Transmission Maintenance

BMW gives you recommended maintenance intervals in your owner's manual, and your engine computer tells you when to take your car in for service. Monitoring the transmission is part of the equation, and BMW does state that the automatic transmissions are "sealed for life" and do not need to have their fluid changed. Some of the independent, career BMW technicians we know like to recommend changing the fluid anyway, normally at around 60,000 miles. This is just a precaution, can only help the transmission and extend its life. It's cheap insurance.

Your BMW can have a General Motors automatic transmission or a German manufactured ZF type transmission. There are several types of transmission offered within the same year. The GM transmissions use Conventional Dexron fluid, the others can use a synthetic oil that is supposed to be a lifetime fill. I am not a BMW expert but work on a lot of Jaguars and let me tell you lifetime fill can mean 80,000 miles and the transmission is dead. Change the fluid every 30,000 miles if you drive hard, or at least every 60,000 to ensure long transmission life. Call a few independent BMW repair shops in your area and see what they recommend and ask if they have seen problems with these transmissions.

do not over look the problem

I have a 2001 bmw 325i, the transmission when in drive does'nt shift down at 60mph the car runs at 2500rpm. Any help is appreciated