Greydog

Morning Donald Have you checked the loom for damage and the connectors for loose pins. Around the age of your car I read several reports of failed Mechatronc units so a new/rebuilt unit may well be the cure. The trans you are considering may be in similar condition or going that way so ideally a test before buying may help but a used transmission will always be a gamble For me I would get the Mechatronic unit checked and rebuilt by a Trans Specialist (or best by a ZF specialist) What condition was the sump in when you dropped it ? was there much debris were the magnets clean ? If the fluid was changed a few times by the previous owner trying to fix the issue chances are the Torque converter has been flushed fingers crossed they used the correct fluid. BMW at this time stated Transmissions were "Sealed for Life" (BMW speak "life" was the end of their Warranty responsibility) ZF however recommend service every 60k to 80k Good Luck Dave

Hi Henry With the Gearbox I believe that Comfort and Sport effect the suspension and throttle setting while in Eco it just softens the throttle response. So should have no effect on the gearbox or flywheel. (but then I haven't owned a manual for 40+ years) Is there any odd tyre wear (inner edges at the rear) when was the last time the car was 4 wheel aligned? As you have movement in the rear suspension I would suspect the lower rose bush is shot. At 90k it may be the whole rear suspension needs a rebuild Good engineering practice would change both sides. Take a look at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model then look at the rear suspension the small exploded drawing should show you where things are and their part numbers then Google the part number to get the best price Hope this helps Dave

Morning Bruce The Torque converter has to be spinning for the internal pump to operate so drain refill 3 or 4 times is the only way I know of without dropping the box. However I did carryout a flush process on a Volvo T5 which may work (similar capacity box) where the output line from the gearbox to the trans cooler was disconnected and diverted to a clear container (mine was marked in liter increments) run the engine 3 litres out stop engine replace fluid to the box, tip the old stuff out of the catch bottle and repeat until the fluid is coming out clean. It may be possible to do that with the ZF box Dave

Morning James Welcome to the Forum Most of the problems were over a 5 year manufacturing period 2007 to 2012 and mainly diesel engines affected. The issue was stretching timing chains sadly BMW did not deal with it well at first denying there was a problem. If an engine fails repair cost I have seen quoted is between £2k and £3k. So if it happens a major cost however these engines were used in many models and BMW argue that failures against total in service is fairly low, difficult to assess as many dealt with by BMW were kept in house. BMW supplied modified Chain Tensioners and guides as part of the repair not cheap. Having said that my Brother Inlaw is now on his 5th 5series touring (2x530d 2x535d and the current 540d) the first 3 all in the risk years all run to high mileages due to his business, all BMW serviced but we carried out interim oil changes monthly. My personal belief is modern extended service schedules by all manufacturers don't actually help longevity. He has suffered no timing chain issues, swirl flaps on the early cars an EGR fail on one of the 535d all has been good. Dave

Morning Dylan Welcome to the Forum First did you buy from a Dealer/Garage if so start there if you brought private you may well be on your own. With luck you got it cheap so repairs won't make it uneconomical. First place to start is are you able to DIY or will you be relying on a garage? If in the hands of a Garage factor in labour rates and time off the road. A BMW Specialist will generally be between 1/3rd to 1/2 of a BMW Dealer labour cost, a good Independent Garage around 1/3rd. Next the battery when was it fitted? is it correct for the car?, was it NEW or was it "another" battery? To begin the battery needs testing it should show 12.8v at the charging points under the bonnet engine off anything below indicates a discharged/dying battery. With the engine running you should see 14.5/14.8v tested at the same place which would indicate the charging system is OK. The faults you mention could be sensor issues caused by low voltages or failing sensors a Diagnostic session with a BMW capable code reader would give a better indication and faster diagnosis. Fault 1. Limp Mode could be Throttle body or throttle position sensor or cam position sensor either Diagnostics or test sequence needed. Replace if required Fault 2. Again a sensor issue at one of the wheels or an ABS pump fault test if capable or Diagnostics sensors can be changed the pump (if it is at fault) can be repaired at a reasonable cost. The click you hear could be the starter relay or the solenoid either sticking or just not functioning due to low voltages? Fully charge the battery (use the under bonnet charge points) When fully charged leave the car shut up after 15min the light by the gear lever should go out if it doesn't something is not letting the car shut down check any aftermarket additions (Radio.Bluetooth, Camera etc) After a few hours measure the voltage under the bonnet if it has dropped and the car is asleep suspect the battery Dave

Morning Paul Welcome to the Forum When the car is started power to the starter is prioritised so often the current draw at start will starve many other systems. So first point of call would be a battery check a fully charged battery should show 12.8v measured at the charging points under the bonnet engine off key out of the ignition, with the engine running 14.8v will indicate the charging system is in good order. A diagnostic scan will be able to point you towards any other issues Dave

That's the one Bruce there should be tandem clips that fix it to the other pipes you should get some clues from the small drawings on realoem. The end is open to atmosphere I believe Dave

Hi Bruce There is a transmission breather down there see if you can trace it back also check www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will call up your model. Then look in the relevant section and see where the transmission breather is fitted. Dave

Morning Bruce Either can be the culprit unfortunately age hardens the seals wrong coolant can cause corrosion Dave

Morning Gary You can check quickly at www.realoem .com it is a BMW parts web site so look for the Model E46 and the wheel size/style it will give you the size, offset etc double click the part number and it will show other models it was used on. Then do the same for the E90 Dave

Morning Tom Difficult to answer as it could be either one, can you disconnect your Car play module ? Check all connections to make certain it's not something as simple as a loose connector. If disconnecting the Car play works you have the culprit if not you could try talking to someone like Cartronix they well known for fixing BMW systems Dave

Morning Tom Welcome to the Forum Very nice and in the fastest colour too 🤣 Dave

I think you may well have fixed your issue Sarah unplug it again and if your battery remains good thats it. The CD changers were used in several models that used I-bus so are not that expensive to buy second hand (cheaper than repair) between £30 and £50 Good luck Dave

Morning Seppo Welcome to the Forum BMW would change your oil at the service light schedule (around 30k) The service indicator also indicates Brake Service and Coolant. ZF who make the gearbox recommend around 80k However I change engine oil and filter yearly regardless of miles when miles covered were higher around every 10k Brake Fluid every 3 years coolant the same. Gearbox is serviced to ZF schedule Hope this helps Dave

Morning Sarah First is the Battery correct for the car (if you are unsure check www.realoem.com)? If your car is a 3.0d without Auxiliary heating Battery should be 90ah if you have Auxiliary heating I believe it should be 92ah. on your year it doesn't matter if it is AGM or not The fact that your car is OK when the battery is freshly charged I would start with the Battery/Charging system So checking the battery and charging system are in good condition, engine off battery voltage checked at the charging points under the bonnet should show 12.8v with engine running voltage should be 14.5/14.8v if not then you could have a Voltage regulator fault or alternator issue. Your X5 has many systems and when you start the car the drain on the battery as they all wake up plus the actual start draws massive current to replace the initial draw can take 15 to 20 minutes of driving to recharge, that is assuming the system is in tip top condition. So if journeys are short the battery never recovers fully. Get the starter motor current checked at start a failing starter will kill a battery (I have seen a starter drawing 600+ amps and the car still started but the battery kept dying) When your electrical system is in good condition if you turn the car off and leave it after around 15mins the light beside the gear lever will go out. The car is now "asleep" it will still draw a few milliamps to maintain the memory chips clock etc. I can leave my car a couple of weeks and it will start. If the light by the gearstick doesn't go out then a system or systems are still running and keeping the car awake (drawing power) In that event things to check are any non original accessories that have been fitted (Radio, Cameras DVD players) then work through the OEM on board systems.until the drain is isolated. Also check your journey cycle if they are short journeys then at least once a week it needs either charging or a good run I use a C-tec charger once a month to keep the battery at the top of the game. Dave

Are you certain that the pins in the connectors (check each end of the loom) haven't moved? If pin 1 has been pushed back or dislodged it will cause your fault There was if I recall a service bulletin that the loom under the passenger seat needed to be checked but my old brain can't remember why at the moment Dave

The specific programs will show 2 levels of Fault 1st Fault present/current and 2nd Fault not present which is Fault history/memory. With ISTA you will be able to clear all faults (Present and Memory) When a diagnostic is run it will show all faults remember some may be a a result of the fault others may be a symptom of the fault. I would run the Diagnostics note the faults, clear all faults shut down start the car and see what returns. The first fault will normally be the cause, check with engine off (battery fully charged) and engine running (live data) Good luck Dave

Hi Steve The best you can get is BMW ISTA diagnostic program which you can mount on your laptop. It will give you Dealer level diagnostic capability plus repair/test information. It will give a code but also explain the fault in English, as an example my PDC plays up the fault shows as PDC rear centre right sensor intermittent. Cost will be around £80 a diagnostic session at a Dealer will cost around £200 at todays labour costs There are others that are BMW capable but not specific like Foxwell and I-carsoft personally I prefer the dedicated diagnostics. My old laptop that I keep in the garage has several systems on it Volvo, Mercedes Star, BMW 1.4.0 BMW INPA/ISTA Toyota, VW VAS. My daughter tells people her dad is a car geek (but guess where she comes if there is a problem) Even if you end up talking to a garage you are talking from a position of knowledge/strength. Dave

Hi Steve Welcome to the Forum It could be the throttle body?Control Flap its self or just the Throttle position sensor. Take a look at www.realoem.com it's a BMW online parts list put the last 7 digits of your Vin in the search box it will bring up your model, then search for what you need. The small exploded drawings will help with location . I would first check the associated loom and wiring for any sign of wear/chaffing also check Google for test methods for the throttle position sensor. If you need a replacement you have the correct part number again Google for best supply price Neither are big jobs just need a bit of patience as other stuff is in the way Dave

When the alternator is checked remember and alternator will be around £200 a Regulator should be about £30 Good luck Dave P.S.After the work is done lLeave the battery disconnected for 1/2hr minimum and your codes should be reset

Was the actuator New (in the box) or New to you (a used one) Have you checked realoem that all new/replaced parts are correct for your car? Keep digging you will get there Dave

Hi Dominic Welcome to the Forum Whoop Whoop Enjoy Dave

Morning Heather Welcome to the Forum First thing to check/get checked is the battery, the X5 is a very power hungry car drawing huge amperages at start when the car is waking up (systems loading) and the starter turning. So first charge the battery a fully charged battery should show 12.8 volts at the charge points under the bonnet. With the engine running the voltage should be 14.8 volts checked at the same place. A competent garage or auto electrician will be able to do that if you can't yourself. So if your battery has been on charge overnight and is reading less than 12.8v I would suspect the battery is dying. If the engine is running but you are seeing below 14.5 14.8v suspect the alternator. Again not necessarily the alternator it could be a failed/failing voltage regulator on the alternator and Auto Electrician should be able to check/change the alternator. Take a look at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin number into the search box or search manually look at the alternator (Engine Electrical System) and you should see part numbers If you Google BMW Specialists you should find one near you who can help if you don't have a trusted local garage. Good Luck Dave

Morning Henry Welcome to the Forum A few questions (1) how old are the tyres and are they a matched set (same front and rear side to side) (2) You say you checked the wheel bearings ? How did you do that? Normally a wheel bearing will make groaning noises at all speeds louder under load My guess would be Propshaft Your Propshaft has Rubber couplings either end and a propshaft centre bearing. There should be no movement in the centre bearing bothe rubber couplings should be free of any cracks/splits and all nuts and bolts present and tight. The Diff check for excessive movement (backlash) also check its mountings. Driveshafts check couplings at either end for movement there should be none Suspension is reliant on rubber bushes they will all need checking they don't last for ever (80 to 100k) include the rear subframe bushes. Hope this helps Dave

Morning Wayne Welcome to the Forum How are things in the land of the long white cloud (North or South ?) Dave