Greydog

Morning Jefferey Welcome to the Forum There are no lowering side steps that I am aware of for any of the X models Maybe one of the companies who adapt cars for the disabled may have something but I doubt it will be an easy fix Dave

Morning Aaron Welcome to the Forum You say you changed the bulb for the "Correct one" so you brought it from a BMW Dealer ? If not then it is possible that you have the correct type of bulb but if it is LED it may not have a ballast resistor fitted. If the bulb is correct then check carefully the wiring in particular the Earth Good Luck Dave

Hi Dave Welcome to the Forum Gear changes up or down should be really smooth the movement shown in your Video definately isn't right. It raises some issues for you as BMW don't repair anything just replace assemblies then retain the damaged item so few appear on the aftermarket If you aren't aware look at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box it will bring up your model. Then search the front axel assembly for the part number you need. If I recall the 8 speed transmission has 1-3.15 ratio diff but check that as I am an old bloke 🤣 Once you have the part number search onine for the best price a low milage Diff from a Dismantler may be the best cost option, I would expect a Dealer to be around £1k+ plus fitting if you can DIY then a refurbished Diff may be available I would guess £6-700 plus fluid would be my guess Most cases of Diff damage and Transfer case damage I have seen are the result of incorrect tyres or in one instance a single tyre replaced on the front (nearside new ofside around 5mm tread the difference was enough to cause damage. The E70 up to 2010 and F15 that followed were more robust in the transfer case than the E53 but the result is Diff issues Hope this helps Dave

I think the biggest problem today is everything being done at arms length email and internet BMW like many large organisations are losing contact with their customers and as said the Dealer tends to be the only "face" you see. Poor communication is not acceptable and just alienate all of us and assuming that because they have supplied a car it makes it OK they forget it wasn't/isn't what you paid for. Definatley time for a prod with a very sharp stick thereare several posts on here from owners with the same issue gather the evidence it can only strengthen your case. Good Luck Jan Dave

Morning Jan Welcome to the Forum Oh dear yet another one!! After that length of time I would be writing to the Dealer (I know he is Pig in the Middle but you have to begin somewhere) with a copy to BMW UK clearly stating the time line and using language from the Sale of Goods Act stating that as it has been so long without resolution and poor communication clearly the car is "not fit for purpose" and you want them to give a clear time line on either Replacement or a Full Re-fund I hope you can get it sorted Dave

We soooo love an optomist Stu 🤣 If the wire colours were different that is reall wierd Dave

I would double double check your crimping is there a stray wire strand thats touching something it shouldn't? According to my ex-neighbour (Now a High Up BMW man based the USA) it was late 2003 early 2004 before there were any changes in the X5 apparently the early pre facelift models were fitted with a full loom so any accessories were easy addons. After face lift you needed a loom extension and coding so what you have done really should have been straight forward (but aren't all the "simple little jobs") Dave

Hi Stu A clamp Ammeter on the live side of the battery will help then start pulling fuses in the boot as it is where the issue started. Shut yourself inside and when the car goes to sleep the ammeter should read just a few milli amps anything higher is the issue. Start pulling fuses in the rear fuse panel if one stops the draw you have the circuit that needs checking. If no joy repeat at the front fuse board Question, is the lock the original or is it one that came with the bits you replaced ? Dave

Morning Lewis The only way I can think of is to try the DVLA to see if you can contact the current owner Nostalgia for and old once owned car is great but remember the old adage "One careful owner, the other six didn't care at all" so rescueing it may cost more than it's worth Hope this helps Dave

Morning Richard I would say if it is "every now and then" it isn't normal and needs some investigation Dave

Morning Gordon Welcome to the Forum Thats a whole can of worms to open 😁 First there is the question of is your car air suspension front and rear? Rear air Front springs or has it been converted to springs all round. If it is to be a full spring conversion I would look at companies like Eibach well recognised and reliable ( Cost I would guess at around £500 to £1k ) If you want to retain the OEM rear air suspension I have read of rear adjustable links ror the ride height sensors combined with adjustable front springs ( Cost around £500 ) If it is a full air suspension I talked to a guy at Goodwood who had a BMW 3.5d X5 on a fully adjustable Airride suspension kit he could select ride height from a panel in the car or through an App on his phone very cool. He could choose 4 preset ride heights (his choice) He told me cost was £1600 2 years ago Dave

Hi Andrew If you have had a shredded belt I would check the whole system belts don't just shred Main suspect for me would be start with the Crank shaft damper pulley they can detach from the rubber insert and wobble causes the AC belt and Serpentine belt to rub on each other and fray. I would also check all Idler and Tension pulleys plus while things are loose the waterpump,Alternator and AC compressor Dave

Morning Dan Welcome to the Forum First remember that any Mods Body or Performance you need to check with your insurers don't need to have something happen and discover your not covered. If going for performance mods Suspension, Brakes and Tyres would be my starting point, having the car go where you point it and stop when you want to. Engine and Trans mission would be last on my list. Body mods take alook at pistures of cars like the M135i. All the M body panels and trims are available from either BMW or from the specialist BMW Dismantlers and you know they will fit. Remember to factor in Paint ? There is also the After market Body kits but remember these may need some work to get the fit looking right and again paint. Enjoy your Beemer Dave

Ok is it the fan in front of the Rad ? Dave

Morning Kyle Welcome to the Forum If there is vibration at such a low speed I would suspect not only the control arm but is the wheel Tyre out of balance is the fixing bolt and ball joint torqued correctly ? Also consider if changing suspension parts it is good practice to change bothsides at the same time. The job is straight forward just make sure the main bolt is Torqued up when the control arm is in the loaded postion (Weight on the suspension) or the bush will only last a very short time. Dont know where you are but in the UK most suspension parts are available from Motor Parts Factors next day at least prce I would expect to be around £25 to £30 per side. Worth considering is a complete suspension refresh as if one control arm is that bad other parts will be worn as well Only you can assess the amount of risk as non of us can see/feel how loose things are Hope this helps Dave

Morning Stewart Which model is it ? If the fan is Electric then normally they a quiet in operation if it is the engine driven fan then they are an easy change. Just remember the nut that holds it in place is Left Hand thread. Remove the fan shroud a good adjustable spanner just squeezes in on the nut, a whack with a rubber mallet normally loosens the nut the just wind it off. Now you have a choice, either replace it with a direct replacement or as I did with my 4.4 and 4.6 X5's I replaced it with an Electric fan from a later model (Fan and Shroud) activated using a Landrover top hose thermostat Dave

Great Result Kev Wonder what your Dealer would have charged 😂 Dave

Morning Darren Welcome to the Forum Great motor First 110k is not high miles for one of these engines if it is well maintained my brother inlaws 540d xDrive Touring has been ECU tuned since new and produces 400+ hp is currently North of 200k and going strong A full Diagnostic check would/should tell you more, a smooth running test on the injectors will show any that are out of step. If the transmission hasn't had a service it is due one at 110k, both Diffs (Note the Rear Diff has two chambers which hold different fluids) will need service as will the Transfer case and Gearbox if your having this done at a Dealer it will not be cheap around £900 to £1000. Check Tyres carefully they should be the same make Front and Rear and prefferably BMW approved and star rated. Dave

Couple of the Volvos and Mercedes had the same system in the E55's and the CLS 63 I used to keep a pay as you go sim in them and set my phone on divert to that number if not answered, when I got in the car I turned off my phone worked really well I guess the next question is can you still get a Sim that will fit ??🤣 For the X5 so far I have a full set of PDC sensors , a coule of Ride Height sensors, a Final Stage Resistor and a couple of ULF (Bluetooth units) 17" spare wheel etc still got a load of stuff to sort through though Dave

So you have gone over to the Dark Side 🤣 You will never need the radio the engine is all you need never use mine in the 4.6 V8's are addictive. Good luck with the Porker Dave

Morning Ken Take care here my X5 E53 4.6is only 800 ever registered in the UK and less than 200 left on the road is on a Classic policy with agreed Value. My other cars are like you with Admiral the danger is that the mainline companies will use valations from an assessor employed by them or a general panel, ask We Buy any Car for an estimate of what your 635 is worth !! My agreed value is £9k (I was offered more last year at Goodwood) We Buy any Car tell me its worth £700 Just my thoughts Dave

Morning Jay Technically there isnt a down pipe there should be a diesel particulate filter (DPF) if there is a single downpipe then it will be aftermarket. DPF's are normally really tough the bit that blows is the flexible pipe at the bottom BMW call it a Decoupling element and still sell them as will a number of aftermaket exhaust suppliers like Bosal Try looking at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box then check the exhaust section. Once you have the part numbers just use the Internet to find the best deal or as Stu says Quarry have always been helpful Dave

Hi Kevin Well looking at www.realoem.com it looks as though above the Propshaft you have a bracket to support the Handbrake cables item 6 at the front directly over the Prop and Item 12 to support the split of cables left and right I would start there it may just need replacing or short term a couple of cable ties applied Hope your up and around soon Dave

Morning Dimitris Just checked my wiring diagram in ISTA and it doesn't cover E38 models so not much help at the moment but I will dig Dave

I would still try the Dismantlers if I recall there was a Register of BMW Dismantlers/Recyclers in the UK it certainly can't hurt. Maybe a complete lamp is the only option Dave