My car uses the date for the brake fluid service interval (or more correctly, the passing of 720 days since the last brake fluid service) and I think it also tags fault codes with date and time (along with mileage)... So my OCD requires I have the car's internal date/time correct.

You can leave the MID connection alone - no need to connect it to anything. The MID doesn't provide data (as such) to any other system so the car will function normally without it. However.... in MID-equipped cars, the MID provides the buttons and display for functions such as setting the time/date ...

If you are talking about the Business/Professional CD Player and radio that is all dash mounted (nothing in the boot, except maybe a 6-CD changer) then the "radio" isn't a radio - it's just a multi-funcntional information display - known as a MID, oddly enough. :roll: The MID has no audio ...

The PWM (square wave) signal is a 12v peak-to-peak signal. At 50% duty cycle an analogue voltmeter should indicate around 6v - not that you can see this on the e-blower test, as it's only 0% or 100%. Are you sure it was over-heating that damaged your A/C compressor? There are a lot of safety protect...

The square wave signal (PWM) is supplied directly from the the DDE (the engine ECU) so its not likely to be the problem. I suppose it could be a wiring fault between the DDE and the aux fan. You can perform a basic test of the PWM signal with a voltmeter - the voltmeter will simply display the avera...

The viscous coupling and fan is the one attached to the fan belt, behind the radiator. The aux fan is an electric fan in front of the radiator. In INPA the e-blower on and off are the only diagnostics available. It either runs 100% or it doesn't. If it doesn't it's dead and there should also be a co...

I’m not talking about your aux fan, I’m referring to the viscous fan as heat soak from condenser comes through the radiator it would start to engage more. Ie "ramp up" Those die too, although they usually either seize and run all the time or the bearing get VERY noisy (like mine did recen...

E-Blower item in the DDE is the aux fan. The interior blower is not controlled by the DDE (but by the IHKA).

You can test the aux fan using INPA. It's in the DDE (Engine) module, under the "Activation" menu. It's the first two items, E-Blower On and E-Blower Off.

There's two small electric motors inside the actuator - one to lock and one to unlock. Sounds like one has failed. The motors can be changed but it requires drilling out rivets to open the actuator assembly and obtaining suitable replacement motors. If this it not something you can do, then yeah, ne...

well just goes to show you learn something new, never even heard of the ventilation timer programme. just found the BMW OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS PAGES 89 & 90 shows how to guide IV Control 89-90.jpg for those who haven't got the booklet Thanks AND... while the manual doesn't state this.. DON'T us...

The cluster should never read SM - it's either S (sport) or M (manual) - never both together. It's really not happy... What a cluster-f..k….

BTW, the red indicator is the Vent timer icon. You have a vent timer programmed in the OBC..

From the manual..

Indicator lamp for the independent ventilation system

Lights up: The independent ventilation system is programmed

Flashes: The independent ventilation system is operating

Great fault finding so far, Rich - nearly there. :thumbsup: It looks like the missing (broken) pink wire is one of the data lines from the HU to the car. This would explain why communication signals to the DSP have been lost. I'll bet you also lost the steering wheel controls (volume etc.) but didn'...

Tonnes of info. on this task over at https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/x5-e53-forum/89748-front-wheel-bearing-r-r.html :thumbsup: And yeah, you're going to need quite a few special tools, including something like this... https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71RRSBGDmeL._SS1000_.jpg htt...