Strangest electrical problem ever...any suggestions?
 

This has happened three times now and today required I get my car towed...not happy.

If my 2007 X5 4.8 is in slow moving traffic or left idling for 20-30 minutes it will lose all electrical power and shut off. First the ABS warning light comes on, then AWD warning, then transmission warning, then the A/C shuts off, my radar detector will show "low voltage" and the car limps along stuck in one gear until it dies.

Each time it occurs, it's after being stuck in slow moving traffic for 30-40 minutes. The battery is brand new and three weeks ago a specialist looked at my car for four days...no codes, alternator checked out ok, battery ok, and every module tested ok.

The weirdest thing...today when it died, after waiting 2.5 hours for a tow to the dealer, I pushed the start button and the started right up!! So I drove it to the dealer (I was already on my way there to address the suspension air bag leak).

Clearly something is getting warm and causing an electrical problem...when the car cools down it starts up again. The shop manager at BMW said it's probably the alternator...which makes no sense because a) it was already tested, and b) the car started up again when it cooled down after losing all power...batteries don't recharge themselves.

WTF is going on with my car???? So far this summer, over $6K in repairs (oil leak, coolant leak), $2K for new tires, $400 for new battery, and now this air suspension and electrical problem...I'm sure this will cost me dearly. To say I'm pissed is an understatement.

Had the same problem on my 2006 and it turned out to be the Ignition Switch which would short internally when it got hot.

Forgot to include P/N for switch.
61326901961
Just Google the number and you will see what part looks like.

The problem is I can drive 300 miles at speed and never have an issue...only occurs if I get stuck in traffic and I'm creeping along at a slow speed for 30 minutes or so.

BMW called...they said it's the alternator, even though another shop says it tested fine.

Tested fine cold maybe?

Definitely alternator, had very similar issue with my 08 4.8i, replaced alternator and all was fine . I finally sold the car since I got tired of all the things that started to crop up after 100k miles. Sold the car with 134k and got an F15 diesel.

My 4.8i did the same thing. I ended up swapping out the voltage regulator on the back of the alternator in lieu of replacing the entire assembly. Saved about $500.

I have seen this before and my issue was a bad alternator... caveat, it was on my 545

I appreciate all the replies...at least I feel better seeing so many replies saying it's the alternator. Sucks that I have to pay for another repair...that puts me over $10K in repairs that I've paid for this year alone! Had I known I would have sold the POS a long time ago.

Upon further internet reading, it sounds like the voltage regulator. The alternator itself only needs replacing if the bearings are shot...car only has 59K miles. Just called the dealer and told the to NOT replace the alternator. Just another case of them trying to rip me off...$2700 to replace a leaking air bag in the rear suspension and an alternator...what a bunch of crooks.

Just DIY on the airbags..only cost $400 for those bags from Arnott Industries

I'm done with BMW...had it with the non-stop issues. Picked up the X5 from BMW w/out any repairs and drove the Cadillac dealer...left with a CTS V coupe...much happier now.

Good luck to you all...never again will I own an BMW.

I dont know why some folks have all the problems in the world with their BMW while others just minor things here and there...

I would be upset too if I would have sank thousands in my car just to have it break down again a few weeks later..

But just as happy as you are now with the Cadi, I suppose you were when you picked up the X5...Never driven a CTS V but wanted to for the longest time to compare it to the M5...Post some pics of your new money grinder:)

Good luck to you too hopefully you'll have a better experience this time around..

Post the VIN of your old car- consider it a public service/pay it forward move.

:thumbup:

Photo at the dealer getting ready to drive it home.
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...pse6e74efb.jpg

Parked in my garage
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/...ps70fba339.jpg

Just retired my piece of "ART" and bought a '15 Lexus RX350;
$17,000 of repairs in less than 3 years on my '08 X5 after the factory warranty.

Lots of moms around here love their RX350s.

Maybe some of you guys should really bring your car elsewhere than the dealer or learn to DIY before spending astronomical amounts of money on repairs ...17k? 8k?..not trying to be an a** but it's a very bad idea to play poker with the dealer...

My last two repairs weren't done at the dealer...they wanted almost TWICE as much as what I paid. My last repair, because it was a mysterious electrical issue, had to go to the dealer to insure it was properly fixed.

As for doing it myself...a lot of the repairs requires special tools, computer equipment and reprogramming of the car afterwards. Heck, you can't even replace a battery without the car being programmed so that the alternator and battery play nicely. I've built several drag cars that ran in the low 9's, so I know a bit about cars. But with my travel schedule I don't always have time to wrench on the car...especially when the root cause isn't known. You want me to build you a Ford small block with a solid roller that run 9s on pump gas...piece of cake. You want me to figure out why my POS X5 kept dying on me when a european auto repair shop tested the alternator and every module for four days and couldn't find a problem...well, I can't do that.

The point is that no $80K car that is labeled "the ultimate driving machine" should have so many problems. That's just unacceptable. A stupid ass coolant pipe design cost me $3000 to repair because the transmission had to be pulled just to remove the coolant line...sorry, I don't have the tools or time to do that myself. When I bought the car I thought I'd drive the wheels off it...heck, it's German engineered...it's quality, right? Bulllllllshit. It's junk.

Maybe the poster is a mom, or did that person indicate anywhere being a male, or female w/o kids? :nanana:

Expect to spend big $s if you own an older X and DON'T DIY (especially an N62 V8).

I've dropped over $1500 on parts/special tools for my '03 4.4 M62 over the last year (avoided the later N62 because of added complexity/failure/costs). The repairs I DIYed would have cost over $8000 had a dealer done them.

In order to keep cost of ownership less then 1/5th the dealer maintained cost, I ALWAYS find the time to troubleshoot/repair it myself (In the 4.5 yrs of ownership, my X has NEVER been to a dealer/indy shop, (the only work not done in my garage is tire mounting/road force balancing (done by Classic BMW, $260 a full set).

Very true. I don't need to be a male mechanic to own a piece of "ART", full or part time.