bmw tagged posts

BMW X3 muffler rattle fix for no cost

BMW X3 E83 muffler

For about 6 months now I’ve been experiencing a BMW X3 muffler rattle. At first I ignored it but as it became more persistent and embarrassing, I decided to get under the car and troubleshoot it. All the connections under the car were firm and in good condition. What was causing the muffler rattle that sort of sounded like an aluminum can in my exhaust? I also noted, it only seemed to happen on start up, idle, and when the car was under no load decelerating.

I took a video and pasted it below with more details. Basically, there is a baffle in the right exhaust pipe that opens and closes based on a vacuum line. At idle and no load, the baffle closes and it opens once the engine starts winding up. It’s also closed when the car is off...

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BMW X3 reverse and brake light LED bulb replacement

X3 with LED front and rear lights

My latest project for the X3 reverse involved switching all the turn signals out to LED lights. I upgraded the X3 reverse lights to LEDs as well, and wrote up the procedure to do it yourself below.



That gap between the tailgate and plastic interior cover is where you need to make your attack

That gap between the tailgate and plastic interior cover is where you need to make your attack

How to get at the lights inside the tailgate of your BMW X3


The biggest factor to accessing the X3 reverse and brake lights in the X3 tailgate is having the right tool. I highly recommend this trim tab removal tool I purchased on Amazon.com since there are close to a dozen plastic tabs you need to unsnap to access the tailgate lights. I purchased the tool, then opened the tailgate in my garage to a point that made it easy to access the gap between the outer tailgate and interior plastic cover.

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BMW X3 wiper fluid leak motor and tank repair (E83)

A plastic Wiper fluid tank

Recently I noticed a wiper fluid leak on the floor of my garage near the BMW X3.  Around that same time my windshield wiper fluid light came on as well.  It turned out I had a bad wiper fluid pump motor which was causing a leak. It was easy to repair and I took some photos and documented the repair procedure below. Update: And now there’s also a YouTube video.

The wiper fluid tank is easy to remove, a single screw at the top secures the tank (if standing in front of the vehicle)
2008 BMW X3 wiper fluid leak with the tank installed


Remove the screw and set it aside. Tilt the tank upward and you’ll notice plastic tabs on the tank secure it to the car, gently pull the tank free so you can tilt it out further. At this point, you might want to empty the wiper fluid from the tank, I used a cooler because it was close by and I could reuse the fluid and hose out the cooler afterwards. You don’t have to completely empty the tank, I emptied enough fluid to handle the tank more easily. Sit the tank back into the compartment but oriented so you can work on the motors which you should be able to see now. Be mindful not to disturb the wires or hoses just yet. You should see at least two motors attached to the tank, perhaps three. My car does not have the cold weather package which uses a pump and would go above the two other pumps. You can see the place it attaches in the photo above.

Evaluating the wiper fluid leak, tank, and motor:


At this point I could see fluid had been le...

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Complete 2007-2008-2009 BMW X3 oil change procedure for 3.0si (E83)

Oil, ramps, catch bucket, filter This was a pretty simple and clean procedure to do to my 2008 BMW X3 3.0si, and I'm sure it saved me some money doing it myself.Read More