X5 sounds serious!!
 

Hi guys,

I am new here but have been reading with interest since we purchased a 4.4l 2001 x5 with 68k miles on the clock from a car dealer.

It was great until today when it started making a noise very similar to that of a solenoid disengaging from a started motor but it doesn't stop and it is not the starter motor. The car stalled when this noise happened and then there was no drive from the auto box.

Anyone have any ideas.?

I am not familiar with four wheel drives and have never heard this before from any car.

Please please help.......the mrs is threatening that the car will have to go and I don't want to see the back of it...

Just. A quick update. Got it recovered to the garage we purchased it from and they have diagnosed the issue as alternator.

I have my concerns so maybe you guys can help.

If it is the alternator that has overheated and the bearing ran dry :-
Why was there no dash light telling me the alternator was not working?
Why would it make the revs rise and cause no drive ?
How wold it have overheated in a 6 mile journey with no relative high load put on the elec system?

Can anyone help?

You sure its nothing to do with the TC?

I think it could be but as I still haven't heard back from the garage I think they may have diagnosed it incorrectly first time! Still at least I will have a new alternator......
Does it sound like the tc . I have no experience of 4wd!

Sounds more like TC/Transmission issues than alternator. A readout of the fault codes will usually find it very quickly. If you need advice from UK users have a look for xdrivers forums who will point you to indy repair shops local to you. More than a few of us have suffered some form of failure. BMW only replace, not repair and want silly money. £7k in my case!! A new ZF TC is about £250 plus fitting. A full rebuild is around £2k.

More speculating in absence of detailed symptoms
This sounds like the output shaft from the transfer case to front diff .The splines on the prop shaft can strip . Maybe need a replacement prop shaft . Maybe also the drive cog in transfer case .
Spend a bit of time searching the forum for info and repair info
Salvage yard may be an option for a replacement part .

Cobra transmission have a longer output shaft available . The BMW shaft does not grip enough splines .
Search this link for X5 NV125 transfer case .

BMW X5 - NV125 : Automatic, Standard Transmission and Transfer Case Rebuild Kits, Cobra Transmission Parts 1-800-293-1848