I have a 2024 BMW X5 50e. I live in Orange County, California, and last week I went on a golf trip to Las Vegas with my spouse. The next day, while returning to the hotel after playing golf, the Drivetrain Malfunction message came on and the car started shaking. And the car’s drive mode automatically changed to electric. I parked my car on the side of the road, found a nearby BMW dealer, and drove for 15 minutes to get it done at the dealer. The dealer said it would take 3-4 weeks (due to no parts in the USA and parts (said, got to do with transmission) had to be delivered from Germany ??) to repair the car, so we rented a car and returned home to California. For reference, my X5 50e is nearly new and only had 900 miles at the time. In fact, I am very disappointed and I am still waiting for the situation and hope that it will be fixed as soon as possible. Please let me know if anyone has the same issue. I don’t know what to do except wait.
You might have better responce on a BMW Forum. Also contact the dealer you bought the vehicle from, they might be able to get you a loaner to drive.
If the BMW dealership says you need transmission parts which aren’t available, not much else you can do but wait for the parts. Your solution to rent a car in the meantime makes complete sense. Be sure to keep dated meticulous paper records of all your expenses (including car rental) , as well as of all conversations you’ve had with BMW and the dealership. The best way to keep a record of an oral conversation is to make notes & send a letter to the person you talked to, asking them to verify your account of the conversation is accurate. In the way of misery loves company, you may be interested in the story of Car Talk family’s Alex Magliozzi and his BMW parts-not-available problem.
With a brand new car do nothing other than what the dealer says to do. Don’t do something recommended by somebody on a forum, except if it’s advice on how to get better service from the dealer.
What difference would it make to your situation if I, too, had the problem?
You bought a complicated, high end German car. It has a problem and needs parts shipped from Germany which is taking a long time. Seems completely normal. At least you did not buy an Italian car!
Sorry about your problems but we can’t help you.
Since it sounds like it’s undriveable, are they supplying a loaner?
Lexus is experiencing a similar problem with the RX500h: many malfunctioning transmissions and an insufficient supply of replacements. Vehicle owners have been told several weeks wait for a new transmission to arrive. This will lead to more lemon law buy backs, vehicle unusable for 30 days.
Dealers normally object to allowing their loan vehicles to travel out of state, they should arrange for a rental vehicle, but you might not get one if you don’t ask for one.
From another forum March 2024:
My RX500h is now sitting at the dealership in Vancouver, Canada awaiting a new transmission. It could be weeks, months before they can get one. So they rented me a car. Currently hauling *** in a RAV4.
BMW.
The ultimate driving machine.
Once I get it back from the shop!
Tester
You might want to consider this a warning shot. My folks were towed 80 miles in Montana when the trans went in their new Plymouth. Only two days wait for them but that was just a start fir that car.
Driving a new BMW, you might want to invest in a nice back up vehicle, get one you are comfortable in cause you might just be driving it more than the new BMW if you keep it for a while…
Sorry you are having this issue…
I’m not sure it will help but you could contact the dealer that sold you the car. Maybe they will offer help.
My co-worker friend bought a new BMW, and while his car seemed to require an unusual amount of routine dealership maintenance, it seemed pretty reliable. And remained reliable for 10 years with the same maintenance. He relocated after 10 years so don’t know what happened to the car after that. When we went golfing together I’d usually have to pick him up at the BMW dealership on the way and give him a ride to the golf course in my Corolla, while the dealership did his car’s maintenance … lol…
I was talking to the guy that had a fleet of those amphi cars at disney. Said every time they ran them in the lake there were about 15 places they had to lube again taking quite a bit of time. I imagine checking for leaks was part of it. If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime.
Bmw has been battling this problem since 2022 according to several posters on this thread, transmission replacement seems to be the only real fix but it takes awhile to arrive from Germany.
Drivetrain Malfunction (bimmerpost.com)
How does that help the OP?