A few problems with my 2002 X5

[br0dieman9]

Hi,

I have a few problems with my 2002 X5 4.4i Sport (146K mi). I have read a ton of very useful information on this forum but I haven't been able to find answers to these specific questions. I apologize if one of these questions has been answered somewhere else and I was unable to find it.

1. I believe my left rear air bag is blown because the left rear of the car sits noticeably lower than the right rear. The problem used to be intermittent and I could fix it by turning off the car, letting it sit for a min or two and starting it again. It used to be level more than out of level, but now it seems to be out of level all the time. I believe (hope) it is safe to assume the air suspension control module is OK because the right side seems to be operating normally (and the air suspension control module was replaced/reprogrammed at 70K mi). I also checked the fuse in the glove box for the air suspension (#57 - 10A) and it was fine. I haven't sprayed the bag down with soapy water to find the actual source of the leak yet, I'm going to try that tomorrow. I plan on replacing both rear air bags in the very near future, I was wondering if running the X5 with the broken air bag is detrimental to the compressor/control module, ie if the compressor is constantly running if the bag is leaking and it is trying to fill it, or is it smart enough to stop trying to fill it if it runs for too long?

2. Driver door handle is broken. Luckily the inner handle still works, have to use key to roll window down to open driver side door - will replace door handle carrier using information found here: http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...andle-fix.html and http://www.xoutpost.com/440278-post28.html

3. Upper trunk lid will not open with button on trunk, but works with button in cabin and key. One night I was driving the X5 down the highway in the rain, when the trunk popped open and the interior lights turned on. I pulled over and walked around to the trunk, lifted the lid and shut it, and the mechanism immediately popped open again. I took the key out of the ignition and locked the car, and shut the trunk again and it stayed closed. I drove the car again and it popped open after a min or two of driving. I drove it for a while and parked it overnight, was able to get it to shut by locking the doors again. The button stopped working the next morning. I removed the "rear hatch grip" from the trunk lid tonight and unplugged it from the trunk. I took the clear light covers off the part and notice that the resistors (that I assume are used in US models to simulate the load of the light bulbs used in European models) are extremely corroded. I attempted to take the rear hatch grip apart, but it is sealed and does not look like it would go back together easily. I would like to repair this part because I don't want to have to buy a new one and get it painted (I don't know anyone at a bodyshop). I noticed that as soon as I touched the plug on the part to the wires coming out of the trunk when I was putting the part back on the trunk lid, the mechanism sounded like it was opening the trunk (this also means the fuse is OK, which I confirmed when I checked the fuse in the glove box). The button still wont work and the lid seems to think it is stuck in the open position. I was wondering if I can replace the resistors (or some other small part), or if i need to get a new one and get it painted.

4. I have a problem with my rear tail lights. I had the OEM tail light assemblies when I got the car with 38K mi. They ran fine for a while, started having problems around 70K mi. I replaced the bulbs, and they would blow very quickly. I did the solder repair trick on the assemblies and that worked for a while but the problem came back. I bought a set of new tail lights on Ebay with different sockets that dont have the same problem as the OEM design and that worked for a while. Now I get the check rear lights/check brake lights messages during day but everything works properly at night. Is there some daylight sensor that needs to be replaced?

Any help with any of these issues would be greatly appreciated. I really love driving the X5, I need to fix these problems they are really bothering me.

As of 10/31/2011
5. I woke up this morning started the X and scraped the frost off my windshield. I got in the car and noticed that the DSC, Brake and ABS lights were on. I drove the car to work and the lights stayed on. I tried turning the car off/on while on the way. I let the car sit all day (also got a flat tire on the way to work this morning) and the lights were still on when I went to drive the car home. I checked the voltage on the battery using a voltmeter and the battery posts in the engine compartment that I use to jump the X with the car off and it was 12.23v. I turned the car on and let it sit for a minute, the system was running at around 13.8v. I tried leaving the key in the ignition in the on position for 3 minutes, and also tried turning the wheel from left to right to left and right to left to right, but the lights are still on. Do I now have a bad battery? Could it be wheel speed sensors, steering sensors or abs sensors?

I was supposed to go see an indy today (I have a code reader but its at my friends house) to try and see if I can get the codes read, but the flat tire got the better of me. I'll try and go tomorrow and see what I'm really working with. If anyone could provide any insight into any of the questions above I would be extremely thankful. Please Help!

Any insight into any of the issues above would be greatly apprecieated