Anyway - came home again from work got in the car expecting the same and the light has gone out again and normal service appears to have resumed! Drove home carefully and no warning light came on - any ideas?

There is something wrong inside your auto box.

The best thing to do is take it to an automatic transmission specialist.  My autobox threw all its toys out the pram a while back see these posts on various auto box problems inc mine. 

http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=10746&PN=14 - Post 1

http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=11372&PN=12 - Post 2

http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=13107&PN=6 - Post 3

http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=13771&PN=3 - Post 4

Do not drive the car with the tranny warning light on.  It will select 3rd and or 4th gear to drive in and will 'slip' the clutches and brake bands within the tranny to allow you to pull off, hence the lack of torque at low speed. 

Do not take to BMW, they don't know anything about auto boxes, all they can do is check and top up fluid level and remove and replace/re-fit complete units.  Take to transmission specialist without delay.

Hope this helps

Andrew

Consider talking to people at scrapyards, like http://www.fabdirect.com - http://www.fabdirect.com

I checked out the price of a 2nd hand box before I opted for an auto, I think fab were quoting about £260 at the time for mine.

I think they also have a workshop that could change it over for you.

Have a look at the oil, it should be nice and red, if its brown and smells burnt that indicates problems.

I would consider 2nd hand rather than a rebuild, as I would imagine a rebuild would easily cost more than the car is worth, and I'm advised it is very difficult to find someone to do it properly.

Sometimes the Trans Prog Error can be triggered by things outside the gearbox.

These can include faulty sensors for the engine (MAF or oxygen for example) as well as a failing battery.

Other things can be a corroded or oil contaminated connector on the back of the gearbox, or a faulty PCV (crankcase breathing valve).

I had several months of strange errors popping up on the 540i, but it was cured with a new PCV, total cost £25.

There are several postings on the forum regarding this already.

Cheers.

Andy

I agree with Andy, I had meant to say it could be something in the engine compartment like crank angle sensor which could cause the tranny fault light to come on.  I couldn't find the post Andy is referring to earlier, sorry, but here it is now http://www.bmwcarclubforum.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=11576&PN=11 - Post 5 .

A diagnostic check by BMW or a tranny specialist will be able to tell you whats wrong.  A BMW agent will be able to fix it if the fault is something in the engine but in the tranny, no.

Nigel

Tis a sealed for life tranny in the E39, no dipstick so we have no way of telling what the fluid is like.  Poor design?  Needs taken to a tranny specialist or BMW for this.  Boo.

Andrew

Andrew Rolland wrote: Nigel Tis a sealed for life tranny in the E39, no dipstick so we have no way of telling what the fluid is like.  Poor design?  Needs taken to a tranny specialist or BMW for this.  Boo. Andrew

Fair enough Andrew, but I think this is the chap I spoke to on the phone just before Christmas, and if it is, his car was an E34 520i SE if I remember correctly

Nigel wrote: Fair enough Andrew, but I think this is the chap I spoke to on the phone just before Christmas, and if it is, his car was an E34 520i SE if I remember correctly

Sorry Nigel.  You are right!

I had it in my head that it was an E39 for some reason. D'oh!

Must remember, engage brain first, then type!

Hope the tranny gets sorted and doesn't cost as much as mine did to put right!

Andrew