ZF 6HP26 Transmission Service Kit with Pan Filter and ATF

This is the complete fluid service for the ZF 6HP26 six-speed automatic behind BMW's V8 and V12 cars, the 335d and X5 diesels, and most Jaguars from the 2003 S-Type through the 2015 XK. Kit 333 903 KIT ships the new oil pan with its integral filter, the pan gasket, the filter O-ring, two pan magnets, 21 pan bolts, a new drain plug and fill plug, six liters of German-made ATF and a manual transfer pump. If you are searching because a 550i, 750Li, X5 4.8i or XF has started banging into second, shuddering on lockup, or showing a gearbox warning, and the fluid has never been touched, a pan service is the first thing to rule in or out.

What the pan and filter do in a 6HP26

On the 6HP26 the filter is molded into the pan, so a pan is the filter. It is also the reservoir that the pump draws from and the cover for the mechatronic, the valve body and control module unit bolted to the bottom of the case. When the filter loads up and the ATF breaks down, line pressure control gets less precise, the clutches apply rougher, and wear products circulate through the solenoid screens. The two magnets in this kit go in the new pan to hold steel particles where the pump cannot reach them.

Symptoms this service addresses

• Harsh or late 1-2 and 2-3 upshifts once the transmission is warm.
• A thump on downshifts as the car rolls to a stop.
• Converter lockup shudder at steady light throttle around 40 to 50 mph.
• Fluid dripping from the pan rail or the drain plug.
• Very dark fluid, or more than 100,000 miles on the original fill. ZF's own lubricant list recommends a change and calls for shorter intervals under heat, towing or hard driving.

A connector that is wet with fluid is a different leak: that is the mechatronic sealing sleeve, which this kit does not include. Add the 6HP26 sleeve and connector seal kit and do both while the pan is down.

How to confirm it before you buy

Pull a sample from the drain plug and look at the old pan once it is off. ZF's service procedure is blunt: if the oil smells burned or there are large chips or fragments in it, abort the oil change and have the transmission inspected. Fine gray paste on the magnets is normal wear. Check stored codes with a BMW or Jaguar capable scan tool first so you know whether you are chasing a fluid problem or an electrical one. The BMW 5 Series 6HP shift problems guide separates the two, and Jaguar owners should read the ZF 6HP Jaguar problems guide.

Fitment

Listed BMW fitment: 335d 2009-2011, 545i 2004-2005, 550i 2006-2010, 645Ci 2004-2005, 650i 2006-2010, 745i and 745Li 2002-2005, 750i and 750Li 2006-2012 including xDrive, 760i 2004-2006, 760Li 2003-2008, Alpina B7 and B7L 2011-2012, X5 4.8i 2007-2008, X5 xDrive35d 2009-2013, X5 xDrive48i 2009-2010 and X6 xDrive50i 2008-2010. Listed Jaguar fitment: S-Type 2003-2008, XF 2009-2012, XFR 2010-2012, XJ 2010-2012, XJ8 and XJR 2004-2009, Super V8 and Vanden Plas 2004-2009, XK 2007-2015 and XK8 2003-2006. ZF documents more than one pan and plug design inside the 6HP26 family, including a BMW 6HP26X metal-pan version with different plugs, so compare your old pan to the photos or send us your year and VIN before ordering. Six-cylinder BMWs on the 6HP19 or 6HP21 need a different kit. Browse the rest of the family on our ZF 6HP parts page.

Install notes

• Car level, parking lock engaged, scan tool connected to read fluid temperature.
• Drain, then remove the pan bolts crosswise from the middle outward and reverse that order going back on. ZF specifies 10 Nm for a plastic pan with integrated filter and 4 Nm plus 45 degrees for aluminum.
• On BMW and Jaguar 6HP26 units ZF lists the drain plug at 8 Nm and the filler plug at 35 Nm.
• Pump fluid in until it runs out of the fill hole, start the engine, select R and D and hold each briefly, top up, then set the final level at 30 to 35 C fluid temperature. If it is already above 35 C, let it cool; never set it above 50 C.
• The approved fill is ZF LifeguardFluid 6. A pan drop uses most of the six liters in the box; for a second exchange, add a 6 liter case of LifeguardFluid 6.

Ships fast from the USA, roughly 18.5 pounds boxed with the fluid.

Does this fit my Jaguar as well as BMW?

Yes, the listing covers both. Jaguar fitment includes S-Type 2003-2008, XF 2009-2012, XFR 2010-2012, XJ 2010-2012, XJ8 and XJR 2004-2009, Super V8 and Vanden Plas 2004-2009, XK 2007-2015 and XK8 2003-2006. If your car is not on the list, send the year and VIN and we will check it.

Is the mechatronic sealing sleeve included?

No. This kit covers the pan, filter, gasket, hardware, magnets, plugs, fluid and pump. If the round connector above the pan is wet, add the 6HP26 sleeve and connector seal kit and replace it while the pan is off.

My 6-cylinder BMW has a ZF six-speed. Will this work?

Usually not. Most six-cylinder BMWs of this era use the 6HP19 or 6HP21, which take a different pan and bolt set. The exceptions on this list are the 335d and the X5 xDrive35d diesels. Read the ZF tag on the case to be sure.

What fluid does the 6HP26 use?

ZF approves ZF LifeguardFluid 6 for the 6HP26 and 6HP26X. Do not mix in additives; ZF says they change the fluid chemistry.

How is the fluid level checked without a dipstick?

Through the side fill plug. With the engine idling in Park and the car level, the level is correct when fluid just drips from the fill hole at 30 to 35 C transmission temperature, read on a scan tool.

Do I need an adaptation reset after the service?

ZF's procedure does not require one for a fluid change. Some shops reset adaptations if the old fluid was badly worn; if the shifts feel firm for the first few drives, give the control unit time to relearn before deciding anything is wrong.

• ZF 6HP Filter and Pan Service
• ZF 6HP BMW 5 Series Shift Problems: Diagnosis and Fix
• ZF 6HP Jaguar Common Problems and Fixes
• ZF 6HP High-Mileage Service Checklist
• ZF 6HP Jaguar Shift Problems: Diagnosis and Fix