BMW X5 Climate Control Panel Failure, Help Needed

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2014 BMW X3 last year (I have some experience working on cars, but mostly basic maintenance stuff). The symptoms were almost identical, flashing control panel and climate control going crazy. After dealing with the frustration for a week, I took it to my regular workshop. Turned out it was a loose connection in the wiring harness going to the climate control module. The technician found a damaged plug that wasn't making proper contact. Total repair was 95 Euro, mostly labor costs for diagnosing and fixing the connection. Have you checked if this issue happens all the time or does it come and go? Also, what model year X5 do you have, and did you notice any other electrical issues? This info would help me share more relevant details from my experience.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My X5 has only done 12569 KM and had its last service a few months ago. The issue is pretty consistent, happens every time I start the car. No other electrical problems that I've noticed. It's actually quite frustrating since the weather's been changing lately. The symptoms you described with your X3 sound exactly like what I'm experiencing. That's a relief to hear it might just be a wiring issue and not something more serious with the climate control module itself. Did your car make any unusual noises before your tech found the loose connection? Mine sometimes makes a clicking sound when I try to adjust the temperature.

Hey again! Yes, my X3 actually did make that exact same clicking noise when adjusting the temperature, it's like a weird clicking/ticking sound from behind the dashboard, right? That's what initially made me think it might be something mechanical, but it turned out to be that loose connection I mentioned. Since your X5 is relatively low mileage and recently serviced, I'm even more convinced it's probably a similar wiring issue to what I had. The consistent nature of the problem (happening every time you start the car) is exactly what I experienced too. In my case, the connection had worked itself loose over time, and vibration from driving made it worse. One thing I didn't mention in my first reply, before getting it fixed, I noticed the problem would sometimes get worse when going over bumps or making sharp turns. Did you notice anything like that? Also, when they fixed mine, the technician mentioned these connection issues are actually pretty common in our generation of BMWs. The repair was pretty straightforward once they found the exact spot where the wiring was loose. I'd definitely get it checked out soon though, in my case, waiting that week made me really uncomfortable since I couldn't properly control the climate system, especially with changing weather.

Thanks so much for the additional details! You basically described my situation perfectly, yes, that's exactly the clicking sound I'm hearing! And now that you mention it, I have noticed the flashing gets worse when I hit bumps or take corners a bit fast. That never clicked in my mind as being related until you pointed it out. This has made me feel way better about taking it to the shop. I was worried they'd try to convince me I needed a whole new climate control module or something super expensive. Knowing your repair was straightforward and relatively inexpensive is really reassuring. I'll make an appointment first thing tomorrow and specifically mention the loose connection possibility. The bumpy road correlation and clicking sound seem like important details to tell them. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience. It's been super helpful having someone who's been through the same thing with a similar car. I'll probably stop procrastinating on getting this fixed now that I know it's likely not going to break the bank!