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      06-30-2015, 03:33 AM   #1
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AWD towing capacity?

Does anyone know the towing capacity of the AWD X1?

IIRC, the E84 X1 was rated for 4,400 lb. in Europe, although BMW does not sell the X1 in the USA as a tow-rated vehicle. I'm curious if this has decreased since the F48 has a smaller engine.

Also, while I'm asking about towing, does anyone know if the Invisihitch will work on the F48?

Thanks for any info!
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      02-01-2016, 05:43 PM   #2
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Newbie here... just started looking at the new X1 and after a test drive, definitely interested.

Since BMW seems to not sanction towing by the absence of tow packages I'm wondering what folks do re adding a hitch to haul bikes or trailer.

Have asked sales person for confirmation that adding a tow/hitch setup would have no adverse effect on warranty.

I would be purchasing a Canadian X1, in case different rules apply US/Canada.

I'm only towing 800 lbs and have brakes on my camper trailer.
Even if I go to a new trailer it would be 1500 lbs max, also with brakes.
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      02-01-2016, 08:23 PM   #3
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There's a lot of unknowns about towing right now.

Interestingly at the press event for the X1 launch BMW demonstrated the F48's ability to tow up to 2000 kg (4400 lb).



Not sure what effect a tow hitch will have, if any, on the Comfort Access toe kick sensor. I'm willing to sacrifice that bit of convenience if I can tow a 15 foot trailer or mount a rear bike rack on my X1.

Not sure if X1's come from the factory with pre-wired electrical connections or if that's something that would need to be wired in later.

Also, I'm not sure if having an M Sport will make a difference to the eventual tow package installation, since the bumper is different from the standard model.
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      02-02-2016, 12:08 AM   #4
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Not sure about the towing capacity. But I did contact invisihitch / execuhitch and they said that they'll have a design for the F48 around March.

The BMW hitch parts looks very similar to the invisihitch. You can find the part numbers on realoem.
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      02-02-2016, 12:24 AM   #5
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EVTee, do you know anyone in the Lower Mainland area that would/could install the invisihitch?

I like their setup and the timeframe could be perfect
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      02-02-2016, 05:08 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShinySteelRobot View Post
There's a lot of unknowns about towing right now.

Interestingly at the press event for the X1 launch BMW demonstrated the F48's ability to tow up to 2000 kg (4400 lb).


Not sure what effect a tow hitch will have, if any, on the Comfort Access toe kick sensor. I'm willing to sacrifice that bit of convenience if I can tow a 15 foot trailer or mount a rear bike rack on my X1.

Not sure if X1's come from the factory with pre-wired electrical connections or if that's something that would need to be wired in later.

Also, I'm not sure if having an M Sport will make a difference to the eventual tow package installation, since the bumper is different from the standard model.
Hmmm weird, I really don't understand all the different regulations

Here in Europe I orderd a detachable towbar from the factory. I have a smaller engine so i can only tow 1800kg. The 2.5i and 2.5d may tow 2000kg here.

It also comes standard with Trailer Stability Assists and u can order it here on an M Sport.

Last edited by Remmm; 02-02-2016 at 05:13 AM.. Reason: added M Sport
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      02-02-2016, 03:21 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShinySteelRobot View Post
There's a lot of unknowns about towing right now.

Interestingly at the press event for the X1 launch BMW demonstrated the F48's ability to tow up to 2000 kg (4400 lb).



Not sure what effect a tow hitch will have, if any, on the Comfort Access toe kick sensor. I'm willing to sacrifice that bit of convenience if I can tow a 15 foot trailer or mount a rear bike rack on my X1.

Not sure if X1's come from the factory with pre-wired electrical connections or if that's something that would need to be wired in later.

Also, I'm not sure if having an M Sport will make a difference to the eventual tow package installation, since the bumper is different from the standard model.
US models come with 8SL which is trailer hitch prewiring. You can decode your VIN and find out if you have that on your build sheet.
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      02-02-2016, 04:46 PM   #8
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Quote:
US models come with 8SL which is trailer hitch prewiring
Canucks left out once again

Dealer says nothing on their ordering guide re pre-wiring.
He's still waiting on actual tow limit announcement too. Maybe they'll come together. (haha).

UPDATE:
Dealer says Canadian X1 is already pre-wired for towing. Now for the BIG question, how much trust can I put into that? None without confirmation

Last edited by hwitten; 02-03-2016 at 01:21 PM.. Reason: Updated information.
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      02-13-2018, 05:08 PM   #9
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About to find out!

We just outfitted our 2018 X1 M-Sport with a Draw-Tite Class III hitch/receiver and had a 4/7-pin plug and trailer brake controller wired in along with it. I took the car to Hitch House in Chamblee GA (Atlanta area) and they did the entire job for about $1100. It looks OK, no bumper cuts needed, and the trailer brake controller fits perfectly level inside the small hinged cubby on the lower LH side of the dash. That's where I used to keep my wallet

Now, onto the numbers. The curb weight of the X1 is 3,706 and the GVWR is 4,720, which leaves a cargo carrying capacity of just over 1000lbs. I am trying to find out the GCVWR , that's the magic number.

The Draw-Tite hitch is rated at 4600lbs with a max tongue weight of 675lbs. There's a comprehensive installation video on etrailer.com if you're interested. It's rated well over what the car should be safely towing.
The travel trailer I want to tow has a UVW of 2800lbs and the tongue weight is 290. Add propane, a battery and some camping crap and that can easily be 3200 and 400 respectively. Add another 50lbs for a weight distribution hitch.
Furthermore, using the aforemetioned Equal-i-zer WD hitch along with sway control on the trailer may stress the unibody frame of the X1, but how badly I don't know.
I will at least tow it home, which is 25 miles with a few small grades. I'll provide an update with pictures right here on Sunday, good or bad. Any feedback here is appreciated. Even if you want to call me crazy

Last edited by IPStevieB; 02-15-2018 at 07:43 AM..
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      02-19-2018, 08:46 AM   #10
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Well, in short...it worked. The X1 pulled the 3010 LB Lance 1575 trailer quite well. I drove it entirely in sport mode and manually shifted gears to keep the RPMs above 2000 at lower speeds. On our way to the RV site we stayed in, I was traveling about 65 MPH and was passed by an 18-wheeler. The 4-point sway control kept the rig straight and smooth.

Now, I'm not going to say the X1 did this with ease...you can certainly tell there's a trailer back there when climbing some grades.
However, I feel that this amount of weight behind the car is well within its capabilities.

Pictures of the rig, hitch and our first night out are here.

Last edited by IPStevieB; 02-19-2018 at 11:18 AM..
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      06-03-2018, 02:04 AM   #11
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'17 X1 Towing an RV

I'm suddenly VERY interested in doing some RV'ing. I will be 52 in July and want to see more of California, Oregon, and Washington. I love my X1...am getting combined EPA of 29.6! But can it really tow an RV? I'm looking at a double axle Retro with a dry weight of 3750 lbs. I read about the gentleman towing the Lance which is about 2775 lbs dry. Any help or advice for me out in Northern California is much appreciated.
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      06-03-2018, 04:53 AM   #12
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In Australia, the AWD X1 is rated to 2000kg (4400Lbs) for a braked trailer/RV.

In my personal opinion, however, it is not an ideal tow vehicle because it is predominantly FWD, and the weight transfer of a 4000lb affects traction. May be less noticeable with a lighter trailer.
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      06-03-2018, 12:18 PM   #13
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I would not tow anything with one of these vehicles, whether they have a factory capacity rating or not. IMO, it's just asking for a very expensive problem, which would be the transmission.
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      06-03-2018, 05:47 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmerdriver2 View Post
I would not tow anything with one of these vehicles, whether they have a factory capacity rating or not. IMO, it's just asking for a very expensive problem, which would be the transmission.
Plenty of auto transmissions used in tow vehicles. In fact, most experienced RVers prefer auto transmission over manual. My issue is with a FWD biased AWD towing a (relatively) heavy RV, even with a load equalizing hitch.
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      06-03-2018, 09:58 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ttimbo View Post
Plenty of auto transmissions used in tow vehicles. In fact, most experienced RVers prefer auto transmission over manual. My issue is with a FWD biased AWD towing a (relatively) heavy RV, even with a load equalizing hitch.
Sure, but plenty of automatic transmissions get fried by the heat that builds up from the extra weight. The transmissions in RVs are heavy duty and have high capacity coolers to get rid of the heat. The transmission in vehicles such as an X1 were not designed for towing and the cooling systems don't have enough capacity to shed the heat. Sure you can do it, but it will be hard on the transmission.
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      06-04-2018, 02:26 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bimmerdriver2 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ttimbo View Post
Plenty of auto transmissions used in tow vehicles. In fact, most experienced RVers prefer auto transmission over manual. My issue is with a FWD biased AWD towing a (relatively) heavy RV, even with a load equalizing hitch.
Sure, but plenty of automatic transmissions get fried by the heat that builds up from the extra weight. The transmissions in RVs are heavy duty and have high capacity coolers to get rid of the heat. The transmission in vehicles such as an X1 were not designed for towing and the cooling systems don't have enough capacity to shed the heat. Sure you can do it, but it will be hard on the transmission.
In general, I agree with you, however the Aisin 8AT in the AWD X1 20d/25i/28i does actually include a transmission oil cooler. BMW is pretty conservative and, in my experience, generally specifies components capable of reliably meeting specified use. As this includes a (braked) towing capacity up to 2,000Kg, the transmission ought to be able to handle this. But the X1 is by no means the sort of tow vehicle I'd choose for a 3,500lb twin axle RV, for reasons stated.
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      06-04-2018, 09:38 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ttimbo View Post
In general, I agree with you, however the Aisin 8AT in the AWD X1 20d/25i/28i does actually include a transmission oil cooler. BMW is pretty conservative and, in my experience, generally specifies components capable of reliably meeting specified use. As this includes a (braked) towing capacity up to 2,000Kg, the transmission ought to be able to handle this. But the X1 is by no means the sort of tow vehicle I'd choose for a 3,500lb twin axle RV, for reasons stated.
As far as I know, all automatic transmissions have a cooler, but they use the engine cooling system. These coolers do not have the heat capacity for extended heavy loading. If you want to tow, there is nothing stopping you, but you are asking for trouble, if not right away, down the road.
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      06-04-2018, 06:05 PM   #18
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The X1's transmission oil cooler is independent of the engine cooling system.
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      06-04-2018, 09:33 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ttimbo View Post
The X1's transmission oil cooler is independent of the engine cooling system.
According to the X1 training document, the engine, engine oil and transmission oil all use the main radiator:

Quote:
F48 Powertrain
2. Cooling System

In vehicles with an automatic transmission, a transmission oil-coolant-heat exchanger is also flangemounted at the transmission. This is supplied with coolant via the crankcase and adapted coolant hoses.
This is consistent with the vast majority of light-duty vehicles.

There is also this excerpt about the transmission itself:

Quote:
F48 Powertrain
3. Automatic Transmission

The excellent efficiency was able to be achieved by the following measures:

Small oil pump
Lower transmission oil main pressure
Optimal lubricating oil quantity
Transmission oil with low viscosity
• Large steering axis inclination
• Very accurate control of the multidisc converter lockup clutch at low loads by three-line activation
• Designed for automatic engine start-stop function (there is also an electric oil pump in the hydraulic block in order to maintain the minimum oil pressure)
• Designed for idle speed coasting
Dunno about you, but my interpretation is that the transmission was designed for efficiency at all cost. All those "efficiency improvements" are the opposite of what you would want for towing.

Translation: Tow anything but the lightest of loads over roads that aren't flat at your own risk.
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      06-05-2018, 03:23 AM   #20
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Aha...I looked on the realOEM site — saw the cooler/heat exchanger, but no reference to coolant plumbing!
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      06-05-2018, 07:11 AM   #21
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The 8 speed transmission used in the X1 is used in numerous other makes of cars including the Volvo XC90 the XC90 makes an excellent tow car.
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      06-05-2018, 11:26 PM   #22
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Indeed! A bit more research shows the Aisin AW F8FXX (also known as the Toyota TG-81SC and the GM AF50-8) has a wide range of SUV applications — BMW, GM, Mitsubishi (inc Pajero Sport), Lexus/Toyota, Volvo (inc XC90), Volkswagen (including the Amarok). Not the heaviest duty SUVs, by any measure, but still a decent range — it handles up to 480Nm. One of the touted features of this transmission is the durability of its clutches and the extended Lock-Up range that it handles (which may help with towing). Apparently, the alternative that BMW looked at but rejected was the ZF 9AT, the same as found in some Jeep FWD-based SUVs, and subject to some criticism.
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