BMW X3 Fan Failure Causing Overheating Crisis

I experienced similar issues with my 2019 BMW X5 last summer. The symptoms you're describing match what I faced, engine overheating and limp mode activation. After inspection at the garage, it turned out the cooling fan wasn't spinning because of a faulty wiring connection to the fan control module. The wire harness had some wear and created a poor connection. The mechanic traced the circuit and found the exact spot where the connection was compromised. The fix involved replacing the damaged section of the wiring harness and securing the connections properly. It wasn't a major repair in terms of components, but finding the exact issue required detailed diagnostic work. The car has been running perfectly fine since then, no overheating issues for the past 8 months. Given your symptoms, I'd suggest getting the electrical connections checked first before replacing the entire fan assembly. Worth having a qualified BMW technician look at it since electrical issues can be tricky to diagnose correctly.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! That's really helpful info about the wiring harness. If you don't mind me asking, what did the repair end up costing you? Also, have you noticed any other cooling-related issues pop up since getting it fixed? My X3's been giving me grief and I'm trying to get an idea of what I might be looking at cost-wise.

Hey there! Happy to give you an update about my repair costs. I actually just got it fixed last week and it set me back 95 €, turned out to be exactly what I thought, just a faulty cable connection to the fan control module. Pretty straightforward fix, honestly. Since getting it sorted, my X5's been running like a dream, no more overheating issues or any other cooling problems. The fan's working perfectly now, which is such a relief. It's amazing how something as simple as a bad connection can cause such headaches! I feel pretty lucky it wasn't anything more serious. Sometimes with BMWs you expect the worst when these things pop up, but this time it was just a basic electrical fix. The mechanic did a great job finding and fixing the issue quickly. My advice would be to get it checked out soon, better to catch these things early before they turn into bigger problems. Hope this helps give you a better idea of what you might be looking at cost-wise. Let me know if you need any other info about the repair!

Just wanted to update everyone, got my X3 fixed yesterday and what a relief! Found a new mechanic who really knew their stuff. Turned out my issue was similar but slightly different from what you experienced. The fan motor itself had gone bad, not just the wiring. Parts and labor came to more than yours at about 400, but honestly, it was worth every penny. The whole process was pretty smooth, dropped it off in the morning and picked it up same day. The mechanic showed me the old fan unit and explained everything clearly. No more overheating warnings, and the engine's running cooler than it has in months! They even did a quick inspection of the rest of the cooling system while they were at it, which gave me peace of mind. Really appreciate everyone's input here, helped me feel more confident about what needed to be done. Now I can finally stop worrying every time I drive! Thanks again for all the advice.