BMW 5 Hybrid Transmission Grinding in Limp Mode

Hey there! I had nearly identical issues with my 2016 BMW 7 Series Hybrid last year. The symptoms you're describing match exactly what I experienced, transmission warning light, limp mode, poor acceleration, and that awful grinding during shifts. After taking it to the garage, they confirmed it was indeed a defective torque converter. In my case, the lock-up clutch was completely worn out, causing metal particles to contaminate the transmission fluid. The mechanic showed me the metal debris in the fluid, it was pretty serious. They had to remove the entire transmission to replace the torque converter and flush the system. My car had about 82k km when this happened. It ended up being a major repair job that took about 4-5 days to complete, but the car has been shifting perfectly since then. Based on your symptoms, I'd say get it checked soon before it causes more damage to the transmission. These hybrid transmissions are complex, and waiting too long could lead to a complete transmission failure.

Thanks for sharing your experience, it's really helpful to know I'm not alone with this issue! Sounds like we had very similar problems. The torque converter replacement seems to have sorted things out for you, which is encouraging. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much the whole repair set you back? And has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other transmission quirks pop up?

Hey again! Yes, absolutely, I remember you asking about the costs. The total bill came to 2120 € for fixing the torque converter issue. I know it wasn't cheap, but honestly, it was worth every penny. The transmission has been working like a charm since the repair, no more grinding, no warning lights, and the shifts are butter smooth now. It's such a relief to have it properly fixed. Before the repair, every drive was stressful, wondering if the transmission would act up. Now I can actually enjoy driving my 7 Series again! Haven't had a single transmission-related problem since the fix, and it's been over a year now. Just make sure you get it sorted soon, putting it off could lead to bigger problems down the road. The mechanic told me I was lucky to catch it when I did. Trust me, you'll notice the difference immediately after they fix the torque converter. It's like driving a completely different car! Let me know how it goes with yours. I'm curious to hear if you end up having the same experience.

Thanks so much for the detailed info! Just got back from the mechanic today actually. You were spot on, it was the torque converter causing all the trouble. The total repair came to around 2300 €, pretty close to what you paid. The mechanic found metal shavings in the transmission fluid, just like in your case. They had to keep my car for almost a week, but wow, what a difference! Had my first proper drive since getting it back, and it's like having a new car. The transmission shifts are silky smooth now, no more grinding sounds, and the power delivery is back to normal. Really glad I didn't wait any longer to get it fixed. The mechanic said the same thing about catching it in time before it caused more damage. Definitely a relief to have it sorted properly, even though it wasn't cheap. Guess that's just part of owning these complex hybrid systems. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it really helped me make the decision to get it fixed right away rather than putting it off!