Nothing but problems with my 2005 E53 3.0d

[prism]

Wow and I thought for a moment that my E53 was one of a kind! I cannot imagine what it must have cost to replace an entire transmission system. I feel spooked, I will sell the damn thing as soon as I get it repaired. That's it for me!

Originally Posted by X5Sport

Unfortunately a lot of what you have suffered is not unusual. From the description of the white smoke and a longer crank time that certainly points at injectors and even more so glowplugs as it's probably unburnt fuel. Your plugs will be getting more use because of the colder climate

I haven't had the inject/glowplug issues, but have had both mirrors, tailgate lock mechanism, steering hoses, starter, fuel pump relay, and the entire auto transmission rebuilt, along with a new transmission computer, and I haven't done 47,000 miles yet!! My E53 is a March 05 like yours and I've had it from new.

If you get a bad one, then this happens but it is rare to all of these problems though as I said not unusual. My car was actually built at Xmas 2004 though whether that was significant is questionable. I now have an extended warranty which though expensive is much cheaper than a new gearbox would have been!!

It's also just had a new battery (about the right time) and now needs new brake linings (again about the right time).

I now run an E71 as well and am hoping that will be a lot better - even if someone did reverse into me in a Supermarket car park on Xmas Eve meaning I am now having to have a new rear bumper at 6 weeks and 900 miles of ownership!!!

[prism]

Powers1, I have another question for you:
As I mentioned earlier, I feel the vibrations when I start the engine from cold, however, as the engine heats up to normal temperature, the vibration pretty much goes away. If this is an injector issue, is it normal that the vibrations go away as the engine gets warmer?
Thanks again.

[powers1]

Originally Posted by prism

Powers1, I have another question for you:
As I mentioned earlier, I feel the vibrations when I start the engine from cold, however, as the engine heats up to normal temperature, the vibration pretty much goes away. If this is an injector issue, is it normal that the vibrations go away as the engine gets warmer?
Thanks again.

I thought you given up and just selling it!If you want to sell it ,then you dont need to repair it,since your issues are all when engine is cold and the car is fine after warming up(if I understood right)
I could answer you better if I knew what error code is registered in the ECU!
The injector issue maybe an intermmitent error(doesnt happen all the time)
The vibrations from cold maybe because of the glow plugs not igniting sufficiently.Do me a favour WAIT 20 seconds and then crank the engine and tell me if it starts better.
Since you now say that the you dont have vibrations when the engine is warm ,I am now seriously beginning to think that you dont have an injector problem (why I asked you for an error code!).
Please carry out the 20 secs glow plug test I asked first ,but It seems that your problem is all related to glow plugs,which in this case ,if I was was you ,I would just buy myself 6 glow plugs (€100-€150) and get a independent capable mechanic to fit them .
To summarize then.Since you say that your car cranks fine ,it just fails to ignite sometimes,then this puts the STARTER out of the equation and raises questions why the dealer wanted to replace it!Since the car has no vibrations when warm and performs normally with no white /black smoke(correct me if I am wrong!),then its just a glow plug issue,which is perfectly acceptable.
What X5Sport says maybe only 1/2 right!Even after all the bad luck he had ,he still bought an E71!There are loads of 3.0D owners(a lot here) that HAVE NOT suffered the problems you have ,and transmissions issues are in the first 150-200,000 kms are also very rare.
Let me have feedback for the glow plug test....

[prism]

Hmmm, unforutnately I dont have the error code but I also dont think the dealer was making it up when he told me that the spray pattern of injector # 4 was not working within specs. Would their be a difference between an injector that is not spraying correctly and an injector that is just out of order?
One thing for sure, the vibrations I get when the engine starts cold is something new, I didnt have it before.
I dont get any black smoke unless I really accelerate hard in which case I notice a black plume. Also I do sense a strong fuel smell when after switching off the engine and getting out of the car.
I will do the 20 second test and get back to you.

Originally Posted by powers1

I thought you given up and just selling it!If you want to sell it ,then you dont need to repair it,since your issues are all when engine is cold and the car is fine after warming up(if I understood right)
I could answer you better if I knew what error code is registered in the ECU!
The injector issue maybe an intermmitent error(doesnt happen all the time)
The vibrations from cold maybe because of the glow plugs not igniting sufficiently.Do me a favour WAIT 20 seconds and then crank the engine and tell me if it starts better.
Since you now say that the you dont have vibrations when the engine is warm ,I am now seriously beginning to think that you dont have an injector problem (why I asked you for an error code!).
Please carry out the 20 secs glow plug test I asked first ,but It seems that your problem is all related to glow plugs,which in this case ,if I was was you ,I would just buy myself 6 glow plugs (€100-€150) and get a independent capable mechanic to fit them .
To summarize then.Since you say that your car cranks fine ,it just fails to ignite sometimes,then this puts the STARTER out of the equation and raises questions why the dealer wanted to replace it!Since the car has no vibrations when warm and performs normally with no white /black smoke(correct me if I am wrong!),then its just a glow plug issue,which is perfectly acceptable.
What X5Sport says maybe only 1/2 right!Even after all the bad luck he had ,he still bought an E71!There are loads of 3.0D owners(a lot here) that HAVE NOT suffered the problems you have ,and transmissions issues are in the first 150-200,000 kms are also very rare.
Let me have feedback for the glow plug test....

[powers1]

Originally Posted by prism

Hmmm, unforutnately I dont have the error code but I also dont think the dealer was making it up when he told me that the spray pattern of injector # 4 was not working within specs. Would their be a difference between an injector that is not spraying correctly and an injector that is just out of order?
One thing for sure, the vibrations I get when the engine starts cold is something new, I didnt have it before.
I dont get any black smoke unless I really accelerate hard in which case I notice a black plume. Also I do sense a strong fuel smell when after switching off the engine and getting out of the car.
I will do the 20 second test and get back to you.

Difficult to advise you unless I know when did what start to happen!
I mean,was the injector fault diagnosed before or after you got the cold start vibrations?
A injector with an incorrect spray pattern still functions but an out of order injector is a dead one and your car would be on 5 cylinders!BAD vibration!
I am not doubting the dealer on their injector diagnostics but they will never tell you if its an intermmitent error because they will want to sell you a new one.You do need to ask them ,however,why they want to replace your starter when you car always cranks first time?
All X5 3.0D have an annoying characteristic exhaust smell after you turn it off !Is the smell you are noticing now ,different?
I will wait for your glow plug test....

[prism]

To answer your question, I first started noticing the vibration and notified it to the dealer soon afterwards as the car itself was due for servicing. During servicing the dealer did the diagnostics and discovered that injector #4 spray pattern was not within specs.
About the smell, yes it is a bit stronger than the normal smell that I got used to after 5 years of use but maybe its the cold weather?
Anyways I will get back to you with the glow plugs test.
Cheers.

Originally Posted by powers1

Difficult to advise you unless I know when did what start to happen!
I mean,was the injector fault diagnosed before or after you got the cold start vibrations?
A injector with an incorrect spray pattern still functions but an out of order injector is a dead one and your car would be on 5 cylinders!BAD vibration!
I am not doubting the dealer on their injector diagnostics but they will never tell you if its an intermmitent error because they will want to sell you a new one.You do need to ask them ,however,why they want to replace your starter when you car always cranks first time?
All X5 3.0D have an annoying characteristic exhaust smell after you turn it off !Is the smell you are noticing now ,different?
I will wait for your glow plug test....