X5 2017 stuck in park

[kodpkd]

I drove over a snow bank, now my X5 is stuck in park. When I move the lever to drive or reverse, it will show D or R then pop right back into Park. What is under the car that can cause this. It is a 4 wheel drive.

[Chilled]

Mechanically? Nothing. Electrically? Everything.

The only mechanical thing on the gearbox that is external, is the emergency Neutral lever. This will force the gearbox into neutral.

The parking actuator and paw is all internal.


Do you have a code reader, see if its throwing any codes. Also have a look under there, is there any visible damage/impact on the sump?

[kodpkd]

I looked under the car, I couldn't see very well but didn't see anything that was messed up. Two thing I wondered.
If the neutral lever under the car got jacked up, would that keep the car in park? Also, if the trans reset would help.

[momoboy]

Did you get stuck on the snow bank? Did the wheels spin for a period of time? It can be anything from an overheated trans, a bad transmission valve or something else. Like the previous poster said is it throwing any codes? If not I would see if there are any "shadow" or pending codes using something like Bimmerlink or other code reader. That would at least give you some indication and the possibly of clearing a code and seeing what happens

[kodpkd]

Yes, it was stuck on a snow bank. So you are saying if a wheel did spin for a bit, it could lock the trans into park? I am not sure how long the wheels spun. Not more than maybe 10 seconds. After a few attempts I then noticed the P light was stuck on.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by kodpkd

I drove over a snow bank, now my X5 is stuck in park. When I move the lever to drive or reverse, it will show D or R then pop right back into Park. What is under the car that can cause this. It is a 4 wheel drive.

There's a bolt on the transmission that allows the transmission to move out of park if the battery dies. The image below is a pic of it...and the link is to a thread on (the other forum) that discusses it.

Perhaps the snowbank incident did something to this screw.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/a...ission.836438/

[kodpkd]

That's what I first thought, but that screw puts it in neutral not park.

[Qsilver7]

The forum member "coil" wrote:

Originally Posted by coil

You screw it all the way in till it bottoms out lifting the lever connected to the parking pawl inside transmission. The vehicle will stay locked in neutral till bolt is back out.

Perhaps the screw is there & intact...but the lever that's connected to the parking pawl may have been damaged or moved.

BTW...which X5 do you have? The V8 or I6? Can't look up any additional diagrams not knowing what to look for.

EDIT: see the images and text below in regard to the LEVER...again, perhaps the screw is intact and unaffected...but all the frozen snow may have still moved the lever:

[momoboy]

Ok. So it was stuck on a snow bank and you spun the wheels. Was it "high centered" meaning it was stuck on something underneath or just lost traction and you just kept trying to get it off the bank? Are there any lights on your dash when it shifts back to park?

Could something have knocked the pawl underneath, possibly. Unless it was a chuck of ice or REALLY packed snow not likely. Is it stuck where it happened or did it move after that and then now it's an issue?

You could have overheated the trans but it would have then cleared up once it cooled (or it least it should have). Could something have been damaged from the wheel spinning, possibly. The only other "safety" feature that would cause the transmission to go back to park is if it thinks a door is opened. I assume you might have checked that but it's worth a try to open and close each door.

If you have no lights on the dash and no error codes being thrown I'm not sure where else to look

[Florida-X3]

Not to high jack the thread but say you loose battery power and can't get the vehicle in N so you screw that bolt in all the way to achieve N. What if you had the Parking break engaged? That's electronic too so there must be a way to release that as well?

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by Florida-X5

Not to high jack the thread but say you loose battery power and can't get the vehicle in N so you screw that bolt in all the way to achieve N. What if you had the Parking break engaged? That's electronic too so there must be a way to release that as well?

Depends on year model, there is a metal pull hoop/string in the rear left of the trunk. Near the First Aid kit. If you have the newer and cannot see one, than you have to cut the handbrake lines.



kodpkd ,
You could of had a bit of ice/debris move the lever up whilst under throttle and that could of messed up the parking lever internally.

Without a code scanner ISTA/BimmerLink/carly/etc, your only option is to look under the car.

The screw/lever is on the left hand side of the transmission. If the lever is in the down position and you can move it freely. Than you have other issues, and best bet is to take it to a good indy/stealer

[Florida-X3]

Originally Posted by Chilled

Depends on year model, there is a metal pull hoop/string in the rear left of the trunk. Near the First Aid kit. If you have the newer and cannot see one, than you have to cut the handbrake lines.

2014 F15 xDrive 35i

[kodpkd]

I do understand there is a lever on the side of the trans. It is used to put the trans into neutral. From what I have read, that's all it does. Nothing to do with PARK. My big question, does the trans have a safety mode that will force it to stay in park? Is there a fault code/lockout that can be reset with an OBD2 reader?
It was high centered on ice. I think the wheels were only spun for a little bit, until I noticed it was stuck in park. There are not any warning lights on the dash.

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by kodpkd

I do understand there is a lever on the side of the trans. It is used to put the trans into neutral. From what I have read, that's all it does. Nothing to do with PARK. My big question, does the trans have a safety mode that will force it to stay in park? Is there a fault code/lockout that can be reset with an OBD2 reader?
It was high centered on ice. I think the wheels were only spun for a little bit, until I noticed it was stuck in park. There are not any warning lights on the dash.

There are a number of safety/fault reason why the transmission would go and stay in P. In some cases yes, there is a code, in others no. What are your fault codes, have you tried to reset?

If I'm not mistaken, that N paw is designed to be engaged whilst the gearbox is in P, not in D whilst trying to move.

Maybe as you beached it whilst underpower, the N paw was actuated and that messed up the P mechanism. Now its permanently stuck in P? Or as the transmission pan is Plastic, when you beached it, you damaged mechatronic unit.


Bottom line is, without a half decent code reader and/or sticking your head under there and looking at things more intently. There is no way to guess why its stuck in P.

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by Florida-X5

2014 F15 xDrive 35i

Your should have the metal cable hoop.

[momoboy]

Originally Posted by Chilled

Bottom line is, without a half decent code reader and/or sticking your head under there and looking at things more intently. There is no way to guess why its stuck in P.

As others have said you need to see if there are any codes and/or get the car on the lift. You might have cracked the pan draining all the trans fluid or something else. Anything other than a code reader and putting on a lift you are just guessing.

[kodpkd]

The plastic trans pan cracked. Such a cheap way to save $10 on a BMW. I am surprised nobody knew when the trans loses oil the car wont come out of park whan you try to move it.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Chilled

Your should have the metal cable hoop.

Ditto…i have a screen capture from the owners manual in my pic stash…see below.

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by kodpkd

The plastic trans pan cracked. Such a cheap way to save $10 on a BMW. I am surprised nobody knew when the trans loses oil the car wont come out of park whan you try to move it.

You didn't say the trans pan was cracked. You most definitely would have a bunch of error codes if you have zero oil. An automatic gearbox uses oil pressure to change gears. Oil is mandatory for it to work.

Best case, replace the pan, fill it with oil(properly) and its fine.


*EDIT*, just hope that you instantly lost all oil pressure and you didn't suck any debris into the mechatronics or other parts.

[momoboy]

Originally Posted by kodpkd

The plastic trans pan cracked. Such a cheap way to save $10 on a BMW. I am surprised nobody knew when the trans loses oil the car wont come out of park whan you try to move it.

For what it's worth in the future those are details you might want to share so those on this forum could provide help

If you are lucky, as previously stated, get the pan replaced, fill with fluid and pray. Lets hope something didn't overheat and get damaged anywhere as a result

[CatalinP]

I would imagine there were at least oil traces under the car when the pan cracked...

[CatalinP]

Originally Posted by kodpkd

I am surprised nobody knew when the trans loses oil the car wont come out of park whan you try to move it.

I am surprised you didn't notice the oil leak.