BMW X5 Multi-System Failure: Clutch Switch the Culprit?

Hey there! I had a somewhat similar issue with my 2016 BMW X3 last year. I have some basic car maintenance experience, mostly dealing with simple repairs. The symptoms you're describing sound very familiar. My X3 was showing multiple electrical gremlins, including cruise control issues and starting problems. After a frustrating week, I took it to my trusted mechanic who found it was actually a faulty wiring connection at the clutch pedal sensor. The cables had become loose and corroded. Total repair cost was 95 Euro, mainly labor for tracking down the issue and replacing the damaged connection. Can you share more details about your X5? Like when did these issues start appearing? Did they all come at once or gradually? Also, have you noticed any pattern, like do the problems get worse in certain conditions? This info would help determine if you're dealing with the same issue I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My X5 just hit 115587 KM and these issues started popping up about two weeks ago. Initially, it was just the gear display acting up, but then everything else followed pretty quickly. The problems seem worse when the engine's cold, especially in the morning. I actually checked the wiring around the clutch pedal after reading your comment, and I noticed some of the connections look pretty sketchy, definitely some corrosion there. Might be worth mentioning I had my last service about 3 months ago, but these issues weren't present then. Really hoping it's just a wiring issue like yours and not something more serious. Gonna get it checked out this week, but your feedback gives me some hope it won't break the bank!

Hey again! Thanks for those extra details about your X5. You know what? That's exactly how mine started too, the gear display going wonky first, then everything else piling on. And yeah, those cold morning starts were the absolute worst! After dealing with my X3's issues last year, your description sounds spot-on with what I experienced. The corrosion you spotted on those connections is probably your smoking gun. Mine looked pretty similar, all crusty and gross around the wiring. Since you've got about the same mileage as I had (mine was at 112000 KM when this happened), I'd bet good money you're dealing with the same problem. Quick tip though, after my repair, I asked my mechanic to apply some dielectric grease on the new connections to prevent future corrosion. It's been over a year now and everything's still working perfectly. You might want to ask your mechanic to do the same when they fix yours. Let us know how it goes after you get it checked out! I'm really curious if it turns out to be the same issue. These BMWs are great cars, but they sure can throw some weird electrical curveballs at us sometimes!

Thanks so much for all the detailed feedback, especially about the dielectric grease tip! Just got back from the mechanic and you'll never believe it, it was exactly what you described! The wiring connections at the clutch pedal sensor were totally corroded, and there was even a small break in one of the cables. My mechanic said it's actually a fairly common issue in these models. Total repair cost came to about 120 for parts and labor, which honestly feels like a bargain considering all the symptoms it was causing. They cleaned up all the connections, replaced the damaged wiring, and used that dielectric grease you mentioned to protect against future corrosion. The car's running perfectly now, all the warning lights are gone, gear display is working, and everything's back to normal. Such a relief it wasn't something more serious! Really appreciate everyone's help here, especially sharing your similar experiences. It definitely helped me point the mechanic in the right direction and saved a lot of diagnostic time. Now I know what to look out for in the future. Guess these BMWs really do have their quirks, but at least this one was a relatively easy fix!