Help e46 Service Engine light on ... Stalling.

[Gixxer]

I have a 330ci sport package with 27k miles on it. The service engine soon light comes on and the car seems to run alright until you put it under load, then it boggs a bit and the throttle bogs a bit. It has stalled twice now while trying to back up.... How can I check the code? Help anyone

 

[Gixxer]

I have a 330ci sport package with 27k miles on it. The service engine soon light comes on and the car seems to run alright until you put it under load, then it boggs a bit and the throttle bogs a bit. It has stalled twice now while trying to back up.... How can I check the code? Help anyone

I disconnected the battery for 10 mintues. That didnt seem to help. Im going to keep the car in the driveway and take it in as soon as possible.

 

[epj3]

Check the gas cap. If it's tight it DEFINITELY sounds like a vacuume leak. Check to make sure everything is tight and NOT cracked from the air box to the intake itself.

If that's not it, sounds like it could be a more serious fuel delivery problem.

 

[Gixxer]

Check the gas cap. If it's tight it DEFINITELY sounds like a vacuume leak. Check to make sure everything is tight and NOT cracked from the air box to the intake itself.

If that's not it, sounds like it could be a more serious fuel delivery problem.

Ill check, but It seems to me like an O2 sensor?

 

[epj3]

Ill check, but It seems to me like an O2 sensor?

Could be - but EVERY car i've driven that had developed a bad O2 sensor didn't feel bogged down - it had a rough idle but actually ran with a bit more power. Your symptoms don't seem like an O2 sensor problem though.

 

[Average Jae]

welcome to the forum, Justin.

sorry you are having problems, but it sounds like you should be under warranty still. take the sucker in. check engine light is a funny thing. it acts as a general warning light: from things as simple as not clicking your gas cap, to actually having engine problems.

call your service rep, have a nice loaner ready, and take her in. (you shouldn't be driving w/ a check engine light, esp when under warranty)

 

[Gixxer]

Im taking it in tommorow at 8am. My friend is a tech there and will be working on it. I forgot his number or I would have just called him first.. Thanks for everyones advice.

 

[TheBry]

Amazing. I recently had the same experience... at close to the same mileage (24,XXX) on my 2004 330Cic. Here's a link to my post:

http://www.bmwboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14987

The upshot is I had the car towed to the dealer and the problem never resurfaced. They reset the fault code (that caused the "check engine" light to come on) and everything was great after that. In hindsight, I should have asked the tech what the fault code was. I was just so happy nothing was wrong... I drove off the lot no questions asked.

 

[Gixxer]

Well it turned out to be a Cam Sensor, it was covered under warranty

 

[BRC]

Thanks! I am taking my car in for the same thing tomorrow...

 

[Vegas_330i]

Well it turned out to be a Cam Sensor, it was covered under warranty

Does the cam sensor on these things go bad often? I bought a 2002 330i with 33k on it and it died about 5 miles from the dealer. Of course this was on a Sat night and the dealer had just closed. Roadside towed it back.

That Monday they told me it was a cam sensor and it was fixed. On the way home it died in the EXACT SAME spot!!!! I managed to limp it to the dealer and told them to shove the car. They let me out of the contract. Odd how it died within inches of the first time.

 

[archang3l378]

That happened to m when i got my 328i. It was around 30k when it started doing the same thing. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the pulse generator for the cam sensor. No other problems ever since.. xcept I do find needing new brake pads after replacing it nov '03 kinda odd.. I guess the OEM pads are soft. I stopped driving aggressively after I got them replaced the 1st time. And it seems that its always after it snows that I have to ge them replaced.

 

[Cabra]

I had the same problem on my 2002 330Ci. Took it to the dealer and I had a bad sparkplug.

 

[aNoodle]

That happened to m when i got my 328i. It was around 30k when it started doing the same thing. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the pulse generator for the cam sensor. No other problems ever since.. xcept I do find needing new brake pads after replacing it nov '03 kinda odd.. I guess the OEM pads are soft. I stopped driving aggressively after I got them replaced the 1st time. And it seems that its always after it snows that I have to ge them replaced.

I noticed that on the parts diagram....http://www.realoem.com/bmw/...the "pulse generators" are shown as discontinued. You say they have something new?

I had the fore-cam shaft sensor replaced, but haven't had the aft done yet. I'm at 132,000 miles. It looks like a pretty easy DIY, but I'm not sure...has anyone screwed these in themselves?

All thes modern electronics and variable intake and out sure increase power and efficiency, but man does reliability go down. Just another thing to break. I wonder what that new 3 engine will be like with all those extra bells and wistles?

 

[Bmw 325i 7803]

In the new 3.0, I think there's a casing to prevent the magnesium from contact with another metal which would cause it to corrode.... Imagine when the casing wears down or something else goes slightly wrong, thats gonna be an engine from hell. I sure agree about the new stuff and its dwindling reliability.

 

[Section_8]

Well it turned out to be a Cam Sensor, it was covered under warranty

I had the same thing fixed just this past Monday. warranty fixes rock, this will suck once it's not warranty anymore, it's a $120 part from Autozone (had them run the code when the light flipped on so I knew what the deal was).