worked (for a short time) at a used car dealership, I've seen what goes on the block, and sometimes it's not pretty... even bought one myself and it only went 8 miles (on the way home from the auction) before a rod exited stage left. But the rest of the car was clean enough and the price was low enough that it was worth it to fix it. I didn't lose money, but I didn't make as much as I'd hoped either, more like broke even after factoring in my time.

If the dealer you bought it from is wanting to help out this much, I think someone feels a little guilty and is maybe hoping you don't try to go after them in court. Not sure what the law is in Texas, in California, you'd be pretty much screwed.

ok - latest on my situation, parts replaced: SMG pump, flywheel, clutch, used actuator and gear position sensor, all professionally installed and programmed. -- now it's skipping 3rd gear completely. drove fine for a few minutes after everything was put back together.. now no more 3rd.

i heard it's bc of compression spring... please dont tell me i gotta take the tranny off again!.. anyone know?? is this an easy fix? if not... i may consider selling the car!

thanks.

Thanks and great info, I have a quick ? I purchased a 2003 m3 conv with the smg tranny and have put around 2000 miles on it and the problem is twice while driving in auto when it goes to shift into 3rd it pops out of gear and the tranny light stays on. Thanks for any help you can offer

Latest update from my issue: throws me into neutral during driving, parked (in 1st gear), down shifting and/or upshifting. I have to coast to a complete stop, shut off the engine, wait for yellow COG to turn off then attempt to restart the car (sometimes several times) to get back into 1st gear and start driving again.

I just spent thousands on these items and issue is still there!
- SMG pump
- SMG actuator
- SMG Gear position sensor
- Flywheel (since I had transmission off)
- Clutch (since I had transmission off)

Here's my last step: swapping out the SMG ECU/control module.

If this does work... anyone wanna buy my car and continue this journey??? I've already prelaced all the major tranny components!

Did you do all this yourself?

Did you do all this yourself?

No - I would if i had the time and "smg" experience.

Had a BMW mobile repair serice come to my house.

... the ECU replacement is coming in today.. i'm excited - this is the very last peice to my puzzle. I'll see if it fixed my problem!

:goodluck: to myself!!!

Man, I find it really hard to believe that EVERY SINGLE SMG part on your car was defective... :shifty:

Another Guide (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=14633822#post14633822) Just in case your issue isn't covered here.

No - I would if i had the time and "smg" experience.

Had a BMW mobile repair serice come to my house.

... the ECU replacement is coming in today.. i'm excited - this is the very last peice to my puzzle. I'll see if it fixed my problem!

:goodluck: to myself!!!

Any luck?

Any luck?

Hell no - i'm so pissed at this thing.. we are ready to sell it and have someone else take a stab at it.

only other thing i can think of is..."did i do the resistor mod on the temp sensor incorrectly?" I used a 3.3K Ohm resistor.. shouldn't that take care of this? Car drove perfectly all night for about an hour.. then in the morning, about 25mins into my drive, i was cruising in 4th, then all of a sudden, I give it gas and it doesnt respond. (it's as if clutch is engaged and it's rev matching so I can barely get the RPM to budge!) so i coasted to a stop, waited a min, restarted and back to normal - I really can't take this anymore.

Why the heck can't this just be fixed, poured over $5K into transmission & SMG parts and labor.. the hell?!?

i'm done with this SMG stuff... the car is up for sale if anyone wants to take over the troubleshooting.. i'm going low - $16700, 78k miles, white/blk. good luck to us both.

If the problem is that repeatable you need to be driving the car with a passenger armed with a laptop running INPA. Pity there's no app (to my knowledge) which will log everything whilst driving so you can do a detailed post-mitten when the light comes on. The ECU publishes loads of data; it just needs to be logged!

Anybody know of a logging application?

Steve

Aha! See http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43573.

Steve

Just take it to the stealership...thats what i did, got tired of trying to diagnose the problem on my own.

If the problem is that repeatable you need to be driving the car with a passenger armed with a laptop running INPA. Pity there's no app (to my knowledge) which will log everything whilst driving so you can do a detailed post-mitten when the light comes on. The ECU publishes loads of data; it just needs to be logged!

Anybody know of a logging application?

Steve

Actually, before we changed out the SMG pump, i had a tech with me in the car watching for faults,. At the time, i did the resistor mod and it was not secure, so faults would show up pertaining to the temp of the hydraulic fluid being invalid.. i have since then secured the resistor tightly but afterwards there was not another attempt to log while driving.

starting to wonder it was all guess-work.... i'm really bummed.

Just take it to the stealership...thats what i did, got tired of trying to diagnose the problem on my own.

yeah, dealership is my next step. tomorrow dropping off, they will diagnose on the weekday. I'm planning to give them a list of all the items i've replaced.. hard to believe I somehow ended up with TWO broken SMG actuators and gear position sensors! - i dont think any of the items I've replaced/swapped was the root cause: smg pump, smg actuator, gear position sensor, smg ECU (control unit), clutch, flywheel, smg relay, resistor mod... hood pins are fine. only other thing is the main ECU, pedal and gear shifter unit???

Guessing so based on your repair costs, but the new HCU/pump you put in, was it new from BMW?
Also, don't think this ever causes gears to drop but does cause skipped gears or failure to go into gear - did you ever replace the detent springs?

ADS

Hell no - i'm so pissed at this thing.. we are ready to sell it and have someone else take a stab at it.

only other thing i can think of is..."did i do the resistor mod on the temp sensor incorrectly?" I used a 3.3K Ohm resistor.. shouldn't that take care of this? Car drove perfectly all night for about an hour.. then in the morning, about 25mins into my drive, i was cruising in 4th, then all of a sudden, I give it gas and it doesnt respond. (it's as if clutch is engaged and it's rev matching so I can barely get the RPM to budge!) so i coasted to a stop, waited a min, restarted and back to normal - I really can't take this anymore.

Why the heck can't this just be fixed, poured over $5K into transmission & SMG parts and labor.. the hell?!?

i'm done with this SMG stuff... the car is up for sale if anyone wants to take over the troubleshooting.. i'm going low - $16700, 78k miles, white/blk. good luck to us both.

right, the only thing I haven't done is compression spring(s). But haven't been able to find a definite symptom to that cause... throughout this whole time, i've been told so many different things(logic) that it's starting to not make much sense. best to stick to the basics.

Yes it was OEM BMW pump.

I was told.. oh, replace Pump, not holding enough pressure.. ok.. did that.. issue still there... oh, it can only be the actuator/gps.. swapped that out too, issue is still there.

maybe I'll jsut go to Carmax and get on with my life.

did you replace the clutch slave cylinder? Hang in there man, i went through smg hell last month.

I hate myself for buying this smg model I had the clutch changed due to the shop telling me it was the issue and now the car no longer has 2nd 4th or 6th gear !!!! Wtf I'm going nuts there telling me I need to change out full trans,,

The selection of these gears has in common the movement of the hydraulic actuator in the same direction. I'd be looking at the actuator or potentiometer measuring its deflection.

Steve

I hate myself for buying this smg model I had the clutch changed due to the shop telling me it was the issue and now the car no longer has 2nd 4th or 6th gear !!!! Wtf I'm going nuts there telling me I need to change out full trans,,

I had the same issue when I changed the gear position sensor. You need it re-calibrated with GT1 or ISID software.

I had the same issue when I changed the gear position sensor. You need it re-calibrated with GT1 or ISID software.

My mechanic said he couldn't calibrate the trans that it would not let him go thru 4th gear and it now locks him out of th4th and remaining gears

What software are you using?

I'll contribute to this thread, my 2002 e46 m3 with 68000 miles recently had a SMG failure that left me stranded on the side of the freeway. I was doing a high rpm shift from 3rd to 4th and the car went to "0" on the gear display and won't go into 1st or Reverse. Turned out to be the compression spring in the transmission. Hope that helps anybody in the same situation

I'm new here, just picked up a 2006 SMG with 60,000km (37,282 miles) . I love this transmission, however with all the readings, i feel I'm on a time bomb waiting to explode....

Been a long time since I have been here. Hoping to get some info that I have not found. My wifes 04 M3 (bought new) has been recently experiencing the popping out of gear syndrome. Believe it is the pump or accumulator. One thing I have noticed lately is when the car is just sitting with the ignition on (not running) the pump seems to turn on every 30 seconds to a minute. I looked at the reservior and I can see it slowly filling back up after the pump stops. I rarely drive the car and do not remember this behavior. Is this normal? I am a major DIYer and do most things myself. Recently did the clutch and found a slightly leaking slave cylinder which I will be changing this weekend. I know the slave cylinder will not fix the bleed back into the reservior. Trying to decide if I want to spend the 2k on the pump or sell and move on. Would like to keep the car for a couple of more years and for 2-3k it is worth it for me. TIA for any suggestions.

Richard

I'm new here, just picked up a 2006 SMG with 60,000km (37,282 miles) . I love this transmission, however with all the readings, i feel I'm on a time bomb waiting to explode....

not really man.. i have 90k on my car and havent had a single issue with the SMG. just make sure to take care of it, and rape it every so often... yes rape it.. run the heck out of it shift it hard.. dont baby the trans 24/7

not really man.. i have 90k on my car and havent had a single issue with the SMG. just make sure to take care of it, and rape it every so often... yes rape it.. run the heck out of it shift it hard.. dont baby the trans 24/7

Thanks! I've had manual cars all my life, yet I'm loving this SMG!!

I had my first SMG Moment last night.... I was adjusting my headlights, and while I was messing around, the gear indicator started flashing and the car would not actually go into gear.... After thinking I was just bombed, I came in and did some net research. Well duh.. thet car does not go into gear with the hood unlatched :lolhit:

I had the hood down but unlatched as I was wanting to backup from the wall to test my alignment.

Thanks! I've had manual cars all my life, yet I'm loving this SMG!!

I had my first SMG Moment last night.... I was adjusting my headlights, and while I was messing around, the gear indicator started flashing and the car would not actually go into gear.... After thinking I was just bombed, I came in and did some net research. Well duh.. thet car does not go into gear with the hood unlatched :lolhit:

I had the hood down but unlatched as I was wanting to backup from the wall to test my alignment.

Wow, I bet you felt relieved!

Wow, I bet you felt relieved!

You said it!!! Thanks :)

Hello friends

First thanks for helping in what may, my name is Mario and I have a 2003 e46 M3, my car takes a hit in the box when I go from 2-3 in the clutch and when I go from 4-3 the car hit me three sometimes, :lolhit:when I say it sounds strikes a blow and I just made ​​that action at that time, no other change in clutch only makes those sounds.

I appreciate all the information and advice you can give me about it.

Mario:thumbsup2:

Thanks! I've had manual cars all my life, yet I'm loving this SMG!!

I had my first SMG Moment last night.... I was adjusting my headlights, and while I was messing around, the gear indicator started flashing and the car would not actually go into gear.... After thinking I was just bombed, I came in and did some net research. Well duh.. thet car does not go into gear with the hood unlatched :lolhit:

I had the hood down but unlatched as I was wanting to backup from the wall to test my alignment.

lol there are definitely little things such as that, the driver door being open, and a few minor adjustments i wish could be removed but it is what it is.. once my actuator goes out (or is it the accumulator? either way the $3000 piece) ill be removing the SMG and swapping a 6MT into it..

At (for instance) WOT, the number will just blink on the dash until letting out of the throttle lets the gear grab, or you get the SMG cog light and that particular gear disappears. For example: WOT in 2nd gear, pull paddle, "3" flashes on dash and either engages after several seconds, or the SMG cog light comes on and the transmission engages 4th instead. After this, 3rd will be unselectable.

I copied n pasted that from another thread^^^.Thats exactly whats going on with my car right now ^. I will accelerate it hard from 2nd to 3rd and my 3rd gear wont engage and just skip to 4th. Then my yellow smg light comes on. Just dropped it off at a local shop around my area. Told them to check the springs orthe GPS. crossing my fingers the cost isnt too much. Will keep you guys updated.

At (for instance) WOT, the number will just blink on the dash until letting out of the throttle lets the gear grab, or you get the SMG cog light and that particular gear disappears. For example: WOT in 2nd gear, pull paddle, "3" flashes on dash and either engages after several seconds, or the SMG cog light comes on and the transmission engages 4th instead. After this, 3rd will be unselectable.

I copied n pasted that from another thread^^^.Thats exactly whats going on with my car right now ^. I will accelerate it hard from 2nd to 3rd and my 3rd gear wont engage and just skip to 4th. Then my yellow smg light comes on. Just dropped it off at a local shop around my area. Told them to check the springs orthe GPS. crossing my fingers the cost isnt too much. Will keep you guys updated.

Exactly what mine was doing and it was the spring.

If it turns out to be your GPS and nobody has one in stock, I have one to sell. Still in unopened package.

Was having intermittent starting problems with my '04 SMG.

After alot of diagnosing and troubleshooting it turned out to be the clutch release bearing and arm. The bearing and arm wore into eachother to the point that the bearing was allowed to move within the release arm. Which would not allow the clutch to engage/disengage properly.

Well, my pump replacement did not go as expected. Problem was the pump as the system was not bleeding back into the reservoir after replacement. I replaced the slave cylinder at the same time as it was leaking. Turns out I should have just got the GT1 software and not try to use the AE software. After what I thought was an adequate bleed the car dumped the clutch in the garage. Was quick to brake and shut down, but something in the driveline is definitly broken. Clutch, transmission, drive shaft or rear end? Wish the dealers around here were trustworthy, it would save me the frustration.

Exactly what mine was doing and it was the spring.

If it turns out to be your GPS and nobody has one in stock, I have one to sell. Still in unopened package.

Yeah? Well i just spoke to the mechanic where i left my car at. And they said it could be the smg pump??? i dont understand that one since my car turns on drives mostly fine just slips gears when downshifting or when im accelerating hard from 2-3 and 3-4. From what ive read there is NO WAY it can be the smg pump. He said he was going do some more research on it to make sure its not the whole pump to call him back in a couple hours.

The M is finally back on the road! When I got the GT1 I found out the clutch was not actually working. Turns out there was a broken pin on the weatherpack connector for the slave cylinder. The computer did not know where the clutch was at and pushed the actuator pin all the way out of the slave cylinder. Put my old one back in for now and will see about getting another replacement. As others that are more experience have said, the GT1 is a necessity when opening the hydrolic system on the SMG. The bleed programs do what they are supposed to do. Hope I can sell off the AE software as I no longer need it.

I am not sure what to do here. I've been reading all over this forum as well as others. I drive a 2006 M3 with SMG.

I stopped at a light last Friday and when I went to take off, the N (neutral) symbol flashed at me and the engine revved. The car would not go into gear whether I used the paddles or the shifter knob. I had to have it towed to the nearest service center

I just bought it used from a guy who could no longer afford payments on it after he had to have the SMG pump replaced in May at a dealership in Beverly Hills, CA. I now live in Oklahoma. The guy from the dealership here in OK called today to say the SMG pump had to be replaced. I was relieved because it should have all been covered since it has a 2 years parts warranty and its only been 4 months since the SMG pump was replaced. I tell him this and he tells me I should be in the clear. Coincidentally, as we're wrapping things up on the phone, a technician supposedly walked up and told him another M3 with similar symptoms was just fixed and it had broken compression springs.

The service rep tells me they may have misdiagnosed the problem and he'll call me back. Sure enough, an hour later he calls me back telling me I have 2 broken compression springs and a $1200 bill.

Is it possible that he could have re-diagnosed the problem that quickly without being full of shit?
What would cause the compression springs to break?

This all seems really fishy to me. Initially he stands to make a $4000 dollar repair by replacing the entire pump, but when he finds out that it will be covered under warranty, another M3 with the same symptoms comes out of nowhere causing him to reevaluate and change it up so he instead makes $1200. $2800 short of his initial diagnosis, but a profit nonetheless.

P.S. I would be looking into this myself, but I am going TDY in a week and don't have time to look at it myself, let alone wait for the parts to ship.

Going to bed just saw this . Seems odd. Could be springs but usually the don't cause problem at idle going into first. I'd ask him what the error codes are. I don't think springs generate codes too often, but how is he getting from one diagnosis to the other; what are the facts/codes?
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The gear indicator flashing '0' with no illuminated cog warning normally means that a bonnet switch is indicating that its not closed.

Steve

I'm sorry, i wasn't clear about the cog light. it came on intermittently. Sometimes it was on after trying to put it in gear, other times it was off

Going to bed just saw this . Seems odd. Could be springs but usually the don't cause problem at idle going into first. I'd ask him what the error codes are. I don't think springs generate codes too often, but how is he getting from one diagnosis to the other; what are the facts/codes?
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That's exactly what mine did when the spring failed. It wouldn't engage either first or reverse. Stuck in neutral. Although mine was showing signs of a broken spring previously by having the 'not shifting at higher RPM' fault.

Exactly, usually starts missing gears at higher RPM, then most folks fix it and often no error codes in this case. But if you have yellow cog there will be error codes.
ADS

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I was hoping to not be joining the club but I guess I am...


Two days ago while going into R and then 1st my car just stopped pulling. It was as if someone just disengaged the clutch. During this time, there were no smg lights nor flashing gears. I coasted to a stop and turned it off and back on. It then got stuck in 1st gear and I couldnt change it to 0. I let the car sit and later drove it to a friends house without issue. I let the car sit till today. I also noticed the fluid was low and refilled it.

While driving back home, everything went fine until the smg cog light came on. The car still shifted fine. I decided to pull over just to be sure I secured the cap on the reservoir correctly. I got back into my car and started to pull away. I was about to shift into 3rd when the same issue as before arose. The car just reved. As before, no flashing gear indicator but the smg cog light was still on. The car remained in 2nd and then wouldnt engage into 0 for a restart. I waited a few minutes and tried it again luckily with success. The car drove home perfectly fine.

Unfortunately I dont have autoengunuity to run a diag, I'm hoping someone in my area does. If worst comes to worst I'll have take it to a shop.


So here are my questions. Has anyone obviously ever had a similar situation? I think this may be an electrical issue but am not sure. Can I get that smg cog light for air being in my system? Would a light pop up after I refilled my system?

Thanks in advance

As always, if the cog light comes on, it's the SMG ECU's way of saying "I've got something to tell you". Admittedly it may have a misleading tale to tell, but that's step one for sure.

Air in the system would result in the pump running for too long trying to build pressure. I once convinced myself that was the problem I was seeing, but having had a pump apart I can honestly say that the level would have to be very low to cause a problem.

Steve

Ok, I have not read all the 49 pages but quite a few of them and also done research elsewhere.

My SMG light came first on three days ago on a high speed highway run. I stopped at a gasoline station, filled the tank and restarted the engine. Light disappeared.

I had a similar event a few days later. Restarting the car turned off the light.

Yesterday I participated a track day, did some 20+ laps without any problems or warning lights, really pushing the car. During a break though I noticed that the light came back on again. This time though, it stayed on regarless of what I did. I decided to cut my trackday short and limp back home...only to notice that the SMG light had disappeared. My guess is that cooling down the car helped.

During all this time, I did not notice any problems with shifting, car going to neutral or such. It was driving just fine.

Today I checked the SMG fluid (a little low, perhaps 8mm below max) and then pulled the codes with Inpa:
- Engine: "177 MIL-Extern-Info"
- Gearbox: "114 Auswertung Waehlhebel" and "56 Einschaltdauer Hydraulikeinheit" (the latter two times)

http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad280/sam_a156/IMG_0779.jpg
http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad280/sam_a156/IMG_0778.jpg
http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad280/sam_a156/IMG_0777.jpg

At the moment there are no lights and the car is driving fine.

Could it be leaking SMG fluid piping or something like that...? And how worried should I be?

Google translate is your friend "114 Evaluation selector lever" may give you some clues. 56 is the classic error seen when the temperature sensor is on its way out and is often cured by the resistor mod.

Steve

Google translate is your friend "114 Evaluation selector lever" may give you some clues. 56 is the classic error seen when the temperature sensor is on its way out and is often cured by the resistor mod.


Danke! :hattip:

Well, I do not have any long trips planned for the time being so perhaps I will just wait until new symptomps arise.

Drove yesterday about 200 miles after the track day without any problems. Today also no SMG lights during a short spin and car worked perfectly.

Hi Everyone,

Wondered if you guys may be able to point me in the right direction with my 04 SMG M3.

The car has 82k. Recently the car started this jerky, kangaroo motion when cold, it then started when hot about week after as well, but was very intermittent. Thought it was clutch. Took it to a BMW specialist and the car had logged misfire fault, so had the coils and spark plugs replaced. All seemed fine once this had been done. However, when the car is cold you can hear the Aux air pump kick in, this will last for around 2 mins or so. If I drive the car while this is running, the kangaroo and jerky drive re-appears again. If i wait for it to finish, all seems ok.

im not convinced this is normal, but the BMW guys say it is. I cannot see BMW designing a car that does that. I should be able to drive it from cold.

Now my second problem. While driving, sometimes the car seems like it loses power for a microsecond, but you can defiantly notice it, its not a smooth power delivery at times, feels like a misfire. But had this checked and nothing has been logged.

They recommend i have the valve thing done "under Inspection 2", but i cannot see these solving the issue.

Does anyone have any ideas at all? (SMG Gear box had no faults either) otherwise i can see im going to spend thousands sorting it out.

Thanks guys

The M is finally back on the road! When I got the GT1 I found out the clutch was not actually working. Turns out there was a broken pin on the weatherpack connector for the slave cylinder. The computer did not know where the clutch was at and pushed the actuator pin all the way out of the slave cylinder. Put my old one back in for now and will see about getting another replacement. As others that are more experience have said, the GT1 is a necessity when opening the hydrolic system on the SMG. The bleed programs do what they are supposed to do. Hope I can sell off the AE software as I no longer need it.

what was your original symtom/issue?

did you replace the clutch slave cylinder? Hang in there man, i went through smg hell last month.

no, that has never been replaced (by me), would that cause gear dropping into Neutral at random times (in any driving condition or mode)?

Guessing so based on your repair costs, but the new HCU/pump you put in, was it new from BMW?
Also, don't think this ever causes gears to drop but does cause skipped gears or failure to go into gear - did you ever replace the detent springs?

ADS

i never heard of detent springs.. where's that located?

Hi Everyone,

Wondered if you guys may be able to point me in the right direction with my 04 SMG M3.

The car has 82k. Recently the car started this jerky, kangaroo motion when cold, it then started when hot about week after as well, but was very intermittent. Thought it was clutch. Took it to a BMW specialist and the car had logged misfire fault, so had the coils and spark plugs replaced. All seemed fine once this had been done. However, when the car is cold you can hear the Aux air pump kick in, this will last for around 2 mins or so. If I drive the car while this is running, the kangaroo and jerky drive re-appears again. If i wait for it to finish, all seems ok.

im not convinced this is normal, but the BMW guys say it is. I cannot see BMW designing a car that does that. I should be able to drive it from cold.

Now my second problem. While driving, sometimes the car seems like it loses power for a microsecond, but you can defiantly notice it, its not a smooth power delivery at times, feels like a misfire. But had this checked and nothing has been logged.

They recommend i have the valve thing done "under Inspection 2", but i cannot see these solving the issue.

Does anyone have any ideas at all? (SMG Gear box had no faults either) otherwise i can see im going to spend thousands sorting it out.

Thanks guys


I've got a 2004 with 72k miles. I have no problem with driving it right away, even when the aux air pump running. It is more prone to jerky behavior when cold, but it has always been. So I am not seeing the same issues with a similar car. Sorry, wish I could help!

ok thanks for your reply, ill create a new thread to see if anyone has any ideas

My cars gear indicator blinks going into 2,4, and 6th..and won't go in..I have to skip 1-3-5
Any ideas?

Great info in here for SMG owners, thanks guys

Hi everyone, I have just acquired 2003.5 M3, it is white with cinnamon interior. It is a convertible and has smg.

I am having difficulty driving the car.

Here are the symptoms.

In AUTO mode, when down shift from 4th to 3rd gear, 3rd gear keep flashing and power is lost, gear cog light come on. Need to stop car and turn off for a couple minutes and then i am good to go until problem comes back in same situation.

in Sequential mode (S2 out of 6), I upshift from 1st gear to 2nd and the indicator stay flashing and does not catch gear, even though it try to catch gear, sometimes it does end up catching gear like 5 seconds after upshift. When it doesn’t catch gear, i need to pull over and turn car off, or i can downshift back to 1st and try again.

sometimes it work and upshift fine, but still with slight delay, when i go to upshift from 3rd to 4th, the car quickly go back to 3rd and i lose power. I have to pull over and gear will not get out of 3rd on indicator.

Also, sometimes I switch from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd stay flashing and will not go into gear.

I have extra salmon relay that i haven’t tried, i have not check the smg fluid level yet.

I will do these things in next few days.

I have not run code lately, but about 2 week ago i run code with OBDII reader and it comes back with # 37 Gear position/ shift travel P 1848

Ok UPDATE:

I replaced the salmon relay, but have not started the car yet. I checked level of SMG fluid and could not find anything in there. This is not good. I have trouble finding Pentosin CHF 11s.

I am from Boston, anyone have this hyraulic fluid on such short notice. please email me at vahagn.dem @ gmail.com

So today i topped off the SMG hydraulic fluid and then I went for a ride. I shifted from 1st to 2nd and the gear indicator kept flashing 2 and it wouldn’t go into the gear. Turned the car off, turned it back on and tried it again. Started in 1st gear, changed to 2nd gear and it automatically went back to first gear at which point I lost throttle power again. It seems like there is no pressure!

Where have you looked for Pentosin? Try Oreillys , VW dealer, BMW dealer.

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Where have you looked for Pentosin? Try Oreillys , VW dealer, BMW dealer.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I found the fluid at the local BMW dealer $31.5 for the liter