Display shows 5 but it's in park
 

Tachometer shows 5 but it's in park. X5 won't start. Any advice?

Check engine light is on when the key is on but scanner shows nothing.

Started the other day when driving through really bad weather, lotta rain/water on the road. It corrected itself by the time i got back to town but now it's showing 5 when I turn the car on, even though it is in park. I can move the gear shifter to anything and it still shows 5.

The cars been sitting for 24 hours now so it's had plenty of time to dry off (inside).

I forgot to mention that when I got home after the long rainy drive, I turned the suv off and then started it twice. Both times it started fast.

Alright so I've figured it's not a mechanical issue, it's probably a electrical one.

I figure this because when the car is in neutral, I can't pull the key out.

It's been ~40 hours since the rain storm I drove through so it might end up drying out too..

What year is the X? My 2004 had a similar problem where the car was in park but wouldn't start, turned out to be some plastic piece on the trans linkage.

theres a small clip on the shifter linkage that can break or pop out. i had a similar problem. take out the ashtray / shifter cover piece there and look under there, you will see the linkage and a U Shaped clip should be there. pull the linkage back into place, (towards the rear of the X) then slide the clip in place. its a tight fit, but this could be the problem area.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...98&hg=25&fg=20

part#9 it shows one near the shifter, but there is one near part 6 as well.

01 x5 3.0


Gonna try this out...

Is this under the car?

When I change the gear shifter, I head a clicking noise coming from under the car..

Yes, it is under the car. I took my to a BMW dealer, but to get the car there we had to disengage the linkage to get it on a rollback.

the key can only be removed when selector is in park . this is a safety system. hopefully your electrical glitch was just caused by water as in my experience of bmw ownership is common problem. there are electrical connectors to transmission under car, worthwhile spraying with moisture dispersal fluid, then after warm dry weather apply some product to keep water out.usually works. bmw electronics do not like wet weather, avoid puddles .:yikes:

Alright so starter is trying to kick in but its not turning over...disconnected battery to reset everything but still no go.

the neutral safety switch is bad.

Say wha?


Alright, computer fuse from the fuse box and plugged it back in. Tried it and same thing. Disconnected the transmission fuse, tried it (no go and didn't see 5) then realized we forgot to plus it back in. Plugged it back in and tried. 5 is still coming up.

the car battery may not have enough voltage , bmw oem battery has small round window on top , if you look straight down you will see colour , if green then battery fully charged . if black then needs charge . if yellow then new battery required . any battery voltage can be checked with voltmeter . your car has obd2 diagnostic that can be read with a diagnosis tool that can identify many problems within cars electronic and electrical system and should indicate what the problem is . my 2002 4.4i has done same problems after driving in rain although usually starts on second attempt . i have read other threads on X5 world that some cars stop working after driving on very wet roads then start after a few attempts. maybe yours drained battery through water in connector someplace. it is possible to do some diagnostics on dash display by pressing buttons for trip counter and check control (the two buttons between speedo and rpm ) you will need to search this thread , try searching obd or diagnostics . if you dont find anything here try www.e38.org i think instructions may be there somewhere. my starter was required many attemts when i had coolant leaking onto it , stopped leak then car ok till on wet roads so could be corroded connection vulnerable to water. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.

Had battery replaced under warranty less then a month ago....obd2 is showing nothing.

Also had the lights in the x5 running for a LONG time tonight and still nothing.

Unfortunately it may be time to have it towed to the dealer... the GT1 can read the status of the shifter in the EGS and can check communication between the EGS and DME, and all other can communications etc.

Was hoping to get it running and drive it to the indy mechanic, no BMW dealer around here. I got some work to do anyway (oxygen sensor/suspension module which may require a trip over to BMW).....

I was actually hoping that it could wait until this coming Tuesday since I was planning a trip to go to the same city as the closest BMW dealer..

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

This morning we noticed some transmission fluid on the ground while towing it.

its the cable that connects the gearshift to gearbox that needs to b cleaned on the gearbox end. difficult to open the head of the cable but inside youll find a little disk that turns whenever u put gearbox in different position. that disk needs to b cleaned bc it has electrical connectiors all around it that let current go through different pins depending on gearposition

Turns out something within the tranmission is going...something that connects to the vehicles security functions and isn't allowing the x5 to turn on.

Oh the fun of everything having to communicate through can bus communication. Sounds like a PT-CAN problem from the EGS to DME... Some lucky tech may be doing pinouts and checking communication, Oh the fun!

The problem is with the Transmission Range Selector Switch.

A local transmission place thinks it might just be a wire gone and he wants to look at it...

Whatever happened with the tranny leak?

nothing, they didn't find any leak....

I meant from this comment.

I hear ya, they said they never found any leak so it might have been coming from something else or it mighta just been droplets of water (the guy who said it was transmission fluid mighta been wrong).

Now to buy the part # 24357532668....anyone know where the best price is? If i'm getting the same product, might as well get the best price.

Local transmission guy said he might be able to fix it though without replacing the unit.

Contact Craig Hacker at BMW of Bloomfield, NJ [email protected].

Update: Took it to mechanics, they setup a thing to bypass the switch and it started shifting really hard. They said to get the switch put on i'd need to take it to BMW since they don't have the tools. Friend said a tranmission service in town can remove and fix it. Took it to that transmission mechanic, he put range selector switch on but it is still hard shifting.

Transmission guy didn't charge me a cent but I guess I'm going for a trip to the closest dealer...good news is, the transmission guy removed the jimmy rigged thing and now has the range selector switch on

Transmission guy said this was close to popping out but he pushed it back in.



I can switch the truck from park-drive without pressing the break.


This is next step, except planning on driving it now that its half driveable.


just read this now, will mention it to transmission guy when he picks me up.


Transmission guy also said it is now getting a code 60. He also said there was a service message put out regarding this by BMW...

When the first mechanics got the car working, they put in a wire that bypassed the range selector switch's security function which wasn't allowing the car to start.

They didn't open the transmission but set that up someplace so it would start. The transmission guy didn't remove this connection and I think thats whats wrong with it. Anyone know where this would be connected too?

Due to me breaking up with the daughter of one of the main guys lately, im not exactly going to call him up and ask for help on this :)

I was gonna suggest exactly that ... but guess not .... next time I guess you know to get the X sorted BEFORE you break up! :rofl:

Been there, backwards! :bustingup

My last ex had to come by for me to fix her car a couple days after we split. She said she didn't trust anyone else with her car... if only she had felt the same about herself? :rofl:

haha I thought it was :)

Okay, we replaced that switch. Disconnected the relay they setup and now we're having the original problem where it won't start, and nor will the dash come up.
I was hoping this would fix it as I am selling the truck Thursday at the dealer auction!