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GisiSchwarz
BMW X5 Fogging & Climate Control Mystery Needs Solving
4 comment(s)
GisiSchwarz (Author)
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! That's really helpful since it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. My symptoms are identical to what you described. I'm relieved to hear it wasn't anything catastrophic. Can you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the repair? Also, has everything stayed working properly since then, or have you noticed any other electrical quirks popping up? I'm trying to get a sense of whether this is likely a one-time fix or if I should be prepared for more issues down the road with my X5.
WolfWag
Hey there! Just wanted to follow up since you asked about the costs and long-term results. I paid 95 € for the repair, it was basically just fixing a bad cable connection and cleaning up some corroded parts in the sensor plug. Pretty straightforward job once they knew what to look for. I'm happy to report that everything's been working perfectly since I got it fixed about 8 months ago. No more foggy windows, the AC works like a charm, and those washer nozzles are heating up properly now. Haven't had a single electrical issue pop up since then. Honestly, once they sorted out that connector problem, it was like having a completely different car. The climate control system works exactly as it should now. I was worried at first that other electrical gremlins might show up, but nope, it really was just that one faulty connection causing all the trouble. Sounds like you've got the same issue I had, so hopefully it'll be a similarly quick and permanent fix for your X5 too. These BMWs are solid cars once you get these little niggles sorted out.
GisiSchwarz (Author)
Thanks for the detailed follow-up! I bit the bullet and took my X5 to a new mechanic yesterday. You were spot on, it was exactly the same issue with the wiring harness. The repair was actually cheaper than I expected, came to about 85 bucks including parts and labor. They found corrosion in pretty much the same spot you mentioned. The mechanic was great, showed me exactly what was wrong and fixed it in about an hour. Drove home with perfectly clear windows and working AC for the first time in weeks! The washer nozzles are working properly too now. Really glad I asked here first, saved me from stressing about potentially major problems and helped me know exactly what to tell the mechanic. Fingers crossed it'll stay fixed like yours did. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it made dealing with this whole situation so much easier!
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WolfWag
Had the exact same issue on my 2018 BMW X3 last winter. The fog sensor and AC problems turned out to be related to a faulty wiring harness connection near the climate control module. Got it checked at the garage and they found corroded pins in the main connector plug. The windows fogging up was because the system wasn't getting proper readings from the humidity sensor. The frozen washer nozzles were also linked to this since the heating elements weren't getting power. It wasn't a major mechanical issue, but it definitely needed proper diagnosis and repair. The technician had to clean the connections and replace part of the wiring harness. The car's been working perfectly since then, all climate functions and sensors are back to normal. If you're seeing similar symptoms, I'd recommend getting it checked soon before winter really hits. These electrical gremlins can be tricky to diagnose but usually aren't too serious if caught early.