Possible control arm issue +1 more (evap fault)

[mrbdm99]

Hi all! This is my first BMW. Long story short, we were looking for a new car to haul around our first baby (in August) +2 dogs and all related items... I planned to do everything the "right" way with lots of research and such, but I ended up driving off the lot in a 2001 x5 that just felt like it was calling my name. I think we all know that the feeling of driving a car that just feels like it is the right car to get.

Anyway, there are a few things to love about it and a few more to dislike. Right now, I have under the impression that my control arms have gone kaput. I have come to this conclusion after reading a few years of threads on here, but I just want to make sure that this sounds like the right problem before I order the parts. Basically, what is happening is that when the wheel is turned (at low speeds) left or right to about the 9 or 3 position (such as when making a turn out of the drive way or a stop light), it kind of catches, for lack of a better term. It almost feels, for that small moment, that you are driving a car w/o power steering, but more that the wheel is catching or there is a loose connection on the wheel - sort of like the steering is all tight, then you get to that spot and it goes loose to the point that it is harder to turn. I can almost imagine seeing a rod somewhere that is slacking at some point. Again, I want to make sure that this sounds right before I do the work (it was driving perfectly for the last 3 months we have had it).

Also, today the SES light came on. I had the auto store read it for me (they do it for free, the dealer here charges 90 bucks) and it said there was a very small leak in the EVAP system. A bit of searching leads me to believe that it could have been a gas cap problem, but it also leads me to believe that, if it isn't the cap, it is basically a crap shoot to figure out what is wrong. I can only imagine that trying to figure out the problem will cost way more than it is worth... Any insight would be great!

[jst2878]

SES light might have come on if you fill your gas tank up with the key in the ignition. DON'T DO THAT

[jst2878]

check your cv boots. they could be cracked and there could be damage. check your swaybar endlinks. Check your power steering hoses. check your tension rod mounts

[mrbdm99]

Originally Posted by jst2878

SES light might have come on if you fill your gas tank up with the key in the ignition. DON'T DO THAT

What about having the key in there but not turned on? I was warned at the dealer not to leave it running (like in the winter, which we don't get a lot of here) when filling up due to it throwing a fault, so I have made sure not to do that. But, they didn't say anything about just leaving the key in...

[mrbdm99]

Originally Posted by jst2878

check your cv boots. they could be cracked and there could be damage. check your swaybar endlinks. Check your power steering hoses. check your tension rod mounts

Great, I will do that in the morning. I know the CV boots are in good shape, but I will certianly check the rest.