Electrical Issue: No lights, locks or start but airbag light illuminates

[paramax55]

Originally Posted by E36X5er

Interesting - ever since Ive had the truck, the AC hasn't worked - always blows warm air - not sure if that's a freon leak or something else. Something Ive always noticed is that the shifter light never turns off.

I took the X5 up the coast for a weekend (200 miles round trip), this was about 8 days ago. After that trip it sat for 6 days or so; battery level this morning, on the hidden menu, was 11.9V but it started fine.

I tried to connect my charger to the terminals in the front to charge it a little and the charger just says "put clamps on" - its a viking charger.

Check the fan. The electric fan in front of the radiator is garbage and they ALL fail. The AC won't work without the fan - the computer blocks it. I replaced mine with one from a 3-series that had the same plug. The e53 uses a BLDC fan motor. The 3-series uses a DC fan motor that works for ever. It is not a direct bolt-in replacement. It takes some epoxy work, but it's worth it.

[andrewwynn]

When your turn on the car the aux fan should turn about 1/8 turn it does a self test. If it fails it will disable the ac.


–awr–

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[Effduration]

+1 on checking the aux fan...Mine also failed and I did not see a code thrown...Good time also to do the newpaper test on the mechanical clutch fan. You don't want BOTH fans going bad at the same time...again which happened to me.

I ended up replacing the elec aux fan with an E53-specific fan from TYC bought on Amazon. TYC is in Taiwan (not yet part of China) and has been making auto elec components for 60 yrs. Comes with a lifetime warranty... I would buy again. Price was right .

[workingonit]

I also installed a TYC Aux fan, and it is working great.

I had previously installed a 3000cfm aftermarket electric fan to replace the failing clutch fan, so the engine stayed cool when the Aux fan failed.

Replacing the Aux fan took several hours (of course it did, in the heat of a summer day, in the Sun), but it was doable for an old guy, and worth my time.

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[X5chemist]

I recommend the brushless TYC aux fan. I've had one installed since 3/4/2021. Keeps my A/C temps @42F at idle even on 100 degree days.