2003 BMW X5

2003 BMW X5 CCV "OIL SEPARATOR VALVE" HAS ISSUES IN COLD WEATHER AND IS KNOWN TO FAIL. THE PROBLEM RELATES TO A NON PROPER DESIGN WHERE THE VALVE CAN FREEZE. THE ENGINE BLOCK CAN THEN BLOW OIL AND CAUSE FIRE. BEFORE IT BLOWS THE BLOCK THE ENGINE WILL HAVE "HARD STARTS" WHICH WILL PUSH FROZEN OIL THROUGH THE SEPARATOR. IF THE CCV FAILS IT WILL COMPLETELY BLOW YOUR ENGINE GASKETS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THEIR IS A BMW X5 SERVICE BULLETIN THAT THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. BMW WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE UNTIL IT BLOWS. IT IS A MAJOR MALFUNCTION THAT IS NOT ONLY EXPENSIVE TO FIX WELL OVER THE 3000 BUT VERY DANGEROUS. I THINK AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE BMW PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED CLOSELY. *TR

THE DRAIN VALVE IN 2003 BMW X5 DISINTEGRATES DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IT IS INHERENTLY DEFECTIVE AND IS A SOURCE OF LEAKS AND IF NOT REPLACED WOULD CASE THE RADIATOR TO DRAIN OUT, CAUSING OVERHEATING AND RUINING THE ENGINE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED ON BMW OWNER WEBSITES. HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=154553 HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=287894. *TR

THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AT THE TIME THE ENGINE STALLED; LIGHT, WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE EXHAUST. THE CAR AND ENGINE SEEMED TO OPERATE FINE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES PRIOR. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME UP OR SMOKE CAME FROM THE EXHAUST DURING THE 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING. REGULAR ENGINE AND OIL CHANGES WERE PREVIOUSLY DONE. THE MECHANIC IS SAYING A NEW ENGINE IS REQUIRED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW X5. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, LOSING ALL POWER AND ELECTRICITY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE OIL SEPARATOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 83,000.

ON 01/15/2009, THE EXTREMELY CHILLY DAY, MY WIFE DROVE THE X5 ON ROUTE 2 EAST BOUND AROUND EXIT 58 IN ARLINGTON, MA, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM SUDDENLY EMITTED HEAVY WHITE SMOKE, BUT THE OIL WARNING LIGHT DID NOT TURNED ON AT ALL. MY WIFE PULLED OVER THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. 15 MINUTES LATER, SHE FOUND THE ENGINE WAS DISABLED WHEN SHE TRIED TO RESTART IT. AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BMW SERVICE CENTER ,I WAS INFORMED THE CAR NEEDS THE FOLLOWING REPLACEMENTS 'CRANK CASE VENT VALVE 'VALVE COVER GASKETS AND SPARK PLUGS 'TRANSFER CASE THE TOTAL COST IS $1360+$3125= $4485. *TR

THIS PAST WEEK CONNECTICUT HIT A VERY COLD SPELL. 0*F. CRANK CASE VENT VALVE FROZE. AS A RESULT, TREMENDOUS PRESSURE BUILT INSIDE THE CRANK CASE, THE OIL CAP BLEW OFF AND THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IN THE 2003 MODEL YEAR AND THAT IT IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM IN VERY COLD WEATHER. WE HAVE ALSO LEARNT THE 2003 MODEL HAS A DESIGN FLAW WHERE THE VALVE IS NOT INSULATED AND NEWER MODELS HAVE CHANGED THE DESIGN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PART REPLACED BY DEALER. WE WERE LUCKY OUR ENGINE DID NOT FAIL COMPLETELY. SINCE THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY BMW, AND IS A CLEAR DESIGN DEFECT. SHOULDN'T IT BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL? *TR

CRANKCASE VENT VALVE FROZE & BLEW OFF OIL CAP. OIL ALL OVER ENGINE. REPLACED CRANKCASE VENT VALUE, W/ NON ORIGINAL, & ALL HOSES. REMOVED & CLEANED OUT DIPSTICK TUBE, DISTRIBUTION PIECE. REMOVED LOWER ENGINE SPLASH PAN & STIFFENING PLATE. DE-GREASED TOP & BOTTOM OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROPENSITY FOR THE CRANKCASE TO FREEZE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN COLD WEATHER STATES. THE AUTO IS SOLD IN THE COLD WEATHER STATES REGARDLESS. *TR