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PhilipE

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Everything posted by PhilipE

  1. Hi Dave Apologies for not having acknowledged your reply earlier. I think you could well be right regarding the warping of a PCB board - I'm assuming with reference to the diversity antenna. My suspicion is that under a baking hot roof, something somewhere expands and short circuits something else, hence the lack of communication with the key fobs. Antennae are expensive to buy (almost £400) and a pig to remove and fit, hence not worth it yet! Everything with the car is now running very smoothly, and I'm thinking of having the comfort access reconnected - at least until next summer! Phil
  2. Thank you Dave for your reply. There have been issues with other F10s, F11s and E60s with similar problems, i.e. the fobs not talking to the car, but this has either been due to a blown fuse, or a faulty antenna, the problem remaining until one of the latter has been replaced. The problems with mine have been intermittent. I have heard that if the steering wheel cowling has been removed, e.g. to change the instrument cluster, this could cause difficulties with the fobs, but ten months without problems would seem to rule that out. The mileage seems to be correct and converted accurately from kilometres to miles. The water ingress would have concerned the E60 which did have a few issues, which one would have hoped had been ironed out with the F10. The issue doesn't seem to be completely restricted to BMW - my partner said she'd parked her Ford Focus (also keyless entry) in a supermarket car park, and couldn't start it when she returned. For the rest of the summer, I'll try to park in the shade! Phil
  3. I have mentioned this in someone else's post a few weeks ago. It's really to ask whether someone else has come across this bizarre problem. At the beginning of this summer, when it was beginning to get hot, I went out one morning and couldn't open the car (F10 523i 2011) with the fob. I got in using the manual key, but the vehicle was as dead as a doornail. I assumed that, somehow, the battery had drained. I attempted to jump start the car, without any success. Reaching into the glove box to get the Green Flag information, I saw that the glove box light was on, therefore, there must have been some power. I then tried to start it, and it fired up. The next day I was left stranded at the gym because it wouldn't start again! Although the car suggested placing the key fob next to the steering column, that didn't work. NB I'd left the car in the sun, it's being a particularly hot day. I went home, picked up the spare key, and started it by placing that one next to the steering column. I took it straight round to a local garage, but, apart from disconnectiing the driver's door 'comfort access ' function and replacing both key fob batteries, the mechanic wasn't able to help. It happened two or three times after that, always on a hot day, and the car's being in the sun. I took it to my local independent who couldn't replicate the problem, but, after having read the fault codes, they did take out the comfort access on all four doors, and, again replaced the key fob batteries. Since then, the problem has occurred two or three times, always in hot weather with the car exposed to the sun. At least, the vehicle has started with the key being held against the steering column so I haven't been stranded. Now that cooler weather has returned, the problem seems to have gone away. Would I be right in thinking that the problem lies with the diversity antenna, the heat beating down on the roof causing it to malfunction in some way? It might be worth mentioning that the car is an import from Singapore, and has had the instrument cluster changed so that it reads in miles not kilometres. I've had the vehicle since October last year and have been completely trouble free until this summer's hot weather. Many thanks for any insights into this conundrum! Phil
  4. Hi Toni I've had/ have got a similar problem with my F10. The car would lock itself overnight when deliberately left open - this was because neither key fob would open the vehicle! Once inside with the manual key, the car wouldn't recognise either key fob, so wouldn't start! I was able to start it with some patience and ingenuity! My local independent disconnected the driver's door comfort access unit, and reprogrammed the keys. The problem has gone away, although I no longer have comfort access. The mechanic pointed out that the battery wasn't OEM, which may have something to do with it. Phil
  5. Hi John I found a manual for my 5 series on www.manuals lib.com. It's not perfect as it only has left hand drive. However, any port in a storm. https://www.manualslib.com/products/Bmw-325i-Brochrue-2010-2590880.html Philip
  6. So, the oil level has been behaving itself - it seems fixed on a quarter litre short of full now. Interesting is this post, link below, explaining how the electronic oil level indicator works. So, the advice is to just sit tight until the car asks you to feed it another litre. https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1533444
  7. Hi Dave And thank you very much for your prompt response. When I got the car, I did try to find a dipstick, but without any success. I don't think the N52 engine has one - I wish it had. Judging by related threads elsewhere, the sensors can be a bit hit and miss. I've got a lengthy motorway journey to do on Sunday, so I'll see what the situation is after that. In the meantime, I might run it up to my pals at Munich Legends to see if they can throw any light on it. Mant thanks, Philip
  8. Hi I've upgraded from my beautiful E91 (176,000 miles!) to a six cylinder F10 523i, imported from Singapore. I've had it for about a month, and when I collected the vehicle, it had just over 19,000 miles on the clock - not bad for a ten year old car! Shortly after bringing it home from the dealership, I noticed the oil level was quite low, and within a few days, the car nudged me into topping it up, which I duly did, by putting a litre in. Then, on a longish round trip, I noticed the oil level had dropped by a quarter, so it seemed that a quarter litre had been used in 400 hundred miles, which seemed a lot. I monitered the level for a week, and it didn't drop any lower. Then suddenly, on Monday, the level was back up to full again, and hasn't dropped since! So, either the sensor has been telling me porkies, some of the oil has been hiding in the engine somewhere, or something else, i.e. coolant is getting into the engine. The exhaust does seem to exude some white smoke, which I'm putting down to the cold weather, and there's some soot in the exhaust outlet. Otherwise, the car is running as smoothly as one would expect, and is a joy to drive. Am I just being neurotic? Any advice would be very welcome.
  9. Hi Greydog Apologies for not having responded to your earlier post, although, I don't know how the suspension would be adjusted to accomodate 'normal' tyres. I believe the suspension is softer to accomodate the harder ride of run flats. Today, I picked up my new (to me) 523i. When I saw the car, I asked the dealer if the tyres were run flat, and had a reassuringly vague reply, so assumed they were. I got the car home, had a look, and aarrggh! they're not! Serve me right for falling for the charm, and not getting on my hands and knees to check. There isn't a space saver nor can of puncture repair gunk in the boot, so if I'd had a punture on the way home, I'd have been stuffed! Halfords first thing in the morning!
  10. If changing from run flats, the suspension should be adjusted too. You should also let your insurance company know, as it would be classified as a modification.
  11. Just to conclude: everything has been fixed, the warning light extinguished, and, with the new suspension springs, the car's running smoother than ever. 'til next time!!
  12. Disconnecting the battery will hopefully do the trick. I'll ask the garage to read the codes anyway, just in case anything nasty is lurking there. I had a new ECU fitted four years ago, so that should still have some life left. Thank you
  13. Hi Dave Thank you very much for your re-assuring reply! The battery has been on the car since I had it, so goodness knows how long it was on before that. When I tried to start it yesterday, it was certainly as you described, and symptomatic of a flat battery - I know, because I once left the key in overnight! I gave the car a good forty mile run yesterday, so, hopefully, the battery will be charged up again. The warning light remained on when I returned, however. The vehicle's going in tomorrow to have a refurbished radio fitted, and to have the flat tyre checked out. I'll get them to check the battery as well. Again, many thanks, and much obliged, Philip
  14. Hi I bought my 320i E91 several years ago, and, after a lot of initial problems, costing me an arm and a leg to fix, I've had relatively few difficulties. The car has now done in excess of 174,000 miles. A couple of weeks ago, the nearside front suspension spring broke, necessitating the replacement of both front springs, and the nearside front tyre. As it was impossible to drive the vehicle to my independent mechanics, I took it to a local garage, who did the work correctly. I drove about 42 miles in the car before we then went off on holiday in my partner's Ford Focus. We came back last night. I started the car up, moved it, and everything seemed ok. However, what I hadn't noticed was that the replaced tyre was completely flat. It's possible that a 'kerbing' accounted for that. I thought the steering was a bit stiff, but having not used the car for several days... This morning, I pumped the tyre back up, using, as usual, a compressor plugged into the cigarette lighter socket. When I came to start, however, the engine was a bit reluctant, with a flurry of warning lights, and the gauges going backwards and forwards. The engine did start, although the panel now displays the half-section yellow warning light, implying that the engine is running at reduced power. Out on the road, this doesn't seem to be the case - everything seems normal, with no lack of power whatsoever. Could anyone say whether this is just a glitch of the ECU, and should I just reset the warning light? Many thanks
  15. Hi Steve If your car is the touring version, then it's just possible that the problem is with the wiring in the tailgate leading to the receiver. With the constant opening and closing of the tailgate, the wires flex, and, unfortunately break. I know, because it happened to me! You'd need to get it checked out by an auto electrician. The fix is to replace the loom at horrific cost, but it can be patched relatively cheaply as, indeed, mine was. Phil
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