Bad transfer case?

[BoostedX5M]

Originally Posted by tractor

Mine is a MY 2011, but I believe was manufactured in 2010 as well. I would like to look at the wiring behind the glovebox.

Was the glovebox difficult to remove? And is there a DIY on it?

It is a DYI, but it will take a good afternoon. There are more screws than you’d ever expect. Other than that, it’s pretty simple, nothing to screw up. On mine the dealer has to have done the TSB, as mine had felt tape, but when removed, I discovered there were issues. Nothing major, but at one time the wires were touching metal...


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[robnitro]

Mine is a 2011 too... I wouldn't be surprised that bmw f'ed up the repair. It's sad how globalism turned good manufacturers into clones of each other. Buying German no longer means good mechanical quality for example when half the parts are outsourced!

I give BMW (and other lux brands) a bigger middle finger because they charge extra for their name brand but don't stand behind it....

[tractor]

Okay, took her out on the road again. I had only driven a few miles around town before today.

Chose a back road with pretty much zero traffic and late at night. Set the cruise control to 60 and no issues for 30 miles. Then the speed limit raised to 65 so I set the cruise around 68. Thing went fine for another 15-20 miles, and then on a left hand curve I reduced the cruise by a mph or two, then accelerated (with the cruise stalk I believe), and after the road was mostly straight again, the car pulled to the right again, and it felt like the front right wheel was the one braking. A message popped up on the CIC display, but went away pretty quickly.
I slowed down a bit, setting the cruise at a lower point and went around an even slower left hand curve and the car pulled to the right again. Fortunately both of these times were less intense than the first times in March. Not sure if that was due to changing all the fluids or what.

I did get a picture of the message the 2nd time it came up though.

Originally Posted by ard

I think you need a scanner, to be able to diagnosis this and other issues.

HOWEVER, i absolutely do not think you gave enough info to buy a transfer case- based on the content here.

Could have been a fault in the stability control system was causing actuation of one caliper (just a total WAG here) ...I am sure there are other scenarios.

Just my 2 cents

ard, it seems like you might have been onto something. From that message I would guess that some kind of sensor or module believes there is wheel slip/traction loss and so it is braking the right front wheel as part of the DSC system to correct the issue. All tires are the same size, brake fluid level is good, roads were dry and smooth, and tire PSI is at recommended levels.

Scanned for codes when I found a good place to stop and no new codes. The only codes I have were existing ones for a 3rd row seat heater (I don't have heated seats anyway) and a code for the bumper aerial under the Comfort Access System.

Decided to try driving the way back without the cruise control and never had the issue, but that doesn't mean anything as I might not have had the right steering wheel angle or yaw angle or speed to replicate the problem.

Originally Posted by AlphaBetaX5

Here it is:


Check and inspect the wheel sensors:

Find the sensor connectors in a plastic box affixed to the body.

Open the hinged small box and disconnect the speed sensor connector.

Deep inside the connector, you will find two prongs.

Use a multimeter in Diode position (an arrow with a line in front) and test the prongs.

You should either see “no change”, or “a number”.

Now reverse the multimeter leads to the prongs, and you should see the other option: “a number” or “no change”. (in my case, sensors showed 420 for all four sensors) if one sensor shows a different number, stop there. That sensor is faulty.




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Alphabetax5 I'm going to complete the wheel speed sensor testing with a multimeter tomorrow. Since I didn't have codes, I wasn't sure where to go with that.
Also going to try to reset the steering wheel angle as it shows a positive 8 when the wheel is centered.

[smassey321]

See if you can monitor and log speed from the individual wheel sensors. Testo may do that. Diagnostic program with realtime graph view

[tractor]

Originally Posted by smassey321

See if you can monitor and log speed from the individual wheel sensors. Testo may do that. Diagnostic program with realtime graph view

Thank you. I wonder if that shows decimal points because I used the OBD scanner for this yesterday and it just showed the MPH and wasn't quite as specific as I would have liked. However I did not see an obvious difference in speed for all 4 wheels.

[BoostedX5M]

Originally Posted by smassey321

See if you can monitor and log speed from the individual wheel sensors. Testo may do that. Diagnostic program with realtime graph view

Can you tell me if this Diagnostic program works on the S63 4.4 TTv8 2010-2013 X5M Motors/vehicles? It has a different ECU than all other BMWs

[tractor]

Okay, I wasn't able to test the wheel speed sensors today, but I was able to go for a short drive on a curvy, empty road tonight.
Lo and behold, the traction control light comes on only on left turns even without the cruise control on.

On even tighter left turns, the right front wheel is braked by itself. EDIT: Actually after reviewing what happened in a video, it seems the automatic braking is occurring at higher speeds, not tighter corners.

So, at least I've narrowed it down to left turns. Hopefully this week or weekend I can get the sensors tested, correct the 8 degrees of steering wheel angle, and go for another test drive.

[tractor]

I was able to reset the steering angle sensor, then tested. Same result
I tested the front wheel speed sensors, they were both good. Replaced them anyway. Same result.

Then I reset the ABS/DSC module since I noticed the longitudinal sensor was reporting that I was moving at .32 meters per second even though I was parked. It fixed the longitudinal sensor reading, but still same result.

Then I double checked the tire pressure, 36 PSI front, 44 rear for X5's with my tire size with 3rd row seating, and then reset the TPMS and drove again. Same result.

Disabling the DTC does not fix it either, but disabling the DSC does. Unfortunately this means I can't use cruise control which I use a lot.

I thought about disconnecting the front driveshaft, but I think I would rather have AWD and no DSC than RWD only and DSC.

Don't feel like I've narrowed down things much since it might be the ABS/DSC module that needs to be rebuilt or replaced. It could be the Yaw sensor. It could be the transfer case, it could be the front differential, and maybe even a wheel bearing?

I haven't been able to check the rear wheel speed sensors as whoever last worked on the car before I bought it must have used a impact wrench at max torque to tighten the wheel bolts. I am waiting on a special lug bolt removal tool since the lug bolt is somewhat stripped and I've broken too many tools on it.

Oddly enough the noise that happened when turning the wheel when stopped has disappeared. I don't know if it has something to do with the ABC delete I did because I lowered the subframe a bit, or if it's due to something else.

Although it shouldn't change anything, I do plan on doing a brake fluid flush as it is probably needed anyway.

[BoostedX5M]

Originally Posted by tractor

I was able to reset the steering angle sensor, then tested. Same result

I tested the front wheel speed sensors, they were both good. Replaced them anyway. Same result.



Then I reset the ABS/DSC module since I noticed the longitudinal sensor was reporting that I was moving at .32 meters per second even though I was parked. It fixed the longitudinal sensor reading, but still same result.



Then I double checked the tire pressure, 36 PSI front, 44 rear for X5's with my tire size with 3rd row seating, and then reset the TPMS and drove again. Same result.



Disabling the DTC does not fix it either, but disabling the DSC does. Unfortunately this means I can't use cruise control which I use a lot.



I thought about disconnecting the front driveshaft, but I think I would rather have AWD and no DSC than RWD only and DSC.



Don't feel like I've narrowed down things much since it might be the ABS/DSC module that needs to be rebuilt or replaced. It could be the Yaw sensor. It could be the transfer case, it could be the front differential, and maybe even a wheel bearing?



I haven't been able to check the rear wheel speed sensors as whoever last worked on the car before I bought it must have used a impact wrench at max torque to tighten the wheel bolts. I am waiting on a special lug bolt removal tool since the lug bolt is somewhat stripped and I've broken too many tools on it.



Oddly enough the noise that happened when turning the wheel when stopped has disappeared. I don't know if it has something to do with the ABC delete I did because I lowered the subframe a bit, or if it's due to something else.



Although it shouldn't change anything, I do plan on doing a brake fluid flush as it is probably needed anyway.

When you checked the steering angle sensor did you watch the value constantly? Others have reported random very short spikes or blips for a split second indicating there was an issue with the steering angle chock


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[Purplefade]

Originally Posted by tractor

I was able to reset the steering angle sensor, then tested. Same result

I tested the front wheel speed sensors, they were both good. Replaced them anyway. Same result.



Then I reset the ABS/DSC module since I noticed the longitudinal sensor was reporting that I was moving at .32 meters per second even though I was parked. It fixed the longitudinal sensor reading, but still same result.



Then I double checked the tire pressure, 36 PSI front, 44 rear for X5's with my tire size with 3rd row seating, and then reset the TPMS and drove again. Same result.



Disabling the DTC does not fix it either, but disabling the DSC does. Unfortunately this means I can't use cruise control which I use a lot.



I thought about disconnecting the front driveshaft, but I think I would rather have AWD and no DSC than RWD only and DSC.



Don't feel like I've narrowed down things much since it might be the ABS/DSC module that needs to be rebuilt or replaced. It could be the Yaw sensor. It could be the transfer case, it could be the front differential, and maybe even a wheel bearing?



I haven't been able to check the rear wheel speed sensors as whoever last worked on the car before I bought it must have used a impact wrench at max torque to tighten the wheel bolts. I am waiting on a special lug bolt removal tool since the lug bolt is somewhat stripped and I've broken too many tools on it.



Oddly enough the noise that happened when turning the wheel when stopped has disappeared. I don't know if it has something to do with the ABC delete I did because I lowered the subframe a bit, or if it's due to something else.



Although it shouldn't change anything, I do plan on doing a brake fluid flush as it is probably needed anyway.

Just thinking out loud here but disabling DSC and having the problem go away as well as testing and replacing the wheel speed sensors with no change... makes me think it could be Internal to the front diff.

Thinking old school, if there was any slip in the spider gears or internal drive clutches on that side it would/could allow that side tire to “free wheel” if you will and cause the DSC to engage.

Note mine is not an E70 but it’s definitely an avenue to look in to.

I had a mustang that I bought that I thought just need the friction modifier added to the rear diff, did that and still had all kinds of problems - pulled the cover and found out the prior jackass hadn’t reset the C-clip and that the pin in the spider gear set was sheered off...

Best of luck nailing that down!


2005 X5 4.4i (04/05 build date)
Titanium Silver w/Black Interior