Trailer Hitch DIY

[wagner.a.charles]

Hey there! I am brand new and this is my frist post. I have recently purchased a 2003 X5 3.0. I was wondering if anyone has ever put on their own trailer hitch? The dealership wants to charge $495 and that's before labor. Here is what they told me after I told them I had extensive knowledge of welding: It doesn't weld. They have to remove the old cross member. The hitch is actually made to a new cross member. plus the vehicle has to be programed so the brake system and transmission will know if its under a load or not. If need be, i can forward your message to a service advisor, and they can inform you more on the hitch system it self.

Also, the dealer said that the wiring kit is NOT sold separately so if this is the case, am I chasing a dead end here?

Is this something that I should just leave to the pros or should I try to tackle it myself? Seeing as it's got nothing to do with the engine, I'm feeling a little braver than usual when it comes to they DIY route

I have pictures of where the hitch would go, but it's not letting me upload them. But I'm sure y'all pros know what it looks like .


Thanks in advance,
Charles

[Ricky Bobby]

If you have the tools its definnitely DIY - able, I don't think its that hard of an install from what I've seen. The wiring kit comes with the kit or you could buy it separately, but if I was going to put a hitch on my X, I would use the OE hitch and install it all at once.

I never read about having your truck coded afterwards, but I could be wrong.

[wagner.a.charles]

I was just reading about it in the FAQ section. Looks pretty in depth but do-able with patience. I'd put the link to the article I'm talking about, but I'm not sure how :/

Maybe here - BMW X5 Hitch Installation Tips

[dykstra]

Trailer Hitch Wiring Kit Fits 00 06 BMW X5 | eBay


Charles, I don't know if these hitches are any good but I thought the price was right.

[TerminatorX5]

it has been covered many times - only OE hitch kits... either done yourself or by the dealer... about a $1000 installed from a dealer... or, install yourself, but still, only OE... buy the whole kit, the ECS has it... no welding involved

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

it has been covered many times - only OE hitch kits... either done yourself or by the dealer... about a $1000 installed from a dealer... or, install yourself, but still, only OE... buy the whole kit, the ECS has it... no welding involved

this man speaks the truth!

[wagner.a.charles]

Yep, I apologize, I found a couple articles shortly after posting the question. Navigating this forum takes some getting used to..it's a wealth of information haha. Thanks for the advice guys.

[kungpao]

mine required a computer update when i had it factory installed at delivery. I'm guessing for things like the backup sensors being turned off when the trailer is plugged in, or the hitch zoom function on the backup camera. Not sure what else the update does but those two I can attest to.

[wagner.a.charles]

Well in that case, I'll be good to go. I don't have any of those options!

[TerminatorX5]

Originally Posted by kungpao

mine required a computer update when i had it factory installed at delivery. I'm guessing for things like the backup sensors being turned off when the trailer is plugged in, or the hitch zoom function on the backup camera. Not sure what else the update does but those two I can attest to.

programming applies to E70.
E53 doesn't need any coding, LCM recognizes the trailer module, as TM is an extension of the LCM