SES light stays on - 4 fault codes

M5 CFF · 17th December 2004, 13:12

My SES engine management light came on recently. I took it to a BMW dealer & asked them to do a diagnostic test. They found no faults currently present, system reset. When my car returned by the dealer, that little yellow light is still on.

I booked the car in again for another diagnostic test (which they tried to charge me for again). Again they say no faults currently present & reset the system. Thank you sir, good bye. However, I requested a copy of the diagnostic report. On the drive home that little yellow light reappeared.

Looking at the diagnostic report it lists 4 faults:

1. Camshaft sensor, bank 1, synchronisation to crankshaft, recorded as 3th fault in fault memory. OBDII code: P0394. Detected 11 times.

2. Signal, oxygen sensor before cat. bank 1 recorded as 1th fault in memory. OBDII code: P0134. Detected 189 times.

3. Signal, camshaft sensor, exhaust, bank 1 recorded as 2th fault in memory. OBDII code: P0365. Detected 36 times.

4. Function, exhaust VANOS, bank 1 recorded as 4th fault in memory. Actual value too high. OBDII code: P0014. Detected 11 times.

I have booked the car in again. But judging from previous posts, this can really take many visits to finally fix. Can anyone please decipher the above, so I might be able to point the dealer in the right direction. BTW the car runs fine & drinks only Shell.

Thanks in advance for any help. Chris

x703jko · 17th December 2004, 13:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by M5 CFF

My SES engine management light came on recently. I took it to a BMW dealer & asked them to do a diagnostic test. They found no faults currently present, system reset. When my car returned by the dealer, that little yellow light is still on.

I booked the car in again for another diagnostic test (which they tried to charge me for again). Again they say no faults currently present & reset the system. Thank you sir, good bye. However, I requested a copy of the diagnostic report. On the drive home that little yellow light reappeared.

Looking at the diagnostic report it lists 4 faults:

1. Camshaft sensor, bank 1, synchronisation to crankshaft, recorded as 3th fault in fault memory. OBDII code: P0394. Detected 11 times.

2. Signal, oxygen sensor before cat. bank 1 recorded as 1th fault in memory. OBDII code: P0134. Detected 189 times.

3. Signal, camshaft sensor, exhaust, bank 1 recorded as 2th fault in memory. OBDII code: P0365. Detected 36 times.

4. Function, exhaust VANOS, bank 1 recorded as 4th fault in memory. Actual value too high. OBDII code: P0014. Detected 11 times.

I have booked the car in again. But judging from previous posts, this can really take many visits to finally fix. Can anyone please decipher the above, so I might be able to point the dealer in the right direction. BTW the car runs fine & drinks only Shell.

Thanks in advance for any help. Chris

There may not be any recent codes, but the fact that some of the conditions that caused the codes occurred multiple times is why your car is throwing SES lights even after the light is cleared. Take your car to a dealer that has service engineers that know what they are doing.

Although I'm not the resident expert, the codes point to a faulty camshaft sensor I believe.

Jeff

Ahmed · 17th December 2004, 13:25

Yes indeed....

Same faults appeared on my system as well, and a new exhaust cam position sensor fixed it!

When no faults are throwned and there are obvious problems with the car, 8 outta 10 times its a MAF fault!

BMW_Jim · 17th December 2004, 15:42

I had the same problem with my car. I had taken it in multiple times and they said no problem but the SES light kept coming on.

I searched our board's posts and found a reference to the Peak Research scan tool. So, I purchased a scan tool from http://www.peakeresearch.com/ and scanned the car codes myself. (It is super easy and you don't have to delete the codes so whatever you see the dealer can see.) I then called my dealer and told them what I found and, low and behold, they made an appointment for me to bring in my car and replaced my cam shaft sensor under warranty. Now the SES light no longer comes on and the car runs even better than before (I hadn't really dedected the reduction in performance from the problem).

Sometimes a little knowledge makes the difference between getting your car fixed or not. The $150 for the tool was a small price to pay for the knowledge it provided me. And no, I'm not connected with Peake Research in any way. I'm just a very satisfied customer.
Good luck!

M5 CFF · 18th December 2004, 17:19

Thanks Jeff, Ahmed & Jim for your very helpful suggestions. Regarding the interesting Peake Research Scan Tool, I hope my BMW dealer uses something similar, or am I asking for too much?!
Regards
Chris

louv · 18th December 2004, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by M5 CFF

Thanks Jeff, Ahmed & Jim for your very helpful suggestions. Regarding the interesting Peake Research Scan Tool, I hope my BMW dealer uses something similar, or am I asking for too much?!
Regards
Chris

Your dealer is useing something far more sophisticated than a Peake tool, probably a GT1. The Peake = US$150. GT1 = US$15,000.

From those codes (and my expereince) I'd start by replacing the Exhaust Cam Position Sensor (bank 1... the easier one!) US$100 parts, 1/2 hour labor.

If that doesn't do it, then replace the Pre-Cat O2 sensors (may as well do both sides). Easy.

Both of these are fairly easy do-it-yourself jobs. (if you have a TIS and ETK for instructions...)