E53 X5 Frontend dropped

bigtigga01 · #1 10-08-2009, 11:07 AM

First let me say Hi since this is my first post, just wish it was on different terms. My wife has recently purchased a 2002 X5 4.4i with 70k and alot of options. One of these being the adjustable ride height self-leveling suspension. Took it to the local shop for a look over cause previous owner said it needed front cv joints replaced. Instead it needs cv joints and drive axels replaced so we decided to wait for the warranty to transfer before we got the work done. My wife then picks up the truck and on her way home the "selflevel inact" pops up and the frontend is pretty much on the tires. She's pissed and says the shop did something and I'm trying to be positive since I've been taking all my bimmers there for the last 10 years. Took the truck back and now the front airbags are shot. Nice bill that I'm not looking forward to on a truck we have had less than a week. What should I do? Are these airbags something a home mechanic can do or is it better left to the pros? She pretty much wants nothing to do with the shop and blames them since the ride height was fine before she took it, and they say all they did was jack it up to look at the axels. Man this sucks

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TheKingSim0n · #2 10-08-2009, 11:25 AM

First off welcome to the BMW X5 Family.

Unfortunately the air suspension on the X5s do tend to have issues around the millage you have. But don't worry, Most us who did have that issue got through it and past it and in the near future I am sure you will as well.

Normally its the 4.8i versions of the X5s that have air suspension in the front and the back, the suspension air bags must have leaked and I honestly do not believe its due to the shop you went to. It seems to me that a very rare few 4.4i's have air suspension in the front, I have a friend of mine who has it but he had it done himself. To make a long story short, go to any local mom and pop shop and tell them the situation. Ask them to call up their local BMW parts & ask them how much would it cost for the air bags, then see the price he/she gives you, match it with realoem.com or another source you get and see how much it would cost to replace.

Good luck!

bigtigga01 · #3 10-08-2009, 01:32 PM

Oh yeah forgot to add that the Blower motor final resistor also went out on her yesterday. Thanks for the info kingsimon, hopefully I can get this out of the way with minimal damage to my wallet but this being my fifth bmw I know better.

bigtigga01 · #4 10-28-2009, 10:26 AM

Alright got the front airshocks replaced for a good price but the shop said they didn't have the equipment to adjust the ride height so in the normal setting the x is sitting low and when set to offroad it comes up to normal. So I call rick hendricks bmw about getting the ride height reprogrammed and they said that there's no computer that controls the ride height and that I should take it back to the shop because there might be a leak. The truck does go up when we press the switch and stays there so there's no leak. Going on a trip this weekend so what should I do?