"TRANS. FAILSAFE PROG" Oh $#!&, now what? - BMW Forum

///Matt · 12-05-2005, 12:17 AM

With my now aging 97 540, I've hit another fairly large speedbump. Tonight I was driving from Dayton OH to St. Louis MO and had a weird series of events occur. About 10 minutes into the drive, the radio randomly shut off and turned back on, thinking it was nothing I went on. Driving 85 on the middle of nowhere Indiana my headlights, engine and everything else completely shut off for about 3 seconds. (and yes, it was damn dark) When they finally came on again the ABS light was flashing and the OBC read "TRANS. FAILSAFE PROG." I pulled to the shoulder (simultaneously hitting a semi-tire which took out part of my under-engine cover) I ended up disconnecting the battery for 60 seconds and reattaching it. All systems were now green with no transmission warning, I also scanned prior and after the battery disconnect my OBD codes which all came up clear.

: What the hell is happening to my (former) dream car?

btw: it just rolled over 170,000mi

I'm getting real close to euthanizing this SOB, so any positive news would be appreciated, but if you've got bad news...I will be soon selling it off...

superdeadman · 12-05-2005, 08:38 AM

maybe its the area

my uncles old car (biggest pos ever) would throw on the oil light everytime in a ceraint area... its like we would pass --- booom, oil light on, few minutes later, when we would be out of the area, boom --- its off.... worked like a charm, never failed to throw on/off the oil light ... if only bimmers were like that, where that would work like a charm and booom - never electronically fail!!

umm....... alien are coming?!

CosmosBlack · 12-05-2005, 04:12 PM

Did you notice any strange lights outside in the darkness?
Possibility of UFO's passing by up above you.....

sp0rky · 12-05-2005, 04:53 PM

can not say for sure
such is life owning an older bmw. get used to it.

This is exactly why I have chosen BMW as my weekend beast and a Lexus as my daily driver.

My BMWs are always throwing some kind of tantrum, weather it speaks once and never comes back - or is some kind of major problem.

quirky little buggers.

good luck.

///Matt · 12-06-2005, 01:26 AM

Hmm, well that would explain why my seat felt a little more uncomfortable, maybe those aliens had a little too much fun with me. Oh well, I'll just do a few voodoo chants and hopefully it'll just disappear on its own...

Teh Prof · 12-06-2005, 07:57 AM

Do you have a manual or automatic? I'll assume automatic?

I love my own car's eccentricities too: 600 miles after I have it serviced, it pops on the check engine light every time. It always reports after 600 miles that the fuel cap is missing. Which, of course, it isn't. Ever.

sp0rky · 12-06-2005, 10:54 AM

You know - when I first got a BMW, it was all ok. I learned to live with all these wierd little things. Then - after driving another car around for a short time that just drove everytime, never beeped at me while driving, etc, etc... the BMW became ANNOYING.

It gets old after a while and it seems like every BMW out there has its OWN quirk or two, no two are alike. lol.

///Matt · 12-06-2005, 12:14 PM

I do love my e39, and it used to be a great daily driver, but ever since I've just driven it occasionally (as my daily car is an e65) I think it's become jealous and just likes to piss me off when i do drive it.

Teh Prof · 12-06-2005, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///Matt

I do love my e39, and it used to be a great daily driver, but ever since I've just driven it occasionally (as my daily car is an e65) I think it's become jealous and just likes to piss me off when i do drive it.

Umm...forgive me, what's an e65?

///Matt · 12-06-2005, 10:09 PM

e65 - 745i

MiguelACA · 12-07-2005, 04:21 AM

hi, i have a 94 318i and about a month ago it did something like that, stereo turning off and on, car turning off...turned out to be my alternator...

///Matt · 12-07-2005, 11:06 AM

VERY interesting... I had my alternator replaced about 6mos ago...I'll be sure that it gets checked out.

unisq · 07-24-2008, 01:05 PM

I had same problem,but found the problem was alternator

darkhorse737 · 07-24-2008, 03:59 PM

seriously...

clear the light.

if it doesn't come back... let's just say it was a glitch.... all computers have 'em. ;-)

RF interference... that's a possiblitiy too... (not necessarily caused by UFO's or aliens) lol

Teh Prof · 07-24-2008, 06:42 PM

Umm guys...this thread is ancient...the original poster doesn't even come here any more...