BMW 5-Series Maintenance and Repair

div2 · August 2005

Did the HVAC fan quit or was the system blowing hot air?

cartman3 · August 2005

I have a 525iT and had the same problem. I found that by using better gas,the problem goes away.

1wisdom · August 2005

I READ SOMEONES COMMENT ON KNOWING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF 99 BMW 540I RADIATORS LEAKING. I JUST BOUGHT MINE 2 WEEKS THIS FRIDAY WITH 43K AND TODAY THE RADIATOR HAS A HAIR LINE LEAK AT THE TOP. DOES ANYONE HAVE MORE INFO. ABOUT THIS. IS THIS TRUE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL? PLEASE ADVISE ASAP. I JUST HAPPEN TO BE 400 MILES FROM HOME TAKING CARE OF MY DAD WHO JUST HAD HEART SURGERY 5 BI-PASS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH

1WISDOM

div2 · August 2005

I hope your Dad is doing OK. As for your car, the V8s are prone to radiator failure-the sixes seem to be immune for the most part. Anyway, your best bet is to replace the radiator ASAP due to the fact that the radiator could fail at any time. The good news is that a BMW OEM radiator can be obtained for under $250 and replacement is a fairly simple job. In any event, BMW engines do not like being overheated so keep an eye on the coolant level and the temperature gauge.

1wisdom · August 2005

Thank you so much. I apologize for all caps. Is there anything else I should watch out for? It has the nav. system. Have a great day.

1Wisdom

1wisdom · August 2005

Thank you for helping me. I apologize for the caps. How do I edit this message?

1Wisdom

1wisdom · August 2005

Thank you, my Dad is doing well.

1Wisdom

1wisdom · August 2005

Hi, after reviewing the messages and reviews it seems like BMW's are H. M. This is my first one. I didn't do my usual research assuming the reputation was strong since there are so many on the road and being European, not American life span would be longer. Would you recommend me selling this car. I know I will take a loss for taxes, but if that's all I lose I'm ahead. My cars in the past were Infinity and Acura. I bought the BMW due to my new career, Realtor. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to cars and yes I am a lady at that. However I really need dependability w/o much $$$ out go. I read in Motor Trend the 99 540i made car of the year w/ only 2 current recall items. I thought hey I'm buying car of the year, lol. Please someone advise me on any known problems that may come my way in very near future. Again it's a 99 540iA 53K w/ nav. system. Should I keep this car does anyone where I can get the DSP system other then from dealer?
Thanks have a great day.

1wisdom

div2 · August 2005

I wouldn't recommend selling your car just yet. Instead I would take it to a good independent BMW tech and have the car checked over. It's very likely that most potential problems can be corrected for far less than the amount of money that you would lose if you trade it in. Let me know what the tech finds.

bmw3434 · August 2005

Anyone had any oil consumption experiences with a 2006 BMW 525i?
Not over a long period of time ... I'm talking 1 quart every 1,000 miles. The car has about 3200 miles.

terpsroll · August 2005

I posted earlier #1336 regarding my heat bleeding into my A/C. Does anyone have any information on this issue? Thanks.

div2 · August 2005

I agree, 1000 mile per quart is a bit excessive. However, at 3,000 miles the engine isn't fully broken-in. If you are still using oil at that rate by 10,000 miles I'd start looking to the dealer for a resolution.

kyfdx · August 2005

I agree with div2..give it some time... but, be aware... nearly every manufacturer states that one quart usage per 1000 miles is within spec...

We all know that is nuts on a modern car... but.. there you go..

onebonsaiguy · August 2005

I had a similar occurence on my vehicle. It was a loose power cable on the HVAC fan motor. Depending on which bump you hit, could turn off/on the blower. It will need to be reseated properly.

1wisdom · August 2005

Thank you for your advise. I'll keep you up todate. This morning I applied an Expoxy to the hair-line (crack if you want to call it a crack, not noticable). I let it cure for an hour and the radiator didn't leak. I'm hoping it will last, until I can get to my mechanic back in California. My son who is 20 is in an Automotive Tech School becoming certified both American & Import. I asked him to ask his instructors about the radiator. They said for me to buy an Aluminum radiator vs the plastic one BMW installs. Would you agree this is good advise? BMW wants $600.00 here in Oregon parts & labor. I don't think it's wise to repair in a regular auto shop here because should something go wrong I don't live here for repairs.
I appreciate you help.
Have a blessed day
1Wisdom

div2 · August 2005

That dealer is trying to hose you big-time- charging @$400 labor for a one hour job. Are they even including new coolant or an expansion tank? Zionsville Autosport sells the only all metal radiator I'd recommend, but it does cost nearly $600. It's probably worth it if you plan to keep the car for another 100,000 miles-if only for the piece of mind. When you do have it changed, make certain that only BMW coolant is used AND that the cooling system is bled properly. Replace the expansion tank while you are at it. Leave the hoses alone; they should be fine for at least another five years.In the meantime, watch that temperature gauge like a hawk-it's really more of a glorified idiot light and it won't move off center until the car is at the verge of overheating(blame clueless US drivers who don't understand how a gauge is supposed to respond).

mastoras · August 2005

My recently acquired 528i 5spd does not have dust boots covering the front struts. Is this normal or could it be when the struts were replaced by the previous owner they did not reinstall the dust boots. I've had a couple of people (including a BMW tech) tell me that this is normal,but it seems odd that the strut piston would be exposed to road debris like that without a boot. Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance.

div2 · August 2005

My 1997 5er has them and they were reinstalled when the dealer fitted new struts at 124K.

gutey · August 2005

I am looking at buying a 2001 540I sport 6spd with 66K. I test drove it today and noticed when going around a clover leaf that it seemed that the steering became very stiff. It felt as that there was no power steering. Is this normal for this car or is there a mechanical problem. I know some cars come with variable assist steering, but this seemed a little extreme. :confuse:

pen101 · August 2005

My 2002 530 has 43000 miles on it. Last oil change was at 30,000. There is one lamp left on the oil service meter in the dash. The "check oil level" warning went on when I turned off the car the other day.

I checked the oil dip stick when the car was cold and it registers about 25% up from the low bump to the high bump. I do not know how sensitive the BMW engine is to oil level. The last time only one lamp was on (14K miles ago), the dealer told me I should wait for that last lamp to go out, because they would not pay for the oil change until it does. I am now out of the maintanence free period so this advice no longer applies.

Choices:

(a) put a quart of oil in and wait for the last service meter lamp to go out
(b) not put a quart in, keep checking the oil level and wait for the lamp to go out
(c) have the oil changed now

Also, the clutch pedel squeaks when I push it to engage and disengage the gears. Any idea what that could be?

530ir1150r · August 2005

Change your oil and do not worry about it anymore. The clutch squeak is probably in the linkage somewhere. You should be able to tell if it is inside or at the transmission.

1wisdom · August 2005

Hi again,
Thanks for the advise. Yes BMW did include expansion tank, didn't mention new coolant. Yes my eyes are glued to the Temp Gauge no movement as of yet nor idiot light on. Thanks for info re replacing expansion tank, and BMW coolant.
By the way do you own a BMW? If so what year and series? Once again I appreciate your help & advice.

1wisdom

djpierotti · August 2005

The system shut down and nothing was blowing at all.

djpierotti · August 2005

Thanks, I am hoping that is all it is. The problem has not happened again.

div2 · August 2005

I've observed that the radiators on the V8s tend to fail near the point where the upper radiator hose is attached; sometimes the hose breaks off completely. If the needle even approaches the red zone you should switch it off.
As for me, I've owned seven BMWs since 1983, beginning with a 1973 Bavaria 3.0. My current stable consists of a 318ti Club Sport and a 1997 528iA.

div2 · August 2005

Your problem may also be caused by what BMW calls a "Final Stage Resistor". It's a relatively inexpensive part and it takes less than thirty minutes to install. That said, I'd wait and see if the blower acts up again before I'd spend any time or money diagnosing the system.

pen101 · August 2005

Thanks for your reply. That is what I was thinking also. Will make an appointment tomorrow.

beemerluv · August 2005

question for anyone with experience: I am ordering an 06' e60, am I'm undecided about the sport package, I want the feel of a sports car, but I do not want a hard ride, the 18in. rims are really sharp, but the run-flats have got to be pretty stiff, I wonder if I can order the car with all season radials instead? anybody willing to critique the ride of this car for me, the salesman say's he dosen't yet have a sport package 5er for me to test drive, so I'm just looking for some feeback.

thanks in advance guy's

cmybimmergo · August 2005

I have an e39, not e60, but it has sport and I run it on all seasons (Michelin Pilot Sport A/S). I like it fine. But I would find one to drive before buying, because your preference might be very different from mine.

ny540i6 · August 2005

Sorry, Shipo, you might be wrong on this one... I've been away from these boards for a while (stop the applause!!!), and was catching up while in Florida for a few days. I remember reading this post, and the response... so flash forward to this afternoon, when I approach the machine, hit the door lock button, get nothing, and suspect dead battery. Stick key in lock, turn both directions, still nothing. Fortunately the TRUNK lock is mechanical, and since the battery is back there, once I got cables attached, I was able to unlock the car. Started right up. The discharge was complete enough that I had to reset the time/date.

Just an FYI.

shipo · August 2005

Hmmm, very interesting. No appologies necessary. ;-) Thinking back on it I cannot actually remember if I ever used the key in the door of my 530i, and as such, I have no recollection of how the action felt. I guess I just assumed (Oops! I know better than that...) that the key (a mechanical device in an of itself) had a mechanical link to the door lock specifically because of the dead battery issue.

Once again, thanks for keeping me honest. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

bmw_lover · August 2005

I have 2005 530i and when i drive with high speed i experienced some noise from the steering weal espicialy if the road is not flat well. Is this normal this noise is like smothing shaking. :confuse:

hihomike · August 2005

When I got my 06 530i, the first day I took it home, an error message came up on the driver's screen, just behind the steering wheel where the mph and time and odometer screen is, and in bright ORANGE LETTERS it lit up "SOS" with a line through it. I then went to my i-drive and the error was that BMW assist was not operative, take car to dealer.

I took it in three times, and finally had to call BMW north america to finally get this fixed. The error would come up about 3 times a week. If I turned off the engine and restarted it, it seemed to eventually correct itself.

The dealer airshipped a new computer ($2500 item) to the service dept., they replaced it, and it worked fine for a while. Then, it came up once again, SOS.

Has anyone experienced this problem? I didn't have it on my 05 BMW 525i, but I do on the 06 530i.

Thanks all.

djpierotti · August 2005

You identified the problem accurately! I had some minor body work done on my car after someone hit me and ask to look into why the air was shutting down. The service guy said the same thing, a resistor. It would take about 30-40 minutes to replace and cost $120.00. Is this cost in line or not? I think he said the resistor was in the dash.

Thanks

div2 · August 2005

Glad to help. The Final Stage Resistor is very simple to install. Here's how. No way would I pay someone to do it.

terpsroll · August 2005

DIV2, I see that you have been helfpful to others and from your profile you are very knowledgeable. Please read my post #1336 and offer any suggestions you can think of; I love this car but am getting ready to sell it 'cause none of my local mechanics can figure out what is wrong. They all say, "the A/C works." Which it does, but the heat also bleeds through when the A/C is on and it just can not overcome the added heat.

Please help, or do you want to broker a deal to help sell my 525?

Thanks.

ppltxsj · August 2005

I just took delivery of an 06 5 series and have the same problem. Have you found a resolution for this?

Thanks!

div2 · August 2005

Has the heater valve been checked? The valve regulates the flow of coolant through the heater core. If the valve is stuck open you get too much heat and if it sticks closed you get no heat. Check here for more information.

ppltxsj · August 2005

My new 06 BMW 5 series has a squeak on the driver's side of the dashboard somewhere between the vent and the speaker in the driver's door. The noise is noticeable on rougher roads.

Has anyone experienced the same and found the solution to get rid of this? My dealer in nearly 1 hour away so I was hoping to resolve this on my own to avoid the long trip.

Thanks!

sean525i · August 2005

Can anyone tell me if it's normal to have to replace the tires of a 2004 525i with only 21K on them? We were told by the "dealer" that we need all 4 replaced ($700 for supposed high end tires is not what I expected so soon) and that this is normal for a "heavy vehicle".

Mr_Shiftright · August 2005

It depends a LOT on how you drive, your climate, and how well you have kept up tire pressures, tire rotation, etc. That mileage sounds a bit premature but I could see it happening under certain conditions. Was the wear uniform and even, or was it in the center of the tires, or the edges, on all four tires evenly, or ???

terpsroll · August 2005

Was hoping to tell you about my success... truth is, I haven't had a chance to mess with it yet, but thanks for the input. I will keep you posted.

530ir1150r · August 2005

The 60,000 mile service completed last night.

2002 530i, 5 speed w/sport package.

60,116 miles
26.4 MPG, average since new.
50.5 MPH; did not go to Nashville as much this year.
Front brake pads, 9.5 mm remaining; 11.5 mm at 37,500 miles.
Rear brake pads, 9 mm remaining; 11 mm at 37,500 miles.

andys120 · September 2005

For all 5-series owners in the northeast. Do all of you change to snows in the winter, or did some of you brave it with the non-sport package all season tires? And how did you do.

Bad news: It's a rwd car, snow (not just M+S but real snow-on-the-mountain symbol)
tires are mandatory for safety and practical reasons.

Good news: Equipped with proper snows the 5er is a little sno-bear in winter driving
with good balance, brakes and a superb traction control.. My only gripe is the lack of available winter wiper blades and rear fog lamps.

I get good results on Blizzak WS-50s on my 2000 528iA and I live in snowy, hilly New Hampshire. Nokian Hakkapellittas are also highly recommended.

manybmws · September 2005

get the car buffed out with Zymol HD-cleanse then use Carbon wax.

manybmws · September 2005

I had a mechanical alternator belt that did the same them that was replaced.

manybmws · September 2005

BMW will change the oil if timing exceeds one year - regardless of the lights.

jpb2 · September 2005

Yes, my 2004 525 is having the same noise. It is also creeking (sounds like hail hitting the car) when the car is on uneven roadway (when the car torques). I have taken the car in 4 times and the problem persists. The dealer told me that the door seals ned to be oiled???? What have you discovered?

The sound will drive you crazy after driving it for a couple hours.

JPB2

1wisdom · September 2005

Hi there,
Thank you. It's been awhile. Back in Calif. getting life back together. Wow you've had some nice BMW's, and experience. Today I took the car to get the radiator replaced. Come to find out the clutch fan is broken. Still spins however mechanic indicated he could stop it bare hand. What he said is he believes the clutch fan went first then the radiator. I've looked in my manual to find the answer regarding the car beeping inside for no reason. No lights come on when it happens it just happens at of no where. Do you have any idea what this is? It's beeps three times then stops. Please advise. Oh just want to say thank you.

Wisdom

div2 · September 2005

Good to hear thatyou are getting things back on track. Now, as for your phantom beeping, I suspect it's a setting of the on-board computer(OBC). Check that section of the owners manual. Among other things, the 540i OBC has a timer function and a speed warning function; check and make sure neither of those functions are active(one of my friends bought a 1994 540i and never read the manual, so another friend set the speed warning at 54 mph. It drove my friend almost nuts until I told him how to shut it off...). There is also a icing warning that beeps at +37F but I doubt you are seeing near-freezing temperatures in your location.

BMW 5-Series Maintenance and Repair

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