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      11-05-2020, 07:37 AM   #3
Helmsman
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Drives: 2011 AW E90 M3 ZCP
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

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Quote:
Originally Posted by noremaC View Post
Any physical symptoms when driving with the 5A53 code? Clutch slippage?

I'll share my experience from last fall:

I had this code pop up (5A53 = Phase Red, DCT Oil Temp >160 C) last year and ended up putting in a new (used) DCT. There is also a 5A54 code = Phase Black, DCT Oil Temp > 170 C. Not to scare you here just sharing my experience.

I got first the Transmission Overheating (5A53) warning when sitting in traffic. When I began to move, it went away. Over the following weeks it became more persistent. It got to a point, while I was on the highway (70+ MPH), the same warning came up on the dash and the car automatically shifted into 7th gear, skipping all lower gears (even & odd). Even when I got off the highway (in manual mode), at 20 mph, it would automatically shift up to 7th gear.

During the diagnostic process we never determined root cause. After my first code, I changed the DCT Oil, Filters, Pan etc., the warnings went away for a month (maybe two) but came back rearing it's ugly head. Rather than going down a rabbit hole, I found a used DCT online and swapped that one in. I think there's three possibilities (in my scenario):

- Clutches are worn and need to be replaced
- Mechatronics unit is faulty
- DCT Thermostat is bad

You may be experiencing something different, especially if there are no physical symptoms.
Cheers mate. I mainly got it in stop/go and even more so when the car already been driven shortly prior. This leads me to believe the oil is warm, no air cooling in traffic, and no coolant cooling (95C at least does something with 160C oil). I did get the code once or twice during high way as well. Yellow dash (rather then red), no limp mode really but the DCT start to act up.

The box only has 3k miles on it and this car has been living a very gentle live since, so really hard for me to believe clutches are worn. I will take it to an indy shop next week, they plan to replace the thermostat after BMW dealer input. Reason I'm looking for experience reg the aux pump is that if so I'd like that replaced while I'm at it. Sure could be done anyhow but as the code can stay away for months its tricky to understand what action result in what.

Where did you learn about the oil temperatures?

Cheers
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