BMW 4HP22, 4HP24 Automatic Transmission No Upshift, Stuck in 1st Gear, Limp Mode

This answer is applicable for many BMWs in addition to the one listed below.
I have an E32 88 735i BMW with an intermittent transmission problem. It occasionally decides not to upshift out of first gear. I
thought this was a limp home mode problem, but dont know how to check. Also, most of the time it works fine, as long as it doesnt
miss the first shift. When it acts up, it sometimes does it from the start, or sometimes does it at a light, after Ive already been
driving. Is it electrical, switch, harness, related, or perhaps related to the manual/sport/economy switch by the shift lever?

A
Your 735i has the 4HP22 automatic transmission. These transmissions were used on most BMW 5, 6 and 7 series 6-cylinder
models from the early 80s through the early 90s. The 4HP24 is basically the same transmission, but is stronger and was used in
the 750i/il and the 850i/ci V12 models. Early models have standard hydraulic valve bodies and later EH models have electrical
solenoids to manipulate the hydraulic valves, via a control unit.

These transmissions do have a history of common faults. On EH models, when a fault is registered in the transmission control unit,
a warning will be displayed in the instrument cluster and the transmission may go into the infamous LIMP MODE. Note that not all
faults or problems will be registered as a program fault. When the transmission goes into limp mode, you will see a TRANS
PROGRAM warning or a gear image with an exclamation point in the middle. At this time, the transmission will also be locked in 3rd
gear, for forward movement . starts in 3rd stays in 3rd (reverse, park and neutral will also be available .. depending on the
fault). Non-EH models will not register a fault on the instrument cluster and do not go into limp mode when they have hydraulic or
mechanical faults.

Common faults for these transmissions include;

* A-clutch wear-out (typically no forward movement, but often reverse does work)

* Sticking hydraulic valves in the valvebody (shifting issues, possible limp mode)

* Failed electrical valvebody control solenoids (shifting issues, possible limp mode)

* Overdrive solenoid shorting (touching) against the transmission case (limp mode)

* Oil leakage through electrical harness plug on transmission (shifting issues and/or limp mode)

* Any issues with the electrical control system (EH models), such as: Control unit (moderately rare), EH control switch, downshift
switch, shifter switches, etc. (usually limp mode and functional faults)

When the transmission will not upshift out of 1st gear (very often, exactly as you have described your symptoms), this is typically
due to a sticking hydraulic valve in the transmission valvebody. In this case, we recommend:

* Fluid flush and some driving time.

* Check for fluid in the harness plug on the drivers side of the transmission. If there is fluid, clean it out with brake parts cleaner
spray, Also pull back the boot on the vehicle-side harness plug and clean out any oil in the back-side of the plug housing.
Reassemble and test. Obviously, the plug will become oily again, but if this temporarily cures the faults, we can address the oil
leakage issue by replacing the in-trans harness and plug.

If the shifting issue has not cleared up, the valve body may need to be replaced (assuming that the fault is due to a sticking valve).
The valve bodies are no longer available from BMW. A used valve body (from a known good transmission) can be installed without
removing the transmission.

Subject: TRANS PROGRAM error: detailed TCU

analysis
Author: 750ilinoz : member since April, 2007 : 94 posts
Posted on: 2008-11-12 19:28:09

Hi guys
Have spent much time testing and analysing the operation of the TCU for the 4HP24 and have come up
with the following useful points to note more from an understanding point of view than a diagnostic point
of view. It explains how the TCU system operates and particularly its start-up sequencing and when and
how an error is detected and what the effect of that error is:
1. The shift solenoids (except for 3rd - see below) ONLY receive power through the main relay on the
TCU PCB. When all is well the solenoids receive a constant 12V through the relay and the TCU grounds
the solenoids as appropriate to shift.
2. The relay is grounded by the TCU BUT ONLY AFTER ERROR-FREE START which then energises the
primary side of the relay and allows 12V through the relay to the solenoids. The relay does not get
grounded by the TCU PCB until the TCU is satisfied that there are no errors. This is why the TRANS
PROG error occurs immediately after startup if the TCU detects a problem.
3. The relay is grounded:
a. temporarily (about half a second) upon ignition being turned on - this seems to be a self-check function
- if you turn the ignition on with the case of the TCU removed you will see the relay energise and click
briefly when ignition is turned to on but car not started
b. on and after start if the TCU finds no faults.
4. If the relay is not energised (due to the TCU finding a fault or some other reason) then the 12V from pin
35 is not directed to the solenoid valves but to the check control unit. NB - the CCU receives a 12V signal
from the TCU indicating all is not well which then causes the CCU to display the TRANS PROG error.
5. Mechanically closing the relay does not help as the TCU clearly interrupts the power either before or
after the relay to leave an open circuit in case of fault - in other words you can't bypass the relay and
direct power the solenoids (without totally removing the computer - NOT RECOMMENDED)
6. Limp mode (only 3rd and reverse) - there is clearly a trace in the PCB controlled by a switch which
allows current to flow directly to solenoid valves for 3rd gear and which bypasses the relay altogether to
allow the tranny to still work in 3rd even where the TCU detects an error. NB 3rd gear is the only gear that
requires 12V on both pins 16 and 17 - this is clearly the design intent to allow 3rd to still work when an
error is detected and thus allows limp home mode
7. 12V is supplied to the TCU at pin 34 (constant battery) and pin 35 (12V in ignition - comes from main
relay). When the ignition is off, there should 0V at pin 35. In my case I had 0.4V at pin 35 even with
ignition off - which leads me to suspect a wiring/connection problem that is still to be investigated.
8. The road speed sensor which is notorious in these cars for failing at age is not necessarily the culprit of
a TRANS PROG error on startup. The speed sensor only puts out a AC voltage when the wheels are
actually turning and as such if you get a TRANS PROG error in P or N on engine start it is unlikely to be
the speed sensor.
9.If there is an internal error in the sensor itself (ie short to ground or shield etc) then it seems the TCU as
part of its self-test checks the sensor itself (like the CCU checks things like the OIL LEVEL SENSOR

warning, this is not a low level oil warning but a warning that the sensor itself is faulty) and if there is an
error with the sensor rather than the signal the sensor puts out then the sensor could still be the culprit.
I have correct resistance in the sensor coil (around 1K ohms) but an open circuit between the sensor and
shield and the shield and ground.
10. My TRANS PROG error has been intermittent to the point where sometimes on startup it will be fine
and drive perfectly (normally when cold - drove nearly 200ks last weekend and the error first appeared
about 160ks into the trip - fortunately on open roads so driving in 3rd wasn't a problem).
It will also sometimes reset itself during the course of a trip - i.e. TRANS PROG on startup, drive for a
while and error disappears during course of trip and all shift modes are back again.
This sort of flaky intermittent electrical issue leads me to the speed sensor again as the likely culprit which
I will determine over the weekend.
Hopefully this helps you guys in understanding the operation of the TCU which to some degree might
assist in diagnostic work also. MORE RECENT FINDINGS
1. The TCU relay stays energised for about 3-5 seconds after the ignition is turned off
2. The Red/Blue wire (which is the main wire for the entire engine/gearbox loom which provides 12V from
ignition on) had a 0.4V through it with ignition off. This should be 0V with ignition off as 12V is only applied
to this wire through the main relay when ignition is on. The 0.4V disappeared when the EML connector
was removed from the EML control unit AND both DME connectors. Replugging the EML unit saw the
current rise to 0.52V; reinstalling just one DME connector was 0.38V; both DMEs 0.42V and with EML and
both DMEs installed it was 0.39/0.4V. Has anyone else noticed this voltage leak in the red/blue wire?
3. The failure of the S/E/M switch next to the gearshift will not necessarily cause a TRANS PROG error.
This switch only serves to ground one of a number of wires to the TCU to let the TCU know what shift
program you want. As long as one of the three wires is earthed then a dirty switch will not necessarily
cause a problem. Having said that its not hard to clean the contacts which if they have never been
cleaned before after 20 years speaks for itself.
4. The car will still start and run with X1537 in the auxiliary relay box disconnected - but in this instance
the TCU defaults to the "S" setting rather than going into limp mode. This is curious as disconnecting
X1537 disconnects both 12v constant and ignition and rpm/fuel signal from the TCU - but leaves the
solenoids and everything else connected to the TCU. I did not drive the car like this however and it is not
recommended - I only posted this as I saw a post recently about the tranny being stuck in S mode; this
could well be the cause.
I suggest you all get out the electrical contact cleaner, pull apart the X1537 connector and clean and
clean and clean!!!
While you are there probably wouldn't hurt to pull all the relays and connectors out of the auxiliary relay
box and clean them all as well and re-arrange the wires so there is no stretching/mixing up/bending of any
wires/connectors - these are not that far from the exhaust manifolds and are placed relatively high so they
are in a quite hot environment all the time.

HTH
Seems my hunch about the wiring was right...
dont know if anyone has actually taken all the relays out of the auxiliary relay box (they all come out - held
in with clips) but the wiring in that box is an absolute mess - at least it was in mine anyway.
the 8 pin connector (X1537) which is the main harness connector for the TCU had a fair bit of corrosion
on the connectors (don't know how - never washed the engine bay) and the connectors themselves were
a bit lose.
pulled the connectors apart, cleaned them all up, put some electrical contact cleaner etc on them and all
is well.
i suspect in particular the brown/green/yellow wire - this is the wire that supplies the TCU with engine rpm.
this wire seems to have an inline fuse which is about 2 inches long and wrapped in heatshrink. there is
one of these for each bank but only one signal wire going into the TCU.
in mine these fuse holders were stretched/squashed into the box to the point where the wire had almost
broken off from the spade connectors on either end.
in an earlier post i pointed to the inability to pick up a hz signal from the dme - this may well have been
the cause of the problem.