Was about to give up!

[HalifaxMike]

This is a follow up to a previous thread and i'm throwing myself on the mercy of the internet. I have a 2001 X5 3.0 5spd with 220k kms on it, it is in good shape but I've got some electrical issues. The first known issue is that the clock spring is toast, I've got a new clock spring coming and I think that is giving me the air bag light and lack of steering wheel controls.

The bigger issue (as posted in my previous thread) are the brake lights are stuck on and I have the trifecta (ABS/DSC/Brake) lights on the dash. I've replaced the brake light switch but that didn't fix the problem. Below are the 4 pages of codes that showed up, I think I need a new LCM and a new ABS module but the local Indy shop has told me it is not worth fixing.

I hope you guys can read the codes and offer some insight. Sorry 2 pages loaded in the thread but the other 2 pages are jpegs and have to be opened.

Thanks a lot,

Mike

[TerminatorX5]

way too many faults... do any of the lights work on the car?

how old is your battery? what is the stand by voltage? some of the faults are no longer present.

i would start with battery, then alternator... then move on...

what are you using to read the codes?

[David.X5]

Looks like mostly old stored codes from issues long since resolved. Hard to make sense of it.

Questions above from TerminatorX5 (I am guessing) are because low voltages can cause lots of ghost faults that disappear when the low voltage condition is corrected.

[HalifaxMike]

Thanks guys, I'll check the voltage tomorrow. Battery is a year old, alternator is 4 years old. All the lights are working fine except the brake lights which are either stuck on or occasionally the 2 lower ones go out (and I get the indication on the light panel). Not sure what the shop was using to read the codes, the print-outs don't tell me.

Mike

[Ricky Bobby]

Get the ABS Module rebuilt, you don't necessarily need a new one. When you get it back, reset the faults and re-calibrate the steering angle sensor.

Bosch 5.7 are notorious for needing rebuild, its cheaper than a new module.

[HalifaxMike]

Thanks RB,

My local is going to rebuild the ABS module and I think we'll do the light module at the same time. I was close to getting rid of it but was out driving in the snow today and realized just how much I like the X (despite the headaches)

Mike

[HalifaxMike]

Well I wanted to share some resolution on this thread. After taking the X for a second opinion I was told of course it is worth fixing. A inspection/test of the LCM and ABS module showed that they were both functioning ok and lead the shop to look at a problem somewhere further down the electrical line. The brake light switch was replaced again as a precautionary measure (just in case I somehow managed to screw it up - unlikely but for $50 up front worth it IMHO) but the problem persisted. Indications were that there was a short somewhere so the entire tail light assembly was swapped out with a used one and it cleared the ABS trifecta and the brake lights work correctly now. My mechanic assumes that when the brake lights were stuck on a signal was being passed along the bus that the brakes were on but there was no corresponding signal that brake hydraulics had been applied and this was confusing the brain. It makes sense to me..and it is fixed!

Clock spring replaced (thanks E38Flagship) but now because of the very cold winter i'm having the PCV repair done and a cracked axle boot replaced. No final bill yet but I'll be back to driving my baby in no time (and hopefully for another 200k).

Thanks Outpost members for your thoughts and advice.

Mike

[TiAgX5]

Wow!

We might want to start a "list of BAD indys", we could start with the shop you went to first.

Telling an owner their car is not worth fixing when it had a shorted taillight? Bad indy on a galactic level!

Root cause identification is a lost art EVERYWHERE. I had a hot water heater failure around 2 yrs ago, had 4 "professional" plumbing companies send techs to fix, all 4 gave quotes between $7 to $9 grand (direct vent unit in garage, no corrosion in tank).

Was told the unit is 6 yrs old and NG.

I installed a new burner ass'y and flame sensor ($120), no issues in over 2 yrs!

The techs all reached the "replace" conclusion with NOTHING more then a pair of slip groove plyers / adjustable wrench & screwdriver during "root cause" investigation!

[HalifaxMike]

Yes I was less than impressed, I chalked it up to being snobbish. I do some home wrenching so a some of the trim around the driver was off and it was low on oil (because as the other shop told me i had a blown gasket - see PCV issues).

I am thinking of sending them an email saying thanks for sending me away and I was very glad to spend al my $ at this other shop who were happy to take my business. Kind of like the other Indy I went to who after doing almost $1000 in routine maintenance charged me $100 a day later to read a check engine light. The value of a good trustworthy mechanic cannot be understated!

Techs today all seem to be taught repair by replacement. The days of troubleshooting are gone. A lot of that is so much is now a sealed unit that sub-module repair is impossible but I honestly think that attitude is growing.

I am going to add RJ Motors in Ottawa Ontario to the list of GREAT Indy shops.

Mike

[electricalserv x5]

Yes that rear tail light assemble is prone to failure.................If You pulled the old one out it is 3 bolts that are a pain in the ass to get to,The unit cost about $250.