Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarek
It has been in holes deeper than 18" and no abs issues. The key is to get out of the hole not stay in it for hours...lol. I will let you know when it fails. Then I will replace it.
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Glad you've had good luck so far. I'm just in the middle of replacing my ABS module, caused by moisture ruining the unit, (not rebuildable). Given that it's a $1,500+ part from BMW, I was happy to get a lifetime guaranteed re-man part for $460. It's a bit of a PITA to get to on the V8 X5 as well, and the new one needs to be coded to the car. And my X5 has never been off-road at all or in any deep water. Just car washes and normal road splashes in the rain was enough to kill mine. Perhaps the seal between the module and the pump gives way a bit with age. I think moving this unit would be VERY hard given all the hard lines and wiring going to it, but you might want to try to waterproof it a bit, perhaps a lot of plastic wrap.
Another water concern at a similar height is the transmission. AFAIK, every automatic tranny must have a vent, I don't know where the vent is on the X5 tranny, but it if water gets to the height of the vent, you're screwed. A very small amount of water in an automatic tranny will ruin it quite rapidly. In my Jeep, I plugged the original vent hole, (which was inside the bell housing behind the TC), and moved the vent to a elbow fitting tapped in the top of the transmission case. From there, a hose runs to a small K&N filter at the top of the firewall, right next to the extended front axle vent.
No, I have not been on the BMW off road course, but I do have 40 years of off-roading experience. I am not the least bit impressed with what an X5 can do on a factory course. Certain types of relatively scary obstacles do not really challenge a vehicle, as long as they are specifically designed to be passable by a given vehicle. It's just not real world. Give an X5 a steep loose dirt trail with modest sized rocks and it would not make it without expensive carnage, if at all. As an example of how deceiving a scary trail can be, check out this video of a stock Crown Vic going up Lion's Back at Moab, (a trail that many off-roaders consider pretty challenging):
Moab rock crawling in a Crown Victoria - baby lions back slick rock jeep climb - YouTube