F10 'drivetrain malfunction' error message & pulling

F10 'drivetrain malfunction' error message & pulling

Author
Discussion

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
quotequote all
'Reduced power, full performance not accessible. Take to BMW Service Centre' or words roughly relating to that.

How many of you have had this? As an internet search reveals it's quite common.

I've owned the car for a month, 700 miles and seen it twice. (2010 535d) Engine needs to be switched off and restarted and the problem goes away. It usually comes about when starting the car, idling for about a minute (faffing with satnav or waiting for passenger) and then it feels like a cylinder has dropped out - rough running and the error message.

My car also pulls to the left, which appears to be something else that people complain about. All new tyres although still on the crappy runflats.

It's booked in at BMW next week and under warranty so I'm not hugely concerned but I'm guessing it's either the HPFP, injectors, sensor failure or software. Hoping the tracking is just out as the wheels had recently been rebalanced with the new tyres.



Edited by The Stiglet on Tuesday 5th April 13:27

TimboCD1

69 posts

127 months

Tuesday 5th April 2016
quotequote all
Had this on my 2013 530d and it was the EGR valve - known issue & apparently the design has been changed.
Mine was all sorted under warranty as I am sure yours will be.
Hope it's nowt more serious smile

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
quotequote all
The plot thickens.

Car been in at my local dealer rather than the one I bought it from. Says tyre pressures all out, engine oil overfilled (enough to recommend decanting a bit) windscreen wiper hose perished and leaking plus two drivetrain error codes logged in the system. These apparently pertain to the vacuum system, where of course they see no obvious issues and a vacuum test supports that.

"Experienced" driver been out in car to say it runs sweet and now isn't pulling compared to a standard F10 model. However, now that they believe the codes are checked and no fault found - they are at a loss as to what to do. I asked the very helpful service manager to check the previous history on the computer. Sure enough, in December the car was first recorded as having warranty work - new inlet manifold and electric fan. Barely a month later, new high pressure fuel pump and some sort of associated module.

Service manager was surprised! This was 200 miles and a month before I bought it. He told me to phone up the dealer that did the work and then the dealer that sold me the car.

Dealer who did the work - girl was very helpful but after consultation with manager, could not provide me with extra information as to the nature of the original problem without proof of ownership in person. No chance that's happening so I asked a few probing questions and essentially received an answer that it was the same problem I was having. Told me to call the original selling dealer.

Who was surprised!

After consultation with his manager, now wants me to get my local dealer to phone him and explain the issues. They agree that this fault is unacceptable but don't understand why my dealer cannot further test under warranty. When I explained that the ECU was saying that there wasn't a problem now, so nothing further to test, he seemed confused.

So, I'm going with injectors if the vacuum issue just hasn't been properly diagnosed.

Not particularly happy.

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Saturday 16th April 2016
quotequote all
TimboCD1 said:
Had this on my 2013 530d and it was the EGR valve - known issue & apparently the design has been changed.
Mine was all sorted under warranty as I am sure yours will be.
Hope it's nowt more serious smile
scratchchin

Were the symptoms exactly the same? And did the fault code point to the EGR?

ollie plymsoles

216 posts

99 months

Thursday 21st April 2016
quotequote all
Wifes 2014 330d had that same fault. The error msg popped up and and the car ran in limp mode. Switching off and on cured it for a couple of days, then it came back again. Main dealer changed egr valve. Ever since the job was done it has made the 8speed auto box jerky when cold? Went back and the Main dealer reset something but now and again its still jerky when cold!.

ollie plymsoles

216 posts

99 months

Thursday 21st April 2016
quotequote all
Wifes 2014 330d had that same fault. The error msg popped up and and the car ran in limp mode. Switching off and on cured it for a couple of days, then it came back again. Main dealer changed egr valve. Ever since the job was done it has made the 8speed auto box jerky when cold? Went back and the Main dealer reset something but now and again its still jerky when cold!.

s2000db

1,155 posts

153 months

Thursday 21st April 2016
quotequote all
Had this happen on mine in Germany, it's apparently one of the vacuum lines having a small split in it... So therefore it's something that'll crop up from time to time..
They need to inspect all the vacuum hoses carefully imo.

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Monday 25th April 2016
quotequote all
So they've had it for over a week without being able to find any faults in the car apart from uneven running when cold. Master tech spent 9 hrs with it on Friday, as well as driving it around for three days and finally diagnosed two injectors that need replacing.

These are due in from Germany today so let's see if it cures the problem.

Andehh

7,108 posts

206 months

Monday 25th April 2016
quotequote all
The Stiglet said:
So they've had it for over a week without being able to find any faults in the car apart from uneven running when cold. Master tech spent 9 hrs with it on Friday, as well as driving it around for three days and finally diagnosed two injectors that need replacing.

These are due in from Germany today so let's see if it cures the problem.
Please keep us up to date! Never pleasant when you hear stories like this!

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
Update

The two new injectors went in and made no difference. So they replaced all the injectors and it made a mild difference. The problem remains!

The master tech is the only one working on the car and is still trying to ascertain the issue. One of the service guys said to me that BMW have authorised him to throw the proverbial kitchen sink at the problem and have an open chequebook on the warranty claim. As reassuring as that sounds, I haven't had a car for three weeks and needed it this weekend.

I'm due to catch up with the sales manager again today but I've started making exploratory remarks about swapping it for something else or getting my money back.


thatsprettyshady

1,824 posts

165 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
This happened once on my 2015 320d, driving normally and suddenly went into "limp" mode with reduced revs, power and very rough. Called out BMW service and they couldn't find anything wrong, quite annoyingly the car was back to normal and running well by the time they got there.

6000 miles later this hasn't reoccurred.

Hopefully, I won't have the same inconvenience that other have experienced. Wow

vsonix

3,858 posts

163 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
The Stiglet said:
Update

One of the service guys said to me that BMW have authorised him to throw the proverbial kitchen sink at the problem and have an open chequebook on the warranty claim. As reassuring as that sounds, I haven't had a car for three weeks and needed it this weekend.
So wait, there's no courtesy car been offered? That's a bit lax innit?

thatsprettyshady

1,824 posts

165 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
vsonix said:
So wait, there's no courtesy car been offered? That's a bit lax innit?
This. A courtesy car should be provided without a second thought, especially where the car has been traded with a known fault which is poor form.

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
thatsprettyshady said:
vsonix said:
So wait, there's no courtesy car been offered? That's a bit lax innit?
This. A courtesy car should be provided without a second thought, especially where the car has been traded with a known fault which is poor form.
No, to their credit they did offer one although it was only today after the continued inconvenience. Unfortunately, my street is controlled parking so they'd need to pay £12 per day too. They weren't so keen on that and I haven't pushed the issue as I'd rather they work with me and not against me. The manager has already said that I've been very reasonable under the circumstances (pregnant wife too) so I hope this will work to my favour if I need to reject the car.

thatsprettyshady

1,824 posts

165 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
quotequote all
The Stiglet said:
thatsprettyshady said:
vsonix said:
So wait, there's no courtesy car been offered? That's a bit lax innit?
This. A courtesy car should be provided without a second thought, especially where the car has been traded with a known fault which is poor form.
No, to their credit they did offer one although it was only today after the continued inconvenience. Unfortunately, my street is controlled parking so they'd need to pay £12 per day too. They weren't so keen on that and I haven't pushed the issue as I'd rather they work with me and not against me. The manager has already said that I've been very reasonable under the circumstances (pregnant wife too) so I hope this will work to my favour if I need to reject the car.
good call under the circumstances, my only suggestion would be that nothing motivates the dealership to get the car sorted than a demo vehicle tied up long term.

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Sunday 1st May 2016
quotequote all
thatsprettyshady said:
good call under the circumstances, my only suggestion would be that nothing motivates the dealership to get the car sorted than a demo vehicle tied up long term.
Is this something that I could expect to be delivered to me? They are 50 miles away and I'm going to struggle to get over there due to work commitments.

vsonix

3,858 posts

163 months

Sunday 1st May 2016
quotequote all
I'd think bearing in mind the amount of time this has been dragging on, it's the least they could do. And also, the £12 a day parking can probably avoided if you get in touch with the parking firm (or council) for a temporary permit.

TheJimi

24,950 posts

243 months

Sunday 1st May 2016
quotequote all
thatsprettyshady said:
The Stiglet said:
thatsprettyshady said:
vsonix said:
So wait, there's no courtesy car been offered? That's a bit lax innit?
This. A courtesy car should be provided without a second thought, especially where the car has been traded with a known fault which is poor form.
No, to their credit they did offer one although it was only today after the continued inconvenience. Unfortunately, my street is controlled parking so they'd need to pay £12 per day too. They weren't so keen on that and I haven't pushed the issue as I'd rather they work with me and not against me. The manager has already said that I've been very reasonable under the circumstances (pregnant wife too) so I hope this will work to my favour if I need to reject the car.
good call under the circumstances, my only suggestion would be that nothing motivates the dealership to get the car sorted than a demo vehicle tied up long term.
'shady, I've sent you an email. If you haven't received it, could you fire me one? My emails via PH seem to get lost :-(

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

194 months

Thursday 5th May 2016
quotequote all
TimboCD1 said:
Had this on my 2013 530d and it was the EGR valve - known issue & apparently the design has been changed.
Mine was all sorted under warranty as I am sure yours will be.
Hope it's nowt more serious smile
Well, well, well....

Got a call yesterday from the techie, who had noticed that the EGR valve was stuck wide open. They replaced the valve and retested this morning and the problem has gone!

When I reminded them that I said to check the EGR valve first when I dropped the car in, based on your feedback, they told me not to trust the internet banghead

4 weeks later, I hope to pick the car up on Saturday

edit: £3,000 for the injectors eek They even dropped the gearbox to replace a perished seal.

Edited by The Stiglet on Thursday 5th May 16:58

TimboCD1

69 posts

127 months

Thursday 5th May 2016
quotequote all
What a bunch of useless.......

Glad it's sorted now and hope it's a permanent solution - I never saw the issue again.

I would now be looking for some serious good will gestures to compensate for their
incompetence.

Hope you can now get back to enjoying it smile

ETA - Sorry I missed your earlier request for info - it was roadside assist that diagnosed & fixed mine.

Edited by TimboCD1 on Thursday 5th May 20:37