Parking Brake Application And Knocking V8 + Funny throttle

[thunderaudio]

3 Questions. My 01 x5 has around 106k now with the 4.4 v8. While it does run great I have some nagging issues that bother me about it. This is my second x5 as the first was sold to help buy my house. The current one has every option unlike the fist, and is even the same color lol.

1. I just noticed something about the parking brake. When you pull up on it it can click about 5 times and latch. If you pull it up any further the lever will not latch. It just goes back down to the 5th click. If you pull very hard all the way to the top it will latch. Do all the E53 X5's do that? I cant remember if the other one I had did that.

2. From time to time when the X5 is started in the morning it will make a knock that sounds like a road bering knock. (I spun a rod bering in a Cavalier I once had ) It does not happen every time but it does happen. When I was in for dealer service one time they said it is normal and all the V8's form that era do that. Is that true? I made a small sound sample from my phone here. http://homepage.mac.com/thunderaudio...knock.aiff.zip

3. When driving on the highway with very light throttle the engine speed will surge about 300 rpm. If you give it more throttle it does not happen, and it does not happen at idle. It also happens with the cruse control is on. When it went to the dealer they did not find anything. It does seem to make the the trans downshift if you give it more throttle the second it happens. Strange.


If anybody has any info that would be great. Thanks!

[Wagner]

1) Get the eBrake tightened up.
2) No it is not normal to have engine knock, that dealer is a clown. Check your oil levels now.
3) sounds like an issue with the drive-by-wire from the throttle up to the butterflies. that is the only reason I could think of that would result in the cruise control working fine, but not under regular throttle.

[thunderaudio]

Checked the oil levels and they are good. I had the oil analyzed by blackstone labs before I bought the x5 and it came out ok. My friend said it could be the oil filter reservoir draining back to the pan when the x5 is parked. I will check that theory tomorrow morning.

[kelsvile]

I have 83k on my 4.4 and have just began hearing the same exact knock. It only started after an oil change and the dealer thought it might be the cam chain tensioner...Not! Did the same thing. They ordered a new oil pump (due in two weeks from Germany). Apparently there is a check valve attached to the pump that prevents the oil from draining back from the galleries, which would prevent the dry start. I'll let you know in two weeks!

[fatboyoz]

Answer to question #1. My 05 X5 Diesel started doing the same as your handbrake. It was still under warranty, so must have been less than 2 years old. Seems that the toothed quadrant, that the lever latches against when you pull it up, in some cases, is not hardened properly and you actually lose teeth off it and the lever then fails to engage. The fix? A new handbrake quadrant that requires the removal of the complete centre console.
Colin.

Originally Posted by thunderaudio

3 Questions. My 01 x5 has around 106k now with the 4.4 v8. While it does run great I have some nagging issues that bother me about it. This is my second x5 as the first was sold to help buy my house. The current one has every option unlike the fist, and is even the same color lol.

1. I just noticed something about the parking brake. When you pull up on it it can click about 5 times and latch. If you pull it up any further the lever will not latch. It just goes back down to the 5th click. If you pull very hard all the way to the top it will latch. Do all the E53 X5's do that? I cant remember if the other one I had did that.

2. From time to time when the X5 is started in the morning it will make a knock that sounds like a road bering knock. (I spun a rod bering in a Cavalier I once had ) It does not happen every time but it does happen. When I was in for dealer service one time they said it is normal and all the V8's form that era do that. Is that true? I made a small sound sample from my phone here. http://homepage.mac.com/thunderaudio...knock.aiff.zip

3. When driving on the highway with very light throttle the engine speed will surge about 300 rpm. If you give it more throttle it does not happen, and it does not happen at idle. It also happens with the cruse control is on. When it went to the dealer they did not find anything. It does seem to make the the trans downshift if you give it more throttle the second it happens. Strange.


If anybody has any info that would be great. Thanks!

[thunderaudio]

I checked the oil filter res and there is oil inside. Not sure if there is the proper amount, but there was alot of oil in there.

[BimmerDude]

Ok, I don't know about the hand brake, but I do know about the Knock. This is very normal on most of our V8's. I too have this knock upon start up some times. Lately it hasn't done it but once it starts to get cold outside, it will knock at start up for about 1 sec. and then go away. If you read your manual it will state, knocking is quit normal only at start up. If it knocks all the time, then you might have a camshaft problem. I've asked my indy and the dealer, both assured that it is very normal. But not all the V8's do this. This I guess is a design flaw or something like that. Basically don't worry about it. Supposedly, this is quite normal for these high performance engines. Now I'm not a mechanic, but I trust my indy, after 15yrs of service and family friend, I don't think he would do me wrong. He doesn't like the knocking but he that's what they do, he said himself that its the design of the engine. Just make sure your oils are ok and that you change them at a reasonable time. Good Luck.

[ttzcar]

BimmerDude and ThunderAudio are right. I have a 4.4 and that knock really bugged, I read lots of other forums and the manual and the knock is normal. I know what you mean because my friends hear it and it sounds low budget. They ask me why my car is growling. But apperantly it's a normal noise that lasts about 1-2 seconds at start up. And it only happens sometimes. When ever there's a new girl in my car I pray it doesn't happen, or I start my car as soon as she closes the door. I would really love a new 4.8, I would imagine those don't knock.

[utahx5]

Well mine started doing the knock thing as soon as it got cold out here in utah I'm going to try mobile one 0w40 I read a post on that and they said it stopped the knock I will keep you posted

[thunderaudio]

I found out what was happening with my parking brake issue. The tips of the teeth on the cam all wore off. I replaced the lever today and adjusted the parking brake cables and it's perfect. Oh and damm that center console is hard to remove and install!!!