Left the BMW dealership today as I test drove a 550i. As I was on the open road I noticed the cars revs were a bit higher than normal. Switched to manual mode and the car was in 4th. Could not move it to 5th. Auto no manual would move the car to 5th car. After some time it started working again out of the blue. Strange. Another gremlin.

 

Can't say that I have ever had that happen to me. You gonna take in the car, as a precaution?

 

Sorry, I'm confused.... You lost 5th in the beemer or the RL?

FYI, I've never heard of this

 

Reread what I posted and can see the confusion. Yep, in the RL. Almost made me turn around and trade it in.
So far the RL has not duplicated it, perhaps just a fluke.

 

I used to get this with an Accord V6 (No trans sport mode). In general, it would occur before engine/trans warmed up to normal operating temps. Until then, it would not up shift to fifth. Once temps. got normal it would up shift. This only happened on a few occasions.

Regarding the RL. In sport shift mode, the car will downshift to 4th when under moderate strain (hills). The indicator still shows 5th. RPMS went up so you notice/feel the change. I thought the car holds the gear in manual??? RL will up shift automatically (while still in "Sport") after strain is relieved (Top the hill).

Point is...These transmissions operate under constraints: Humidity, temperature (heat), strain, are a few conditions which can yield "quirks" in the programming logic. IMHO the shifts follow programed logic and not all parameters were met to enable the electronically controlled transmission to change gears. Sport mode does not mechanically cause the gear shift.

Would keep an eye out particularly immediately after start until until it warms up. If it only does it when it's cold then I saw this before with the Honda (When I got on the interstate immediately after work).

Frequency at normal temps would put me at the dealership.

 

To add, while in manual mode, the display showed 4th, I would blip it up to 5th, nothing, but then it would take 2 blips to come down to 3rd as if part of drivetrain thought it was in 5th. Yes, it certainly was not in 5th. Car was warm. Go figure.

 

Sounds like an electrical gremlin. I'd take it to the dealer just to be sure it's not more than that. These trannys don't fail often, but all the same...

 

What were your rpm's? In other words a hard drive into a should-be 5th or a lazy drive.

When is the last time your tranny fluid was changed?