BMW X4 Cruise Control Failure: Common Causes & Fixes

Hey there! I have some experience working on BMWs, and I actually had a similar issue with my 2021 BMW X3 last year. It's a bit frustrating when these electronic features start acting up! In my case, it turned out to be a faulty wiring connection to the cruise control module. My trusted mechanic found that one of the plugs had corroded slightly, causing intermittent connection issues. The fix wasn't too complicated, they cleaned and reseated the connections, and replaced one damaged cable. Total bill came to about 95 Euro, and it's been working perfectly since then. Before jumping to conclusions though, could you share if you're getting any specific error codes? Also, did this start happening suddenly or was it gradual? Does your X4 show any other electrical issues? I'm familiar with both the X3 and X4, but each case can be different, so these details would help me give you more specific advice.

Hey! Thanks for the detailed response. I'm having the same exact issue with my 2023 X4 (35,850 KM, last serviced a month ago). Mine also started showing error messages suddenly while driving on the highway. The error code I'm getting is E-4587, and yes, no other electrical issues at all. Everything else works perfectly fine. I checked the plugs you mentioned, but they look clean and properly connected. Pretty frustrating since it's still practically a new car. Good to know about your experience though, at least it wasn't too expensive to fix! Did your mechanic mention any other potential causes I should look into before taking it to the shop?

Hey again! Thanks for the additional info about your X4. After you mentioned the E-4587 code and that your connections look clean, I'm thinking your issue might actually be different from what I experienced with mine. Now that I think about it, when my X3 had issues, it also threw a different error code (E-4532). While my problem was the corroded wiring, my mechanic actually mentioned that these symptoms can also be caused by a faulty brake light switch, it's a common issue in newer BMWs. The cruise control system needs input from the brake lights to function properly. Since you've already checked the connections and they're clean (which was my issue), I'd suggest having your brake light switch checked out. My mechanic showed me that these switches can fail internally even when they look perfectly fine from the outside. And since your car was recently serviced, maybe something got knocked loose during the maintenance? Definitely update us once you figure it out. I'm really curious if it's the brake switch or something else entirely. These electronic gremlins can be tricky to track down sometimes!

Thanks for the follow-up! That's really interesting about the brake light switch, I hadn't even considered that could be the culprit. I just went out and tested all my brake lights, and weirdly enough, I noticed the third brake light flickers slightly when pressed hard. That wasn't happening before, so you might be onto something there! I've scheduled an appointment with my BMW service center for next week. I'll definitely have them check the brake light switch first before they dive into anything more complicated. It's actually a relief to hear it might be something relatively straightforward, I was worried it'd be some major electronic system failure. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and knowledge. I'll definitely post an update once I get it sorted out. These modern cars are amazing when everything works, but tracking down electronic issues can be such a pain!