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any mechanics know BMW x5 issues?


ayavner

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Forgive me I am a Land Rover guy but borrowing an X5 which naturally decided to start playing up on me.

 

What I know is it is a 2007 X5 3.0 si. Low Km, maybe 60,000 or so? Up till recently it ran fine, however there was a week or 2 where I didn't drive it. The battery died so I removed it and put it on the charger overnight and it is fully charged. Also took it to the auto parts store and they put the tester on it, no faults.

 

So I have put the battery back in, no dramas. However, now it runs VERY roughly - idles only about 500 RPM, and runs like someone pulled out half the spark plugs. I had a glance in the engine bay, don't see any oil in the area, and nothing loose that I can see.

 

here is what I have been able to find on this and other forums:

 

- possible leak at MAF tubing? checked it, seems solid.

 

- oil in spark plug holes? haven't checked yet, not even sure yet where the spark plugs are on this thing... hoping to find out if there is a simpler, common issue before learning this thing for a one time event.

 

- transmission in safe mode? no indication of this, no message. Also the rough running is evident in neutral or park as well as through all of the manual gears, so don't think its a transmission thing.

 

- fuel cap? checked to make sure it was tight, but can't rule it out. Hard to put cause/effect on that since the only thing done was the battery.

 

-water in gas? This is what it "feels" like to me, but not sure how to check - is there a drain point in the fuel system on these?

 

All of the info system messages seem OK (other than front brake pads, which should be irrelevant).

 

Has anyone had this happen before in conjunction with a failing battery? Its almost like it lost its mind!

 

Another possibility... i put 87 Octane in, wasn't paying attention since I normally use diesel in my Landrover. Would that make it run like someone stole half the sparkplugs?

 

thanks in advance for any help!!

 

 

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Thanks Nev - don't have one, but I suppose that is the next logical step. I vastly prefer my Land Rover. The ride is ok if you like that sort of thing, very hard to keep slow enough wtihout constantly having to back off.

 

 

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Checked with a friend who had one and had a flat battery. After he replaced the battery he needed to take it to a BMW service center where they connected it their computer and reset the system.

 

He suggested to get a trickle charger if you do intend to leave it unused for periods.

 

 

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I think that the issue is that the computer that controls the injection has lost its parameters. Warm the engine up and take the car for a drive. After a bit you will likely find that the roughness will go away as the sensors are able to "relearn" the correct settings. In the future it is best not to disconnect a battery in this for a long period. Swap a battery over any it remembers the settings, leave it for too long and everything is reset.

 

 

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Off thread but we also have a problem with a vehicle. Not mechanical but our Nissan x trail has an digital odometer problem. It started a couple of months ago, the numbers changed. It went from 69 000 kays back a couple of thousand to 67 000 odd. It can be different every time you start the car. Last month it read ok from 68 000 to 68957 then next start of the car it went back to 68001.

 

I have researched it on the net and others have suffered the same problem. But I can't find a solution, the local knob jockey Nissan dealer said , " yeah we will have a look it for $143 per hour. Lol

 

 

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Off thread but we also have a problem with a vehicle. Not mechanical but our Nissan x trail has an digital odometer problem. It started a couple of months ago, the numbers changed. It went from 69 000 kays back a couple of thousand to 67 000 odd. It can be different every time you start the car. Last month it read ok from 68 000 to 68957 then next start of the car it went back to 68001.I have researched it on the net and others have suffered the same problem. But I can't find a solution, the local knob jockey Nissan dealer said , " yeah we will have a look it for $143 per hour. Lol

Wait till it shows a bit lower then don't switch it off and trade it in:thumb up:

 

Ayavner, in regards to disregarding the brake pad issue as irrelevant....... Never think anything is irrelevant or not involved when it comes to electrics in vehicles, we had a tractor that was playing up the other day and kept coming up with a engine management error code. To cut a long story short we found that it was actually a bare wire for the pneumatic seat!!!!

 

 

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Off thread but we also have a problem with a vehicle. Not mechanical but our Nissan x trail has an digital odometer problem. It started a couple of months ago, the numbers changed. It went from 69 000 kays back a couple of thousand to 67 000 odd. It can be different every time you start the car. Last month it read ok from 68 000 to 68957 then next start of the car it went back to 68001.I have researched it on the net and others have suffered the same problem. But I can't find a solution, the local knob jockey Nissan dealer said , " yeah we will have a look it for $143 per hour. Lol

The cheapest out of this would be to pull the speedo and computer out if a wrecked one at the wreckers. Problem is, what is the chances of finding a 2006 x trail with a genuine 68000 kays on the clock. Next to none I reckon.

 

 

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Hook it to an analyser. Isn't some of that system fibre optics? Mate of mine hated his because of the ride mostly and got out of it. Nev

The first thing to do when removing the battery is to put in a temporary replacement battery connection in parallel so that there is no discontinuation of power to the computer...otherwise you lose all the settings including the radio programming.

 

I have a 318 TI and learned the hard way!

 

Kaz

 

 

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The first thing to do when removing the battery is to put in a temporary replacement battery connection in parallel so that there is no discontinuation of power to the computer...otherwise you lose all the settings including the radio programming.

I have a 318 TI and learned the hard way!

 

Kaz

Would jumper leads work ok connecting new battery to the old one, then remove the old battery and install the new battery in its place, connect terminals then remove jumper leads ?

 

 

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It doesn't have to be a particularly large battery . My Transit Diesel has two batteries in parallel and that achieves what we are after here.However you do it there must be no time when there isn't ONE battery connected to the system. Good jumper leads might be OK, depending on how the clips work. They can be a bit clumsy and slip off. Nev

 

 

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It seems silly that a car can't handle getting disconnected for a time, do the designers not know that batteries go flat occasionally?

I have just returned my iPad Mini to the supplier for the third time in a month because it has died, again! The original went back to Apple twice and then they supplied a replacement. It lasted less than a week.

 

Black screen. Tried all the tricks to get it to fire up. So did the supplier. Back to Apple again. Battery seems to flatten ridiculously quickly and then won't charge/activate. Getting sick of it.

 

Kaz

 

 

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It seems silly that a car can't handle getting disconnected for a time, do the designers not know that batteries go flat occasionally?

I don't think that its a case of bad design but a deliberate decision. The cars can be disconnected usually for about 5 minutes. Disconnecting the battery for more than 5 minutes is a way of forcing a full reset.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

My 20 cents....

 

Jump starting and changing Batteries is fraught with danger these days.

 

Often when a cable is connected you will see a spark.

 

For a spark to be visible there needs to be at least 25 volts.

 

Most car electronics are designed to handle up to 18 volts.

 

Modern Automotives run integrated systems that are intimately linked together.

 

Lightening strikes are scary because you can't be sure where they might pop up.

 

 

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