Lane departure warning is an advanced feature in the BMW X5 for the safety of drivers. It contains cameras that detect the painted lines on the road and warn drivers when they unintentionally deviate from these lanes. You can feel vibration on the steering wheel, so you can adjust the steering wheel and move in your lane.
BMW X5 lane departure warning not working can be due to camera issues, faded lanes of road, physical obstructions on the camera, computer system issues, disabled lane departure warning system, environmental conditions, and poorly calibrated cameras.
I was going to my workplace yesterday morning and experienced the same issue. I slightly drifted to the other lane, and my vehicle’s steering wheel started vibrating. I adjusted the position of the steering wheel and started moving in the designated lane. I realized that it is also helpful for drivers to reduce accidents because several collisions can occur because of deviation from the specific lanes.
| Problems | Solutions |
| Camera issues | Clean cameras with swabs |
| Faded lanes of roads | Re-coating of road markings |
| Physical obstructions on cameras | Avoid using stickers on windshield |
| Computer system issue | Reset iDrive controller |
| Disabled lane departure warning system | Enable this feature from the settings menu |
| Poor electric connections | Hire an expert to trace electric faults |
| Environmental conditions | Deactivate it during rainy reason |
| Incorrect speed limit | Drive your SUV between speed of 30 to 50 mph |
| Cameras not calibrated | Calibrate cameras after bumper replacement |
Camera issues
Lane departure warnings identify the road lanes with cameras. These cameras are mounted on the front and rear sides of the BMW X5 to identify road markings.
These cameras see the painted lanes and give information to the computerized system to vibrate the steering wheel to alert the driver.
This feature stopped functioning because of camera issues. These cameras are present close to the ground surface and are vulnerable to dust and road debris.
Dust and mud splashes from the road can directly come on their surface. Moreover, the issue also comes because of the broken lens.
The camera lens can break when road particles collide with their surface. It is necessary to keep the these clean so they can interpret the markings and warn you when you deviate from the designated lane.
You can use the mineral spirit or alcohol solution to clean their lens.
Faded lanes on roads
The lane departure warning system works with cameras to detect road markings. Sometimes, they cannot detect faded lane markings.
Road markings fade because of exposure to high temperatures. In addition, tire rubbing can also cause fading of their color.
The chances of fading of road markings increase because of their age and weather conditions. Local authorities must maintain the roads in their specific areas.
The application of a fresh coat on faded lines improves the safety of the vehicle. I was moving on the road with my friend, and he suddenly became worried because he thought the lane departure warning was faulty and did not show any warning signs.
Moreover, it started working when we moved several miles forward. We realized that the previous issue came because of faded lines.
Physical obstructions on cameras
Certain physical obstructions block the camera view of the lane departure warning system. They cannot identify the road markings because of dust accumulation on their lens during snowy weather.
In addition, the issue also comes when you unintentionally adhere the windshield sticker on their lens. Many people add a sticker on the windshield to block UV radiation, which obstructs the view of cameras.
Avoid adhering stickers on the windshields if these are illegal in your state.
Computer system issue
The computer system of your BMW X4 cannot receive information from the cameras because of software issues and bugs in the computer system.
You can face problems when you do not update your SUV’s software. It is necessary to keep the software system updated so you do not face the problem of faulty components.
Moreover, you can also resolve computer system issues by resetting the iDrive system.
Disabled lane departure warning system
Sometimes, a lane departure warning stops your BMW X5 because you forgot to enable this feature while driving.
Many people forget to activate it and then become worried about their faulty components. It is easy to enable and disable it according to road conditions and your convenience.
I always prefer to enable it while moving to city areas because of crowded roads and increased accident chances. I activated this feature by opening the settings and selecting the driver assistance option.
I clicked on the driver assistance option and saw a lane departure warning there. I selected the given option, and several options were displayed on my screen, including driving information, settings, and vehicle information.
I clicked on the setting and opened the driver assistance option on the lower side of the touch screen. I saw the lane departure warning option there and clicked the medium option to enable the feature.
Poor electric connections
Cameras that detect the presence of lanes are connected to the computer system of the vehicle with certain electric connections. Sometimes, these electric connections become faulty, and cameras cannot transmit the information to your BMW X5’s computer system.
The lane departure warning stopped functioning because of damaged electric connections of these two components. The issue comes because of broken and poorly insulated wires, which can affect the control unit.
In addition, you can also face problems because of a blown-out fuse. You cannot deal with poor electric connections because of the risk of electric shocks, and it is better to hire an expert mechanic to trace electrical faults.
Environmental conditions
Environmental conditions significantly affect the safety of vehicles. Mostly, safety systems utilize sensors and cameras for their functioning. Lane departure warning also uses cameras to alert drivers when their tire moves away from the specific lane.
It stops working in certain weather conditions because of decreased visibility. They cannot function in rainy and snowy weather because of reduced visibility on the road.
It is better to disengage the feature during the rainy season and use it when the weather improves.
Incorrect speed limit
Lane departure warning functions at a slow speed, and you cannot use this feature while moving at high speed. This feature functions when you are moving from 30 mph to 50 mph.
It stops working because cameras cannot detect the painted lines while moving at high speed. They cannot see the lines clearly when you are moving quickly.
It only works in stop-and-go traffic when driving at less than 50 mph. It is necessary to read the owner manual to get information about the speed limit while engaging this feature.
Speed limits of lane departure warnings can vary according to specific models and years of the SUVs.
Cameras not calibrated
Cameras are mounted on the front and rear bumpers of these SUVs to detect the painted lanes on the roads. The lane departure warning stops functioning, and you feel the steering wheel does not vibrate when you move toward another lane.
The issue comes because of poorly calibrated cameras. Many people do not maintain specific components of their vehicles, which can lead to their misalignment and poor calibration.
The calibration issue also comes because of their poor alignment. Alignment issues come when you install these as an aftermarket addition.
Angle adjustment of cameras is necessary so they can detect the presence of lines on the road. They cannot detect the road lines when these are not mounted at the correct angle.
The issue also comes during accidental chances. Front and rear-end collisions can also affect the angle of these cameras. My friend also faced the issue, and he called me for help.
He told me that he replaced the rear bumper 2 days back, and the lane departure warning stopped functioning after that replacement.
I told him to recalibrate the camera because sometimes it happens because of bumper replacement. You can also contact dealerships for their calibration.
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