[swainbmw]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

Trying to make sense out of all this.. .. Looks like the hose snaps into its hole atop the xfer case and the other end of the vent hose does the same into some other part so it appears that if both ends were properly attached, the xfer case is then sealed from the outside world. I don't see where there's anything to lock it into place, like a screw or clip for example. It might have an o-ring to help seal it, can't quite tell from the pic but it's in a location that is just about impossible for anything to be able to touch it even if you were driving through a jungle. Personally if the tube was properly snapped into place, I would find it pretty dang difficult to believe water forced it up and out of its hole.
- There is a protective belly pan that needs to be removed in order to gain access to that area and the vent tube is not in a user accessible area during routine maintenance for anything
- Are you the original owner? If so, then you know all the places the car has had any sort of service work done, right?
- Has it been into service for any drivetrain, driveshaft related work?
- Could it be that the factory did not properly snap it into place and it was just resting atop the vent hole all this time? I would ask your service manage what holds it in place?
- Is it possible that during one of the service appts, the hose was removed and not properly snapped back into its hole? Then with enough water pressure it was moved up and out of the hole so some water could get in?
- Is it also possible that water ingress could be a major reason why we see [...]

Absolutely everything you’ve said, and wants not to stop it from happening again on your dime

[eelnoraa]

Originally Posted by 2heeldrive

I can understand why BMW isn't interested in taking care of it.

Unless the breather hose was not installed properly at the factory, I don't see that they have any liability here.

That's a lot of water in the oil... perhaps the water was deeper than it looked, or a pressure wave built up under the car. How is the transmission, differential, driveshaft, etc.? Have they been checked for water intrusion?

I think your best course of action is to get your insurance company involved. Flood/water damage should be covered under the comprehensive part of your policy.

Good Luck!

Sorry, I really cannot agree to this. In order to deny warranty for this, there must be a sight of mis-use or damage. For example, say if they see scruff mark on transfer case pointing to transfer case make contact with something ... If the breath tube was not install properly at factory, or get knocked loose during normal operation, isn't this exactly why there is a warranty? why shouldn't this be covered?

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

Sorry, I really cannot agree to this. In order to deny warranty for this, there must be a sight of mis-use or damage. For example, say if they see scruff mark on transfer case pointing to transfer case make contact with something ... If the breath tube was not install properly at factory, or get knocked loose during normal operation, isn't this exactly why there is a warranty? why shouldn't this be covered?

Agreed, I see this as the same as those poor folks who had flooded interior footwells because the sunroof drain was not properly connected from the sunroof down through and to the outside. BMW warranty fixed that for them.

ok, we still don't know the whole story but .. ..

[fstezaws]

If a driver was grossly negligent in how the car was used, beyond what a normal average driver would do, then ya I would agree that it shouldn't be covered under warranty.

But this was as regular a driving experience as one might expect from "real world" conditions.

If BMW states that you shouldn't go beyond 20" of water depth, then ya it should be the customer's fault regardless of whether or not the customer knew about the 20" depth threshold. I could fault BMW for not properly training a customer on some of the known risks and tolerances of the vehicle's use, but if it's in the owner's manual then it's on the owner to read up on it.

I certainly didn't know about the 20" depth rating, but I would imagine that sounds like a reasonable depth.

But I can guarantee that BMW would be selling WAY fewer vehicles than they are currently if the selling dealership were required to inform customers prior to purchase that their flagship SAV could be damaged by driving through 4-6" of water.

Are there chances that a manufacturer has tested the utmost limits of the vehicle? Absolutely, because that would be close to impossible. But, in the chance that these fluke accidents happen, I do expect a leading luxury brand to be generous in how they approach the solution to these problems. I fully expect that no significant damage was done to the internals of the transfer case, so not even offering to do a fluid change to see if it improves is a shocking diagnosis.

And it's even more aggravating when there are, at the current time of posting, 4-5 other posts in this forum about transfer case issues on the G05 so its not like this is a completely foreign experience (albeit my issue is the only one that seems to be affected by water ingress).

[fstezaws]

Picked up the car today to start putting some miles in in hopes of the transfer case normalizing (per the service bulletin linked in the original post).

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by fstezaws

Picked up the car today to start putting some miles in in hopes of the transfer case normalizing (per the service bulletin linked in the original post).

Refresh my mind, did they replace the xfer case or just the oil?

[White340]

If water can only enter from a breather tube 20” and above, I still don’t get how 5” of water rose up 15” and into that tube. Maybe I missed it in the comments.

[eelnoraa]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

Refresh my mind, did they replace the xfer case or just the oil?

I think just fluid.

[biterror]

Originally Posted by White340

If water can only enter from a breather tube 20” and above, I still don’t get how 5” of water rose up 15” and into that tube. Maybe I missed it in the comments.

Here they say you have to drive very slow (like the 3 mph mentioned by OP) in "deep" water because otherwise you make waves and splashes which can easily go up to your windscreen and even higher.

[fstezaws]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

Refresh my mind, did they replace the xfer case or just the oil?

Yes, they did a fluid change and recalibration. Per this service bulletin that addresses transfer case binding with a fluid change and recalibration. It states that "The new transfer case oil will still need to fully saturate the clutch plates inside the transfer case (up to 125 miles). The shuddering should diminish during this run-in period before completely smoothing out."

So I'm going through this "run-in" period to see if it smoothes out before taking further action.

Originally Posted by biterror

Here they say you have to drive very slow (like the 3 mph mentioned by OP) in "deep" water because otherwise you make waves and splashes which can easily go up to your windscreen and even higher.

Ya I was not driving in any water that was remotely close to 20" deep. And if driving in 3-5" of water depth at speeds greater than 3mph would potentially cause damage, then BMW showcases (in the videos linked) the car being used in scenarios where it would likely cause the damage that I have experienced.

I have no idea how a breather tube could become dislodged from the water I was driving through, so either the tube is way too fragile, the seals were not sealed, or something else caused by a manufacturing defect.

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by fstezaws

Yes, they did a fluid change and recalibration. Per this service bulletin that addresses transfer case binding with a fluid change and recalibration.

Thanks. Did they charge you for any of it so far?

[chefwong]

Is there a drain plug on it. I believe in a past thread, there wasn't and the poster used a compressor - air to blow out as much and maybe did 2 refills ?

Regardless, if water got in, how/what process was used to remove any contamination that could have entered in the same hole the water came in..

[fstezaws]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

Thanks. Did they charge you for any of it so far?

The service manager comped this for me, for which I was appreciative. I somewhat think he is empathetic to me that this should be covered but his hands are tied.

Originally Posted by chefwong

Is there a drain plug on it. I believe in a past thread, there wasn't and the poster used a compressor - air to blow out as much and maybe did 2 refills ?

Regardless, if water got in, how/what process was used to remove any contamination that could have entered in the same hole the water came in..

I didn't asks specifically, but it did cross my mind to ask whether they will do another fluid change in 100 miles to make sure all potential non-DTF fluid was removed.

[IFlyX5]

Originally Posted by cellarrat

A jaded or suspicious mind might say that the foliage looks stuck in there post hoc. Not me, you understand, but someone who is skeptical.

Exactly my thought. There is no way the "debris" could have gotten there and stayed there in such a "neat" way like pictured. Someone must have planted the "debris" there for the purpose of, "Here is the proof."

[Blue87]

I appreciate the info! This post make me apprehensive of driving in the rain with this X5. The other transfer case post have caused me to not be surprised if it fails due to inadequate fluid. We get a decent amount of rain in the STL area and lucky I don't live in an area that's proned to flooding.

I looking forward to an update after the 125 mile run-in.

[Bking60]

Does the 6 cyl have this breather tube?

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by Bking60

Does the 6 cyl have this breather tube?

Yes, it is the same.

[mitch57]

I live in the Pacific Northwest 50 miles south of the Canadian border. It rains all the time here in the winter and we often have an inch or two of standing water on some spots on the freeways. I've hit those hard to see patches doing 70 mph. You can imagine how much water splashes up when you hit it going that fast. I have an X7 which is a bigger vehicle but I have never had an issue with water ingress.

Additionally, there is a road where I live that frequently floods with over a foot of water. Sometimes more. I've also driven through that flooded patch many times at slow speeds under 5 mph and never had an issue with water ingress driving through that water either.

This road is monitored during those flood events and the county does close the road when it get to deep. At a minimum, there are warning signs stating "Water over Roadway" prior to approaching the flooded areas. I've lived here for 28 years and have never had an water ingress issue driving through this flooded section of roadway with any of the many vehicles I've owned during that 28 year period. Including my 2020 X7.

[Bking60]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

Yes, it is the same.

Any chance that forward facing tube can just be turned to the rear?

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by Bking60

Any chance that forward facing tube can just be turned to the rear?

I wouldn't think so.

[GREENPUS]

Originally Posted by Blue87

I appreciate the info! This post make me apprehensive of driving in the rain with this X5. The other transfer case post have caused me to not be surprised if it fails due to inadequate fluid. We get a decent amount of rain in the STL area and lucky I don't live in an area that's proned to flooding.

I looking forward to an update after the 125 mile run-in.

I live in an area that always floods on the East side of STL and I blast through the water on flooded roads. The only car I do not is my Corolla. It floats too much

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by Bking60

Any chance that forward facing tube can just be turned to the rear?

I'm curious, why are you asking if it can be turned to the rear?