# 2002 X5 (E53, M54) transmission shifting problem -- P0335



## KFMaster (Jan 2, 2022)

Hi,

We have a 2002 3.0 X5 with 65K miles that recently developed a transmission shifting problem. We haven't driven the car for many months (had battery on a maintenance charger all these time) and had to get it smog tested for registration renew. The car was driving fine to the testing station (~10miles), but on the way back when slowing down for a red light, it made a big jolt when down shifting and the service engine light came on. The car was running kind of rough, not responding to gas peddle -- I didn't want to block the traffic so tried to keep the car moving. It cleared itself before the intersection. The service engine light also cleared itself, but the the message "trans failsafe mode" or something like that flashed for a few second on the text display in the instrument cluster, then went blank with the > < displayed and stayed that way.

I was able to keep driving the car, everything was fine except when down shifting. As the speed reduced and it down shifted, a big jolt will happened during the down shifts. I putted it into manual mode and found the jolt happens when shifting from 3rd to 2nd gear. 

When I got home and read the OBD error code (after engine was shut off). It had a pending code P0335 "crankshaft position sensor A circuit malfunction".

It seems to me plausible that without crankshaft sensor, the engine and transmission computers will not be able to match engine speed for down shift, creating the jolt. 

Has anyone else seen the same problem? And would you think replacing the crankshaft sensor is a good fix for the problem? 

I see also other people reporting P0335 issue, but none was related to shifting, puzzling. I was also wondering if the smog test did something to it, but figured it is probably far fetched.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## KFMaster (Jan 2, 2022)

Oops, posted in the wrong section, move to proper X5 forum.


----------



## gkissell (Oct 29, 2019)

I have the same vintage combo. M54 with the Z6HP19. Experienced the same hard shifting and trans error problems. The hard down shift from second to first is indicative of a solenoid problem.

I think the crank position sensor is a separate problem from the trans shift problem. Clear the error and see if the error returns. 

Did the mechatronics sleeves and and solenoid kit, new pan and fluid. Must reset trans adaptations when doing this. Runs like new. Several YouTube videos how to do this. One of the better videos

I have done this services on two different cars. Not terribly difficult, bit messy.

Having been sitting for awhile, I would drive it for several hundred miles and see if the issues continue. Being parked for an extended period is not good for a car. If the shift/trans problem happens again, service the transmission.


----------



## KFMaster (Jan 2, 2022)

Thanks gkissell! I did some more checking today and posted the results here.


----------

