[HBWT]

I lost the left rear tire when it suddenly went flat at speed several months ago. Tire was a total loss but wheel was fine. Called for a rollback. Went into boot and retrieved the tow eye. Popped front tow eye cover off and screwed tow eye in. It threaded OK but tightened up with a measure of resistance. X1 towed home. Took wheel off and shop mounted new tire. Reinstall tire. X1 down for 2 days and all is well...or so I thought.

Last thing to do was remove tow eye. It resisted unscrewing but I managed to get it out. When pulling tow eye out of hole wiring came with it. Turns out that the wiring to the right center PDC sensor somehow got wound around the threaded part of the eye. The connector on the end of the wiring was fine but stuck in it was the connector part of the sensor...it was torn in half, the sensor that is.

The wiring was buggered up(insulation stripped) where it was wrapped around the tow hook. I pulled as much as I could through the tow hook hole and cut soldered and shrink wrapped the 3 wires. Ordered a new sensor and Automotive Touchup paint for Mineral White. Two weeks later a freshly painted sensor is in place... barely able to accomplish this through the tow hook hole. I get out the Autel and clear the PDC code. All good now...or so I thought. Start car put in reverse and PDC code appears again. UGH!!

Remove front bumper and carefully unwrap about 30” of wiring harness and after close inspection find an area where all 3 wires were broken inside perfectly good insulation...I was lucky to spot it. More cutting, soldering, shrink wrapping, and re-taping. Back to Autel to clear code and finally code cleared for good.

Bumper goes back on but not without a few new plastic rivets. I was able to salvage several of the white BMW rivets by heating them up and straightening them out...used them where they would be seen. Had to use 4 black ones and placed them at the top of the wheel arch.

So, if you have the need to be towed be very careful when installing the tow eye. BMW made no attempt to secure the wiring harness for the PDC sensor to protect it from damage when using it[tow eye] as intended.