Official X5 4.6is & 4.8is Thread

[Pekelicious]

Originally Posted by OrangeFurious

Guess who dropped a bit over ten grand on repairs this month?

Don't let the emoji fool you, it stings. On the plus side I have new inlet grillls, new wheels and a new, from-BMW, transmission. Pics and a more detailed write-up when I get her back next week.

I never thought my X5 would cost more to run than my M3. Good thing I love it.

I DID

[OrangeFurious]

Originally Posted by Pekelicious

I DID

Ha. Yeah, I saw your parts list in the other thread.

[Jpcopp]

Originally Posted by OrangeFurious

Guess who dropped a bit over ten grand on repairs this month?

Don't let the emoji fool you, it stings. On the plus side I have new inlet grillls, new wheels and a new, from-BMW, transmission. Pics and a more detailed write-up when I get her back next week.

I never thought my X5 would cost more to run than my M3. Good thing I love it.

When did you transmission go out and how did you know? I am having issues right now, either torque converter or tranny... did you replace with a re-manufactured or what?

[OrangeFurious]

Originally Posted by Jpcopp

When did you transmission go out and how did you know? I am having issues right now, either torque converter or tranny... did you replace with a re-manufactured or what?

I'll admit to not being too technical with transmission issues, but the general course of events was:

1. Cue ironic foreshadowing by offloading my 4.4 because I didn't trust the tranny. Buy 4.8is.
2. In regular use notice the occasional hard shift, rare TRANS FAILSAFE while going up hill (I live on a mountain), and a regular-as-a-heartbeat, split second loss of power when maintaining a steady speed in 4th.
3. Indy shop sees no problem with trans, resets software and does a partial fluid change. I learned later that is high-risk as the partial fluid change stirs up sediment that might otherwise be dormant in the pan.
4. Hard downshift from 5th to 4th while heading uphill on a steep grade. CEL, TRANS FAILSAFE, etc. Cue further irony as I had purchased new wheels that day.
5. Diagnosis:

Originally Posted by Eastside Bavarian

Interrogated all fault memories: ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION MANAGEMENT (EGS) (gs19a)1 fault 4F8ARatio monitoring, gearshift 4 .. 5, occurred 5 times
Checked fluid level and condition, found fluid level low by 1.5q. Refilled system Fluid has been changed at some point and does contain some material but this is fairly typical for the milage. Checked for applicable service bulletins and did not find any pertaining to this fault. Transmission should be replaced.

Note that 1.5qt loss happened in roughly six weeks from the fluid change with no drips or leeks visible under the car.

As it sits now I'm waiting on a replacement unit from BMW to arrive. My shop says it's new but given the age and rarity of parts I'm guessing it's a BMW approved rebuild.

[4.8iS Le Mans_NZ]

- New alternator installed last week, which seems to have eliminated (for now) the previously persistent 'SELF LEVEL SUSP INACTIVE' message.
- Occasionally getting similar tranny symptoms to OrangeFurious.
- Pano sunroof rear vent panel deactivation mod to do next (summer is almost here, so will be nice to have the roof operative again).

[Dking078]

Two random photos , excuse the bad iphone quality.
Black cars are so annoying to photograph on sunny days.

[4.8iS Le Mans_NZ]

Originally Posted by 4.8iS Le Mans_NZ

- Pano sunroof rear vent panel deactivation mod to do next (summer is almost here, so will be nice to have the roof operative again).

Successfully completed this mod yesterday - sunroof now good in all modes (except rear panel vent).

[YazX5]

Does this 4.6 look weird? I don't know, maybe it's that aero package and completely painted bumpers and that bar on the front. And aren't the mufflers on these the ones with the large tip like the 4.8? I like the wheels though.


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[Ricky Bobby]

Looks like it has Dinan exhaust on that 4.6iS - the Style 177 wheels don't look bad but I am not a fan of the monopaint look, the aero kit is ok but I prefer the black plastic to be left as is to break up the lines on the front and rear - the body gets lost when it is all painted the same color

[YazX5]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Looks like it has Dinan exhaust on that 4.6iS - the Style 177 wheels don't look bad but I am not a fan of the monopaint look, the aero kit is ok but I prefer the black plastic to be left as is to break up the lines on the front and rear - the body gets lost when it is all painted the same color

Ya exactly. That's why it looked alien-isa to me. Not a fan of the aero package either, makes the car look bulkier, like a fake wide body kit. Do you have any idea how it's attached to the body, the aero kid, by some adhesive or screws?