Transfer Case Actuator potential free fix!

I know this is a x3 form but I am having the same 4x4,dsc,brake light. errors on my e90 328xi that follows with a clicking noise after you shutdown the engine... almost sounds like someone pulling a e-brake... So i am guessing the ACTUATOR has gone bad. I will be pulling it this weekend to take a look just wondering if it will be the same setup or is it more like an e60?? Will any transfer case fluid, be lost when pulled?? if so whats the fluid type or a compatible fluid (d4atf redline)... might as well drain and refill...
Thanks

Originally Posted by tjspeed25

I know this is a x3 form but I am having the same 4x4,dsc,brake light. errors on my e90 328xi that follows with a clicking noise after you shutdown the engine... almost sounds like someone pulling a e-brake... So i am guessing the ACTUATOR has gone bad. I will be pulling it this weekend to take a look just wondering if it will be the same setup or is it more like an e60?? Will any transfer case fluid, be lost when pulled?? if so whats the fluid type or a compatible fluid (d4atf redline)... might as well drain and refill...
Thanks

Not sure if it will be the same as the X3 or not. From what others posted, no transfer case fluid involved.

BTW, if you do change fluid, you have to buy it from BMW. Expensive - around $50 per liter.

I followed your steps and all my systems are working perfect, ABS, 4x4, Self level suspention and Stability system all working fine, I have removed the motor by my self in 30 min, then I opened the motor to shift the gear by 180 degree, now its working properly, thank you very very very much for the help, I have saved around 2000AED like 400$ for used one,

Thsnks again boss

I followed your steps and all my systems are working perfect, ABS, 4x4, Self level suspention and Stability system all working fine, I have removed the motor by my self in 30 min, then I opened the motor to shift the gear by 180 degree, now its working properly, thank you very very very much for the help, I have saved around 2000AED like 400$ for used one,

Thanks again boss

hello there PBURNETT , well just made the repair today and magic ....its work to me
well i am very grateful and thanking you all day ..... i dont want to celebrate yet but its working!!!!!!
let me tell you my experience i had the abs brake and 4x4 ligths on and i had an oil leak in my transfer box , first arrange this leak but the lights were still on , i read your post an did the repair only that i didnt take off the motor and did take the metal cover and mine was almost half black gear damage (70k kms on mine ) , well i turned it to 180 o were no damage is put the cover back by pressing well and some hammer delicate job and put it back e voila !!!
thank you very much god bless you !!!
regards from mexico city

Originally Posted by jengstro

Actuator has been changed, 4x4 works ok now.

That "resistor" / wear indicator. I looked that from old one... I cannot understand how that "inductor?" can measure wear from the plain cover of the motor (on the inside theres no any holes on metal, what could measure rotation or anything?) . Looks a bit like BS to me.

Ok, if it measures the wear from main socket some funny way, but then what is that two wire additional small socket.

Thank you so much jengstro for replying to my pm... The servo motor in my e90 328xi was bad! i have included a few pics... The car has 60k... I ordered a new one from ECS Tuning for $480 shipped
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING ON HERE YOU SAVED ME HUNDRED!!!!!

hello there
no light on so far and working well , but i start having some clicking sound in low gear and taking off , and its coming from the transfer or actuator .....( before i did not have any clicking at all ) i disconect the actuator and no clicking but get the 4x4 light on ... take off the actuator turn more the gear but the clicking maybe get lees noisy .... any idea ????or maybe where i can get anew plastic gear ....but still happy with the fix !!

Who has the knowledge of casting the gear in metal and selling them for $80/piece? Id buy it.

Originally Posted by bluskye

Who has the knowledge of casting the gear in metal and selling them for $80/piece? Id buy it.

one guy here is actually working on machining them... hopefully he chimes in. I sent him the old one that I took pictures of in this thread so he has something to go off of.

i dont think doing them in metal would be much better, id rather replace with another plastic ala the ODO gears on the early bmws


i'd rather the gear in the actuator strip out vs what it is actuating....


either way it wouldnt be hard to have them machined or cast if i had a sample to work from

Originally Posted by Dominic49

i dont think doing them in metal would be much better, id rather replace with another plastic ala the ODO gears on the early bmws


i'd rather the gear in the actuator strip out vs what it is actuating....


either way it wouldnt be hard to have them machined or cast if i had a sample to work from

Hmm. That's an important consideration in this instance that hadn't occurred to me before: the gear may have been deliberately specified by BMW to be made of plastic for that very reason -- to allow it to be the designed failure point, rather than the actuator motor, should the system become jammed for one reason or another...

A plastic replacement gear might be a better alternative to a metal one at that...

Good points timfitz63. I hadn't thought of that. If "we" went down that route, we would also need to match the physcial properties of the same type of plastic as BMW uses... Or at least pretty close. It will be interesting to see what dgreen78's thoughts on this are.

I have this same issue and and have a couple questions. I have removed the motor from the actuator and can rotate the gear and see that us looks like the one in the fist pics. Is there a need to completely diaassemble the rest of the part? Should I use a degreaser to try to remove the shavings?

i would use a cleaner specific for electronic components http://www.amazon.com/CRC-Lectra-Mot.../dp/B003NTS890

I had the 3 lights about a year and a half ago. I turned the car off and then back on and the lights went out. This happened a couple more times and then just the 4x4 yellow light came on and has been on ever since. I have had a couple of indy shops try to turn the light off with no luck. I was told I would have to take it to the dealership. It is an 06 with 81k . Any ideas why this light might be on?

Originally Posted by lovoy7381

I had the 3 lights about a year and a half ago. I turned the car off and then back on and the lights went out. This happened a couple more times and then just the 4x4 yellow light came on and has been on ever since. I have had a couple of indy shops try to turn the light off with no luck. I was told I would have to take it to the dealership. It is an 06 with 81k . Any ideas why this light might be on?

you need a scanner that can pull the codes from that module. most euro indis should have access to tools that will

If not the the subject of this thread (actuator problem), hopefully just a reasonably priced sensor, but could be the expensive DSC module:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...99&postcount=4

Be sure to let us know the outcome.

I have done this repair today, same issue and at 59000 miles. The car lost its stability control, abs and 4 wheel drive, with 280 bhp our car is dangerous to drive without the electronics with the roads as they are.

Found this thread and thought I would have a go, and can report that the fix works fine. Have tested the car and given it a good thrashing on slimy roads today and it's as it should be as is my bank balance! So thank you for the fix, I have my own garage so this was easy for us to try, you need to support the gearbox and undo the gearbox mount bracket, not take it off just so it drops down to get access, then 4 bolts to drop the actuator out, undo the motor from the housing so as to release the worm drive from the worn cog, then turn the white cog half a turn, put the motor back home and refit assembled to the car. Job done and in less than 1hour, thanks again.

About to try this fix. Wish me luck. Im happy to read that many people have done it relatively easily.

It worked. It wasnt all that difficult. Thanks to all that figured this fix out and posted about it. I owe you one.

Hey everyone, I know we don't normally give out awards here, but as we're ticking down to New Year's Eve I wanted to nominate this thread and especially the first post for the Bimmerfest Post of the Year!

Congratulations and Thank You to pburnett!

I'll drink to that! Cheers, P.B.

I did exactly this, and the ABS and Brake lights disappeared and the XDrive is working properly now. However, the 4X4 light is still showing up. Anyone see this happen?

Just finished this earlier today. All the lights on my dash disappeared. It was a pain taking that metal cover off though. Thanks pburnett.

Originally Posted by angina

I did exactly this, and the ABS and Brake lights disappeared and the XDrive is working properly now. However, the 4X4 light is still showing up. Anyone see this happen?

ugh, now my ABS and Brake lights are back....