Greydog

Morning Lester Sounds like you may have a non factory navigation disc - if nav is fitted - and that will change the language if the speed camera function is turned off. It's a 'feature' of the non original discs. Otherwise it is under the 'Set' option. So as above check your Nav disc and in settings check if you have a Speed Camera setting, if you do it is non OEM try either turning Speed Camera Off or ON Dave

Morning Bill Not heard this one before so more trying to think out loud what would be the reason. First my brother inlaw has a 5 series his last one had a similar issue multiple pushes to unlock or lock the car. He brought a new key from BMW (their suggestion) no difference. My BMW Specialist diagnosed the antenna in the rear spoiler apparently a known issue he took it out stripped it dried out the interior and re-soldered a couple of joints resealed it with a hot glue gun issue fixed. Worth a check on yours water getting in somewhere. I have also read of the stop/start buttons having issues Have you had a diagnostic session with a garage or someone who has the software? Hope this helps Dave

When I pulled the engine to ship to Perrin I had the torque converter uprated and a higher stall speed, mileage at that time was 37k it is now 141k, There have been no issues with the box (I do service it once a year) but early on we did have a cracked transfer case. Must have been the wife !!! In truth it took some stick when I first got it back and on the road, out looking for victims (it just had to be done), it had 2 sessions on a rolling road to get the fuelling right and has been treated as a normal car since. Volume of traffic where we live generally means she is governed by the speed of traffic around us. The Subaru gets a 400 mile round trip a couple of times a year visiting our Daughter unless we take the horses then the X5 takes the strain. My X5 gets a much harder life (151k) with pulling the horse trailer in the summer and mild off road in the winter while out shooting. As said earlier our last proper snow (3 inches 7.5cm) was 8 years ago so the winter wheel/tyre sets I have for both cars are pretty much unused.

Hi Lester Welcome to the Forum There shouldn't be a conflict with Gearbox Software more likely just needs a reset. have you tried, Select SET in bottom left corner . This opens up a menu starting with MPG reset . If you then scroll all the way to the bottom , it'll 'turn' to a new page which has SCREEN , CLOCK , DATE , NAVI VOLUME , COLOUR SET and lastly at the bottom LANGUAGE . Press the volume button to enter and then scroll across to English . The last version of software for the E53 was V32 and I would expect a 2005 model to be running that already. It is well known that BMW's Nav system can be upset by copied or non standard discs. So first question is the disc genuine BMW if it isn't try disabling TP in settings Iwill dig back through my library and send more that may help Dave

Hi Hilary I would stay away from BMW Dealers for 2 reasons First the hourly rates are punitive (my local Dealer is close to £200p/hr) so if you are not able to DIY Google the BMW Specialist Register and find a local one to you. Second they wont repair they only replace components at Dealer price. It sounds as though something on the Infotainment bus is not working and blocking the signal, it needs diagnosing. Not difficult but could be time consuming so a lower hourly rate is important. A Specialist will have the correct software, knowledge and tools to do it as quickly as possible. Or if you want to explore your Infotainment system yourself most of the components are in the boot, locate the "most bus" conductor and unplug it you should see a blinking light (the bus optical signal) if you see it re-plug and move to the next component if there is no blinking light the component before it is at fault and probably needs changing. Check www.realoem.com for where stuff is start from the Generator and work through the system. There are probably some "how to's" on You tube Good luck Dave

Hi john One of my neighbours runs a 120d they are around 40mpg average so even allowing some trade off for AWD your still way off There are 2 temp sensors and thermostats from what I know about BMW diesels one on the EGR one on the engine water pump. If one of them is out of kilter from what I have read your DPF will not regenerate. Dealers can "force" a regen using software I don't know what Diagnostics you have but worth Googling You Tube to see how it's done? With my son's Toyota he has to keep engine revs at around 3k for 10/15 mins driving to start the regen process (advice from the Toyota Dealer) so he leaves it in 3rd and gives it a blast up and down the M23. The SRS fault with my X5 was the passenger seat occupancy sensor, unplugged contact spray and reconnected fault gone Dave

OK have you tried Googling Youtube there are normally a load of "how to's" there

No the Outback is Auto with manual select option. We haven't owned a manual car since the early 80's, smooth and quiet most of the time. But if we ever go where there is snow/ice (rarely see any in Sussex) or we want to play, pop it into manual mode and shift sequentially. Same with my 4.6is which I brought to tow a horse trailer slippery fields and muddy gateways just select manual 3rd gear and let the torque do it's thing. Never missed a manual box

Morning John Poor old gearboxes often get seriously abused, many never see an oil/filter change in their working lives regardless of miles covered. Engine oil and filter often changed more than needed but gearbox??? 19 mpg from a 2ltr diesel 😟 that is about the same as my 4.6 ltr V8 ?? I would say there are definitely some engine issues, at a guess you still have DPF regen issues or something, definitely not right. Your gearbox would have to be binding so badly you would feel/hear something wrong I would think. Dave

Morning Clive Very tasty looking car the wheels look like they could be M Type 135 Double spoke which are a BMW wheel just been refinished in Black. If you take off a wheel there will be cast marks on the rear of the spokes that will confirm. Good news they are same size all round less hassle when choosing tyres. Enjoy your Beemer Dave P.S. The Outback is fun as it looks bog standard, sounds pretty much bog standard but goes like a scolded cat if you tread on its tail. The best bit is it hasn't had any effect on reliability it is serviced at our local Subaru Dealer once a year all the other stuff I do myself 10 years on and she still isn't bored with it.

Hi Jon Welcome to the Forum Have you talked to ECU Testing or BBA Reman who have been doing this type of repair for years, you could try Cartronix as well. I'm not certain with your car, but normally mileage and vin are stored in 2 places the IKE/Instrument cluster and the LCM (light control module) if either are changed and not reprogrammed you get a "tamper" dot by the mileage display. If reprogramming you cant reduce the mileage in either module or again you will get a tamper dot. You can get anyone with Inpa/Ista or BMW 1.4.0 to reprogram the units to the car it needs the Vin and miles in the replacement unit changing to match your vehicles LCM and all should be good, no tamper dot. So if you can't get yours repaired a replacement with lower mileage preferably can be used. If you are not worried about the mileage and the replacement has higher miles your LCM can be coded to the IKE. Or simply live with the tamper dot though I don't know if this would cause any issues at MOT time Dave

Not sure what the issue is here Jim is it asking for a Pass code? Do you have the Business Radio in the dash or the Professional Nav screen?

Hi Jim Check www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model then look in the Seat section it should give what options Manual, Powered or Powered with memory. If it shows the powered options it is pretty certain the loom is there, then search for the seat you want in the right colour. Heated seats may take a bit more work as you will need the switches and controller Dave

Morning Tony Check the Auction Sites and sites like Parkers it may not be as "rare" as you think plus "rare" might not add up to £'s our cars are only worth the money to a limited collector market. As an example my 4.6is X5 only just over 800 were registered in the UK the DVLA a couple of years showed 320 still on the road but it's value hasn't gone up ?? Yet ?? Dave

Hi Clive Welcome to the Forum Nice looking Legacy, my wife's car is a 3.0 Outback with a full Perrin Engine upgrade now on 140k miles, 400+ whp is addictive 😈 Porsche's are easy meat. Great choice of car, you soon get used to the Auto but always have the manual setting when you need it. There is an onboard diagnostic (hidden menu) that can be accessed through the Idrive or OBC several Videos on You tube about how to get in, that should give you some good basic information on how the car is feeling. My first advice is if you are joining the BMW brigade the first essential for me is to get a BMW specific diagnostic program of your own. Cost is not as much as many think often less than a single diagnostic session with a Dealer. Look at the big auction sites loads there. Top of the list (for me) is INPA/ISTA which is dedicated BMW but it will allow full Dealer level diagnostic and coding capability then the easiest to use PAsoft BMW 1.4.0 my everyday tool, allowing almost as much access as INPA, both will allow access to all control modules in the car including transmission. But there are many others such as FIXD™ All-system Diagnostic Tool – FOXWELL NT510 Elite Multi-system Scan Tool. AUTOPHIX 7810 OBDII Diagnostic Tool. Original Carly for Wifi OBD2 Adapter iPhone iPad. MAOZUA Latest V7. 7 Creator C310+ OBD2 Scanner. iCarsoft i910 Diagnostic OBD2 Scanner. Carly for BMW OK to use but it is expensive as it is subscription based. A couple of websites that may be helpful along the way www.realoem.com a BMW online parts list just put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model. Lots of small exploded drawings that show where stuff is plus of course part numbers if you need to source spares. A US site wwwpelicanparts.com has some great "how too's" with pictures and for you may be a source of sensible spares. As I have always had the "need to know what makes things tick" and carried out most of my own maintenance (I use the Dealer/Specialists for annual service and MOT it keeps the service record stamped) I have programs for Land Rover, Volvo, Mercedes, Toyota, BMW and Subaru on a laptop I keep in the garage so I can stay on top of things and make decisions as to whether it's a Garage job or a home one. Not many I can't tackle at home but as I am in my 70's sometimes it is easier on the old bones to let the garage take the strain. Like all AWD cars the BMW is sensitive to tyre choice preferring the same size/make front and rear. If your new choice has a staggered set up (wider rear wheels/tyres) then making sure tyres are correct is more important to avoid trans wind up which can damage the transfer box. Good Luck with the car hope this helps Dave

Hi Chris I used my local BMW Specialist who has an excellent engine man (BMW/Porsche trained) There is a Register of BMW Specialists Google them and find one local to you they are in my experience Knowledgeable and Helpful in getting to the best decision/compromise for you. A diesel Specialist is another option worth considering. I am in West Sussex and used Walker Autotec I also use them for service, Andy Walker carried out all negotiations with the Warranty Company plus pressed BMW for contributions (not as successful there) but he tried. My engine was completely rebuilt Block stripped flushed and cleaned, new crank.pistons,rods oil pump and of course all bearings and gaskets (there are a lot of those) The cause of my pain the tensioner BMW use is hydraulic but at cold start uses spring tension before oil pressure is there. The spring anneals with multiple heat cycles allowing momentary chain slap, the guides are plastic and after the same heat cycles become brittle with the slap they can break up. If your lucky you get a horrible rattle and a big bill to replace the guides chains and tensioner, if your unlucky you get a clogged oil pick up and a comprehensive mega bill. Dave

On the plus side we would all have to drive like Lewis Hamilton to make it work 😂

If F1 ERS can produce around 120Kw of energy in less than 1 lap (they actually recharge several times a lap) then the technology is already there just cost and willingness to apply it. It wouldn't work for me unless it sounded like a V8

That will either extend your working day waiting for a charge to get home 😁 or you need hybrid vans! It will be interesting to see how Amazon get on as they have a fleet of all electric delivery vans now. I wonder how many parcels will be left on board at the end of the shift as I can see drivers hours going up if they have to wait for a charge. With all the "clever engineering" that goes into an all electric car like the Tesla (Vic's cost over £80k new) I have always wondered why they don't split the battery pack and have one half charging while you drive, with an automatic change when the battery being used for traction reaches a pre-set charge level?? Thinking head on, if Vic's Tesla has a 250 mile charged range real world about 180. At the super charge rate Tesla quote 40 mins for an 80% charge which in practical terms is around 40 or 50 miles driving. By switching between battery packs the car should remain at around 80% and could be plugged in to top up both packs overnight.

Hi Chris Welcome to the Forum Ouch commiserations, been there with my 4.6is but I had a Warranty to take most of the financial pain. Trying to be practical I would think your car is worth somewhere between £7 and £9k in good running order. Without an engine?? I would look at the cost of rebuild against a complete rebuilt engine, then as I did make decision about do I run it into the ground or cut my losses. My decision was 10 years ago and still going strong, plus along the way I have expanded my education I now know an awful lot about the devious minds of BMW engineers/designers and some of the stupid things that the cost cutters have caused that compromise our cars. Dave

Hi Si Welcome to the Forum Anything from BMW will be more expensive that is a given. With my 4.6 it was failed chain guides (plastic) which clogged the oil pick up causing failure. All timing chains were replaced during the engine rebuild, as it was carried out under warranty all parts were OEM the chains were FEBI who are the OEM supplier to BMW. Remember both BMW and their OEM suppliers will be disparaging about any competition. As an example I have replaced many of my suspension bushes with Poly Bushes. My car went in for an airbag recall when I picked it up the service manager approached with a sheet in his hand and told me my car was in his opinion unroadworthy as there were so many sub standard suspension parts which would compromise braking and handling !!. I would check out FEBI stockists for a kit and compare prices, someone like EuroCarParts. ECP often have discount vouchers online also so you may get a better deal that way. Good Luck Dave Dave

Hi Paul I watched a program "Vintage Electric" a guy in Wales converts Beetles Sprites etc they did a Lancia Fulvia in the show budget was £40k from memory May be cheaper to buy a Tesla? A neighbour has one he converted from Lexus it is mighty impressive unless you have to do a journey. Pre-covid he and his wife were attending a family wedding in Stoke, on paper inside the charged range. The reality was stressful the Tesla satnav shows all the available charging points plus the Tesla fast charge points (apparently 80% charge in 40 mins) when they were approaching the M40/M42 junction they were low on charge so followed directions to the nearest services with a Fast Charger, it was out of service (sat nav didn't know that) all standard charge points were in use. They had no alternative but to carry on, they made Stafford Services where after waiting an hour managed to get on the Fast Charger. A journey that took around 4 hours in the Lexus had taken him 6+ hours. For his daily commute he loves it an over night charge lasts him 3 days or so, but for other journeys he has brought another Lexus. So me I think the cost of conversion would outweigh the benefit I like my Beemer (warts and all) but would I put £40k into it !!! No I don't think I would. Dave

Morning Ian Welcome to the Forum Sounds a bit like me on a cold morning, takes a few minutes to get moving as well 🤣 Normal suspect for your issue would be the Glow Plugs and Glow Plug controller/relay. My Brother Inlaw's 530d was down to 1 Glow Plug working, but still started first time every time and after 30 secs or so tick over smoothed out. We changed glow plugs and the controller/relay and it is back to smooth running. The job is fiddly rather than difficult give the glow plugs a good soaking with release agent before beginning. Dave

Hi Mick Happy New Year Shame that we don't get feed back especially on things like this that can be a great help to others. I still can't get may head around how so much Swarf/metal particles get right through the system, the filter seems to do nothing? Dave

Morning Isaac Welcome to the Forum In a word "NO" the rear shouldn't feel Bouncy? As your car is a 2008 model the rear shock absorbers could well be at the end of their life, they work hard and don't last forever. Check www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin in the search box it will bring up your model then look in the Rear Axle section for the right part number. Then use Google to get the best price for the correct parts Remember always change suspension parts in pairs left and right. Good Luck Dave