'My' budget X5

[sapphireblack]

Shook hands on a deal this afternoon on a car needing some TLC, but thats why it was budget priced. Headlamp perspex needs some serious attention some silly bits of trim are missing but nothing untoward.......hopefully. The car flags parking brake inoperative though appears to be working. Is this a known BMW issues with a known fix or have i entered the caveat emptor zone, only to regret it immediately i did search here and actuator was the word but only seemed to apply to stuck on issues.

[X5Sport]

If it’s an E70 then yes the electric parking brake is a known issue. It’s usually the actuator that fails. They can be repaired, and rebuilt ones are available but don’t buy a Chinese copy or you’re likely to be back at square one soonish.

BMW will sell you a new unit at a suitably silly price. It’s also possible to use the emergency release in the left rear cubby. There’s a special tool which should be in the toolkit. It’s bright red plastic. Procedure is below.

IMG_3207.jpeg (220.73 KiB) Viewed 9445 times

[sapphireblack]

I have read about the emergency tool, thats for releasing a stuck on brake. In this instance the car says the parking brake has failed. The switch in the centre console looks easy enough to replace. The actuator on the other hand is beyond my capabilities with having the car raised , wheels off, discs off etc.

I think i will have to undo the handshake, bugger.

[X5Sport]

It can fail on or off. I believe the car detects the failure and locks the actuator out. You don’t need to remove the discs (just the wheels), but you do need to get underneath to remove the actuator module (if that turns out to be the problem). It would show up in the fault memory.

It’s not just a blown fuse by any chance? It does happen.

[sapphireblack]

See below, unable to delete.

[sapphireblack]

Until its on my drive i can't dig into the car to investigate, nor do i have scanning stuff. Im beginning to think i need to continue looking. Maybe its too big of an ask?

Ive looked at two YT tutorials from over the pond and in both cases wheels, calipers and discs were removed to access the cables to the actuator? Maybe they were both wrong, but i still dont have the ability to lift the car and remove wheels or have the inclination to grovel around underneath it.

[Alan Gunn]

What has this world come to "" undo the handshake ""....lol.

[sapphireblack]

Better than saying i reneged on a deal. The handshake was based on the issue being a simple fix.

[Leslie]

At least it isn't stuck on like my passst was no tools in an unlit carpark for 4 hrs waiting the AA
Really with the automatic box in park there isn't much need for it but the motman will need it working. The motors wear out and the cables rot but the most likely is you need a new unit which sorts both issues .

[sapphireblack]

Seller decided he wants to keep it after all.

[X5Sport]

Phew……

[sapphireblack]

That was my initial reaction tbh. But it was a nice car, dark blue metallic with a cream interior, rather classy I thought. So many X5s are one of the various black colours. Oh and it was £3500!!

[Leslie]

They are a great car for the money now , well until something breaks which is why I use my old passat more these days The twin turbo sd is fairly rapid too for a big bus

[sapphireblack]

My X6 is the twin turbo motor, and whilst I'll never know for sure, it feels as rapid as my old V8, albeit without the growl and burble. I imagine the M50d must be a hoot but painful on the wallet.

[Leslie]

The m50d much be a beast and I did have a notion of one a while back but I'm sure insurance and fuel economy etc reflect that and that's before anything goes wrong and with 4 turbos to contend with I think its a no from me for now