If you are a car lover and fond of BMW cars, the term Drivetrain Malfunction should not be an unknown word to you.
There is a heads-up display in every car that warns the drivers about a problem that has occurred in the car.
Whenever the drivetrain malfunction takes place in BMW cars, this display shows Drive Moderately to the driver.
Whenever you drive a BMW and you suddenly get the Drive Moderately indication, it means there is a problem that has occurred in either the engine or the transmission of the car.
But if you face this warning, then what should be your immediate duty? And how will you be able to solve this problem with your favorite BMW car?
Do not get tensed my friend, because I am here with my brand new article right on this topic – Drivetrain Malfunction in BMW.
And in this article, you will find the reason behind this issue as well as the solution too!
So, let’s start!
What Does Drivetrain Malfunction Mean?
At the beginning of this article, let me tell you what Drivetrain Malfunction in BMW means in BMW cars.
I have said before that whenever your car’s transmission or engine faces a problem, the heads-up display shows the driver a warning to drive moderately.
And this whole thing is related to Drivetrain Malfunction.
That means, whenever the Drive Moderately warning starts showing on your dashboard, it means the car has got a Drivetrain Malfunction.
But surprisingly, it is not necessary that every time it has to be a problem with the transmission or the engine.
A few drivers have reported that they have faced the Drive Moderately warning when the weather is cooler, or when they have placed their car under stressful acceleration profiles.
A few drivers even said that they have faced the red light warning even when everything is normal and they were driving smoothly without any hassles.
So now let us concentrate on the question is Drivetrain Malfunction a serious issue of the car, or you can just ignore it?
BMW Drivetrain Malfunction Repair Cost
If you are getting Drive Moderately warning often and still ignoring the drivetrain malfunction issue, then it could harm your favorite BMW car. And in that case, it could take higher charges to repair the car.
But alone Drivetrain Malfunction repairing should cost you around $2,070 to $2,170.
The parts that are needed to replace will cost around $1,915, and the labor charge will cost you between $155 and $195.
But if you have neglected the drivetrain malfunction issue for a longer period of time, it can cost you higher to get repaired.
Remember that if you take care of the problem at the right time, the cost automatically becomes lower.
Also Read: How To Test A Battery With A Multimeter?
Drivetrain Malfunction – Common Causes
Now let us focus on why this Drivetrain Malfunction occurs in your car, or what is the key reasons behind the Drivetrain Malfunction.
I have already said before that if you put the car in stressful acceleration profiles, then it can show you the Drive Moderately warning.
Apart from that, if the weather is too cold outside, then it is possible too to occur Drivetrain Malfunction.
Drivetrain Malfunction is basically a problem with the BMW engine or transmission.
When the computerized system of the BMW car detects any problem in the automatic transmission or in the transaxle, it warns you that you should drive moderately.
But sometimes it shows you the red warning light even when there is no problem at all in your car. So it is very difficult to detect whether it is an emergency problem or not.
Now let me give you a clear idea of what causes the problem in the transaxle or in the automatic transmission that leads the car to a Drivetrain Malfunction.
- Broken Spark Plugs
Broken or worn-out spark plugs can lead the car to a Drivetrain Malfunction.
- Damaged Fuel Injector
If your BMW has any damaged fuel injector, then a Drivetrain Malfunction can occur in the car. A damaged fuel injector directly affects the car engine’s performance and power.
- Damaged Ignition Coil
If the ignition coil of the BMW car is damaged, then it can cause a Drivetrain Malfunction in your BMW.
- Faulty Fuel Pump or High-Pressured Fuel Pump
Defective fuel pumps can also cause a Drivetrain Malfunction in any VMW car.
- Clogged Catalytic Converters
A clogged catalytic converter always triggers a drivetrain malfunction.
- The fuel of Low Quality
If you put low-quality fuel in your BMW car, then it can show you the red light of drivetrain malfunction. Low-quality fuels affect the engine power directly.
So these are the common reasons behind a Drivetrain Malfunction of your BMW car. Now let us come to the part where we shall talk about the symptoms of Drivetrain Malfunction.
Symptoms Of Malfunctioning Drivetrain
Drivetrain Malfunction symptoms are actually very simple to understand. It does not need you to be an expert to understand that your car is going through a drivetrain malfunction.
The symptoms of the drivetrain malfunction are –
- Noticeable vibration and shaking of the car.
- Cut off in power when you try to idle or rough idle.
- The car refuses to start.
- Misfires of the engine.
- The exhaust exhales too much smoke.
- Problem in transmission and the gear is stuck mostly in the limp mode.
- The engine lights get turned on.
- Drivetrain Malfunction error on the dashboard screen.
If you are also having the above-mentioned problems in your BMW car, then you can be sure that a drivetrain malfunction has occurred in the car.
How To Repair Drivetrain Malfunction
If you want to give it a try and want to fix the drivetrain malfunction on your own, then I would like to recommend you can do the below-mentioned things when you doubt that a drivetrain malfunction has occurred in your car.
But my suggestion would always be to go and check the problem at car service centers.
Restart Car
If the drivetrain malfunction has happened for the first time in your car, then you can try this method to fix this up.
Park your car at a safe place, turn off the ignition, wait for 7 to 10 minutes, and then restart the engine.
Inspect Engine
If restarting does not fix the red light of the drivetrain malfunction warning and it is still turned on after the restart, try to inspect the engine in a proper way to look into the matter.
Check Here: How To Fix Engine Power Reduced- Read On To Know More About It
- Turn off the ignition.
- Open the hood of the BMW car.
- Check the engine temperature of the car.
- Check the engine oil level.
- Check whether there is any oil or coolant leak.
- Check whether there is any serpentine belt.
Read Drivetrain Malfunction Error Code Using An OBD 2 Scanner
If the above two methods fail, try to get one BMW OBD 2 Scanner. Then scan the error code using the scanner.
- Find out the OBD 2 Scanner port under the dashboard.
- Connect the scanner to the car using the port.
- Turn on the ignition but not the car engine.
- Turn on the scanner.
- Choose the BMW code.
- Read the displayed codes from the transmission and engine of the car.
- Now get a manufacturer’s manual and try to know what the codes actually mean. Then take the necessary steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.What does Drivetrain Malfunction mean?
Drivetrain Malfunction generally means a problem in the transmission or in the engine of the car. But it can take place if the weather is too cold, or even when there is no problem actually.
2.Why is my drivetrain malfunctioning?
The Drivetrain of your car is malfunctioning probably because the spark plug or the ignition coil of the car is damaged.
But it can happen if the engine oil level goes too low, if you put low-quality fuel in the car, if the fuel injector is defective, if the fuel pump is damaged, or if the catalytic converters are clogged.
3. What’s a drivetrain on a BMW?
The drivetrain is not any particular part of the car, rather it is a group of parts of the car that work with the car engine and help to move the car wheels and other parts so that those parts can produce motion.
The drivetrain parts are joined components of the transmission, axles, differential, CV joints, driveshaft, and car wheels.
The Final Words
Many people around the world are searching for the drivetrain malfunction problem and its solution for BMW cars.
This is why I felt like writing this article so that I can share my knowledge about the drivetrain malfunction of BMW cars with all these people.
I hope when you complete reading this article, you will get enough knowledge about the drivetrain malfunction of BMW cars. All the best!
Read More: Why Does My Car Shake When I Brake