Hello everyone,
I sold my 5er and just purchased an '02 x5 4.4 w/117,000mi. that seems to be in pretty immaculate shape. but.. She's making a couple wierd noises. One of them when the engine is under load from about 2500-3000rpm-up. It's a relatively quiet wine, like a torqe converter that's low on tranny fluid or worn out. The dealership won't change the fluid for me and are telling me it has a "lifetime fluid" B.S.!!! No fluid lasts over 120,000 miles! Does anyone know the problem or has anyone changed the fluid before? Also it has a high HIGH pitch whistle like a vacume line is off or something.. I've checked all around the engine bay, and found nothing, could this all be the cause of a dying tranny? Any input would be greatly appreciated:)
Thanks, Rylen

Pelican parts has some good articles on transmissions and fluid changes. Also check the Bavauto website. Good luck.

You have the same transmission at the 1998 - 2003 540i (A5S440Z). There is a bunch more info under that car.

Here's one of my writeups (though I can't do URL's since not enough posts...)
Bimmerboard: bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/462269/

Hello everyone,
I sold my 5er and just purchased an '02 x5 4.4 w/117,000mi. that seems to be in pretty immaculate shape. but.. She's making a couple wierd noises. One of them when the engine is under load from about 2500-3000rpm-up. It's a relatively quiet wine, like a torqe converter that's low on tranny fluid or worn out. The dealership won't change the fluid for me and are telling me it has a "lifetime fluid" B.S.!!! No fluid lasts over 120,000 miles! Does anyone know the problem or has anyone changed the fluid before? Also it has a high HIGH pitch whistle like a vacume line is off or something.. I've checked all around the engine bay, and found nothing, could this all be the cause of a dying tranny? Any input would be greatly appreciated:)
Thanks, Rylen

Do you hear the whine when the A/C is on or off? I'm hearing a similar whine on my 3.0i, but it only does it with the A/C on at the start of the car; that is if I start the car with the A/C turned on. But if I start the car with the A/C off, then wait about a minute or so before engaging A/C, then the whine disappear. I'm wondering if our problems could be related to the compressor.

By the way...my maintenance manual for an '04 states the "lifetime" transmission fluid should be drain/refill every 100k miles. If your dealer won't do it, find a good indy to perform it. I guessed it's a liability issue for the dealer at that milage, that's why they don't want to do it.

My '06 3.0i also makes that Whine sound and it's beause of the A/C being on as well. My Audi a3 use to do the same thing. Will that be bad for the car in the long run? Do I always have to make sure the A/C is off before I shut down?

My '06 3.0i also makes that Whine sound and it's beause of the A/C being on as well. My Audi a3 use to do the same thing. Will that be bad for the car in the long run? Do I always have to make sure the A/C is off before I shut down?

So your A/C whine is behaving like mine? I just noticed it recently and I'm sure it wasn't there since new. When you hear the whine, turn off your AC and drive a few minutes with the AC off before reactivating your AC, does it still whine?

we need pictures