1st Post

[Trigger1002]

Hey all,

Just picked up my first x5...always been on the bucket list. Have owned a few beamers now, e30, e36 and currently have an 330ci sport too. Latest purchase is a 2004 3.0d with 112k. Love the drive so far... Smooth and nice and high up on the road. Having a few little niggles with it, mostly electrical I think but got it booked in with the local specialist to run through and hopefully tell me they're only little issues that will cost a few pennies to fix. Already put a new battery in which I think has cured the 'air susp inact' gremlin... Shouldn't speak to soon tho! Anyway, hoping to learn a bit here and have a bit of banter along the way... Jamie

[chris.t]

Welcome along and dont be shy with the piccys

[chubbs]

Welcome Jamie. I've been here a week and can confirm that the natives are friendly.

[Pinewood]

We love pics.  Pics make prizes

[Don Coffey]

Hi and Welcome along Trigger, as Pinewood says.....pics please.

Don

[X5Sport]

Hello and along 

[Trigger1002]

Thanks for the warm welcome

[Trigger1002]

Oh, n ignore what I said about the battery curing the self level susp inac gremlin

[Sanj]

[X5Sport]

[quote="Trigger1002"]
Oh, n ignore what I said about the battery curing the self level susp inac gremlin

[Trigger1002]

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="Trigger1002"]
Oh, n ignore what I said about the battery curing the self level susp inac gremlin

[X5Sport]

OK, well that was the obvious one to try.  You've already changed the battery and that will have 'reset' the electrics, so the 20 minute disconnect won't make a difference.

Electrical gremlins are this (and many others now) Achilles heel, and very difficult to pin down.  It's often a single bad connection somewhere amongst the getting in for 50 modules (depending upon options) fitted to the car.

Worth checking the -ve lead is tight and clean where it joins the body.

After that, apart from giving every plug a nudge to make sure it is seated properly you may have to go to a Dealer or Bosch Autocentre, or local Specialist with the right software and get a read out of the error code logs - unless there is a member nearby with the right stuff.

[Trigger1002]

I have the car booked in with a local specialist to see if he can diagnose the problem but he's not free until the 5th April. I'll definitely check out the -ve lead, worth eliminating everything. I've read about alternators causing a few problems too so have been checking out the voltage meter in the dash. Get 13.6-13.8 most of the time when driving which seems not great but ok? When I turn it off, it went from 12.9 to 12.3 In the space of a couple of minutes which seems pretty fast!? Checked it after leaving it overnight and its 11.8. What are the chances of getting a faulty new replacement battery?

[X5Sport]

Don't use the dash indicator as that shows the system under 'load'.  You need a multimeter with the bonnet up and the car asleep (16 minutes after no activity) plus 4 hours since last use for engine off battery check.  Same under bonnet points for engine running checks.

It should be at least 13.8V, maybe a little bit higher, say 14.2V, engine running.  After 4 hours since use it should be about 12.6V and should hold that.

If the car is in the street, pull the bonnet but leave it just on the catch and then lock the car.  That way it's locked and you won't 'wake' it when lifting the bonnet later on.

It is possible to get a duff battery, especially if it's been sat on a shelf!  There should be a 4 character code which gives the build week (or month) and year.  Worth seeing how old the 'new' battery is.

[Trigger1002]

Ok, I'll get a multimeter and check it out properly. Thanks, I do appreciate your help and advice...