Lost a driveshaft today..
 

Literally. That sucker is lying somewhere along the highway about an hour outside of Atlanta. Fortunately, it was the front shaft, so I still had power to the rear wheels and got to a place where I could call BMW assist and get a tow to a dealership.

Has anybody gone through this before? How likely is more extensive damage to the transmission? I experienced vibrations in the front for about 5-10 minutes, before it popped off. The car ran smoothly until I pulled over to take a look. At that point, transmission fluid started leaking out into a large puddle.

I've got 37k on the car (May 2010 build), so high mileage for a 2011, but still early for these sorts of problems. Car is completely stock, so no additional stresses beyond the occasional spirited drive.

Depends where it broke, but if fluid is leaking it sounds like the yoke that joins the driveshaft to the transfer case. That would make it transfer case fluid. Not likely to be transmission fluid. Not a common failure, but this is why you have a warranty.

WoW that sucks!

Luckily you got everything covered under warranty. My 35i is built roughly the same time as yours but it has less than 15k miles on it. I hope they don't give you a hard time for running your 50i 24/7.

Yes, glad to be under warranty. I would be disappointed to be stuck in the rental for an extended period if the required repairs were more extensive. Love driving the 50. Not quite 24/7, but working on it.

JCL - Thx for clarifying. Hope that is the case..

i've come across this many times, what ive seen is the u-joint that connects to the transfer case on the front drive shaft siezes and breaks off because it is unable to flex correctly, most of the times, it contacts the side of the transmission and you will hear metal to metal contact and you will see wear marks on the side of the transmission casing.

There was a loud ping/pop when it disconnected. Hoping secondary effects are limited to the wear you described. Thx.

Just curious - if the front drive shaft and transfer fluids are gone, any impact on the rest of the drivetrain/system if for some reason the car was driven for an extended period, say an hour or more?

That is pretty rare on a new vehicle,

Please keep us posted on the exact cause and damages...

Could you please post the part number of the joint you mentioned? Thanks.

I suppose it is hard to tell after such damage, but did these failures you have seen seem to be due to a torn boot and resultant lost of lube/exposure to the elements? I ask as if so, it would seem periodic inspection of the boots might avoid an on the road breakdown and I might start doing it more frequently.

i have yet to see a front driveshaft with a boot. so periodic inspection of such boot would not avoid any breakdown. you may start periodic inspection more frequently after you retrofit a boot on the driveshaft.

no i will not.

Just speculating here, but I presume killcrap is referring to the flexible coupling in the driveshaft. Boots are installed on the front axles.

I know these couplings can fail with higher mileage on an E53 and other models for example, but I am surprised that killcrap has seen so many fail on almost-new E70s.

Right.

His dealership is apparently the world's center for E70 axle failureshttp://www.xoutpost.com/images/smilies/bustingup.gif

Probably part #2:

4-WHEEL drive SHAFT/INSERT nut. Fits: 2010 BMW X Series (E53,E70,E71,E83) X5 50iX | BMW of South Atlanta

Could you then post a pic of the joint you smoked?

i dont smoke. so no.

+1 IIRC these are colloquially known as guibos. First cracks start to form in the rubber around the coupling bolts then eventual catastrophic failure but usually after a 100k miles or so. Like you said...

Driveshaft, not axle

Interesting that BMW changed from the Guibo to a universal joint. And then to a longer driveshaft with a universal joint (for production from 4/10 onwards)

A u joint typically flexes more. Could be a torque problem, a harmonic, or too short a driveshaft. Wonder how many are failing?

Not so sure
 

Disagree, at least if the parts book is correct. Yours is listed as a 2009, so is different than these.

Look at this link; notice the dates of manufacture and the break point, the list of models, and the lengths of the different driveshafts:

4-WHEEL drive SHAFT/INSERT nut. Fits: 2010 BMW X Series (E53,E70,E71,E83) X5 | BMW of South Atlanta

Back from the Big Easy. Tourney and French Quarter helped take my mind off the car. I sent a note to the service rep today to find out the status. I'll see what I can find out about the specific parts involved.

Yeah I see what you are saying. I can see the reason why the V8 models have the 2 universal joints, but can't see the reason why the other models changed as well. Probably a parts cost issue. That way they can have one driveshaft for all the models instead of 2.

Looks like next week before car is ready as they are awaiting parts. Apparently there was some secondary damage to the oil pan when the shaft came off. Rep didn't have the part number for the shaft, but should be on the repair sheet when I pick up the car.

Apparently replacement oil pans for the 50i are hard to come by. Most likely next week before it arrives from Germany. Going through some serious withdrawal pains.

Picked up the car today after 26 days in the shop. Much work was done to repair the damage. Two weeks of delay were due to having a new oil pan shipped from Germany, as the original was damaged when the driveshaft sheared off. Ended up with a new driveshaft, transfer case, and oil pan.

The driveshaft part was #26207597649; consistent with part #2 in the prior post.

So glad to be out of the rental...

Wow! 26 days? Which dealer was this so I never go there? If it's Global, I never go there anyway.

4 days until it is a lemon, no? :)

Dealer was in Chattanooga, near where the car broke down. Tough to say if they dropped the ball and added to the delay, but you never know.

I hate to extend this tread, but need some advice. After 26 days in the shop to repair a failed driveshaft and related damage, I got to drive my car for 3 days before going back in the shop. The check engine light come on, along with a high pitched vibration from the front end. After another 8 days in the shop, I was optimistic after they replaced the differential, 5 injector heads and a faulty mass air flow meter.

This morning, with the family in the car, I get an engine malfunction/reduced power light and the transmission slips into neutral. Restarting the car clears it up temporarily, but the malfunction issue returns, so back in the shop tomorrow.

All repairs and loaner cars have been covered under warranty, but all this down time is impacting my work related travel. Most of my trips involve 6-8 hours of driving, so my confidence in the reliability of this particular car is now rock bottom. I've got one year left on the lease, but with 34 days of the last 37 days in the shop, and the prospect of another week or weeks out of commission, I am trying to figure out my options.

Anybody have experience addressing an issue like this with BMW finance? Any advice?

I say it's time to talk buy back. I'd be livid if I was in your shoes and demand a new car

Yes.

Time to think dispassionately- this is a MAJOR defect. They MAY have repaired one isolated issue, only to get unlucky again, or they may have been a deeper issue that lead to all this, or the yahoos doing the work F-ed something else up...point is YOU DO NOT CARE. The copy YOU got is...a lemon.

Time to pull the rip cord, IMO.

I've posted A LOT, here and on bimmerfest about lemoning. I get a lot of PMs too. Here is what you do:

1. Research the law in your state. Where you titled the car. DO YOU ALREADY MEET THE STATUTORY TRIGGER for a lemon claim? If yes, good. If no, WAIT UNTIL YOU DO.

2. Call BMW Customer Relations. Not finance. Not the dealer. Now, this part is important- they will sound stupid, disinterested and mildly helpful- but will STALL you with a promise to 'research and get back to you'. They will be ernest and insistent. You have a choice- if you want to waste a week, you can do this. if you want to get past this point you should tell the operator you are considering filing a lemon claim, and will be sending a certified letter to BMWNA- (ask them to confirm the address which you will read from your maintenance/warranty booklet.) This usually gets you to the paralegal group. Tell them you will be sending them a demand letter to buy the car back.

Note: If you are seeking to avoid a lemon, and do a trade-assist, do not SAY you ARE doing a lemon..use words like 'may', 'might', etc. It might be appropriate to dial back the early rhetoric here, and let them loop in the dealership sales people...but DO NOT expect miracles. When they delay you it is to avoid a lemon AND to avoid a buyback- they will say "give us one last try" etc, etc..their goal is to have you keep the car, period. However given what has happened to your car, I'd refuse any offers to help that result in you in the car past June....

3. You will ultimately need to send them a demand. It should list defect, time, mileage and days in shop. In my state the buyback/lemon amount was calculate to the FIRST occurrence of the defect - might not be much help in this sityation, but mine was at 9k miles and lemoned it at 32k. Big $$ impact. Your situation will be different...any issues with noises from the front end noted in a Work Order?? When you send this, use Certified US mail AND a copy via Fax.

4. BMW will not be helpful, nice, courteous, cooperative, prompt, nor professional. You are, essentially, trying to become a non-customer. Don't take it personally.

If you want to do a trade assist and think you can avoid a buyback, this is done in cooperation with the dealer. Will they be helpful? What is your relationship with the service manager and sales folks where the car is now (ie the 'home' dealer)

Anyway, some food for thought....

A

I too would try to dump your X5.........you've been beyond patient and given the severity and frequency of defects it's time to move onto something else.

Good input. Thanks. Driving to the dealership this morning, the transmission issue got worse, so agree with all comments that enough is enough. I'm awaiting the diagnosis, but preparing for word that a new transmission is needed plus an extended stay in service.

I was planning to lease an F10 next spring when the current lease expires, but this really mucks up the timing since they are not yet available here. I had talked my wife out of an ML550 and into the upcoming X5, but may need to reconsider depending on how this gets resolved.

I actually don't know how a lemon would work with a lease, since you don't own it. My guess is just walk away?

GL

A

Typically they would reimburse you for all your lease payments from contract inception

So, the strange story continues...

After replacing a sheared driveshaft, transfer case, oil pan, we moved on to replacing the front differential, 5 injectors heads, and the mass airflow meter. Two days after receiving the car, it got worse. After going back in the shop, I was told the recall repair water pump failed, which affected the alternator and created an engine malfunction, which could not be resolved. After consulting with the BMW engineer, they pulled and inspected the camshafts and have now decided to replace the car's computer. A few more days are required to receive the computer, so they will finish no sooner than sometime next week.

I've got a rep from BMW NA working my case, but frankly it is quite agitating that they cannot move quickly to come up with a resolution that allows me to return the car (leased, so they already own it) and arrange for a new and functional vehicle that will allow me to get back on the road for my business. Too many problems for a relatively new vehicle, and headed for 50+ days in the shop. Hope they will move quickly to do the right thing.

Sorry to belabor a repair thread, but I am a huge fan of the X5 50 and the circumstances are forcing me to reconsider. Headed to 2 day M school next week, so hopefully this won't put a damper on it.

Been here, done this...

They will NOT 'move quickly to do the right thing'... they are dragging their feet and hoping you will give up and keep the car.

If you are thinking "BMW" is one monolithic entity- from the stores you drive to with BME on the roof, to BMWA, to the M school, to BMW Finance, you will be massively disappointed in the end. IMO

A

Update...

Not long after the last post, I was notified of BMW approval for a trade assist. Spent some time looking for a comparable replacement, but after I test drove an X5 50 with m-sport and performance packages, have decided to order one to my specs. I submitted a build sheet and awaiting the numbers from BWM. Timing tbd, but hope to be posting some new pics in a few weeks.

After driving both my 50 model and one with m-sport and performance pack, the m-sport seems to have a more aggressive exhaust sound and of course a few extra hp doesn't hurt. Not sure if my ears are playing tricks, but curious if the exhaust pipes are different beyond the tips.