Bad Luck Comes in Threes? (535D)

Bad Luck Comes in Threes? (535D)

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C0ffin D0dger

Original Poster:

3,440 posts

144 months

Friday 13th May 2016
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Probably should have heeded my own warnings and got rid of my 535D tourer by now (Sept '08 registered, E61), planned to keep for three years max but it's now approaching 3 1/2...

So the weekend before last whilst at the in-laws the remote locking / unlocking stopped working. I'd wondered if my key had got wet as we'd been caught in the rain but on getting home the spare wouldn't work it either. Google suggested water ingress into the antenna diversity module under the 3rd brake light on the rear screen and/or broken wires in the boot hinges, both common faults. Looks DIYable but haven't got round to looking at it yet. The broken wires bit certainly seem plausible as the heated rear screen also stopped working a while back.

So this morning on the way to work got out of the roadworks on the motorway and started to accelerate, feels a bit flat, further shove of the accelerator and not a lot happening. Seems like the big turbo is not boosting. No smoke, noises, rattles or anything else. Google suggest a split or broken vacuum hose somewhere on the turbo or an actuator.

Finally took it out at lunchtime to see if the turbo issue may have corrected itself (it hadn't) and on starting I get a warning about a failed brake pad sensor! After stopping and starting again I didn't get the warning. Hoping it's just an electrical glitch but who knows.

Not having much luck with it at the moment. Think I'll get everything fixed and sell it which I should have done several months ago!

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Saturday 14th May 2016
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Friday 13th! It struck me as well/lady reversed into the rear of my 535d despite my horn sounding constantly for 5 seconds before impact.

Provided you are happy with the car performance space spec then once these jiggly things are fixed why not keep running it? I say this as I'm assuming it's the daily commuter and dump duty trips and family outings. As such it's tool for the job so get replacement which is newer you'll get a bit more mpg a bit more power warranty but at the big expense of depreciation. Run yours now for another 3 years is wager the depreciation from its today value would be very small.

C0ffin D0dger

Original Poster:

3,440 posts

144 months

Monday 16th May 2016
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Welshbeef said:
Friday 13th! It struck me as well/lady reversed into the rear of my 535d despite my horn sounding constantly for 5 seconds before impact.

Provided you are happy with the car performance space spec then once these jiggly things are fixed why not keep running it? I say this as I'm assuming it's the daily commuter and dump duty trips and family outings. As such it's tool for the job so get replacement which is newer you'll get a bit more mpg a bit more power warranty but at the big expense of depreciation. Run yours now for another 3 years is wager the depreciation from its today value would be very small.
It certainly is the daily commuter and does all the other stuff well as you say such as transporting the kids bikes to wherever, tip run, holidays, camping etc.

Spent most of Sunday stripping off the boot spoiler and the wire guides in the hinges only to find a perfectly dry antenna module and no severed wires in the hinges. There was one wire that looked crushed / could have been broken inside so I chopped a little bit of that out and soldered in a new piece but it made no difference frown Very frustrating.

It's now booked into my mechanic's on Thursday to look at the loss of boost and this issue.

Problem is I bought it when we were a dual income family but now the wife isn't working for childcare reasons we don't have much wiggle room in our finances so if anything went badly wrong with it then I could end up with no car. Plan was to flog it, clear the small bit of debt I've got left against it, and then get something simpler but without borrowing any more money. Have to see what they say on Thursday.

Wheatley173

101 posts

118 months

Monday 16th May 2016
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Sorry to hear of your bad luck.

I might be able to help with the locking issue. I had the same on my e90. Door actuator went on the n/s/f door. Turns out this caused the fuse to blow. I changed the fuse and the remote locking worked, except for that door. Replaced with a 2nd hand £40 part. Never had a problem again. I'm sure it's the same part as used on the e60 as I'm sure the part I fitted was off an e60.

C0ffin D0dger

Original Poster:

3,440 posts

144 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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So nearly £900 lighter of pocket I had a new antenna diversity amplifier thingy fitted which sorted out the remote locking issue and after much head scratching around the turbo issue two new actuators + all the pipework replaced and we're back to full boost.

Not a good month cry

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

197 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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C0ffin D0dger said:
So nearly £900 lighter of pocket I had a new antenna diversity amplifier thingy fitted which sorted out the remote locking issue and after much head scratching around the turbo issue two new actuators + all the pipework replaced and we're back to full boost.

Not a good month cry
Well it's fixed now and given those parts have lasted this length of time your safe for the ne t what 10+ years to come. Clearly your not selling it now as you've invested to get it back to new in those areas.


Frustrating and hopefully the last of the pain. They really are good cars great family tools and as you've already enjoyed it for so long now fixing it up it will continue to give years of loyal service. Changing it you'd get marginally better fuel marginally better performance marginally better/more modern kit less miles less age but the cost to change is significant which can be hard to justify.

roofer

5,136 posts

210 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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C0ffin D0dger said:
So nearly £900 lighter of pocket I had a new antenna diversity amplifier thingy fitted which sorted out the remote locking issue and after much head scratching around the turbo issue two new actuators + all the pipework replaced and we're back to full boost.

Not a good month cry
You've been ripped off. I would be checking the date code on them, pound to a pinch of pigst, it was just the hoses.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Saturday 28th May 2016
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Sorry to hear of your issues OP. Glad you have it sorted, but that does sound expensive! eek

When it finally got warm I realised my E46 climate wasn't doing any cooling, just making a lot of noise!

So I booked it in for a re-gas, then I hit a grouse on the M40 and ripped the lower wheel-arch liner out of the offside! Fat birds, no good!

Then earlier this week the airbag warning light came on and stayed on, so that's my 3 for now!

Had it re-gassed yesterday and the airbag light sorted (it seems there was a one-off issue with the driver seat-belt pre-tensioner that has not recurred).

Then I went to Sytner and ordered the bits for the fat bird strike which should arrive at the end of next week, so hopefully that will be everything done (for now)!

Riggie

178 posts

124 months

Saturday 28th May 2016
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The joys of motoring...... My daughter's 118d has cost me £1800 in the last two weeks, financed by the bank of dad. When she took it in for new discs and pads all round, her mechanic commented that the flywheel was rattling and one of the struts was leaking. I used to work in the trade so sourced new DMF and clutch and new front struts. Cost £730 all in fitted.

On the way over to get that job done, she makes comment that the car has lost power. I drove it and it was smoking well, so back to tech who says the turbo is shot. New turbo and oil pipe, oil and filter and that'll be another £1050 sir!

I'm hoping that is the three items and my E70 isn't going to come out in sympathy.