Many electrical faults happening since airbag light appeared

[Patbol]

Hey guys

I have a 2001 e53 x5 4.4 and I'm having a sudden list of electrical problems with it ever since I noticed out of the blue one day the airbag light came on

I've read the battery can cause electrical faults if it is slightly out with its voltages or its not performing properly but had it tested and was all fine apparently
Car is also throwing no fault codes

Problems I have currently is

Airbag light
Sunviser mirrior turns on the whole cars lights instead of the one above the mirrior
Aircon will turn on and work but the fan won't
Cruise control wont turn on
The multi display in the middle is blank and completely off most times, sometimes running fine other days
Heated seats don't turn on
A bunch of other random stuff aswell

Fuses are all fine etc

Anything else to check before I find a bmw workshop that will charge me $$ to figure out?

[Zulu95]

Sounds like it could be the ignition switch needs to be changed out. AB light with no codes was my first symptom and I had it changed out before the list got any longer.

[Scott ZHP]

Originally Posted by Zulu95

Sounds like it could be the ignition switch needs to be changed out. AB light with no codes was my first symptom and I had it changed out before the list got any longer.

Mine has just started to come on sporadically, then disappears. No codes.

Is the switch replacement a big deal, for labor?

[andrewwynn]

My wife's x5 ('01) often will have airbag light on but always when nobody in passenger seat and far more likely when it's cold outside. I'm sure it's the seat sensor switch at fault. I'm not sure what type of sensor used but typically they are very pricy. If it ever straight up fails I plan to use the workaround gizmo that for $10-20 convinces the system somebody is always occupying the seat. Means I'll have to buckle the belt when empty and will have to replace another airbag or three in the event of an accident if the car is repairable but a worthy trade off to keep airbags working


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Zulu95]

I believe the seat sensor will trip a code. I had no codes read by my Peake SRS code scanner, just a faintly glowing light that would come and go. The other problems listed by the OP could be switch or even battery related. The switch cost me $36 in Bavauto (?) and I was charged one hour by the indy who fitted it. No problems since.

[andrewwynn]

Probably but I only have obd readers can't read abs or srs codes. Need to get one. Nice tip on ign switch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[andrewwynn]

I would look under passenger seat carpet (and perhaps drivers also). Huge wiring harness could very likely have been damaged by water. I repaired a wire harness in my brothers minivan where about 8 of 30 wires were bare of insulation. One wire shorted but just enough to become hot without blowing a fuse. Melted the insulation off about 1/4 of all the wires in the bundle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Zulu95]

Good point about the loom. Ignition switch is a very common failure point. So common there is even a diagnostic procedure posted involving the sun visor. Some have removed, cleaned and refitted the switch I had it replaced because I was paying somebody to do the work.

[Patbol]

Awesome thanks for your suggestions, Im going to try them this week and hopefully they fix the issues!

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Patbol

Hey guys

I have a 2001 e53 x5 4.4 and I'm having a sudden list of electrical problems with it ever since I noticed out of the blue one day the airbag light came on

I've read the battery can cause electrical faults if it is slightly out with its voltages or its not performing properly but had it tested and was all fine apparently
Car is also throwing no fault codes

Problems I have currently is

Airbag light
Sunviser mirrior turns on the whole cars lights instead of the one above the mirrior
Aircon will turn on and work but the fan won't
Cruise control wont turn on
The multi display in the middle is blank and completely off most times, sometimes running fine other days
Heated seats don't turn on
A bunch of other random stuff aswell

Fuses are all fine etc

Anything else to check before I find a bmw workshop that will charge me $$ to figure out?

Many of the symptoms you lay out in the quote above...sure sounds like the signs of a failing ignition switch.

Watch the videos below...the 3rd one by Edwin of the Netherlands (Homerraas on YouTube) shows how to actually access and change the ignition switch. He does an e38...but the e53 will be 95% the same...an IQ over 100 should be able to extrapolate any slight difference.

If you do the visor test and can get the electrical gremlins to replicate themselves (ignition must be at least in position 2 or engine must be running)...

{recorded in 2009}
https://youtu.be/T7gMUrAvcIE
https://youtu.be/ZX4ZawxM1X0

{recorded in 2014?}
https://youtu.be/YYqI6sCKVD8