it finally happened: TRANS PROGRAM (code 100)

[shragon]

background: '95 525i with 148k miles on original auto tranny (A4S 310R). inspection II done less than a few thousand miles ago which included tranny flush (done at every inspection II) and replacement of tranny oil cooler.

kept getting the trans program message this past weekend. felt like the tranny didn't know when to shift and would rev weird. if i drive it very gently in ED mode, and i can get by without the trans program message coming up, but it still shifts weird. if the trans program message was on, it would go into limp mode (3rd gear only).

i had a friend that works at a dealer throw it on the computer for me last night. it's throwing code 100 - speed monitoring.

100 Speed monitoring

Speed sensor signal faulty, or slip in transmission too high.
It is also possible that the clutch is defective.
Gear Box Program : Mechanical Emergency Program.

Speed ratio n-ab/n-mot not correct for gear selected

could this be the speed sensor? i called up the place i usually go to, and they said the tranny may be going south. i made an apointment to bring it in, where they're going to diagnos it by taking a sample of the fluid and etc.

please let me know what your opinion is. thanks!

[ryan roopnarine]

that (to me) sounds like a completely electrical trans problem like a speed sensor. the telltale is the lack of gradual symptoms, and, most importantly, the fact that if you drive it soft enough, the problem isn't there and doesn't set off a trans program. the speed sensor was dying in my mother's car (ford taurus) for a while. i was the only one that seemed could drive it and not have it pop out of gear on it, because i figured, quite crudely, that the sensor needed extra time to figure out which gear/speed it was in to make shifts. my uncle wanted it left alone, so i didn't touch it, he eventually got around to fixing it (he's a mechanic). it was abused like this for several thousand miles.....sensor fixed, problem gone, no burning of fluid.

[shragon]

thanks for the reply! any other opinions and/or experiences out there?

[miliue]

Sounds electrical to me too, although I've never had an auto so can't be sure. When the TRANS code comes up, I believe the tranny automatically goes into limp/emergency mode (2nd gear?) and that could be why it seems to be revving weird.

Hopefully it's just the speed sensor.

I have heard though, that worn out transmissions can display problems after a fluid flush. Apparently what happens is that the old lose friction material and whatnot is suspended in the old fluid, masking the problem. When the fluid is flushed, all that friction material comes out with it and the tranny fails. Hopefully this isn't the case with your car though, otherwise you're looking at a tranny swap.

[shragon]

when it goes into limp mode, it is locked into 3rd gear.

i'm hoping it's just the speed sensor too!

[tim]

I wish that error code could be more specific.

Could be a valve body issue- which would line up well with the "tranny is in decline" thesis. The fluid check for quality and level will settle that issue. The volume of the fluid varies with temperature, and perhaps cold weather put it below a threshhold for the torque converter? I'm fishing. Ya gotta look and see.

I tend to agree with Ryan that the lack of onset symptoms makes it seem electrical. Hopefully it's just one of those speed sensors in the valve body, as it's pretty cheap.

Could be a module failure. I had that on my 95 540i. I was getting tranny codes for temp, sensors, and solenoids. Opened it expecting to see burnt fluid etc, yet it was clean. Did the Kirt K valve body swap, preventatively, and even with a brand new harness on it I was pulling codes and in trans prog hell. Kirt sent me a known good egs module, and presto! fixed. I recently had an abs module go on an e39- it lit up the dash warnings like a christmas tree: ABS Brake DSC CE- after testing all the speed sensors, I determined it was the module, and sent it to "Module Master" for a rebuild, and it's as good as new now.

anyway,

Before spending bux, it's worth seeing if you can borrow a known good one for a minute. From my experience it's cheaper to eliminate that possibility first.

[shragon]

thanks for the info.

i don't have much time, and this car is my daily driver. crossing my fingers it's nothing too serious!

[Strap]

3 days ago, running on the highway all of a sudden im stuck in 3rd gear car was reving higher than normal, was crusing at high speed at the time 140km and it had a slight thud then rpms up and codes on the dash was 'TRANS Program" See Manual" . . i stopped shut it down and pulled the trans fuse reset the computer and drove back slow all ok after that till i got home and floored it to chack and bam in 3rd again. was at dealer 2 hrs speed sensor . all good
almost 280.00 usd .
Good luck
Strap

[paintpro21]

yesterday was the second time my car has thrown the trans program fault since ive owned the car. the first time was the Wente meet that Keith held (you were there too). my fluid is all good, and ive even topped it off a few times when i see that the pan is wet. filter is new also, so its probably just age in my case. although the previous owner might have put a new tranny into it because i can't believe an auto would survive to 170k+

[shragon]

thanks for the responses fellas!