Greydog

Morning Kev Can you not get an SOT lead which will plug into the cars harness and connect directly to your new radio/headunit. If not check out www.newtis.info it is a Technical Information site used by Dealers it has wiring diagrams which should help. Happy New Year Dave

Hi Hussein Welcome to the Forum, 3 series started in 1997 with the E46 this ran 97 to 2006 E90 2004 - 2008 E90 LCI 2007 - 2012 E91 2004 - 2008 E91 2007 - 2012 E92 2005 - 2010 E92 LCI 2008 - 2013 E93 2005 - 2010 E93 LCI F30 2011 - 2016 F30 LCI and so it goes, and it can be confusing. Go to www.realoem.com put your last 7 digits of your Vin number in the search box and it will pull up your model.then you will know exactly which version you have. With reliability how the car has been maintained will normally give clues, most modern engines die from abuse not use. Happy New Year Dave

Morning Bob Welcome to the Forum happy to help if we can, lets hope you never need us Dave

Morning Jack Welcome to the Forum I hope you and your family have had a peaceful Christmas and the New Year will bring stress free.motoring. Nice looking 3 series if you are a DIY man with your cars here are some sites that will help www.realoem.com this is a BMW parts site but there are small drawings which will give clues as to where things are, more important it will make sure if you are buying spares you buy the right one for your model. Just put the last 7 digits of your vin into the search box it will bring up your car. Next is www.newtis.info a BMW technical information site with "how too's" the same information used by Dealers. I don't know if or what if any diagnostic gear you have but to sort many issues with a BMW diagnostic's will take away a lot of guess work and pain. I use BMW 1.4.0 loaded on an old laptop that I keep just for diagnostics cost about a tenner from that well known auction site but there are others out there Carly for BMW as an example can be downloaded as an App for your phone though I don't know how it works with older models like ours. Enjoy your new to you BMW Dave

Hi Dan Happy Christmas and Welcome to the Forum Dave

I would check www.realoem.com for the gearbox type (ZF I believe) with my X5 BMW used to say "sealed for life" what they meant is life is the end of their warranty liability. After talking with ZF and a local ZF agent they confirmed a service should be carried out every 80 to 100 km my box is just coming up for it's second service in my ownership. A service on the 5 speed is about £450 at the ZF agent I know I could get it done cheaper but somethings are not worth going cheap on in my opinion. Enjoy your X3 and Happy Christmas Dave

You need a child to help !! They seem to use technology where us older folks try to understand it ? I guess you have tried Google? Happy Christmas Dave

41 mpg they are fantasy numbers for a V8 driver !! The ride we get used too I am in my 70's and haven't needed a chiropractor yet?? For information look at www.realoem.com it is an online parts list for BMW, put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box and it will bring up your model. Click on the relevant icon and you will see small exploded drawings and description and part numbers with any alternatives. I also use www.newtis.info it is a BMW technical site same information as used by Dealers. It will give all the information on swapping/changing parts You can also look at Pelican Parts an american site but excellent for how too's Happy Christmas to you and your family Dave

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year Dave

Check www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your vin in the search box and it will bring up a parts list for your car. Then check newtis.info for how to replace stuff. Hope this helps Dave

Normally you can get the DPF to regenerate by keeping revs at about 3000rpm (our son does it with his Toyota) does need a good blast with the engine at working temperature. The preset service intervals are probably at the bottom of the issue if they aren't reset correctly the DPF may be out of sinc. Good Luck Dave

Welcome Gill I too used to run Merc's 3 AMG E class and the last an AMG CLS, after selling our Horse Lorry I brought the X5 to pull a horse trailer. I noticed the heavy steering and the ride was equally hard compared to the Merc's but after a short while I sold the CLS and the X5 has been my daily drive ever since. It has it's problems but they are always forgiven when driving it. Enjoy your new ride muddy tracks and snotty farm gateways are a cinch even pulling a couple of fat horses. Dave

Welcome Rob Lets hope your issue is a simple fix Dave

Not sure what you are asking here Adam? Does the light come on and go off with pushes of the DSC button? When the light is on your 4 wheel drive system is compromised a bit like traction control off on a 2 wheel drive car. The light on can be caused by a lot of things unfortunately, ABS fault, Transfer case issue, Steering angle sensor to name a few. You need the codes read to be sure of exactly what the issue is or in fact if there is one at all. Dave

Whoop Whoop Enjoy Oh and Welcome Richard

Morning Rob Have you checked www.realoem.com ? Enter the last 7 digits of your Vin, I just had a quick general search and came up with the following, Part 11317567642 was found on the following vehicles: 3' E90   (02/2007 — 08/2008) 3' E90 LCI   (07/2007 — 12/2011) 3' E91   (02/2007 — 08/2008) 3' E91 LCI   (03/2008 — 05/2012) 3' E92   (05/2005 — 02/2010) 3' E92 LCI   (10/2009 — 06/2013) 3' E93   (09/2005 — 02/2010) 3' E93 LCI   (07/2009 — 09/2013) 5' E60 LCI   (11/2005 — 12/2009) 5' E61 LCI   (11/2005 — 05/2010) 5' F10   (02/2009 — 06/2013) 5' F11   (01/2009 — 06/2013) 6' E63 LCI   (04/2006 — 07/2010) 6' E64 LCI   (04/2006 — 07/2010) I dont know if you have owned your car from new or know it's history but I would be thinking that someone has either changed the head or engine. The part numbers you list seem to point to engines up to mid/late 2006 I would think it unusual for BMW to have engines in stock for 6 months to a year? Check out the above site it is a BMW parts site (same as used by Dealers) also www.newtis.info for technical information Good Luck Dave

Morning Dom The water in the boot is a worry as BMW took to hiding a lot of sensitive stuff in there at about the year of your car. I did read some time ago that the seal on the rear light clusters was a point to check also the boot seal it's self. I believe the system in your "7" is similar to the X5 and made up of Headunit, Radio, CD changer, Video/TV unit and Nav computer (CD or DVD) plus Telephone system. In the X5 it is all hidden in the boot apart from the Headunit of course. As the system is linked on the Ibus wierd things happen if a unit fails. One of the main suspect in the X5 is the BM54 radio module which is hidden under the spare wheel and just a small amount of water and it's goosed, it can cause battery drain and other strange behavior Take a look at www.realoem.com a BMW Parts list with small exploded drawings put the last 7 digits of your Vin in the search box and it will bring up your specific build parts list. Also check www.newtis.info technical information as used by BMW dealers. Also google Pelican parts an American site but it's only the steering on the wrong side!! Plenty of how too's and pictures on their site. Good luck, hope this helps Dave

Morning Andrew Have a look at the Dynavin website I used one in my 4.4 it was not cheap but worked really well and looked and fitted like an OEM set up. Dave

I had an issue when I first had the X5 (2004) the lacquer seemed to craze, minute cracks that made the surface feel slightly rough, the drivers and rear door were affected the worst in certain lights it changed the colour of the panels. I have to say BMW just fixed it under warranty quickly and efficiently and without quibble, keep the pressure on sounds as though your dealer is the type who try to avoid everything

Morning Richard Welcome to the Forum, congratulations on your purchase. Service history as always is paramount same with any car, also check with BMW for any recalls/updates that have been due and were they carried out. If your X3 has a staggered wheel set up (wider rear tyres) take care when replacing tyres make sure all 4 are from a good manufacturer differences in rolling circumference can cause transmission wind up and damage to the transfer box. This applies to all X drive cars and BMW recommend * rated tyres. If the wheels are same size on each corner it is more forgiving but you should still check that all tyres are from a recognized manufacturer and the correct size at least then you have a chance the rolling radius is within tolerance. Apart from that they are good cars ENJOY If the worst happens there is loads of support here Dave

Morning Chris Wow that doesn't inspire confidence in that Dealer what has their service manager had to say? I would write to him email or post so that should there be an issue later you have some evidence. When you say the air duct was left off was it on the left of the engine ? The main filter is at the back of the engine bay with a feed to the intake on the right (passenger side). Anything left off on that side and I would have thought increased engine/intake noise would be obvious. After 500 odd miles I wouldn't think any serious damage has been done as our environment generally is pretty clean so the opportunity for your engine to swallow anything harmful will have been quite small. Fingers crossed Dave

You are not a pain Martin the only way we learn is by asking or observing. Like many manufacturers BMW have taken advantage of long life oils to extend service periods, personally I still change oil and filter annually. I also change gearbox oil every 30k with diffs and transfer box (BMW say sealed for life ?? ZF who make the box say 60000 kilometers) So for me every 12 months minimum. It would make sense that the main loom has all the connectors in place particularly if you have power memory seats the wiring in the door should be there. Have a look at www.newtis.info it's a BMW service data base that Dealers use for service info it should tell you what you need Back seats I have no answer to other that using the information sites. The advantage of the X5 is my clubs and trolley fit in the boot along with my two sons stuff. Hope this helps

Hi John Welcome to the Forum Looking your header you say the car is an e90 2001 I didn't think e90 started until 2004? or is it a different car? If the car is e46 2001 or e90 2004 vintage then there were no android head units then so I would think you have an after market head unit' If the car has the original BMW Professional set up with Nav and CD in the boot early cars tended to have a motorola phone built in which required its own sim. Cars around 2002 started getting bluetooth but it wasn't great tech. It may be better to start a new thread or ask Trevor to move this one, some pictures would help identify what you have Dave

Running the cable from the rear is a surprisingly simple job just a case of taking it easy so you don't damage any trim, it is then plug and play. There is a route already for the loom along the sill beneath the doors then under the passenger seat at the carpet join under the centre console and up to the back of the headunit. It took me a morning with plenty of tea and biscuit breaks all hidden and looks like OEM. I used a wireless camera powered by a single wire from the reverse light this was the fiddliest bit to feed through then a wireless receiver attached to the headunit all worked really well. The new Dynavin units are android so you will get all you want and you should get a good chunk back selling the old stuff the space you gain in the cubby is quite surprising

Yay well done Adam glad you got so much done as it was rubbish weekend weather wise here. If you have the OEM Navigation setup screen up front nav CD etc in the rear side cubby BM54 under the floor then changing over will need a 5m extension lead to run from the boot to the front. I did this on my 4.4 I brought a Dynavin headunit and extension lead (then about £500) fitting was straight forward if a bit fiddly. Before running the extension lead I added a radio aerial extension and a GPS antenna extension then fed it through the passenger side at floor level, not difficult just take your time. Remove the head unit (how too's on the net) and fitted the dynavin designed to look OEM. Connect the Quadlock in the boot and the two antenna leads and switch on great unit and I recovered the cost by selling my headunit Nav, CD and blue tooth units on the well known auction site. Dave