2012 X5D Steering Wheel Controls not working
 

Yesterday afternoon, engine check light came on. Thing seems to drive fine and no warnings on the screen. Got home and tossed on the OBD reader and it would not connect. Tried again and then it would not even power up. Wipers came on permanently when the key is in and/or the vehicle is running and do not shut off. Also, none of the steering wheel controls work.

Disconnected the battery and removed the steering wheel to clean the steering angle sensor disc but wasn't dirty.

Clock Spring ?? Measured resistance across pins 1/2 and then 3/4 both having solid 7500 milli-ohms. So I don't think it's the air bags in the clock spring. Still......

But concerning is that the OBD scanner doesn't connect now or even power up.

**Update #1**
OBDII fuse (#134) is blown. Assuming that's why the scanner is not working. The scanner did power up the first time but would not connect. Now it won't even power up (assuming because of the blown fuse). But I've used this Autel scanner a million times and never had issues. Could this whole thing be because of this fuse ??:dunno:


Update #2
Waiting on fuses coming in this afternoon.

It should be noted that when putting back the clock spring and the steering angle sensor, the right alignment for re-installation has to happen for the disc on the steering angle sensor. Otherwise as soon as you reconnect the battery, the horn goes off and stays on until the battery is disconnected again. Ask me how I know all about this :yikes:


I've tried checking online on all the forums and not much on the E70 platform with this issue. So I'm a bit stumped...... clock spring here in CAnada is not cheap. So just dont want to be throwing money at a problem randomly. Any thoughts or experiences ????

Not sure why the fuse blew but I'd look into the battery condition and FRM state.

Battery is less then 2 years old.

My precise thoughts as well. FRM controls a lot of odd/disparate items...


Oh, OP- DO NOT restrict yourself to 'the E70 platform'.... BMW uses the same parts/designs/systems on many cars of the same age.



Blown fuses are, IMO, very rare. Happens, but for a stock car to just up and blow a fuse is odd. A module internally shorts I guess. Or a wire chafes through after years of vibration...


OR...maybe a bit of a red herring? Something going on with other modules, like they are activated (horn on, etc) then when you plug in the autel, the added load is just enough to blow the fuse? You could put an amp meter in line with the fuse just to check?


Anyway, the schematics are just a rats nest, as I be you have seen. Lots of stuff seems to be affiliated with F134... :dunno:

That really has nothing to do with itself state or condition. I've had a battery fail in less than a year. The one in my M5 is ten years old. I replaced the original factory battery in my X5 at over eight years old five years ago. You need to perform a proper load test or at least disconnect the battery and check the voltage after five minutes.

Thanks everyone so far for the input. I will check the battery as my next step. Restrain system failure now on too.

I guess the most frustrating part right now is not being able to connect the scanner. it will not communicate. That has never happened before. And that makes it a total crap-shoot to start chasing after the problem. And worse, starting to feel like $$$$$$$.

Going to step back and start with the obvious. Battery, revisit the fuse box, and look at the wiring loom where I can relating to the steering column as a start. It all started after parking for a night down in the City. So its even crossing my mind that a critter has chewed through something maybe.... who knows. Just frustrated right now as this is the daily I depend on and not making any progress on this issue so far.

I have looked across other platforms as well and the only thing that has popped up is the steering wheel angle sensor.

Another thing that seems to be randomly happening, although very rare, the alarm just goes off with the X5D just sitting there. This has been happenibg for a few years and very infrequent...... and yet happena all the same. So theres something going on there too. I figured it was a switch in the alarm system somewhere acting up.

Otherwise shes been flawless and just passed over 200k km.

These cars have a hood sensor switch...dirt can get in them and become intermittent. Can trigger alarms OR might prevent you from setting the alarm. FWIW


Unfortunately you have one of those issues where the normal "this code equals that failure" is not working. So you need to look at them in totality and see what the common root is...


Did you replace the fuse and it blew again?

Well, a $10k scanner figured things out... and I found a little something.

Engine check light is #5 glow plug

Steering wheel stuff was a loose plug. The receiver housing was cracked and partially broken off. So the plug would not click in. So it must have come loose over time causing the steering controls issues.

Well, thats what it looks like for now. Keeping fingers crossed as all is back up and running fine.