[TurboCarrera]

My SES light came on while driving my 00 M5 the other day. When I returned home, I hooked up my Actron code reader, and I could not get it to talk to the car (Link error). I then plugged the Actron into my 99 911 and it worked fine with the Porsche. Still has not worked with the BMW.

Then about a day later the SES light went out spontaneously while driving. I also lost the time and date on the computer, which happens now and then, though it usually recovers without intervention.

Car has driven fine the whole episode.

Any guesses on why the Actron will not read the M5? Online Actron FAQs not helpful.

Steve

 

[kwalls]

My SES light came on while driving my 00 M5 the other day. When I returned home, I hooked up my Actron code reader, and I could not get it to talk to the car (Link error). I then plugged the Actron into my 99 911 and it worked fine with the Porsche. Still has not worked with the BMW.

Then about a day later the SES light went out spontaneously while driving. I also lost the time and date on the computer, which happens now and then, though it usually recovers without intervention.

Car has driven fine the whole episode.

Any guesses on why the Actron will not read the M5? Online Actron FAQs not helpful.

Steve

Steve, I wasn't familiar with your brand of code reader so I went to their web site. They featured some nice looking units, but a casual ‘look-see’ was insufficient to find the model you would use for your car. I did see that they showed GM products and Honda.

Have you used this with your car before? I only ask because some manufacturers change pin call out and/or connectors in the OBII connectors and this can require adaptors or connector changes to make readers work. Second problem I have encountered, error codes produced by reader may or may not match OEM data, depending upon how aggressive reader company is in getting data from OEM.

I have had only one SES experience with my M5. The dealer suspected it was caused by a loose gas cap (determined by codes displayed in instrument cluster with key in number two position and viewing output in hidden menu). The dealer’s computer was in use for another customer at the time and all attempts by dealer to reset the SES (i.e. disconnecting battery) failed. A later review of owners manual suggested that a 30 minuet period without battery power might work, it did not. The only thing this did was to erase data in the OBC and some personal settings to seat etc.

I purchased another brand of OBII / Service reset device (Peake) to reset the SES since dealer was uncertain when they could schedule a service to do this and it would probably cost me a service charge.

Cost of device was cheaper than proposed computer time at the German Dealer.

Although I used the company’s website to determine proper model to use on a 03 M5, I first received one that would not match my OBII connector. This was exchanged for the correct one and I was able to troubleshoot and reset the SES.

A note here, the code generated by the Peake device did not match the problem told to me by dealer.

However, Peake documentation indicates that some error codes may not correctly match BMW codes given changes from year to year and so should only be used as a start point to diagnose problems.

SES had not illuminated since and I did not purposely loosen the gas cap to duplicate the problem. I have just been doing as I did in my aviation career, “fly it and watch it” to see if it ever returns.

If you are loosing date and time in OBC, I would suspect a temporary loss of electrical power to that unit, i.e. loose connector, or short in the wiring, etc.

Ken

 

[DavidS]

I would definitely check the battery connections. I know from direct personal experience that an M5 will run with poor connections to the battery, but it causes troubles now and then. Fixing the battery connection helped.

The poles on the battery are slightly conical. You have to make sure the connectors are pushed all the way down onto the poles, or the connectors will creep upwards and get poor contact.

For OBD-II to work on the M5 you need to have the ignition switched on. The engin does not have to run.

David

 

[TurboCarrera]

Thanks - I'll have a look at the battery. It is original and has never seen the light of day since the car was built, 5 years ago this week.

Ken, my father was in aviation maintenance for a major for 30 years. Everytime we flew, the pilot would come back and discuss everything that was wrong with the plane with him. He would always tell them just what you said - wait and watch. Of course, those were DC-3s and Convair 550s, much simpler than todays aircraft; for that matter, much simpler than a modern car!

Steve

 

[kwalls]

Ken, my father was in aviation maintenance for a major for 30 years. Steve

Steve, being an operational pilot also trained in aviation maintenance was always a double whamy for me. :nono:

I either got to experience for myself or I was the one who attempted to duplicate other's experiences when they wrote up a maintenance problem. :crying:

Anyway, you never did confirm if that code reader had worked before on your M5, so was wondering about the rest of the story.

Keep us posted.

Ken

 

[TurboCarrera]

Ken: no, I had not tried it previously on the M5, though I did use it to reset the SES on a 98 540i a few weeks prior. So the next test will be to borrow a friend of mines code reader - different brand - that he now uses on that same 540 and try it out. Gonna meet him for lunch tomorrow.

Steve

 

[kwalls]

So the next test will be to borrow a friend of mines code reader - different brand - that he now uses on that same 540 and try it out. Gonna meet him for lunch tomorrow.Steve

Steve
Thanks for the feedback, again just because a code reader worked on one BMW (friend's 540) does not mean it will automatically work on your M.

If it does great, if it doesn't check the tech data for that reader to see it is compatible with your specific car.

Case in point..Peake shows that their R5/FCS(II) fits most BMWs from model year 1987 to 2003, but a more detailed check indicates certain BMW years and models where the unit will not work correctly. The company also states this unit will work on most 2004 BMWs but a detailed check shows it will not work on any 2004 BMW with a V8 or the 530 series.

Peake makes some great products for BMW other companies that produce readers for a larger number of manufacturers may have even more problems with some year and model numbers.
Ken