XSeries-forum

henrym3 · Post by **henrym3** » Wed Sep 29, 2021 8:27 pm

I rather ingloriously arrived home this morning on the back of an AA truck having been down in Bournemouth house hunting. Just got past some services on the M6 when I lost power and got the Engine failsafe message. Got to one of those rescue areas and prior to calling the AA I ran a diagnostics check, (doesn’t everyone carry their scan tool) symptoms before scan were, engine running but hunting, no throttle. Scan shows throttle potentiometer fault. Cleared codes. No different but no codes. Called AA and 20 minutes later man turns up with scan tool, starts engine and it runs fine, revs, no lights no faults. Suggest I could crack on but doesn’t advise I do as there’s no hard shoulder for next 14 miles and then 5 miles of roadworks. He talks to control centre and advises recovery to home, some 200 odd miles. This is now 0230 and he advises to give them 10 minutes and call for update. Adviser tell me someone will arrive around 0700. Put phone down and the before I have time to start moaning the truck pulls in, loads me up and tells me he’s taking me 50 mile up the road cos his shift is ending. Unload at another service area and 10 minutes later another truck arrives to bring me home. Have to say I have been a member for many years and never used them. They impressed me last night. The X5 is working perfect, BUT, it’s now-a confidence thing. I have the throttle pedal/potentiometer siting in front of me as I type, remarkably easy to remove and around £200 for a new one from BMW. Choices, buy new, go to scrappy and get a second hand one and carry in vehicle till I regain confidence, buy after market anywhere from £20 to £100. All comments welcome.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Wed Sep 29, 2021 9:47 pm

You just know the next time it will do it right in the middle of the M6, 7 miles past the last recovery area (they’re supposed to be every 500m) and 7 miles from the next. Change it

The last time anyone in our family used the AA was 1972 and they diagnosed a blown head gasket on a brand new Audi 100. It was a missing hose clip on the bottom hose to the rad. Recovery was quick then too.

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Wed Sep 29, 2021 11:52 pm

If you only need them once they are worth the money I have relay as although they say they fix 90% of faults at the roadside these are mostly :

Flat tyre
No fuel
Flat battery

they don't fix much else (imo) put our focus on a lorry when it wouldn't start (faulty starter) and they wont be taking mine to a dealer for the x5 plus my classic car is 39 so the only one with parts for it is me , I can fix it no problem if I get it home

plus dealers are closed on the weekend when you are more likely to be stranded far away.

As for the replacement part either expensive new or cheap secondhand , £100 secondhand is no bargain as these will be very old and have covered lots of miles by now . I'm often amazed the prices asked for used parts for say a 10 year old car possibly coming off a car even older and higher miles that your own !

Wayfarer · Post by **Wayfarer** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:48 am

Glad you got home safely, last time I used the AA, it was to recover my two and a half year old Land Rover Discovery with a broken crankshaft from the hard shoulder of the M5, nearly 200 miles from home.
Although fortunately during the day, not raining and without the caravan on the back.
The AA were great, with a quick and efficient recovery, recovered us back to the caravan site, and then recollection the following day to take to LR dealer for a new engine turbos etc., but that's another story, and the main reason I now drive an x5

PS For what it's worth I'd buy a and fit a part from BMW or the original OEM, wouldn't touch 2nd hand or some of the cheap foreign knock offs about as you could end up back in a similar or worse position.

henrym3 · Post by **henrym3** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 4:28 pm

Just ordered the part and it will be in tomorrow. My account said "that’s an awful lot for basically a sensor" my head said "do you really want the AA experience again" plus you guys are right in that the second hand one probably has more mileage on it than mine had.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 5:37 pm

I’ve just had to replace a second hydraulic pressure sensor on the E46 that is part of the DSC and is just a small part on the brake master cylinder. It’s over £100 and seems to be OEM only. The other one went three years ago so I suppose it was inevitable.

henrym3 · Post by **henrym3** » Fri Oct 08, 2021 6:53 pm

Have to drag this thread up again, after all my praise for the AA. Once the pedal was fitted I had to go into isolation prior to going to hospital to have them poke about at my ticker so never went anywhere. Today I went for some lpg and got 50m and realised my steering is at 3 o’clock to go straight ahead and SAS, DSC and ABS lights are on. Just couldn’t figure why steering wheel was so far out. Quick inspection found that the tie rod on one side was severely bent, I can only conclude the AA man looped the strap over the tie rod as he connected it round the bottom arm.

: A62D0FAB-DD41-4542-830E-5A79E6448D23.jpeg (60.19 KiB) Viewed 2072 times

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:02 pm

That's made a bit of a mess hasn't it

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 6:18 am

Thats not good

Any recourse with the AA, or will it be too late after the event now?

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:55 am

That’s dreadful! New steering rack required? I would have thought that you had a case given you didn’t go anywhere and can show you went into hospital. Any paperwork with the driver’s name on it? If they play dumb then shame them more widely!

lezmtaylor · Post by **lezmtaylor** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:34 pm

Was a serious problem with the Ford Transit as the tie rod from left to right sat behind the front axle and frequently when tow rope was looped over the axle the tie rod was looped as well.
I used to own an Express delivery co. and had several dispute with recovery companies who did this.

Lez

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:08 pm

A new inner tie rod should see it fixed ,it would only have been used to winch into the towtruck , to be fair most of us are not too awake at 2:30 am and in the dark it was an easy mistake to make

The mileage will likely have been recorded when it was picked up so that would help prove it hasn't been anywhere to cause damage after towing .

henrym3 · Post by **henrym3** » Sun Oct 10, 2021 8:03 pm

The AA are investigating the issue. As I need to use the vehicle I asked if I could replace the parts myself when they said the investigation could take some time. They agreed and said it would not prejudice the claim in any way. I have ordered MEYLE tie rod and ball joint for each side. £89 I checked prices with BMW and for one side it was over £250. They should be here by Thursday. I fitted the new throttle pedal and all seems fine but will be happier when I can go for a drive.

henrym3 · Post by **henrym3** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:19 am

Just to finish off, track rods fitted, done both sides. I have had to take it to Kwikfit on 3 separate occasions to get the steering wheel pointed in the right direction. The AA have reimbursed me for the full amount without accepting any liability. I suppose that’s standard procedure.

hennabm · Post by **hennabm** » Wed Nov 10, 2021 1:57 pm

I last used the AA in 1992 when my car was relayed from Southwaite services back to Inverness. I spotted they had damaged the alloy wheel and the mudflap by incorrect strapping. It took a while but they did pay out for replacements.
It has to be worth it. Have you any photos of it loaded? It may give evidence of where the strap was positioned.