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Is it safe to shift from d to d3 while cruising at high speed?

I have had this bmw 2 years and lately the gear wont shift down!?

  • I have a 2008 bmw 330i automatic and it was fine but lately the gears won't change when I put my foot down arrrrgh! So I'm cruising at 170kph (south africa no laws) and anyway this car pulled out infront of me so I slowed down to about 120kph and then I wanted to get past the same car and put my foot flat on the floor and the gear wouldn't change down I put it in sport and it still wouldn't. So then after that I got on this really really uphil road and like it was in 6th and I pressed harder on the accelerator and it didn't do nothing it lost so much speed. So I pulled off stoped completely and put my foot flat on the floor till I got to a high speed again. It only changes the gear when I really slow down like to 20-40kph. I also have a warning on the dash a yellow ! saying check engine. I ignored it because work has been busy and I havnt had time. I drive it very hard I'm always in a rush business has been very busy. So now this morning it did the same thing and I had to pull of the road!! People were hooting and throwing fingers at me it was going so slow! I don't have time to go to bmw today will it still drive for a bit longer? I just want to know if it will always start because its not safe to break down in south africa!!!! So if I drive it like this for another week as annoying as it is? Will it be fine for now? I am 6 hours away from home and I still have to drive 6 hours home after tomorrows meeting. Will I be fine or do I have to send it in? Oh and it also warns me to shut off the engine after driving about two hours saying the temp is high but I don't shut it off anyway because I don't have time. What's going on? There is this long high way all the way here that i did about 180-200 kph. Is this bad and what should I do? Don't know my way around here so can't find a garage even if I wanted to! My husband doesnyt want me to drive he wants to book me a plane home but then what's going to happen with the car? I just don't have time will it be fine?

  • Answer:

    First slow down the slower you go the less heat generated.. The limp mode the transmission is in.....is a way to "get you home" without complete failure. People have driven cars in this mode for YEARS. The issue here is heat when the trans is in limp mode it puts a huge strain on the engine and that causes temperatures to rise. Pretty much keep an eye on the temp gauge if it gets to hot pull over put it in neutral and rev the engine at 2000 till the temp goes back down then continue up the hill again. You really have to use common sense that if you stop on a hill your going to have to get going again so plan ahead so to speak. Take a running start.....

Sandra Van der merwe at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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the light tells you the transmission has a problem and has gone to "emergency mode" which means it is either in 4th gear all the time or second gear, get the light cleared by a mechanic with an OBDII reader and see if it re-occurs , could just be low fluid

Harley Drive

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With all the symptoms you describe, your car is not fine. It tells you to shut off the engine and you don't because you don't have time, pretty soon you'll have all day. Rent a car and put yours in the garage.

Bill M

k

Logan Brown

Duh,your gearbox is in emergency mode and it won't change to 4th gear and on.Have it checked at a dealership as soon as possible.You can still drive it,but for your safety,keep your speed up to 100kmh.You will arrive later,but travelling with 200kmh in emergency mode means risking your safety.What if you have to brake hard and the gearbox doesn't change gear?I understand it is not safe to brake down in SA,so to avoid that,read your car manual and follow the instructions until you reach a garage.As long as the gearbox still has oil,there will be no big problem.Speeding will overheat your gearbox,which means consuming some oil,so avoid it.Fill in oil if needed

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