The Australian X5 Thread

[jamesboags]

The red light is the alarm.. you can also get confirmation chirp via idrive menu for lock/unlock.. I didn't get the alarm though !!!


Thanks

[jamesboags]

Originally Posted by Oz BM

A couple of questions

Does anyone know if the 27.1 software update is avail in Aust yet ?

Secondly I have a problem with my TV where sometimes I get no screen (with the no picture unless stationary message) when i stop and only get a pic when i either put in park or apply the park brake. Othertimes I get a picture simply by comming to a full stop (with no need to apply park or park brake) which should be the norm (or at least that was the way it was with my previous BM). Anyone else have this experience or what happens with your TV when you stop

Well I had my car in today and they did not do a software update .. they claimed "couldn't fault problem at the time of inspection" and no fault codes stored , funny that when it's an intermittent issue!!!, I raised the steering wheel issue and the i-drive freeze issue. They fixed a DSC light PUMA possible wiring issue and I got an oil change done... Well no great loss I guess.. may need to take it to another dealer in Sydney if these issues become really annoying (I don't think the i-drive freeze is acknowledged as an issue with a fix at the present time)..!!!

[Oz BM]

Thanks JB - so how did they fix the steering wheel issue

[jamesboags]

They didn't fix it - said it didn't occur at the time I brought it in.. I Guarantee this is a BMW Australia ploy to prevent software upgrades .. at no time did I mention that I wanted a software update nor admit that I knew that one existed... I did not mention the SIB either about the steering wheel issue.. again to ensure that they did not think I just wanted a software update...I'll be keeping a log of every problem that occurs from now on .... They claimed that they fixed the DSC light thing even though I did not report that fault !! Dealer is Alto in Artarmon.

[P55TT]

Hi Oz BM,
We took delivery of our X5 early last month and discovered the USB issue straight away, bought the car back to dealer the next day for fault finding.
Got the same reply as jamesboags “couldn't fault problem at the time of inspection" few days later I have informed them about the new software V27.1 and showed them a TSB that described newer s/w released in Sep will address the steering wheel and USB issues.

Dealer reload the s/w end of last month (2 days work inc. oil change) and it correct the USB problem.

Still trying to fine a way to tell the version number but now with the newer s/w it adds a new option in the maneuvering aids – camera + PDC.

After s/w reload, the TV tuner picks up CH10 digital, but can not do it now, not sure if it’s due to the signal strength from channel 10.

[jamesboags]

Thats good news.. I will be presenting the dealer with the SIB number and making a booking shortly (Again).. On the Ch 10 digital issue it is a reception thing.. if you autostore when the signal is not strong enough it is not set .. autostore when the signal is there and it will be picked up...

[watrob]

Hi James,

BMW Australia have got to big for there boots, that's the problem and they believe there own hype.

Handed my X5 back, owe yes they lie too. Handed back my X5, drove two others they supplied for test, drove left also. Took my X5 to the RACQ to get tested, report said, drives left and it should'nt.

Had a meeting they agreed then changed there mind, had 3 witnesse, s--t hit the fan. Anyway they sent me a letter saying they would pay all on road costs & stamp duty on the next new X5 I bought. Between the dealer & BMW Australia they would supply a drive car until my new one shows up which I have had since Sept, my new X5 comes in Jan 08 and I got the double turbo diesel.

Off the record they admit they drive left due to the castor being setup for LHD and that there is no castor adjustment, on the record there's nothing wrong, it's acceptable, that's the way they are.

All BMW is doing is wrecking there reputation as a builder of good vehicles, not having a castor kit (bushes) availble for RHD X5's shows poor planning & a fundamental engineering blunder.

Also show that they don't sell enough RHD X5's and they don't give a damn. They won't admit it because it's embarrassing.

Also shows that the Australian car magazines when they test these cars don't know what they are doing, either they know or there keeping quiet. RACQ put pen to paper and 2 other X5's did the same, what's going on?

The sooner Australia gets proper lemon laws the better off we will be. Sending vehicles to Australia with the lefthand front wheel set back 5mm more than the righthand front wheel (LHD setup) and no adjustment to correct this shows how much the they think of the Australian market, there attitude is if you don't like it don't buy the vehicle.

[jamesboags]

Originally Posted by watrob

Hi James,

BMW Australia have got to big for there boots, that's the problem and they believe there own hype.

Handed my X5 back, owe yes they lie too. Handed back my X5, drove two others they supplied for test, drove left also. Took my X5 to the RACQ to get tested, report said, drives left and it should'nt.

Had a meeting they agreed then changed there mind, had 3 witnesse, s--t hit the fan. Anyway they sent me a letter saying they would pay all on road costs & stamp duty on the next new X5 I bought. Between the dealer & BMW Australia they would supply a drive car until my new one shows up which I have had since Sept, my new X5 comes in Jan 08 and I got the double turbo diesel.

Off the record they admit they drive left due to the castor being setup for LHD and that there is no castor adjustment, on the record there's nothing wrong, it's acceptable, that's the way they are.

All BMW is doing is wrecking there reputation as a builder of good vehicles, not having a castor kit (bushes) availble for RHD X5's shows poor planning & a fundamental engineering blunder.

Also show that they don't sell enough RHD X5's and they don't give a damn. They won't admit it because it's embarrassing.

Also shows that the Australian car magazines when they test these cars don't know what they are doing, either they know or there keeping quiet. RACQ put pen to paper and 2 other X5's did the same, what's going on?

The sooner Australia gets proper lemon laws the better off we will be. Sending vehicles to Australia with the lefthand front wheel set back 5mm more than the righthand front wheel (LHD setup) and no adjustment to correct this shows how much the they think of the Australian market, there attitude is if you don't like it don't buy the vehicle.

Mmmm... seems like they are a bit too sure of themselves.. My car seems ok no pull to the left .. is it related to adaptive drive perhaps ? MAybe my car pulls left and I am not noticing ? May be not noticeable on city roads that I drive 90% of the time...

[watrob]

You hit the nail on the head. Get the vehicle on a dual carriage way in the counrty where its got camber on the road.

When your in the left lane the vehicle goes left, when you get in the righthand lane and the camber of the road goes right the vehicle drive nice and straight, that's because it is setup to drive on that side of the road (LHD)

You do not notice it in the city because the roads are either flat, to bumpy and fact you don't get up to speed. Mine even drove left on flat road and so did one of the test X5's, the service even thouht that one of the test X5's was worse then mine.

Find yourself a freeway with some lefthand camber on it and see what happens, you will go left, the wider your wheels the worse it is.

Now if the vehicle was set up nuetral when you drive in a lane that has righthand camber on it the vehicle should go right but it does'nt it drives straight.

That's why they invented Castor so it drives straight and you don't have to pull righthand down all the time on the steering wheel to keep it on the road. The caster is set for a LHD vehicle.

The original agreement I had with BMW was that they would develop castor bushes and I would test them, but they changed there mind, why they won't tell me but probably BMW Germany stepped in as they had all ready sent out 3 different sets of control arms trying to fudge the correction and that did not work.

Or maybe they did not want every X5 in Australia coming back into the dealers to have these bushes put in them.

BMW are taking X5 drivers for granted and the fact that you are all city drivers and don't know any better is what they are relying on.

Mercedes has a caster kit for their Australian cars, na BMW got caught with there pants down and the ADR should kick them up the a---e.

I get on very well with my dealer, and he said if you wanted to take them to court he and the service manager would back me up that BMW Head office had originally agree to everything and that now they had reneged, he said there was no way he was going lie.

Hence he is supplying the new X5, he has sold my old X5, BMW are covering the stamp duty and on road costs and it's costing me $8,000 because the twin turbo is that much dearer than the standard X5.

So I got a faulty X5 and it's costing me money. The stamp duty and onroad costs should have covered the extra $8,000.

As they say every dog has there day, what goes around comes around, watch this space as they say!

[jamesboags]

Sounds like we should start a class action... finding a lawyer that takes a cut of the settlement should be easy...I'm driving alot this Christmas up North should be a good test of the issue...