4X4 Light On only - HELP!!!!

[Buguyed]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Before ruling out low battery voltage (since your new battery is also below 0% state of charge)...if you have a battery charger...hook it up to the jump start terminals in the engine bay. Give your new battery a good long recharge like 2 amps for approx 20 hours, or 10 amps at approx 8 hours.

Also make sure that all the battery cells are sufficiently filled with electrolyte (distiller water).

Sunday I checked fluids on new battery, all is good. Then Unplugged the battery for 1.5 hours to hopefully reset anything. Then hooked all back up.
I don't have a battery charger so got some jumper cables and ran from my E46 (Has 13.6 volts off and 14.2 running) to the E53. With cables in place and the X off, it was getting 13.4 volts at the OBC. Running it was at 13.8. Did this for about 30 ish minutes. (I ran cables to connector under the hood and not battery direct).
Afterwards I tried the steering wheel turn lock to lock a couple times and went for a drive. Seeing 13.8 on the OBC the entire drive. Light still present as ever...

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Buguyed

Sunday I checked fluids on new battery, all is good. Then Unplugged the battery for 1.5 hours to hopefully reset anything. Then hooked all back up.
I don't have a battery charger so got some jumper cables and ran from my E46 (Has 13.6 volts off and 14.2 running) to the E53. With cables in place and the X off, it was getting 13.4 volts at the OBC. Running it was at 13.8. Did this for about 30 ish minutes. (I ran cables to connector under the hood and not battery direct).
Afterwards I tried the steering wheel turn lock to lock a couple times and went for a drive. Seeing 13.8 on the OBC the entire drive. Light still present as ever...

Since your battery voltage isn't low after replacing and charging up your new battery...plus driving around seeing that the alternator/charging system is working...and your 4x4 warning light is still illuminated...the next step is to communicate with the vehicle (BMW DIS/GT-1) to see which sensor is setting a fault for the 4x4 warning.

The 4x4 warning light does have a purpose...it lets' us know when something is wrong with xDrive...as well as illuminating when we manually turn DSC off. Just to check, the DSC button wouldn't happen to be pressed in or stuck from a spilt sugary drink etc?

BTW...just to be sure, your battery warning light is NOT illuminating while driving or staying illuminated, right? I ask because the battery warning light comes on to let you know when the alternator/charging sytem is NOT keeping your battery charged...and thus is the culprit for electronic problems (the battery is the VICTIM in this case, not the culprit).

[Buguyed]

The battery light never has never been illuminated. Here is my dash currently:



Also, I recently noticed there is a small scuff on the physical DSC button. Like someone hit it with a ring or knife maybe? The DSC worked fine for the first couple months of owning the car.

I'll see if my wife can send a pic of the scuff on the button and i'll post it.

[Buguyed]

Here is a pic of the scuffed button... Thoughts?

[Daka]

Once more, I think you may be mistaken about battery....I have the same light on, battery is fine, my indie shop shut it off with the computer, but it came back...and he tells me it is THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, ABOUT $450 TO CHANGE IT, LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING SHAFT UNDER THE DASH.
Also, when it is on you have NO ABS ??

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Daka

Once more, I think you may be mistaken about battery....I have the same light on, battery is fine, my indie shop shut it off with the computer, but it came back...and he tells me it is THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, ABOUT $450 TO CHANGE IT, LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING SHAFT UNDER THE DASH.
Also, when it is on you have NO ABS ??

Can you "qualify" as to what "fine" is? Is your battery voltage below 11.89 volts, too or does it remain above 12 volts? Knowing better what you mean by "fine" would be helpful in disqualifying low battery voltage as the culprit.

I believe I've read that some who have had this light illuminated and the steering angle sensor was causing the fault...some have turned the steering wheel from lock to lock (turn all the way counter clockwise, then all the way clockwise) and have gotten the light to go off.

But this is only if there's nothing critically wrong with the system other than a small electrical gremlin.

[ninjabmw]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Can you "qualify" as to what "fine" is? Is your battery voltage below 11.89 volts, too or does it remain above 12 volts? Knowing better what you mean by "fine" would be helpful in disqualifying low battery voltage as the culprit.

I believe I've read that some who have had this light illuminated and the steering angle sensor was causing the fault...some have turned the steering wheel from lock to lock (turn all the way counter clockwise, then all the way clockwise) and have gotten the light to go off.

But this is only if there's nothing critically wrong with the system other than a small electrical gremlin.

In my case i mean above 12 which means the battery is fine everything is functioning i have had this problem for a while just 4x4 on, i can turn it off but it comes back, and i know that i have to change the steering angle sensor which is $450. Hope that clarifies, this is in my case not his

[Daka]

Originally Posted by ninjabmw

In my case i mean above 12 which means the battery is fine everything is functioning i have had this problem for a while just 4x4 on, i can turn it off but it comes back, and i know that i have to change the steering angle sensor which is $450. Hope that clarifies, this is in my case not his

I have 12 volts engine off and 13.75 running.

My light went off the first time when I did the wheel lock to wheel lock, but came back on, the my indie cleared it and it came back on again....

So what else can cause the indicator, and hopefully the steering angle sensor change will fix it....I'm a bit PISSSED at BMW with the $4-500 repairs now and then on a car with 58,000 miles

And since the STEALERS are such F*****S with their selling tactics, I'll bite the bullet and jusk keep this car.
I think I get irrational about trading up and getting a newer one, our 06 is GREAT, even though it needs "massaging" now and then
We put about 8K miles a year on it, so when it is 10 years old annd the depreciation has leveled off, MAYBE I'll look at upgrading
For now the local BMW dealers can kiss my ass.......
VISTA AND FT LAUDERDALE BMW

[X-cellent]

Originally Posted by Daka

I have 12 volts engine off and 13.75 running.

My light went off the first time when I did the wheel lock to wheel lock, but came back on, the my indie cleared it and it came back on again....

So what else can cause the indicator, and hopefully the steering angle sensor change will fix it....I'm a bit PISSSED at BMW with the $4-500 repairs now and then on a car with 58,000 miles

And since the STEALERS are such F*****S with their selling tactics, I'll bite the bullet and jusk keep this car.
I think I get irrational about trading up and getting a newer one, our 06 is GREAT, even though it needs "massaging" now and then
We put about 8K miles a year on it, so when it is 10 years old annd the depreciation has leveled off, MAYBE I'll look at upgrading
For now the local BMW dealers can kiss my ass.......
VISTA AND FT LAUDERDALE BMW

Try going to Motronix in Dania. A bunch of coworkers I know have used them with great satisfaction. www.motronix.net They know german cars and are very reasonable for a high end Indy who won't mislead you from wha I've been told.

[Buguyed]

Originally Posted by Daka

Once more, I think you may be mistaken about battery....I have the same light on, battery is fine, my indie shop shut it off with the computer, but it came back...and he tells me it is THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, ABOUT $450 TO CHANGE IT, LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING SHAFT UNDER THE DASH.
Also, when it is on you have NO ABS ??

I took the X5 out to a dirt road this weekend to test this. ABS works as good as ever Does that change anything?