2002 BMW 530IA Power Train Problems

ON MAY 28TH 2012 ON THE HIGHWAY, THE BMW THREW A SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT. USING A SCANNER, A CODE P0741 WAS THROWN. WHEN I SEARCHED ON GOOGLE, I FOUND IT WAS VERY COMMON FOR THE E39 BMW 530IA CARS HOUSING ZF MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS TO HAVE THE TORQUE CONVERTER TURBINE SHAFT SEAL DETERIORATED CAUSING THE FAULT. IT IS UNREASONABLE TO HAVE BMW TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF OVER $4000 FOR A SEAL THAT IS NO MORE THAN $25.00. THEREFORE IT SHOULD BE A GOODWILL REPLACEMENT DUE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF A FAULTY TRANSMISSION WITH A KNOWN PART FAILURE IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

AT 104,700 MILES THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DIAGNOSIS WAS P0741 (BMW CODE 48) WHICH IS A FAULT WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH (TCC). THIS FAILURE, UNTIL CORRECTED, RESULTS IN LOWER FUEL MILEAGE AND A GUARANTEED FAILURE TO PASS AN EMISSIONS TEST DURING STATE MANDATED VEHICLE INSPECTIONS. CONTINUED USE OF THE VEHICLE WILL LIKELY RESULT IN TRANSMISSION DAMAGE SINCE THE TCC LOCKUP CLUTCH IS SLIPPING, RESULTING IN DEBRIS BUILDING UP IN THE FLUID. THIS FAULT IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SEAL THAT BMW HAS A HIDDEN SERVICE BULLETIN ON. SEE SI 24 03 06 DATED FEBRUARY 2008. NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON BMW FORUMS INDICATE THAT THIS ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF FAILURES TAKING PLACE. THERE IS NO DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE THAT THE SEAL IN QUESTION HAS BEEN UPDATED, MEANING FAILURE OF THE SEAL WILL LIKELY HAPPEN AGAIN DURING THE (EXPECTED) LIFE OF THE CAR. *TR