2007 X5 3.0 -- Strange Problem
 

I have a strange problem which that I am planning to get checked out by a BMW diagnostic center, but wanted to know if anyone knows or had anything similar?

About a week ago I noticed that the outside temperature is showing the wrong temp (usually around 0F to -15F). Also around the same time when the temp went to below zero almost all of my electrics malfunctioned... But not every single time. (See attached images of malfunctions)

If I park the car in my garage and come back to it a few hours later, the temp is fine, but when I drive sometimes it comes back and all the malfunctions happen.

I live in Brooklyn, NY and my car is out of warrenty, so if anyone know of a good and trusted BMW repair / diagnostic place please suggest...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

damn!
never seen that, seems like an ECU problem, it might be something simple since it is not consistent. take it to Bay Diagnostic (google for more info) - cheaper than a dealer and experienced techs. Hopefully an ECU reset will do the trick. Good luck!

I recall seeing a TSB/SIB on this problem which was due to a pinched or worn wiring harness somewhere in or under the dash, I think on the right side. Not 100% sure of this, but recall the fix involved taping the wires and making a small change in the harness routing...

ZheHbKa -- Thanks, this is actually where I was planning to go. I found them on google and from the information on the site, they look like a good professional place. Do you know if I should ask for anyone specific?

Penguin -- Thanks for the reply... You don't think that this could be due to a faulty "Outside Ambient Air Temperature Sensor"? The reason why I'm asking is that it only happens right after the temperature drops to below zero...

How new is the battery?????

Something sent a bad signal to your R-BUS (main electronic gateway)--- so it will throw fault codes like Eli Manning threw pics this season.

While almost anything is possible, I think it is highly unlikely that a bad temperature sensor would cause so many error messages to display.


This SIB might be of interest:


Make / Models : Model/Build Years: BMW / X5 1999-2010
Service Bulletin Number : SIB-61-15-09 NHTSA Item Number : 10032640 Summary Description : BMW VEHICLES: VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE POSSIBLE ON THE VEHICLE: WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; CHECK CONTROL MESSAGES; SYSTEMS INOPERATIVE; FUSE BLOWN; WIPERS IN DEFAULT MODE (PERMANENTLY ON); AND FAULT CODES FFFF AND F-CAN FAULTS IN ARS AND DSC. SHORT CIRCUIT OF THE WIRING HARNESS TO SHARP SHEET METAL IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. MODEL E70 (X5) NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE UPDATED 11/17/10. *PE

I think that this might be exactly the problem. The windshield wipers did turn on and were working even thought the "Automated" feature was off and I didn't touch anything.

Thanks for this... I made an appointment to bring the car in for a diagnostic this week. I will show them this information.

I have no Idea? I got this car used. But I don't think that it was ever changed.

Just replace it. Don't screw around with spending one hour of "diagnostic time' for them to say "Probably could use a new battery".

HOWEVER, that SIB is very interesting. You DO know that even with an SIB, if your car is out of warranty YOU pay for all the work, right?

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