BMW 3 Hybrid Trans Failure, Oil Pressure Mystery

Hi there! I have some experience working on cars and went through something very similar with my 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 last year. The symptoms you're describing sound really familiar, I had those exact warning lights and transmission issues. After a bit of diagnostic work, it turned out to be a faulty cable connection to the transmission control unit. Got it fixed at my regular workshop and the total bill came to 95 Euro for the cable repair. It was actually a pretty quick fix once they found the problem. Since then, my 5 Series has been running smoothly with no transmission problems. Before I share more specific details, could you tell me your exact mileage and when you first noticed these symptoms? Also, are there any specific error codes showing up? This would help me give you more targeted advice based on my experience. Quick tip though, don't drive it too much in this condition to prevent any potential transmission damage.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My 3 Series just hit 172382 KM and had its last service about 2 months ago. The symptoms started popping up last week, pretty suddenly actually. The error codes are P0700 and P0732, but honestly, your situation sounds really similar to mine. The cable connection issue seems like it could be the culprit, especially since it started so abruptly. That's actually a big relief because I was worried it might be something way more expensive! Did your mechanic have to do any special programming after fixing the cable, or was it just a straightforward replacement? Really appreciate the tip about limiting driving, I've been trying to avoid using it except when absolutely necessary.

Hey again! Yeah, after reading your error codes, I'm even more convinced it's similar to what I experienced. With my ActiveHybrid 5, the mechanic actually didn't need to do any reprogramming, it was literally just the cable connection that needed fixing. They just cleaned the connection points, reseated the cable, and secured it properly. Just to add some detail I didn't mention before, when my issue started, it was also pretty sudden, just like yours. I remember driving home from work one day when all those warning lights suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree. The total repair only took about an hour, which was a huge relief. One thing I learned from my experience though, while the cable issue was the main problem, my mechanic also found that the connection had corroded a bit due to moisture getting in there. They applied some dielectric grease to prevent future corrosion. Might be worth asking your mechanic to check for that too. Looking at your mileage (mine was around 165000 KM when it happened), we're in the same ballpark. Those P0700 and P0732 codes are exactly what I saw too. Just keep babying it until you can get it to the shop, and hopefully, you'll be looking at the same simple fix I had!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! that's seriously reassuring to hear about the simple fix and short repair time. You're absolutely right, our situations sound practically identical, right down to the sudden onset and mileage. I'll definitely mention the dielectric grease thing to my mechanic, really smart preventive measure there! Actually managed to get an appointment for tomorrow morning, and I'm feeling way more optimistic now that it won't break the bank. Fingers crossed it's just that cable connection issue like yours was. The fact that your BMW's been running smoothly since the repair is super encouraging. Will probably drop back in here tomorrow to let everyone know what the actual problem turned out to be. Really appreciate you taking the time to share all those details, helped calm my nerves about this whole situation!