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False bulb failure warnings are a common problem on the E39 5ers. Sometimes it's an indication that a bulb may be ready to fail. To eliminate the problem ensure that all the bulbs are OEM quality silver base bulbs(such as Sylvania/Osram "European" bulbs). Use a good contact cleaner on the bulb sockets and apply a thin coat of dielectric grease to the bulb base prior to installation.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
In my case I'm very fortunate in that I have an excellent local dealer who that offers great service at reasonable prices as well as a good indie BMW shop. As a result, the maintenance and repair costs for my 121K mile 1995 3 Series and my wife's 93K mile 2004 X3 are extremely low(@5 cents per mile).
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Will check out the independent service centers immediately. Will update as it goes. Anybody know of a great independent garage Central LI...with experience to back it?
I doesn't happen to all V8s, and it isn't as prevalent as leaky valve cover gaskets.
I would like to think there is hope to feasibly keep this vehicle for our son a few more years.
Like I said, the key is finding a good indie shop. Once you join BMW CCA you'll be able to contact local members and they can point you in the right direction.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
An X5 ATF change DIY can be found here.
I suggest changing the TC fluid and ATF every 50,000-60,000 miles.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I will use Teflon/Plummer tape to wrap around the bottom half of the washer pump to see if it will stop the leak.
Also, while driving along at 30-45 mph, the car will jerk and kind of hiccup, sometimes it will clunk like its slamming a gear. It feels like the trans or drive system. It happens only in 5th. I checked this by putting the selector in manual select to see what gear had the problem, and it only does the malfunction in 5th.
Now, the dealer says its the trans valve body. They are unwilling to discuss how they arrived at that diagnosis though. Before trusting them to do the recommended $5500 repair, I want to know it will actually fix the problem. see my other post under trans failsafe.
If you've had similar problems, please post your story and maybe we can come closer to figuring out the answer.
Use BMW coolant ONLY.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Remember an X5 is a big heavy truck. You want all of the stopping power you can get.
NEVER ever take a short cut on your brakes. Pay whatever it takes to keep them in top working order. Your life and your passengers lives depend on them.
Greatly thanks for your suggestions.
Dale
Go to Discount Tire or Tire Rack and order the OEM replacement. Have a local tire shop install it for you. Way cheaper!
Actually, if it is flat because of a nail, your local tire shop can probably patch it for about $12.
Any advice for me? Are these warranties worth it generally for the X5? Given my low miles and little amount of time I'm planning on keeping this car, I'm not certain this is worth it, but I would appreciate some feedback. Is this a must do?
Thanks!
The general perception is that you will be ahead by taking that $3,500 (or $4,500) and putting it in a bank account and then drawing out of that bank account to pay for repairs.
Could you have something that needs to be repaired that exceeds the amount? Yep. It just usually isn't likely. I have the same car that I bought used and other than the transmission issue that in my case was not fixed even after replacing the transmission, it seems to not have any major problems. Of course, I ended up with the 100,000 mile CPO warranty from the person who owned it before me. So for me, if I had bought one, it probably would have paid for itself. I believe I am the exception.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Thx
Kesh
LOL! I'm not sure what can be done about it.
My X5 still under 6 years warranty. My local dealer in alhambra want to charge me $145 for break inspection, $320 for repairing a dead break light (I paid $10 to a roadside garage, they resolved the problem in 1 minute). BMW dealer do not provide tire rotate service unless you pay them extra money and they keep pushing me replace all four tires for more than $1600 even my X5 has only 20000 miles.
DO NOT PURCHASE ANY EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM BMW.
On my car, the steering column would go all the way down when i entered the car first time. I could move it up but it would not work the first time I tried (heard a click when i tried). The second time I tried to move it up, it would go but when I turned the car off it started all over again.
Holding the memory 1 key in , moving the seats and turning car on and off 2 times corrected all of these problems - Thanks so much.
Looking at the shifter from the driver's seat with the cover removed, this is the plastic bushing on the back left part of the shifter, 180 deg to the shifter movement plane. It has a cap on one end, a rod in the center near as I can tell and a plastic cap on the other end (the one that sheared off) that fits into a stationary cyclinder separate from the shifter on the right side that enables the shifter to move into the manual mode direction.
It is kind of laughable. When the service advisor returned the car to me after my 3rd visit, he said "you should get 200,000 miles out of this vehicle". If I have to replace major components every 40,000 miles, I am not going to stick around to find out.
The other irony is - about 2years ago, a friend told me he knew several people with transmission problems on the X5. I assumed he said that because he is a Porsche guy. Since then, I have met several more people with X5s having tranny issues. It appears that my friend was correct. -- Be careful if you are thinking of buying one!
this could happen 3 or 4 times in the same day or within a week, we have already changed the diesel fuel pump which is under back seat but nothing
looking forward to your feedback
with kind regards
Mark
regards and thanks for you help
mark