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re: E39 540i and German service

In 94 I bought a 94 530iT from Allison BMW in Sunnyvale CA. On the way
skiing in the Sierra's, near the summit of Donner pass and traveling with
pedal-to-the-metal (very fast) I noticed a HUGE cloud of smoke spewing out
the rear. I took the next exit (Nyak) and called BMW roadside service. They
dispatched a flatbed (tow) truck, picked up the car and my family and me (we
rode in the 530!) and took us back down the mountain to Roseville BMW (long
trip on the back of a flatbed!) Roseville BMW was waiting for us. They
wisked the car in the shop, gave us drinks, reported their progress, told us
they were in contact with BMW NA, and said if the problem could not be
resolved soon, they would loan us a comparable BMW in which to continue our
trip. They did resolve the problem. The transmission was filled too full at
the factory. The smoke was the excess fluid leaving through the vent and on
to the exhaust. There is no way to drain or fill these "sealed" trannies.
Evidently there was a batch of trannies that were too full and under heavy
load, would self correct. We were treated very very well. And this is the USA!

Jim Brick

94 530iT Brilliant Red, Dinan chips, exhaust, & stage 3 suspension (hot setup!)
91 525i  Sterling Silver, Dinan chips and exhaust