HELP Can someone confirm trans program relearn theory

[ricola]

The cold weather killed my 1995 525I T! This is a ranting vent and a question. I'm sure someone has asked this before. I did a search but I was hoping to not have to pour over 100 posts about dead batteries, transmission failures, and every fault code in the system.

10/40 oil, and an aging battery does not mix with minus 20 deg. I ran the battery down trying to start the car. I jumped it with a booster charger but by then it was flooded because of the cold start valve. I got it firing with extended cranking and close to starting but I fried the starter solenoid. An internal failure caused the starter motor to continue to run without the key being on. I had to disconnect the cable from the junction block to stop it.

To add insult to injury I had to push the car into my heated garage with our Titan. I had one of the kids helping. The end result was a cracked rear bumper cover!

I purchased a used starter from Strandbergs in Centuria WI. $ 35.00 plus shipping no core charge. It arrived the next dayt. Strandbergs rule!

In case anyone has to change a starter I will confirm it can be done without removing any hoses, draining any coolant or removing the intake manifold. It can be done!

So I get everything back together, start the car and instantly I get a message on the dash.

TRANSMISSION PROGRAM.....

Does that mean I need to drive the car so the transmission can relearn the shift points?

Also my radio say's : CODE in the display. I assume I have to remove it from the dash and get the number off the radio before I call the dealer for the code....?

[John B.]

I had to jump our 95 525iT the other night but things went a little smoother as the car fired right up. Installed a new battery yesterday, no tranny fault codes & the tranny worked fine right out the door. Maybe all that electrical carnage cooked something? I did get the code fault on the radio & as of yet have not had any luck getting it to accept the input. If you have the original manuals that came with the car check in the back of the radio book for the code card.

[ricola]

That's not sounding very promising....

Oh, BTW: I did a unhook a round connector on the left side of the block under the starter support mount. It had a threaded collar about 1" in diameter. The wires went back tword the transmission. After I finished the starter install, I cranked it to test it but forgot to re-connect the the socket. I reconnected it and then cranked it again.

Anyone know what these wires do?

Damn! I hate the cold!

[ricola]

OK, I think I got lucky. I had the car out in the driveway idling. I went out and pulled out the owners manual and read up on the trans program message. I basically says that the trans code controller failed and call the stealer. I shut off the car and display changed to soo owners manual. I let it sit a couple of minutes while I looked for the radio program info. When I re-started the car the display was clear! Wooo fricken Hoooo!

BTW: the P.O. wrote the radio code in the owners manual. When I looked up the radio page in the manual it stated the instructions for programing the radio are in the opporators manual.... WFT! don't have that one... At least I don't have to jerk the radio out of the dash.

I'm sure I can find the radio programing procedure with the search function...

[BillionPa]

trans prog is also set off by low battery voltage

[Russell]

five digit radio code should have been in manual (on a credit card sized card) that came with car or perhaps written on slip of paper in manual case. Perhaps on a previous owners receipts. You may have to get theradio serial number. However, the dealer may be able to get it with only the vin. Just not sure. I would drive the car to the dealer and ask the parts dept for help. They are your best source, not the service writer.

Trany program will appear when battery is low or car has sat for a long time. Happened to me about twice, but not in a long time. Should go away after a restart or two. If not, I suspect an electical problem, not a trany problem.

[ricola]

five digit radio code should have been in manual (on a credit card sized card) that came with car or perhaps written on slip of paper in manual case. Perhaps on a previous owners receipts. You may have to get theradio serial number. However, the dealer may be able to get it with only the vin. Just not sure. I would drive the car to the dealer and ask the parts dept for help. They are your best source, not the service writer.

Trany program will appear when battery is low or car has sat for a long time. Happened to me about twice, but not in a long time. Should go away after a restart or two. If not, I suspect an electical problem, not a trany problem.


Yes, thanks, it cleared when I restarted it. It scared the crap out of me though...

[Qsilver7]

...I'm sure I can find the radio programing procedure with the search function...

Resetting radio after power is removed or display shows "CODE"

If the correct code is not entered in the three successive tries, the radio will not accept entry until the radio has been ON for one hour.

IMPORTANT: When entering 5-digit code number, be sure to complete sequence number of that 5-digit code. For example: Code No. sequence is 12345 and you mistakenly enter 125 instead of 123, continue the code number sequence of 45 to complete that entry. The radio will not operate and "CODE" will reappear in the display. Re-enter the correct number sequence of 12345 and operation of the radio will continue.

NOTE: If an audible beep is heard while entering the 5-digit code, STOP immediately. Begin entering the code again, starting with the first number of the 5-digit code.



1. remember to enter the 5 digit CODE using the 6 radio preset buttons (NOT the buttons on the OBC) None of the numbers should be higher than six since there are only 6 radio preset buttons.
2. If the radio still displays CODE after correctly entering the numbers...turn the ignition to position 1 and then turn the radio button on and leave it on for one hour (it has to be at least one hour...anything less and the radio still won't come on) The ignition has 3 positions:
position 1 - OBC, odometer, and radio come on
position 2 - rest of instrument cluster lights up, AC/HVAC activates
position 3 - engages starter

[John B.]

Would it affect the radio code process if the battery died with a cassette in the player? Haven't tried leaving the key/radio on for an hour yet but I had no luck entering the code.