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2009 X5 35D Diesel Exhaust Urea Reservoir Problem

75K views 245 replies 69 participants last post by  da_menace 
#1 ·
Seems to be a problem with the Urea Storage/Injection system. At 1700 mi, my X5 displays a service warning that the "Exhaust Fluid is Low"; starting the mileage run down to prevent the vehicle from starting if the problem is not corrected. I checked for a leak & found no evidence of leakage whatsoever. This certainly should not be happening at 1700 mi. Annoying to say the least; undermining my confidence in the vehicle. Has anyone else experienced this situation?

Joe
 
#2 ·
Joe, Gabe had a problem with his urea tank. I think it blew a hose between 1400-1800 miles. Maybe he will see your post and let you know what happened. His car was purchased back by BMW and is waiting for a new one. I haven't had any problems and I have 1100 miles on mine.
Let us know what they find out.

Craig
 
#3 · (Edited)
Sounds like hiccups with a first year model. I'd expect a TSB or recall at some point if these urea problems continue. Hopefully won't be as big of a deal as the early e46 M3 engine problems were but it shouldn't be surprising that a new model has a few issues that may need to be resolved. I know that BMW diesels have been around in Europe for a while but is this setup in the U.S. competely new? Especially the urea design for meeting emissions here in the States?
 
#7 ·
So I guess we are the "Beta Test" for BMW to get the urea system sorted out. Since they build all the X5 diesels here it is funny they would build two versions, one for North American use and one for export. Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me from a economy of scale standpoint.
 
#9 ·
Update

The dealer refilled both tanks (passive & active). The passive tank was empty. The tech could not tell if there was a leak as we had a severe snowstorm today leaving the vehicle dripping melting snow from everywhere. He said he wasn't sure if the vehicle was shipped with the tank partially full. The new vehicle delivery checklist did not include topping off the urea tanks. Time will tell. If this recurrs within another 2000 mi, then there is definitely an abnormal situation unfolding. I'm skeptical.
 
#14 ·
No, Gabe lives in CA. I hope mine doesn't start leaking. I took mine on the highway today,
90% highway, 10% city, got 23.824 MPG @ 80 MPH...

When it's cold here, my mileage isn't great in the city, about 17 MPG in cold
weather. When it warmed up a couple weeks ago, it was about 20 MPG city.
It should improve with break in and warmer weather/ summer blend diesel also...

Craig
 
#15 ·
I live in CT where we are having one of the coldest winters on record. My average temps within a week of the low level indication were in the teens & twenties. The urea solution freezes at 23 deg. F. The passive tank is not heated & will freeze. The active tank, pump & devilery tubes are heated on the active tank. So I know my passive tank was frozen from time to time. The dealer said the tank was in fact empty altogether. The info on the system does say that more frequent refills of the active tank will be required in cold weather. No reason is given but it is readily recognizable that this would be due to the passive tank being frozen, thus unable to allow for a pump transfer to refill the active tank. All that being said, I'm still not sure what happened. I'm waiting for BMW to respond as to whether the cars are shipped with the tanks full.

Joe
 
#17 ·
What color is the urea? Blue?
 
#18 ·
Urea solution freezes at 23 degrees? Some bright spark at BMW is not paying attention. That is unsat, it makes the car undrivable at temperatures below 23 degees. What about "wind chill when the car in in motion, would that also freeze the tank? I wonder if M-B is having this problem with their brand of urea solution? I guess since the urea equipped cars are not sold in Europe then not a lot of attention was paid to what would happen in the colder parts of North America. Perhaps a block heater would help, but only if you were parked where there was an outlet. Back to the drawing board!
 
#106 ·
Urea solution freezes at 23 degrees? Some bright spark at BMW is not paying attention. That is unsat, it makes the car undrivable at temperatures below 23 degees.
That's why they have the two tank system. If they didn't need to heat it, they'd just have one tank I expect.

The large semi diesels will also need heated tanks for their DEF, it's just the nature of the chemistry. It's an industry-wide, not just BMW, issue.

If they system works as designed, you should be able to go about 2,000 between active tank refills if the passive tank is frozen, i.e., as long as the passive tank melts within 2,000 miles, no problem. If not, you have to add DEF to the active tank every couple of thousand miles.

Not a perfect solution,but acceptable, at least to me.
 
#21 ·
Hi Joe I had a 35d with the first blown Urea Hose. TAKE IT TO THE DEALER!!! Look under it and remove the heat shield covers under the passenger seat. My X5 had what looked like dried chuncked baking soda, all the way back to the rear Diff.Muffler, etc.

During assembly the hose from the pump to the active tank was kinked when the pump turned on it blew the black plastic line and bingo!

Have your Dealer contact BMW asap so they can start the process of getting you a new hose!!!
 
#22 ·
FireGabe,

Appreciate the info. I suspect I'll be dealing with this again shortly. BMW USA tells me that the tanks should have been full from the factory, so I should not have run out at 1700 mi. They didn't offer that there was a potential problem with a kinked hose. It won't be long before the fluid runs low again if I do in fact have a leak.
 
#28 ·
Fire Gabe,

The dealer didn't find a leaking hose, although I don't know that they looked real hard. If I have another incident I'll get on them to doublecheck the delivery hose. It's been about 700 miles (2400 mi. tota) since the Low Level reading came on, so far so good.
 
#31 ·
Ok Please, can everyone please post thier production date? My door jam said Dec.1st

Also please wash the bottom of your X5! and where you park it. I have dogs and it left many D.E.F. puddles on my driveway. (by the way it is a corrosive amonia if you look it up in the adblue website.
 
#37 ·
hehe yes the computer takes it so seriously! It really wants you to understand that after 999 miles it won't start period but all you have to do is add some fluid and your good.

Sean81 I think that by now, with a current build date Say mid FEB. 2009 till now they have fixed the assembly issue. yes DEF is diesel exhaust fluid.
 
#43 ·
Hi Craig & Gabe,

I'm scheduled to bring the truck in on Thursday, so nothing to report until then. The countdown to selfdestruction is at 850mi so I'll make it til Thursday in good fashion. I did tell the dealer that a suitable loaner would be an X5 35D Black Sapphire Tobacco Nevada or as my second choice an X6 X Drive 50i. I'm riding them pretty hard on this. I shared your info as they readily admit this a completely new system to them. What was the VIN on your X5 that got taken back? I'd like to have that in my back pocket in case they start giving me non sensical information. Thus far they claim there are no known problems with the system, to which I reply - Of course not, it just hit the market so any bugs are now just coming to the surface. If they do try to pull a hose out of one of the cars on the lot, what guarantee is that that its not kinked?

Craig - say your prayers. Good Luck.
 
#45 ·
Yes it's a joy of a new car, I have had great luck with BMW untill I got that X5 I really really liked it so when MY2010 comes out I will get another.

Joe there isn't a gaurantee it's not kinked! However!! If it isn't damaged then it will be installed into UN Kinked :) PLEASE IT IS A VERY HIGH PRESSURE LINE! DONOT LET THEM CUT THE KINK AND REPLACE IT WITH A RUBBER HOSE !!!!!!!!!!!
 
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