BMW X5 Diesel: Glow Plug System Failures and Fixes

Hey there! I had a very similar issue with my 2014 BMW X3 diesel last winter. I'm pretty handy with basic maintenance, but this one needed professional help. I took it to my trusted workshop when I noticed the same symptoms, glow plug light staying on, rough cold starts, and that annoying smoke during acceleration. They diagnosed it as a faulty cable connection at the preheating control unit, pretty common issue actually. The fix cost me 95 Euro, and it's been running perfectly since then. My cousin actually had the same problem with his BMW X1, and it turned out to be the exact same issue. Could you share what diagnostic codes you're getting? Also, does the smoke have any particular color? This info would help to confirm if we're dealing with the same problem. Quick tip: Don't ignore it, as it can lead to bigger issues if left unchecked.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm getting P0670 and P0675 codes on mine. The smoke is definitely greyish-white, especially noticeable during cold mornings. Just had my service done at 61427 KM, and everything else was perfect, so this issue caught me off guard. I'm not too keen on DIY repairs, especially for glow plug system issues, so I'll probably take it to a workshop. Good to know it might just be a cable connection, definitely sounds less scary than having to replace the entire preheating unit! Did your workshop mention how long the repair typically takes? I'm trying to plan my week around getting this fixed.

Hey again! Thanks for those diagnostic codes, they're exactly what I saw on mine too. The P0670 and P0675 codes definitely point to the same electrical connection problem I had with my X3. Just to give you a heads up about the repair time, in my case, the workshop had my car for about 4 hours. Most of that time was actually spent on diagnostic testing to make sure they pinpointed the exact issue. The actual repair of the cable connection was pretty quick, maybe 45 minutes or so. And yeah, that greyish-white smoke you mentioned is spot on, that's exactly what I was seeing too, especially on those cold mornings. It's such a relief when it's just a connection issue rather than having to replace the whole preheating unit! One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier reply, after they fixed mine, they recommended checking the connections every service interval just to prevent it from happening again. I've been doing that, and haven't had any issues since the repair about 8 months ago. Let me know how it goes when you get it fixed. I'm curious if it turns out to be the same problem. Always good to compare notes on these things, especially with the same model family!

Thanks so much for all the detailed information! It's really helpful to know your repair took about 4 hours, I'll definitely plan for a half-day off work to get this sorted. Those matching diagnostic codes and identical smoke symptoms make me pretty confident it's the same issue. It's honestly such a relief to hear it might just be a connection problem rather than something more serious. I've already called my regular workshop and booked it in for next Tuesday morning. They seemed pretty familiar with the issue when I described the symptoms, which is reassuring. I'll make sure to ask them about that regular connection check you mentioned, sounds like a smart preventive measure. I'll definitely update here once it's fixed to let you know if it was indeed the same problem. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, it's made me feel a lot better about the whole situation!