BMW X5 Electric Steering Column Failure, Repair Help

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2004 BMW X3 last year. The electric steering column adjustment failed completely, totally get your frustration. In my case, the problem was a faulty wiring harness connection at the base of the steering column. It wasn't actually a major repair, just tedious to access and fix. My mechanic found that moisture had corroded one of the main connector pins, causing intermittent power loss to the adjustment motor. They had to partially disassemble the lower dash to access the connection point, clean the contacts, and replace the damaged connector. Not a critical safety issue, but definitely annoying when you can't adjust your driving position. The repair was pretty straightforward once they identified the root cause. If you're seeing an error code, that should help narrow down whether it's a connection problem like mine or potentially the motor itself. Hope this helps give you an idea of what you might be dealing with.

Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! You're spot on, my X5 had pretty much the same symptoms. The mechanic also traced it to some wiring issues, though they ended up replacing both the connector and motor since there was visible corrosion. Can't quite remember what I paid for the whole job, would you mind sharing how much yours set you back? Also, curious if you've had any other electrical gremlins pop up since getting it fixed? Really appreciate the help! Keep me posted!

Hey again! Great to hear you got it sorted out! Yeah, my repair bill came to 95 € for fixing the cable and connector issue. The mechanic found the problem pretty quickly since it's apparently a common thing on these BMWs. Honestly, it was cheaper than I expected, I was worried it might be the whole motor assembly! And to answer your question about other electrical issues, nope, it's been smooth sailing since the repair. The steering column adjustment has been working perfectly fine for over a year now. Just make sure to keep an eye on any moisture getting in there, that seems to be what causes these problems in the first place. Sounds like your repair was a bit more extensive since they replaced the motor too, so I'd expect your bill was probably higher than mine. But hey, at least it's fixed now and you can adjust your seat position again! These little electrical quirks can be such a pain with older BMWs, but they're great cars when everything's working right. Let me know if anything else pops up, always happy to share experiences!

Thanks for the detailed response! Yeah, my repair ended up being quite a bit more expensive, around 450 € with both the motor and connector replacement. Took my car to a new mechanic and honestly, I'm really happy with their service. The guy walked me through everything they found and even showed me the corroded parts. The repair went smoothly, took about three hours total. They also spotted and fixed a loose ground wire while they were in there, which might explain some other weird electrical issues I'd been having. The steering column's working perfectly now, feels like new actually! It's definitely a relief to have this fixed. You're right about keeping moisture out, the mechanic suggested using some silicone spray around the connections every few months as preventive maintenance. I've marked it in my maintenance schedule so I don't forget. Thanks again for all your help! Really glad I asked here before going back to my old mechanic. Now I can finally adjust my seat without having to push and pull it manually!