SUGGESTIONS PLEASE! Constant Loss of Power in 2003 X5

[X5BB]

Hello,

This is my first time here, so please be patient. I have a 2003 X5 with under 35,000 miles. Never had a problem with it until last Friday--when idling at a drive-thru, the DSC light, ABS, and brake light came on. So, I pulled over and turned off the engine and re-cranked. The lights immediately came back on, then my 'battery' light flickered a couple of times, but went off. NOTE: When I turned off the engine, a 'humming/ticking' noise could be heard coming from the center of dash for a moment before stopping. So, long story short, it finally died (luckily in my driveway) soon after and had to be towed. Stayed at dealership over the weekend, with a diagnosis of: Bad cells in battery due to loose connection (not the alternator), so the battery was replaced. Picked up car this Monday.

Then, on Wednesday, after I had been driving, I tried to crank it back up, but no power. No lights came on, however, when I had turned off the engine prior, I had heard that 'humming/ticking' sound again in the dashboard. Sooo, after having to be towed yet again, the dealership said it was now the FINAL STAGE RESISTOR SWITCH and it was corrected (yeah right!). So, picked up the X5 yesterday morning. Last night, while driving, I noticed the battery light flicker a couple of times...not good. However, all seemed well--until I turned off the engine and heard the sound in the dash again!!!

It is now the day after, Saturday...thinking that the X5 will surely not crank after the night before, it did! However, soon after driving this morning, when I turned off my engine, I heard the infamous 'humming/ticking' noise from the dash. Yep, you guessed it, it wouldn't turn over when I tried to crank it up again. And, again, no warning lights, just that noise beforehand.

So, it's now Saturday, the shop is not opened, therefore, it will once again have to be towed for the THIRD time in less than a week! I am starting to lose confidence in the dealership's ability to diagnose the true problem.

Note: Luckily, it has never just gone dead while driving...only after engine has been turned off.

Has anyone had this happen or heard of this happening? If so, can you please tell me what the problem was so I can 'suggest' this to the dealership for them to run diagnostics on Monday???

Thanks so much for reading!

[X5BB]

The entire time, the problem was actually my alternator--which, by the way, I said was it in the first friggin' place! Guess the sevice guys thought that was just too obvious, so they first replaced the 'battery' instead, then, the final phase resistor switch...finally, the lightswitch must have come on..tada..must be that alternator after all! DUH! My old 525i did the same thing, so I figured this was the case the whole time...uuuugh!

Hope this helps anyone else out there going through the same problems.

PEACE!

[ncx]

Glad you got it taken care of, but that is seriously bad diagnostic work. Do you care to share what dealer this was?

By the way, WELCOME!