BMW X5 ASC/ABS Issues: Jerky Acceleration Problems?

Hi there! I have some experience working on BMWs. I had a pretty similar issue with my 2012 BMW X3 3.0i last year. The symptoms were exactly the same as yours, ASC/ABS warnings, jerky acceleration, the works. After taking it to my trusted mechanic, turned out it was just a faulty ASC relay. Got it replaced for around 90 Euro and everything went back to normal. For my case, the fix was straightforward, about 2 hours of labor including diagnostics. But before jumping to conclusions, could you share what specific error codes you're getting? Also, when did these symptoms first appear, was it gradual or sudden? By the way, I also owned a 5-series before, so I'm quite familiar with these quirks. Let me know the details and I might be able to help further!

Hey, thanks for the detailed response! My issue actually started suddenly during a regular drive about a week ago. Just had my service done at 98359 KM, so this caught me off guard. In my case, the error codes point to a wheel speed sensor malfunction and possible ASC module issues. I'll definitely look into the relay as you suggested, since the symptoms match up pretty well. Did your mechanic have to do any additional calibration after replacing the relay? I'm just trying to get an idea of what I'm looking at in terms of repair time and complexity. Really appreciate the help!

Hey again! Great to hear back from you! Yeah, in my case with the X3, I was lucky that it was just the relay. But those wheel speed sensor codes you're getting make me think you might be dealing with something a bit different than what I had. When my mechanic dug deeper into my car, he actually did need to do a quick calibration after the relay replacement, took maybe an extra 30 minutes or so. But given your error codes, I'd actually lean more towards a faulty wheel speed sensor now. Looking back, I had a similar issue with wheel speed sensors on my old 5-series, those error codes sound really familiar. They can definitely cause all those symptoms you're describing. Tell you what, might be worth having your mechanic check those sensors first before jumping to replace the relay like I did. The good news is that sensor replacements are usually pretty straightforward. My sensor replacement back then was actually cheaper than the relay job I had on the X3. Keep us posted on what you find out! Always interesting to hear how these things turn out, especially since these BMWs can be a bit tricky sometimes.

Thanks so much for the follow-up! You've been super helpful. After hearing about your experiences, I'm feeling a bit more optimistic about this whole situation. Those wheel speed sensors definitely seem like the likely culprit, especially considering the error codes I'm seeing. It's actually a relief to hear that sensor replacements are usually straightforward, I was worried I'd be looking at some major repair job! I've actually gone ahead and booked the car in for next Tuesday. The mechanic I spoke to seems to agree with your assessment about checking the sensors first before looking at other possibilities. He mentioned it's a common issue with these models, so hopefully it'll be a quick fix like yours was. I'll definitely update this thread once I get the car back and know what the actual problem was. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences, it's helped me feel much more informed before heading to the shop. Thanks again for all the detailed info about your X3 and 5-series experiences!