X5 and Cold Weather Headaches

[JSD]

Originally Posted by Brit6

Stop complaining, I would switch with you anyday!

It is -34F with the wind chill here this morning!

I bought my 2005 X5 4.4i last Friday and we were right in the middle of a long below average very, very cold week here in Montreal. When I say very cold, I mean -25 to -30 degrees celsius (without the wind chill factor). I drove my X5 for a 1000 km in this freezer and I had no problem whatsoever. No door stuck, no weird engine noise, just a little hard time to defrost the back windows, that's all. I'm crossing my fingers it'll stay that way.

[KJS]

I am on my second 2001 X5. I was having the same door issues with the first one and the dealer fixed it, and 5 hours later I was in a bad accident and the car was totalled. I bought another one, and last winter I knew beeter than to pull on the handle when it felt frozen, so I would just climb through the passenger's side. This winter I have been really careful until today I got frustrated and just pulled. Then the door wouldn't latch, I lipped the latch, now it is in the "closed" position, but the handles won't release it, so my door has been cracked open all day in 18 degree weather. And the dealer said it would cost $400 when two years ago it was only $99 to fix. Go figure.

I did notice this problem happens when it has snowed, like it did last night, or when it has been freezing rain, not just cold weather. I guess there is moisture getting in and freezing the cables.

Oh and my car has a new $4000 transmisison in it! This is definitely a love/hate relationship!

[primetime]

Originally Posted by KJS

I am on my second 2001 X5. I was having the same door issues with the first one and the dealer fixed it, and 5 hours later I was in a bad accident and the car was totalled. I bought another one, and last winter I knew beeter than to pull on the handle when it felt frozen, so I would just climb through the passenger's side. This winter I have been really careful until today I got frustrated and just pulled. Then the door wouldn't latch, I lipped the latch, now it is in the "closed" position, but the handles won't release it, so my door has been cracked open all day in 18 degree weather. And the dealer said it would cost $400 when two years ago it was only $99 to fix. Go figure.

I did notice this problem happens when it has snowed, like it did last night, or when it has been freezing rain, not just cold weather. I guess there is moisture getting in and freezing the cables.

Oh and my car has a new $4000 transmisison in it! This is definitely a love/hate relationship!

Try the anti-freeze trick in the door handle. If I would've known about it I probably wouldn't have paid $500 to my dealer to get it replaced. Look here: http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...sy-remedy.html

[RDM3]

My main problem is the door freezing and not shutting, I end up having to move cars around in the garage and keep it in overnight to thaw the door out.

[KJS]

Well, I got the door to shut, with a screwdriver, but now i can't open it from inside or out. The reason why it wouldn't shut was because the latch was half way closed, so just puch is down all the way with a screwdriver. And antifreeze does help, (thanks primetime)

[Meiac09]

Originally Posted by cmyX5go

One toll violation, coming up.

IIRC, EZpass can just look at your tag and put the toll on your account.

I don't know, I think that a car that sounds like its dying when you start it and its 30 degrees out has a problem. I guess nobody else does.

[cmyX6go]

Originally Posted by Meiac09

IIRC, EZpass can just look at your tag and put the toll on your account.
:

For some reason EZ pass had my plate on record as a NJ tag instead of NY. I got a few violations. I couldn't understand why it wasn't just picking up my tag number. Problem fixed.


AMAZING... One 45 degree day and all the creaks and squeaks that were making my ears bleed are gone

[tysonkim]

It happened when I pick my daughter up to school couple of weeks ago.

We arleady late but passenger side door won't closed. Guess what!!

I put seat belt under the door handle and buckled up. That's it.

We could got school on time. Surely my daughter sat in the back.

And 3 days after it happened again on driver side at this time.

I could make it same way. My weigh is only 132 lbs.

[X5 Meister]

Holy cow that is scary! Was your door also locked?

Originally Posted by booninety

why isn't the door freezing problem not a candidate for recall? it's clearly a flaw in design. I'm tired of having this ultimate driving machine leaving me in the cold! not to mention the safety hazard it poses. I was driving my son to school and it appeard the door was shut but when I turned a corner, the door swung open!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! isn't there anything we can do to get BMW to fix this problem? I have a 2001 and a colleague of mine has a 2006 that ALSO has this problem. is BMW waiting for a lawsuit?

[X5 Meister]

I don't know about aftermarket (pep boys, etc) washer fluids. BMW released an SIB a while back discussing clogged wiper fluid reservoir pumps that were caused by cheap additives that solidified and clogged the pump. Thus they recommend using the BMW product (btw, they also made the hole(s) in the pump larger). I use this stuff with distilled water and have never had any issues. Just follow the concentration info on the bottle for your particular weather needs.