BMW 525i Car is hard to shift Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(184)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(184)

Car is hard to shift Inspection Service

How much does a Car is hard to shift Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW 525i Car is hard to shift Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2007 BMW 525iL6-3.0LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$132.49 - $145.62
2003 BMW 525iL6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
2002 BMW 525iL6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
1990 BMW 525iL6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.48 - $125.60
2005 BMW 525iL6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.55 - $125.72
1994 BMW 525iL6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
1991 BMW 525iL6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$117.28 - $130.25
1992 BMW 525iL6-2.5LService typeCar is hard to shift InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$117.94 - $131.39
Show example BMW 525i Car is hard to shift Inspection prices

A car that is shifting hard can be very unpleasant to drive. Regardless of whether it is an automatic or a manual, a transmission that is not shifting correctly can cause serious problems out on the road and under the hood.

A car that refuses to shift or go into gear easily is trying to tell you something is wrong and in most cases the culprit is the clutch or transmission. Transmissions are very complicated and have many moving parts, ignoring a hard to shift issue can quickly spiral into a very expensive transmission repair.

How this system works:

Automatic transmissions use a planetary system of gears that transfers power using different gear ratios. A planetary gear set has a central gear, known as the sun gear, an outer ring that has internal gear teeth which is called the ring gear and two or three other gears which are called planet gears and allow the gear ratio to change as the vehicle accelerates.

The vehicle drive train is coupled to a torque converter that acts like a clutch between the transmission and drivetrain. The transmission changes gears as the vehicle accelerates or slows downs.

In a manual transmission, a flywheel is attached to the engine crankshaft and spins with it. A clutch disk is located between the pressure plate and the flywheel, which is held against the flywheel due to pressure from the pressure plate. When the clutch is engaged the flywheel spins the clutch plate and the transmission, moving the car. When the clutch is depressed, the pressure plate stops applying pressure to the clutch disk allowing the gear to be changed without damaging the transmission.

Most modern cars with a manual transmission have 5 or 6 gears.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Transmission Fluid Leak: Transmissions are a sealed system so leaking fluid indicates a serious problem. Leaks can occur in the pan gasket as well as other areas of the transmission. Transmission fluid is bright red or brown, as it gets older. If there is fluid under the car it should be inspected immediately. Transmission fluid is essential for the proper operation of the transmission and low fluid levels due to a leak can cause the transmission to basically self-destruct, which will result in a very expensive repair.

  • Failing Transmission Solenoids: Transmission Solenoids control the flow of transmission fluid around the transmission. Trouble shifting is a common indicator that the solenoids are failing.

  • Dirty or Contaminated Transmission Fluid: Transmission fluid gets dirty and contaminated over time and must be replaced. Difficulty in shifting can indicate that it is time to change the fluid. Transmission fluid should be flushed and replace roughly every 100,000 miles.

  • Failing Transmission: Over time, especially as a vehicle goes over the 100,000 mile mark, parts and gears inside the transmission simply wear out. This process can be dramatically accelerated if the car is driven with low levels of transmission fluid. The transmission will have to be rebuilt or replaced which is a very expensive repair. Symptoms of a failing transmission include hard shifting, humming, clunking or grinding.

  • Bad Shifter Cable: Some vehicles use a cable to link the shifter handle to the transmission. Typically an automatic transmission will have one cable while a manual transmission will have two. Over time the cable can stretch or break. A stretched cable can make the vehicle hard to shift into gear and the indictor needle may not line up with the gear the vehicle is actually in.

  • Worn Out Clutch: Over time a clutch will wear out. The lifespan of a clutch can vary depending on the how the car is driven. Symptoms of a failing clutch not only include hard shifting but also a spongy feel to the clutch and a possible burning smell.

What to expect:

A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to determine the source and cause of the Car is hard to shift issue, ​and will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it's done:

A mechanic will inspect your car's transmission and other important components. This will include your transmission fluid for leaks and contamination, failing solenoids, shifter cable and clutch. This will allow your mechanic to provide you with an accurate diagnosis of your hard shifting transmission.

How important is this service?

Transmission repairs can range from a simple and inexpensive adjustment to a major rebuild that can be very expensive. A car that is hard to shift is signaling that something is malfunctioning in the transmission or clutch and ignoring the problem will most likely lead to further damage, which can dramatically increase the cost of the repair.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert BMW mechanics

Real customer reviews from BMW owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(184)

Rating Summary
168
6
2
0
8
168
6
2
0
8

Steven

16 years of experience
97 reviews
Steven
16 years of experience
BMW 525i L6-2.5L - AC is not working - Sacramento, California

Andrew

17 years of experience
70 reviews
Andrew
17 years of experience
BMW 525i L6-2.5L - Car Battery Replacement - San Antonio, Texas
Outstanding service.

Eric

15 years of experience
133 reviews
Eric
15 years of experience
BMW 525i L6-3.0L - Car Battery Replacement - Capitol Heights, Maryland
Great service

Tien

23 years of experience
903 reviews
Tien
23 years of experience
BMW 525i L6-2.5L - Oil/Fluid Leak - Dublin, California
Great guy. Honest mechanic and nice to work with. Have always relied on him for his advice. Will definitely want him to service all future maintenance of my vehicles.

Excellent Rating

(184)

Rating Summary
168
6
2
0
8
168
6
2
0
8
Number of BMW 525i services completed
2024+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT BMW MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How Can I Tell If My Car Battery Needs Replacing?
There There are few things more frightening than hearing buzzing or clicking from your car when you’re trying to start it. It could mean any number of things, but chances are that it means you have a faulty car battery....
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Parking Brake Warning Switch
If your car's Brake Warning Light comes on, especially if it gets brighter, you may need to replace the parking brake warning switch.
P0602 OBD-II Trouble Code: Control Module Programming Error
P0602 indicates a programming error in one of the control modules. Problems may include engine stalls, rough idling and poor acceleration.

Smoke coming from under my hood.

Hello there, thanks for writing in. I would be glad to help you out here. Most likely you have a leak. When the vehicle engine is stone cold, look around the valve cover gasket (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-valve-cover-gasket) for liquid oil and then...

What do you recommend for transmission fluid and engine oil for a 2010 Lincoln Town Car?

Hello. Ford or Motorcraft brand would be the OEM fluid brand that your vehicle came equipped with from the factory. However, any brand of oil and transmission fluid will work fine as long as it meets the API certification rating,...

Right tire

Hi there: Sometimes a loud "Bang" noise coming from the wheel area is an indication of a broken suspension component, such as a CV joint. If you're getting a massive vibration over 15 mph, it's more than likely that you...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com