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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    3
    My Cars
    E36

    Wipers not working on 2001 X5

    The wipers on my wife's 2001 X5 4.4 suddenly stopped working.

    1. Rear wipers are fine
    2. Fuse checks out okay
    3. Front windshield washer also stopped working
    4. Wiper motor is not running, therefore it is not a linkage problem

    I suspect a defective relay, or control module (if this car has one).

    Where is the wiper relay located? Is there a separate wiper control module? where is it?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    alabama
    Posts
    5,537
    My Cars
    2002 bmw 325
    the wiper control module is the motor itself. try unplugging it for a few minutes and see what it does.

    Does anything else on the wheel work. I have seen the wiper stalks go bad more than the motors. Just trying to eliminate the slip ring being bad.

    If they are the same I have a wiper stalk for a E46.
    02 BMW 325
    13 MB GLK350
    94 GMC sonoma 4x4 - hpd30/8.8 - toy
    15 MB GLA250 (wife's)
    01 Pontiac WS6 - Garage Queen
    12 RAM CC Hemi powered - new DD

    GOIN BROKE BUT N STYLE

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    3
    My Cars
    E36
    I found that the problem was one of the bolts that holds the wiper motor had come loose. The linkage arm then got stuck on the bolt head and jammed the motor.

    I removed the bolt, put some Locktite and torqued it. Wipers now work as they should. Apparently this is a common problem on the X5.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    alabama
    Posts
    5,537
    My Cars
    2002 bmw 325
    thanks for the update. I have never seen it, but I am not saying it dont happen
    02 BMW 325
    13 MB GLK350
    94 GMC sonoma 4x4 - hpd30/8.8 - toy
    15 MB GLA250 (wife's)
    01 Pontiac WS6 - Garage Queen
    12 RAM CC Hemi powered - new DD

    GOIN BROKE BUT N STYLE

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    3
    My Cars
    E36
    I found this post from another X5 owner that had the same problem.

    http://www.complaints.com/directory/...uary/20/10.htm

    I wonder how many wiper motors have been replaced when in fact the only problem were loose mounting bolts. I must say that after the fuse, relay and switch checked out okay I was ready to conclude that the wiper motor must be bad. Luckily I spotted a shinny area on a mounting bolt which did not look quite right.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    columbia
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2001 X5
    I have to add my thanks for this thread.
    My wife's X5 wipers quit this morning. We were scheduled for a service next week anyway, but we're in the midst of rain/sleet, so driving around for 5 days with no wipers isn't a good idea..

    So I HAD first checked the fuse, then popped off the service cover panel (large plastic part surrounding the air filter cover), but didn't see anything amiss..

    So anyway, I hit this page, saw your experience, and thought I'd better go back and double-check it.

    Sure enough, the motor arm was jammed on top of the bottom motor bolt. It was hidden so I didn't see originally.. but a quick 2 minutes with my 14mm and 10mm sockets, and my wipers work perfectly..

    FWIW, if somebody else is doing it, the motor bolt itself is a 14mm, and has a nylon flat washer beneath it. The 3 motor mount bolts are 10mm..

    thanks to this site - - I've saved around $1000 in service costs, in just the past three months... :thumb

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Baltimore MD
    Posts
    11
    My Cars
    1990 525i

    Lo and Behold!!

    This site has saved my life and my pocket....again and again. Today, in the midst of the heavist rain (due to have more thanks to Hurricane Irene) my wipers stop working - mid winshield. Did all of the above and more. I talked to one of my independent mechanics, he didn't have time to see me, but the other one did. Took two hours and nothing but a suggestion to replace the general module which costs upwards of $600.

    After reading this, I went to the toolbox and gave it a whirl, I had to move the arms into a position to get to the bolt, but sure 'nuf, after tightening, the wipers work like they're supposed to. HOLLLLLEEEERRRR!!!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Komoka Canada
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    2002 BMW x5
    This thread also saved me ! All the bolts on my motor were loose ! Well done guys !

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Parker, Colorado
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2001 X5
    This is such a timesaver, same thing happened to my wife. Rear wipers OK, front wipers stopped suddenly. Found this post, took out air filter, saw wiper arms, checked bolts, all tight, but did not see the bolt the arm was hung up on. Moved wipers straight up to uncover bolt, sure enough, bolt was 1/4 inch back out causing the wiper arms to hand on the bolt. Tightened the bolt, wipers work perfectly! Thanks to everyone here who posted, saved me at least $400 and took literally 15 minutes start to finish to fix this.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Brooklyn,ny
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2001 BMW x5
    Quote Originally Posted by thecarnut View Post
    I found that the problem was one of the bolts that holds the wiper motor had come loose. The linkage arm then got stuck on the bolt head and jammed the motor.

    I removed the bolt, put some Locktite and torqued it. Wipers now work as they should. Apparently this is a common problem on the X5.


    Wow....same issue, as stated, the bolt was loose, took me all but 20 mins to complete.


    thanks again for posting
    Last edited by Pineman8605; 11-20-2013 at 11:37 PM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2002 X5 4.6is
    Once again, bimmer forum comes through. Just finished tightening the bolt under the wiper arm and no problem working again and living in Vancouver, wipers are essential!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2002 BMW X5
    Dudes, stressed out when my wipers stopped working. Quick Google and found this thread, thank you so much! What a quick fix for what seemed like a much bigger($) project

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Maple Valley, WA
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    2004 BMW M3 convertible
    Quote Originally Posted by nofriends760 View Post
    Dudes, stressed out when my wipers stopped working. Quick Google and found this thread, thank you so much! What a quick fix for what seemed like a much bigger($) project
    Just holy crap guys.. same thing as everyone else as far as sudden emergency, and instant fix! My partner called me, DRIVING awful rainstorm... her wipers just stopped.. wait what?!

    Called my local shop I trust.. maybe fuse.. maybe relay.. maybe motor..

    Called my local STEALership... $75 for a $35 part elsewhere...

    Checked the forums... PRICELESS!

    The lower bolt head of that triad on the plate holding down the motor was up and clearly hanging up the carrier plate for the wiper arms. I lifted the plate up enough to clear the bolt head, tightened it back down with verve (10mm) and BANG everything works!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Columbia South Carolina
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2002 BMW X5
    Glad I came across this thread. Last Saturday as I was leaving my drive, my wipers just stopped mid windshield; and yes it was raining!!!!. Being a mechanic, my first thought was fuse or relay, but both of those checked out.
    Now, I bought this car from my uncle recently, and it is in really good shape for a 2002, but as all things get older they start to have little nagging issues. so, I just chalked this up to one of them. ( Just last week had to replace the rear suspension air bags for the air ride system) I have worked all my life on American cars, so this BMW is a little different animal for me. Long story short.....i came here for some insight before diving head long into a wiper motor change.....which is what I though my problem to be......but what do you KNOW.......After following the advise here.....sure enough it was the Bolt!!!! You could even see the head was much shiner than the other two...so it had been rubbing for awhile before it got hung up on the wiper arm.
    Thanks to all who have posted here about this issue!!! Save me money, time and effort on a wiper motor change!!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Kent, Wa, USA
    Posts
    13
    My Cars
    BMW X5, Dodge Stealth TT
    Big thank you. I was about 2 blocks from work in a heavy down pour and they stopped. Checked the fuse, nope. Tried to move them manually and then with the switch and they moved about 1in. I knew it was getting power. Pulled the rubber seals, cabin air filter vent cover and tightened the lower 3rd bolt 4 turns. Done. $$$$ in the pocket.

    Thanks again

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2001 BMW X5
    I had a very similar experience. Wipers stopped while raining, almost at the bottom of the sweep pattern. Fuse checked out OK, rear wiper worked fine, front washer worked briefly, then stopped. One of the bolts holding the wiper motor was very loose and blocking things, bolt head was shiny. Tightened all 3 bolts up, put everything back together and now it's working better than ever. Thanks to everyone here who shared their experience which encouraged me to investigate this possibility.

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