Xoutpost.com - X5 (E53) Forum

Seat belt buckles.

X5chemist — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 23:23:13 GMT

Today, I discovered all rear buckles won�t lock. The dual one was replaced shortly after purchase. One combo worked. LR belt to the middle seat buckle. I have a replacement LR buckle. I�ll install it tomorrow. Are seat buckles a common failure part?

Alternate Crankshaft/Balancer Holding Tool

Fifty150hs — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 23:36:50 GMT

Anyone come up with an alternative to the $250 to $300 tool for holding the crankshaft/balancer while tightening the jesus bolt? Came off with a high power pneumatic impact, but probably isn't going to be able to go on that way if I follow the tightening sequence,

WTF is it now...

Salty B. — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:25:24 GMT

Been running/driving fine since replacing the O2 sensors last month until the battery light came on at startup today, but it started flickering then went out after a minute or so. Same thing happened later in the day, then after a few more stops, it came on and stayed on. Battery voltage initially was 11.7 then went to 13.3, but later in the day after the light stayed on, the voltage stayed around 11.5-11.7.

Then the AC stopped working, it was freakishly warm and humid af today. Got it home and noticed a weird smell from the dash vents, like burning candles/plastic. No SES lights. OBD Fusion showed these codes

P1350
P1348
P1344
P1620 (map thermostat, unrelated, had this one for awhile.

These are misfire codes.

I could not detect any misfires (no stumbling, rough idle, etc). Popped the hood with the motor off and did not see any smoke or odor from a cooked wire or anything to account fo the smell, which went away after I restarted the motor. No PS problems or overheating, so not a serpentine belt issue.

Guess I'll pull the engine cover and check coil wires... ma�ana.

This is why we have backup cars... my E46 is kinda rough and has its own set of problems (SAP warnings... probably the vintage plumbing) but it runs.

rear spring -this look normal?

dswilly — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:04:48 GMT

about 3 months into my 04 3.0 6spd and i have a random light clunk from the rear. not consistent, but usually when turning into a driveway at low speed and the pavement angles change. the car had mostly new suspension parts installed prior to my ownership including struts. subframe and diff bushing look OK. what i notice is the rear springs appear to be, not sitting on the lower perch square. is this a possibility? Could they be installed wrong or upside down? The picture is the passenger side, not a great photo but you can see where it looks off-set to the pad on the lower perch.

Attached Images

Transfer case chain

EODguy — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 10:29:18 GMT

I have found an old shop with quite a few transfer case chains (new) I will try to make sure he has some for the e53 crowd and the cost. I believe that my pilot buddy would be willing to mail them from the his hotel in the states while TDY (several times a year) but no clue as to shipping cost. (Dover AFB mostly)

Let me know if I should check on these.[emoji106]

Sent from Embassy network using Tapatalk

4x4 light/warning

ThreeGermans — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:52:21 GMT

My E53 x5 with M54 3.0 (gas) was randomly blowing smoke (not all the time but when it did, it was thick and smelled bad; at least I assume so since all the people behind me in traffic were holding their noses and pointing at my tailpipe)

I replaced the CCV, mostly following this tutorial ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZSPr12-ba0 ) but his is a pre-facelift. I also didn't do the modification to add a hose to increase vacuum, I just replaced the CCV. I used the cold-weather version from Febi Bilstein.

Anyway, pulling the manifold, replacing the CCV (and cleaning the throttle body and IACV while I was in there) took me a few afternoons. I buttoned everything back up today and it started fine. The 4x4 light was on, but I noticed that it always does that after I disconnect the battery. I usually goes away after I start driving.

I turned the engine off and finished cleaning everything up. I went to go for a test drive and the starter just clicked. Turns out I had forgotten to tighten the 19mm nut on the 12V line in the engine compartment (you have to remove that to pull the intake manifold off). I don't know why it started fine the first time and not the second, I guess the connection just loosened enough that it couldn't support the current. I tightened it back up and it started fine again. No CEL codes, but the 4x4 light was on again. I took it for a test drive, and the display briefly flashed a warning about 4x4 (and DSC?) not being available. I took a <10 mile test drive, stopping twice to turn the X5 off and on again, but the 4x4 light persisted.

This is just a coincidence, right? There's nothing I could have done while pulling the intake and replacing the CCV that could have triggered the light, is there? I'm just trying to determine if I did something wrong during the fix.

Today's Door Problems- Actuator, DHC and Cable

ChiefRider — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:52:07 GMT

Fall is here in VT, and we had our first frost today. My wife yanked the door handle first thing and it reacted by throwing in the towel. I can't really complain, it's the original from 2004.

I have no questions about the DHC, but in my haste to pull the door panel while it was warm outside, I forgot to release the cable from the interior door handle retainer, breaking the plastic end of the cable. I have never replaced one of these, but imagine it is either near, or attached to the door lock actuator. I have never needed to address a DLA, but now might be the time....

For the past year, the passenger front door lock works fine about 90% of the time; occasionally it doesn't respond on the first cycle but will after one or two attempts. I assume this is the the actuator? I have read some of the threads on repairing them with replacement motors, and figure I better get started now.

EVAP Purge Valve?

Russianblue — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:49:28 GMT

I have a weird issue where after I drive my car to work, and it sits there in the sun, at noon when I go to lunch the engine will take 8 or 9 revs to start.

I have had a cold start issue in the past when it is sub freezing that may be related. don�t know. replaced the fuel pump and it didn�t help. also replace the filter/regulator.

the difference now is that there is a pretty strong gas smell when I turn the car off.

I think it�s either a leaky injector, leak at the new fuel filter or�evaporative purge valve? 128k miles on this rig. any thoughts?

O2 sensors

X5chemist — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:33:06 GMT

It's been probably over a year since the "scare me" Halloween light came on. It's a lot cooler now. It was a cold start on a warm afternoon. Would old O2 sensors cause codes 0000F5 and 0000F6? A full scan is attached. I went through three secondary air pumps. The third, a Hella, pump worked with no codes. I'll check operation and hose connections. I'm not sure about the valve.

000080 - no issues
000041 - I think it was a blown bulb a while back
000099 - an LED plate light failed. Correct code free LED lights fixed this code.
000007 - Seat warmers are used during winter. No issues. Both seats work properly.

I have two Bosch sensors ready to install. I'll probably warm it up and swap them tomorrow. I cleared the code yesterday. No fault starting this morning. I'll if it comes back this afternoon after work.

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"New" Engine for My 3.0 X

Fifty150hs — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 04:25:03 GMT

Its been a bit of a saga since I decided to do a swap for newer used engine for my X. It has almost 300,000 miles on it and has been running rough. Compression testing and leak down test revealed a blown head gasket between number 1 and 2 cylinders. It hasn't broken through to the water jacket, so no white smoke and it actually still runs pretty good. Just rough idle.

So I ordered a used engine with 60,000 +/- miles from a 2006 X5. It was warranted and supposedly tested. When I got I did a leak down test on it (no bell housing, no starter, no compression test possible). It wouldn't hold pressure in cylinders 2 and 3. Sent it back. It took them about a month to find another candidate of around 60,000 miles. I got it Friday.

I put it on the stand and did a leak down test and it passed on all cylinders this time. So, I started taking it apart as I want to replace most gaskets and seals since it is a 20 year old engine.

Surprisingly enough the pan gasket was still flexible and not leaking. Same with the OFHG and front and rear seals. No leaks! That said when I dropped the pan I found lots of black crud. It looks as though this was a car that wasn't driven much for very long trips. I suspect the rings are clogged as the plugs were black. Inside of the intake manifold was pretty darn clean, very little oil. I'll do a ring soak on it.

The outside of the engine looks like it was submerged in water for some time. I saw it was shipped from New York where they salt their roads and that explained the bad corrosion.

I've begun the cleaning process and then will be changing the oil pan gasket, OGHG, front and rear main seals, the Vanos seals, axle carrier seal at the pan, front diff seal to pan, oil pick up tube O-ring, possibly the OFH check valve, valve cover gasket, changing valve cover to aluminum, new intake manifold gasket, new plugs, and installing a safety wire on the oil pump nut. Once I get the front timing cover off I'll see what shape the chain guides are in, may change those if I need to.

This engine has never been taken apart as best I can tell. Every bolt and nut I took off made that never been loosened "crack" sound. Original BMW water pump is in good shape, I'll change the O ring and reinstall the pump. Same with the thermostat. I pulled the two coolant pipes they both broke off in the head and front cover. Not unexpected, but a little surprising given the condition of other parts on this engine.

I'll be getting this engine all cleaned up, painted and prepped for the swap over the next month or two. Since its my daily I will be doing the swap between Christmas and New Years when I take my usual time off. I'll be photographing and documenting the work as well as the swap. Wondering if anyone would be interested in my posting the process and pictures?

Door question - duplicate.

Henn28 — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:40:50 GMT

I've been troubleshooting my car for the wet rear seat floors and was waiting for the next big rain after cleaning my sun roof drains. I didn't get anything out of them and they didn't seem clogged, so I was not hopeful that i fixed the problem.

Long rains for the last couple days and sure enough, the X has water in both sides in the back. Further, it rained so hard and long that I actually saw water migrating around the bottom of the door (inside of the wx striping) and into the car. I also see bubbles when I press on the two plugs in the bottom of the door now, so clearly water is pooling in the door.

Hopefully you guys can help me understand what is going on before I pull the door cards and risk all the old plastic problems that this job entails. I have two new vapor barriers, which seems to be the cause, but just what is supposed to happen to the water that pools inside the door, after I install the barriers, with new butyl tape i have on order?

Is there a door drain(s) that I'm not seeing that the water is supposed to drain out of but instead is finding a more easy/clear path past the barrier and into the car? And if so, do I need to make sure these are clear? I can't imagine the door is supposed to be 100% water tight so no rain gets in at all, or that the rain doesn't have anywhere to go should it get in (other than into the car).

I've got a couple days before my butyl tape gets in, so any advice is welcome before I pull both rear door cards.

Door question

Henn28 — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:39:59 GMT