Powered tailgate: breaking wiring at the hinge, spindle drive
It does not show up on every car. Check before you buy.
expensive
severity
not available
mileage
2
sources
2 sources next to the write-up.
The fault
How you spot it
The automatic tailgate (an option) is covered by a maker service bulletin on the E70: the wiring harness around the hinge wears through, the spindle drive fails, the lock sticks or the connectors corrode. The symptom: the tailgate stops halfway, moves in one direction only, only clicks when you press the button, or the lower part of the split tailgate does not close fully.
The fault is often not the "expensive motor" but the wiring fraying at the hinge. And that can only be found with the trim off. If the seller says "the spindle has already been replaced" but the wiring is damaged, the fault will come back.
This applies only to versions with the powered tailgate.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Generations and models
3 generations.

BMW
E70
X5
M 93 / Attribution
BMW X5 E70
2006–2013

BMW
F15
X5
EurovisionNim / CC BY-SA 4.0
BMW X5 F15
2013–2018

BMW
G05
X5
Alexander Migl / CC BY-SA 4.0
BMW X5 G05
2018–
Checklist
Powered tailgate: breaking wiring at the hinge, spindle drive
What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.
Before you buy
Checklist
What you tick stays on this device only.
Sources
How we know
Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
- A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
- A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
- You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.