[samchuang33]

BMW has sent some image of the differential. As u can see, the impact of hitting the pot hole has actually pop out the drive shaft so it is actually sitting at an angle from the diff.

I dont think there is any other way the drive shaft could have come off without physical impacting force to push it out of angle. So what must have happen is that the pot hole initially push the shaft out of angle slightly and continious driving the car afterwards actually made it pop out completely.

[bcoz]

Originally Posted by samchuang33

I hit a large pot hole last Friday on my X5 and ever since I had a strange vibration on the front left wheel.

Originally Posted by samchuang33

BMW has sent some image of the differential. As u can see, the impact of hitting the pot hole has actually pop out the drive shaft so it is actually sitting at an angle from the diff.

Go back to the scene of the 'accident' and take some pictures of the pot hole before the council fills it in. You may need the evidence for any possible insurance claim.

Good Luck!

[zenderm3]

Originally Posted by samchuang33

Really?!

I get SA to check if they do honour the 2 year warranty on geniune parts regardless of where the part is sourced from.

Sam - any genuine parts ordered (irrespective of location) carry a 2yr warranty locally. I verified this when I was ordering some genuine parts.

Good luck!

[johnnydad]

Damn! That's nasty - surely insurance would cover damage such as this?

[V1_R]

I can't beleive your Indy mechanic didn't pick that up.

+100 for insurance claim & photo of scene of incident

[samchuang33]

Originally Posted by zenderm3

Sam - any genuine parts ordered (irrespective of location) carry a 2yr warranty locally. I verified this when I was ordering some genuine parts.

Good luck!

Thx Zenderm3. SA confirm that dealership will honour the 2 yr warrenty on parts as long as I can proof it is geniune. They say they might want to see where the parts was sent from.

Originally Posted by johnnydad

Damn! That's nasty - surely insurance would cover damage such as this?

I would hope so. I read on BMW car mag when they did a review on the E53, the mag said that diff should be tough as hell. Usually the tranny give way before anything else so it is very hard for normal driving to do such significiant damage to diff.

RACQ Assessor went to BMW this morning to inspect car damage. He was looking for other evident that it was in fact that pot hole that did the damage ie he was looking for either crack wheel or damage tyres etc... Unfortunately the wheel and tyre were fine so there were no other evidence other than obviously the diff and drive shaft angles been completely off.

So not sure what the final decision will be. Have to wait and see tomorrow.

Originally Posted by PersianPete

I can't beleive your Indy mechanic didn't pick that up.

+100 for insurance claim & photo of scene of incident

I went back to look at hole but council has already filled it up. Why didn't they do it earlier....

Thx guys for all the support. Will post when i know what the verdict is.

[johnnydad]

The fact it has been recently and promptly filled would suggest it needed to be though!

[samchuang33]

Originally Posted by johnnydad

The fact it has been recently and promptly filled would suggest it needed to be though!

I actually went back last nite to have another look at the pot hole. It was MASSIVE. I think what must have happen is that the whole area near the drain must have been wash away during the heavy rain. So underneath the bitumen, the road base has washed away which why there are still so many cracks surrounding the hole. And the fact that being so close to the drain means that all the water in that area would have rush in at high volume during the heavy rain which would have continuously dug the hole deeper and deeper.

Excuse the crappy iphone photo…

Location (drain infront of 4wd)
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&s...,3.88,,0,13.77

[bcoz]

Originally Posted by samchuang33

Excuse the crappy iphone photo…

I would suggest that you try to get a better picture during the day (but don't get run over).

You can also enquire with the local council to see if they can provide before and after pics of the pot hole (assuming their road mainteneance contractors take pics). Tell them you need it for an insurance claim (DON'T mention suing the council).

[samchuang33]

Originally Posted by bcoz

Tell them you need it for an insurance claim (DON'T mention suing the council).

[bcoz]

Originally Posted by samchuang33

Well, if insurance won't pay and worse comes to worst, it may be an option...?

[MFKN3]

Originally Posted by bcoz

Tell them you need it for an insurance claim (DON'T mention suing the council).

A friend works at QLD motorways and apparantly many people sue them and also pedestrians. For example, a person trips on the footpath then sues them. I think my friend has even sued them (employer) for similar damage to his car due to a pothole or poor roadworks

[samchuang33]

Originally Posted by xsboost

A friend works at QLD motorways and apparantly many people sue them and also pedestrians. For example, a person trips on the footpath then sues them. I think my friend has even sued them (employer) for similar damage to his car due to a pothole or poor roadworks

I wonder what the cost was sueing the QLD motorways?

RACQ assessor still haven't given the green light to repairs car yet. Dont understand why it is taking so long. Maybe they are also considering sueing QLD motorways.

[samchuang33]

RACQ came back refusing the claim.

They are saying that it is mechanical failure. We are now waiting for formal report letter from RACQ before take further action.

[samchuang33]

Update on situation!!!

Diff inspected by Diff Lapping. Un-repairable. The internal gear inside is shattered OMG!!!

A replacement diff is on the way.

Mechanic recon that there is no chance that pot hole can do such significant damage. The diff must be close to failing so the hole might have just been enought to send the diff on its way to scrap yard. Still doesn't explain why a 6 year old diff will fail. Maybe just bad luck??? Hope front diff is ok (touch wood)

SA told me that BMW uses long life oil therefore Diff never usually require servicing. I think I will give my diff a oil change every 50,000ks from now on regardless of long life oil or not.

[cruvon]

sorry man, this seems like so much trouble you have to go thru"..I would have thought BMW would have just made an exception and done a goodwill for this failing even if it was over 6 years. Afterall this should have lasted the lifetime of the vehicle.

[MFKN3]

Sorry to hear mate, the same thing happened to a friend a couple years ago on a much lower km X5, so it could be a design weakness.

[samchuang33]

Originally Posted by xsboost

Sorry to hear mate, the same thing happened to a friend a couple years ago on a much lower km X5, so it could be a design weakness.

Originally Posted by cruvon

sorry man, this seems like so much trouble you have to go thru"..I would have thought BMW would have just made an exception and done a goodwill for this failing even if it was over 6 years. Afterall this should have lasted the lifetime of the vehicle.

Thx Guys

I will probably ship a new part from getbmwparts.com. Price is not as bad. Probably around $2000 landed in Oz instead of $3300 which is what stealership wants. Even with import duty and tax, I will probably save $1000.

So Jarrad, you friend also have the same problem? Is it a E53 diesel?

[cruvon]

Also check prices with http://www.schmiedmann.com/, email Pierre on pierre@schmiedmann.com, might save you some on the AUD - Euro since Europes floundering, not sure.

[MFKN3]

It was an E53 petrol