[JonnybravoM3]

Hi all

On my way to work this morning, 3/4 of the way into my journey, the beast gave me an Engine Failure - Reduced Power warning (no warning for any DSC failure, ABS, or anything else like that). Haven't driven her in a couple of days and only around twice since I got my exhaust and intake + filter done last week. Its an '08 model with 30,000 kms on the clock.

I messaged a friend of mine who is a mechanic and he said it was normal and that when he changed the exhaust on his BMW, it happened to him as well - car seemed to have freaked at the new found flow from the exhaust system. Now he said it wasn't an issue and to just turn the car off then on again and let everything reset and should be fine. Did that, waited around 10 minutes and turned it on and did a system check several times and all checks were OK.

Is this something I need to be concerned about? I think rather than jumping and taking it to the dealers I will drive it as normal and see if it happens again, if so, then I'll take her in. Any thoughts?

:1zhelp:

 

[Hasan Shaikh]

Generally, it is only a sensor malfunction, especially if you have done anything to the intake or exhaust recently. No worries.

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Generally, it is only a sensor malfunction, especially if you have done anything to the intake or exhaust recently. No worries.

Thanks Hasan much appreciated. I take it this is common if someone has recently done anything to the intake or exhaust as you say? Wonder if it has also happened to other members. Do the sensors generally automatically re-adjust to the new parts eventually or does this issue constantly come back again and again?

Just started the car again for 5 minutes just to double check and no faults or errors showed up everything was normal - hoping it stays that way!

 

[Hasan Shaikh]

The ECU adapts to the new environment and the error should not return again. If it does, it might be something else.

It has happened to many people I know.

In rare cases, the sensors need to be changed.

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Ok very strange happenings - yesterday took the car out went for lunch and came back to work , all was fine. Left work drove all the way home, car was fine. This morning started her up, all was fine -- drove slowly on my way out of my neighborhood, same engine warning came on. Turned it off, then turned it on again to turn around and head back home to use another car to go to work and on my way back to my garage it came back on again. Don't think this is normal -- unless the car is just being extra sensitive.

Made an appointment with dealership to take her in to have a look, lets see whats causing it.

Irritating as I want to be able to use the car without having to keep on worrying that its gona go into limp mode at any random time when I take it out. If this is gona be the case then I'm considering going back to stock and be done with the headache.

Any thoughts would be appreciated? I was told that maybe its worth it to try and replace the BMC filter with the stock one to see if its the airflow meter thats causing the issue.

 

[Hasan Shaikh]

Must be one of the sensors not functionaing properly.

Let us know what the $tealer says about it.

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Must be one of the sensors not functionaing properly.

Let us know what the $tealer says about it.

Will do. Flat-bed coming to take her in on Saturday so lets see. Getting kind of sick and tired of taking my M6 on a flatbed to the dealers - not the first time I have to do this. You start to look at your car like a POS that you cannot rely on. I had an '04 e46 M3 which I enjoyed for nearly 5 great years and it never had to go to the dealers for anything other than a routine service and oil top-up. I'm guessing it must be the sensors or fuel pump or something like that - hope they don't go and blame it on the exhaust and intake. Will see...

 

[Ahmed]

Fault has nothing to do with your exhaust! What did the dealer say today?
I had no fault when installing my exhaust!
Mine turned out to be bad fuel system ( pump, filter and sensor )

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Fault has nothing to do with your exhaust! What did the dealer say today?
I had no fault when installing my exhaust!
Mine turned out to be bad fuel system ( pump, filter and sensor )

Fingers crossed its nothing serious and, as you say, simply a fuel pump or sensor issue which can be resolved fairly quickly. Car is still at the dealers since yesterday morning and I haven't yet heard any updates. Will update once I hear from them.

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Quick update -- dealers called me and told me that the problem is coming from the solenoid valve in the vanos which needs replacing. They said "its nothing you've done" and will be a warranty job. Funny thing is they took the car for a quick spin and heard some squeaking in the rear suspension so they're gona replace that too under warranty lol. They don't have the part so will have to wait for it to come but at least good news that its a minor issue. For the time being, they are still keeping the car under observation to see if something else pops up.

 

[Ahmed]

Get an M3 courtesy car off them and let's track the hell out of it this friday!

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Get an M3 courtesy car off them and let's track the hell out of it this friday!

hehehe :M5rev:

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Ok so collected the car last Saturday as as I was away for a week. Drove her home, alls well. Felt a bit different, not quite sure how - maybe because it hadn't been driven in a while. I called up my service guy and asked him if they reflashed my ECU. He said because the problem involved the solenoid valves in the vanos which needed to be replaced, they had to program the DME after the new install - But he said everything else was kept the same. Does this mean that I would still have my after-market remap?

Also, I haven't driven the beast until this morning to work and all was well until I got yet another warning message "Oil Level Sensor Fault". Seriously these warning messages are getting very tiring! Def. not what I would expect from a top of the line BMW M power! Don't even know what this issue could be.

 

[Bavarian Beast]

That means they overwrote your enigne remap IMO.

 

[JonnybravoM3]

That means they overwrote your engine remap IMO.

Hope not. Its still very powerful and burns in 2nd and 3rd- all i've noticed though is that the car doesn't seem as rev-happy when down-shifting as it used to. But maybe its because I'm not giving it much juice or because I haven't driven her in a long time so it needs to re-adapt to the driving style.

One tell-tale sign though was - this is probably silly -- but you know when you turn your car off and you move the SMG gear left to "N" then right then back again to N then it locks immediately and you can't move it around anymore? After I did my remap, the gear wouldn't lock immediately after turning off the ignition and would allow me to keep moving it from left to right and back again for about a minute before it locks. The car still allows me to do this. I know it is a silly little tell-tale indication that I'm hoping and depending on. lol.

 

[Bavarian Beast]

I think that you would know from the "butt-o-meter" if it was totally overwritten. When it happened to me last month I knew right away. If it still feels fast as before then you are probably allright.

 

[Ahmed]

Check your rev limit! If it bounce off the limit around 8200, your map is stock! If it goes up to 8500, you're fine!

 

[JonnybravoM3]

Just drove back from the gym - straight highway -- butt-o-meter gave me the thumbs-up! Or the cheeks up for that matter. I'm happy now.

 

[Ahmed]

Hatim, when the dealer flashed my ECU, I knew the moment i put my ***** in the car! Trust me bro, you will know no doubt! If you're in doubt and not sure, means they haven't flashed it!

 

[Footballprophet]

Nice they are taking care of you. please advise if this takes care of the issue.....