Q: Transmission lights no gears

asked by on July 27, 2016

My car only has 9000 mi. on it and a bunch of things went wrong all at once. My transmission light started to blink on my dash. It said that I needed to stop the car and reset the system! I pulled over and turned off the car, and it wouldn’t start again. I got a message that I needed to find the closest BMW service center. Then when I tried to start my car the gears - drive, neutral and reverse wouldn’t show up, and I couldn’t even put it in park. The navigation system said that it was a DSC or DTC fault. I finally got my car to start again, but it wouldn’t go over 60 mph. There was no pick up - like I was driving a high gear. Do you know what’s going on? Any ideas?

Warning Light is on Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hello. Your BMW 745Li has a shutdown feature which helps to prevent additional damage to other components of the car when there is a problem with the engine and/or transmission. Using the information that you have provided, it sounds like there may be a problem with the transmission and driving the vehicle would not be a good idea until the problem is repaired. If you need help with this, a certified technician from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to diagnose your Transmission Light and advise you on the best path to repair.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Misfiring on a 2012 1.8 Chevrolet Sonic
Unfortunately, for this problem GM has a poor design. The entire coil unplugged is a whole assembly and you really can't check that thing individually because it has a sealed unit that goes on top. My advice is to have...
car starts fine but stuck in park wont shift
The first thing to check is to have someone look at your brake lights when you push the pedal. If you do not have brake lights, then the brake light switch (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/brake-light-switch-replacement) is bad or one of the wires at...
white smoke oil leak engine light on
Hi there, thanks for writing in about your 2004 Toyota Sienna. It is very possible that there is an oil leak somewhere that is allowing the engine to burn the oil. Without further detail, it would be tough to say...
Noise when braking at low speed
Hello. I am not sure of your description of the sound, but I think you are describing a brake rotor runout causing the brake pads to gyrate and make a noise at low speeds and light braking it is most...
Car jerks when putting in drive.
The jerking reaction when putting the vehicle into drive suggests that your transmission may be low on fluid. Automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car's computer activates a transmission...
Hi temp low oil and low oil pressure warnings come on
Hello. The warning lights that are coming on can be caused by a few different things. If all three have come on at the same time then it is very likely that the oil has run low. Aside from causing...
Engine coolant disappearing
If the engine has a coolant leak that is not external to the engine or cooling system would not have anything to do with the transmission repairs. You need to have the engine head gaskets and intake manifold checked for...
Replaced the purge valve solenoid in my Buick rendezvous now the car won't turn over
Hi there. Anytime you complete repair or replace mechanical components, it is critical to remove the battery terminals before any further steps. It is possible that if the battery cables were not removed, that you've burned a fuse or relay....
Dealer says replace spark plugs and decarb, but missed oil leak on right side of engine. Throwing p0303.
As you know code P0303 relates to a misfire, specifically in cylinder #3. This is likely unrelated to the oil drops you are seeing as those are more likely related to a gasket or a seal leaking. Engine misfires (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/engine-is-misfiring-inspection)...

Related articles

How Can I Tell If My Clutch Is Slipping?
For some drivers, shifting a manual transmission is second nature. Others prefer to rely on automatic transmissions. Drivers of automatic vehicles don’t have...
2005 Kia Sorento vs. 2005 Chevrolet Blazer: Which One Should I Buy?
SUVs are great for playing out in the mud, taking kids and friends around to different places, as well as just running errands around town. While they are not known to be terrific for gas mileage, that problem is negated...
How to Test a Starter Solenoid
Starter solenoids are attached to the starter. Test the solenoid with jump cables - when the solenoid fails, the car starter needs to be replaced.