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      09-10-2016, 07:18 PM   #1
droftrah
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Transfer case binding problem 3RD TIME it's happening

My 2013 35i started shuddering during low speed cornering, it's the transfer case again... I know this because it has already been replaced along with the front diff twice under warranty for the exact same issue.

3rd time charm not so much, it is causing the same issue again (all 3 occurrences within a 2 year period). The problem is I just passed the warranty on August 1 (4 years hit first, car only has 47k). Plan on limping it in Monday.

Any ideas on how to get this issue resolved? I'm not paying for this...
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      09-10-2016, 09:32 PM   #2
brissim
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I'm in potentially a similar situation to yourself. The warranty on our 2011 X3 expired 2-3 weeks ago. About 18 months ago on two separate occasions, the "sealed-for-life" transfer case was flushed because of the low speed shuddering. On both occasions - as indicated on my copy of the work done - the flushing was done under warranty as opposed to scheduled servicing and didn't cost me anything. Its currently not a problem but I'm dreading what will happen if the problem resurfaces with the car being out of warranty.

My argument (untested at this point) is that because the transfer case is a sealed-for-life unit, if there is any warranty work done on it - whether that be flushing or even transfer case replacement - that the warranty clock should reset with respect to the transfer case.

Therefore, if the issue does arise again, I would argue that BMW should pay for any work on the transfer case where there is any history of prior warranty work on that unit. This would not apply in those cases where the first sign of any problems occurred after the expiry of the warranty period.

So keep a record of what work was done on the transfer case and use that record of prior problems as an argument that BMW should pay for any ongoing work.

Tony
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      09-11-2016, 12:54 PM   #3
droftrah
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brissim View Post
I'm in potentially a similar situation to yourself. The warranty on our 2011 X3 expired 2-3 weeks ago. About 18 months ago on two separate occasions, the "sealed-for-life" transfer case was flushed because of the low speed shuddering. On both occasions - as indicated on my copy of the work done - the flushing was done under warranty as opposed to scheduled servicing and didn't cost me anything. Its currently not a problem but I'm dreading what will happen if the problem resurfaces with the car being out of warranty.

My argument (untested at this point) is that because the transfer case is a sealed-for-life unit, if there is any warranty work done on it - whether that be flushing or even transfer case replacement - that the warranty clock should reset with respect to the transfer case.

Therefore, if the issue does arise again, I would argue that BMW should pay for any work on the transfer case where there is any history of prior warranty work on that unit. This would not apply in those cases where the first sign of any problems occurred after the expiry of the warranty period.

So keep a record of what work was done on the transfer case and use that record of prior problems as an argument that BMW should pay for any ongoing work.

Tony
I agree, if the transfer case just started giving me problems for the first time yesterday I might have an issue, but considering I have had warranty work performed on the part twice in the last two years I should be good. We'll see tomorrow...

Also, is driving the car a little with this issue going to damage anything further?
At the very least I gotta drive it 15 miles to the dealer tomorrow. It drives fine except for low speed cornering
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      09-11-2016, 01:34 PM   #4
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I don't get it - if Sealed For Life, there should be no "flushing" - especially not during warranty.

My understanding is that the transfer case contains diff and clutches. You can't cure a diff by flushing - possibly a clutch, but I doubt it.

Flushing indicates metal particles - from diff? - in clutch. This is an El Cheapo fix that a BMW workshop should not perform.

Tips: don't do low speed cornering
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      09-11-2016, 04:15 PM   #5
droftrah
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Originally Posted by Tjalle View Post
I don't get it - if Sealed For Life, there should be no "flushing" - especially not during warranty.

My understanding is that the transfer case contains diff and clutches. You can't cure a diff by flushing - possibly a clutch, but I doubt it.

Flushing indicates metal particles - from diff? - in clutch. This is an El Cheapo fix that a BMW workshop should not perform.

Tips: don't do low speed cornering
Mine was never flushed, but replaced twice under warranty.
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      09-11-2016, 11:57 PM   #6
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I would speak to a lemon law lawyer in your state to see what the requirements would be to lemon out the vehicle. In a prior state I lived in the law was 30 days total time out of service combined or four reasonable attempts to correct the defect that causes the vehicle to not comply with the manufacturers warranty. I would at least get the needed information to make a better decision.
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      09-12-2016, 08:13 AM   #7
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I think you have solid grounds for getting the work done at no cost. My experience at Audi with a recurring problem that first occurred under warranty: they considered it to still be the original warranty issue and kept chasing it. Also, on an Infiniti, the repair and replacement of a water pump had a 90 day parts-and-labor warranty, separate from the car warranty.

Separate advice: I'd be very suspicious that there is some other root cause of your problem. Possibly a malfunction of a sensor or the controller for distribution of the torque.

Best of luck with it!
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      09-12-2016, 02:31 PM   #8
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2016 BMW X4  [9.33]
why not trade it in?
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      09-12-2016, 08:00 PM   #9
droftrah
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Originally Posted by nyalpine90 View Post
why not trade it in?
Waiting on the new 3 series most likely, or the next X3, don't want to buy an outgoing model generation... and I'm gonna lose the value of the problem somewhere.
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      09-13-2016, 06:04 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by ch35iM View Post
Waiting on the new 3 series most likely, or the next X3, don't want to buy an outgoing model generation... and I'm gonna lose the value of the problem somewhere.
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