BMW iX1 Suspension Warning: Damping System Problems

Hey! I've got some experience with EVs and have dealt with a similar issue on my 2020 BMW iX3 (my second BMW after the i4). I'm not a pro mechanic, but I've got some decent experience with electric vehicles. Last year, I had almost the exact same symptoms, warning light and mushy suspension. Turned out to be a loose connection in the damping control module wiring. My workshop found that the cable connector wasn't properly seated, causing intermittent communication issues with the suspension system. The fix was pretty straightforward, they cleaned the connector, reseated it properly, and ran a diagnostic reset. Cost me 95 Euro for the whole job. The car's been perfect since then. Before I share more specific details though, could you tell me if you're getting any specific error codes? Also, does the suspension feel soft all the time or does it change? This would help me understand if you're dealing with the exact same issue I had.

Thanks for reaching out! I've got my iX1 at 124127 KM, and I've been dealing with this annoying suspension thing for about two weeks now. The error code keeps showing up pretty out of nowhere, usually after I've been driving for about 20 minutes or so. Really bugging me because it was all fine right after my last service. The suspension definitely feels worse when the car's been sitting for a while, especially first thing in the morning. Good to hear your fix was pretty straightforward, gives me hope it won't be anything too serious. I'll probably need to get it checked out soon though, just to be on the safe side. Have you noticed any other weird behavior with yours since the repair?

Hey again! Thanks for the follow-up about your iX1. You know what's interesting, after my repair, I did notice a few quirks that might be relevant to your situation. The symptoms you're describing sound really familiar, especially that bit about the suspension feeling worse after the car's been sitting. Mine did exactly the same thing before I got it fixed. Though I will say, even after the initial repair with the connector, I had a brief period where the warning light would occasionally flicker on during longer drives. I ended up going back to the workshop about a week after the first fix because of this. Turns out there was also a slight issue with the damping control sensor that they missed the first time around. They had to do a complete system recalibration, which solved everything for good. Since then (about 8 months now), it's been running perfectly smooth. No more warning lights, and the suspension feels exactly like it should, nice and firm when needed, but still comfortable. Given what you're describing with the timing of the error (20 mins into driving), I'd definitely suggest getting it checked sooner rather than later. My experience taught me that these things can sometimes be more interconnected than they first appear. Could you try checking if the error appears more frequently on rough roads? That might help narrow down if it's sensor-related like mine was.

Thanks so much for all that detailed info! That's super helpful, especially knowing about the secondary issue you had with the sensor. Now that you mention it, I have noticed the warning light does seem to pop up more often when I'm driving on rougher surfaces. Definitely going to book it in with my workshop next week, don't want to risk making things worse by waiting too long. Really appreciate you sharing your experience with the recalibration too. I'll make sure to mention both the connector and sensor possibilities when I take it in. Will probably save me some time and money if they check both right from the start. Thanks again for all your help, it's been really reassuring to hear from someone who's dealt with the same thing!