Wonky headlight fix
 

Banging down rough roads was not good for the HID mechanism on my '03 4.4.

Since it is a plastic ball-in-socket, I could have just popped it back in place and hoped for the best, but has my suspicion I would be having to dive in again and again...

So I pulled the whole light fixture and performed surgery. I tried to pry the clear lens away for the housing but that was so stuck that I started to worry about breakage, so decided to go in from the top instead.

This allowed me to add a zip-tie to the sockets so the ball won't pop out in the future.

The plastic used is thermal type, so hot air gun and Bic lighter worked just fine for the surgery.

One of my goals when I got into my X5 project was to return it to daily drive status. I’ve generally succeeded in that it is my daily driver now, but am reminded occasionally that 20 year old cars develop problems. And unlike the 30 year old Jeep I own, 20 year old “modern” cars are interconnected via computers, wiring, vacuum, driven systems, etc. so that what should be limited problems, can be show stoppers. Sometimes it’s tough to decide if I should throw a given part at the car, anticipating a failure, or just “fly to failure”. Fully electronic systems like the EWS with the potential to fully brick the car over something as simple as a short worry me most.

On another note, anyone have experience with a stud/lug nut conversion on their BMWs? Been on my list for a while since the bolts barely fit into the Method wheels I’ve got on the X (designed for nuts). It’s probably time for new bolts since mine are OE and have been off and on a zillion times, so I figure I might do the conversion.

I’ve found a few place that sell them, but I’m assuming I want 10.9 grade? Or do I need higher? I’ll pull a bolt and get my caliper down the hole to see what length will work.

Happy Birthday!!

Do NOT let your X5 talk to another one as they seem to automatically catch whatever is wrong with the other one...[emoji28]

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That's a good one! But my X5 has only seen a couple of newer X5's, and never an E53, so there's little chance of a X5 conversation.

Sorta like me (a "BOOMER I") carrying-on a relevant/meaningful conversation with the average ZOOMER. Everything would be lost in translation.

new amp fitting
 

I finally got around to sorting out how I am going to fit and mount the Kicker amp which will power some new Kicker speakers. This stuff is the "final" part of a sound system upgrade that has dragged on way too long.

My plan is to mount it in the left rear cubby and use the existing speaker wires to power two-ways in the rear door OE locations and components in the front door and pillar/side view mirror locations. I can delete the line output converter that is between the OE amp and the Kenwood head unit as I've previously run RCA cables across the roof when the head liner was out. One set is already in use for a powered sub in the left rear cubby.

Initially I was going to fit the new amp into the OE location but decided that mounting and wiring could be a pain with it stuffed down in that hole. I ended up with a vertical installation and drilled holes for temp sheet metal screws on the top (eventually will use bolts) and made a simple offset bracket for the bottom right corner which will be bolted into the sheet metal lip at that location. I'm hopeful three anchor points will be plenty as the bottom left corner could be a pain. If not, I'll fab another small bracket and install it when I pull the trunk apart to yank out the old amp. That hole should make a nice oil, ATF and other fluid storage spot with the OE amp out.

https://i.postimg.cc/NFzdFnp2/new-amp.jpg

I've got the speakers installed (glued) into ebay enclosures and ready to install in the doors, with their leads soldered to the OE tabs so I can use the OE plugs hopefully. I am going to fix an airbag light while the door panels are off which may just mean figuring out how to better secure the plug to the front pax airbag. The shorting bar is OK I think, but the plug is so worn it backs off the airbag over time. I can't find this plug anywhere unfortunately. I also need to fix the "bracket" that secures the driver's side door card to the door, under the "SRS/Airbag" cover at shoulder level. The plastic bracket that the screw goes through exploded the last time I had the door off. I am going to try to come up with a block of plastic of the same dimensions which I can glue to the inside of the door and screw through.

I expect some drama with all the above, so I will wait until I've got several days off in a row before finishing it all.

Good to know! I'll keep a distance. :bustingup :kungfu:

My friend gave me their '02 X5 3.0, they were tired of throwing $ at it.

From the reciepts they gave me no wonder they didn't want to do anymore. Its amazing what the mechanics charge to work on these SUVs! Somewhere BMW is German for Please take all my money... Unreal...

I have been doing my own work on it. I've used this forum to help me along the way, so I joined. I've replaced an embarrasing amount of parts so far ;)

Today's project is window regulator guide clip replacement, and figureing out where I went wrong with Andrews DHC cable tie mod. I can't keep the tie off the spring...
https://cloud.degoo.com/share/O9B03JWf3VTT3_K4TjXBwQ

I finally got a new FZV module off ebay (stinking USPS took over 14 days to get it here!) and installed it. To my surprise, one of my two keys actually successfully synchronized to the new module, using the published resync procedure! It's been over a year since I have had this working.



I may still get a new OEM diamond key as a second key, but this was a MAJOR win. Seems like everything breaking has been piling up on this car so it was nice to get something working again.


Now I need to focus on getting my fixer-upper 2010 Prius working. It has a slightly blown head gasket. With any luck, I will have a running and driving Prius for less than the cost of a typical year's maintenance on the X.

possible diamond key source for less $
 

I never have gotten a second key, though I've had it for 28 months now. The single,original diamond key was the only one I received, and the battery died a day or two after I received it, and I had to open it and install a new battery, immediately, as I surely didn't want to have the door handle problems caused by manually unlocking it too many times.

I accidently damaged a wire in the fob when I cut it open, and though I soldered it back in place, I fear that it'll break loose again, so I bought two generic remote "diamond" keys from ebay, just so that I could use them only to unlock the door handle or trunk remotely (I never got the "key" part laser-cut on either one). My wife immediately lost one, within days, so I have only one remote-only (no chip inside) spare left. As it came with a non-rechargeable battery already installed, I figure it'll die within 2-3-4 years (most watch-type batteries I've had never last much longer than that), so I'm going to have to get another soon, to be safe. No problem there, as the same source on ebay still sells them, so I can wait until the remaining spare goes bad.

Meanwhile, I keep my real key charged on a Philips Sonicare toothbrush charger, and I'm very careful not to drop it (and possible jar the wire inside loose); also, I've never lost an ignition key, in 58 years of car ownership (knock on wood).

But, today, while sourcing a local laser-cutting locksmith (or machine) nearby, to cut my wife's just-purchased spare physical key (missing from the secondary fob, of her new-to her 2014 Lexus), I had a link pop-up to a source for BMW diamond keys, which led me to another link that I thought I'd try first https://roskinc.com/

For $20, this vendor offers a "diamond key shell", so I could have it standing-by to replace my original, and it will come with the key itself already laser-cut (sent photos of it to copy). I ordered one, just to see. If I receive a key/shell back from them that will physically turn my door handle lock (ignition tumbler, too) then they offer this:
Attachment 83544

Though I'm hesitant about trusting my EWS to USPS (or to any shipper, nowadays), it might be the cheapest way to get another fully-functional diamond key. Time will tell.

Way too risky to send EWS vs. just buy a real key. I think it was $160. Felt like I bought a new car.

When my car was killed by a deer I kept the key as a necklace.


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$195 cut from the bmw mini parts store