535D M Sport seriously losing power

[mogul]

Not sure if anyone can help here?

Car is a 535D, June 2007 LCI, with SAT and 18600 miles on the clock.

On Thursday I was driving through a local village ans as I slowed down for a junction and I pressed the accelerator nothing happened. I was already rolling and the car didn't rev or accelerate and eventually I pressed the kickdown happened and away after a second or two it went. I thought at the time it was simply a gearbox glitch.

I have driven over 350 miles since that incident and coming home tonight the same thing happened again only for a couple of miles. I'd overtaken a car and slowed down, went to hit the throttle and found it would not really accelerate at all. The car would not go over 60 (ish) in any gear and in D from a standing start will only go fast enough to change to second and then stay at about 4000 RPM, not changing gear and not accelerating. Whilst travelling at 50mph, if you put your foot hard down it just doesn't do anything, other than change gears.

It seemed to fix itself when I had to stop at a junction but then happened again a short time afterwards. It's just been serviced and had new BMW software to cure iPod and other problems. There are no warning lights or messages in iDrive suggesting the car thinks it's OK, but obviously has a problem.

I'll call the garage tomorrow but wondered if anybody else has had similar symptoms either in a petrol or diesel E60?

[dxb335d]

Sounds like an ECU issue of some sort. Altho im no expert. Is the car mapped at all?

Hope it gets sorted soon tho chap.


Carlos

[mogul]

It's as if it goes into a fuel starved 'limp home' mode but shows no warning signs via the OBC or any lights flashing

Edited by mogul on Sunday 3rd February 22:05

[dxb335d]

Ok lets get serious.

If your uncomfortable commenting here, feel free to email me. I have the same engine as you but in a 3er.

Email me and we can talk these issues thru.

Edited by dxb335d on Sunday 3rd February 21:49

Edited by dxb335d on Sunday 3rd February 21:49

[edb49]

dxb335d said:

Ok lets get serious.

If your uncomfortable commenting here, feel free to email me. I have the same engine as you but in a 3er.

Email me and we can talk these issues thru.

Why not just comment on this open forum? Everyone can benefit from the "shared ownership experience" and help each other, rather than keep secrets.

[dxb335d]

Its not just keeping a secret is it. Its a 45+k car that has a BMW warranty.

Whether the car is mapped or not is not the issue in question.

The car has developed a fault. It needs to be seen.

Hope it gets sorted soon chap!


Carlos

[edb49]

Ah - I didn't realise the secrecy issue may have been due to mapping or lack theroef.

[dxb335d]

edb49 said:

Ah - I didn't realise the secrecy issue may have been due to mapping or lack theroef.

WHAT?

[mogul]

Update - drove the car this morning and all appears OK for the moment.

I've have also spoken to the dealer who recently serviced the car and they suggest it's probably a sensor but they will be unable to identify which one and the ECU will not record what happened. If I take it along they can have a look but won't be able to identify the fault, regardless of the fact the car went into 'limp home' mode.

They have suggested I drive the car and should the fault appear again, then drive to the nearest BMW garage, leave the car running and they can plug in their laptop and have a look.

I also hope that the fault doesn't happen whilst overtaking!

[dxb335d]

Mogul, sounds dangerous if it can happen whilst overtaking!

Its definately limp home mode?

[Dunk76]

mogul said:

I've have also spoken to the dealer who recently serviced the car and they suggest it's probably a sensor but they will be unable to identify which one and the ECU will not record what happened.

Erm, the ECU should, I believe, record every single sensor input which it believes is erroneous or missing.

For example, when the AMM started failing on my 3.3, the ECU recorded 94 incidents of 'AMM Out of Range' over the space of three weeks - even though it wasn't defaulting to Limp mode, it knew that what the AMM was doing was incorrect.

[Vixpy1]

Dunk76 said:

mogul said:

I've have also spoken to the dealer who recently serviced the car and they suggest it's probably a sensor but they will be unable to identify which one and the ECU will not record what happened.

Erm, the ECU should, I believe, record every single sensor input which it believes is erroneous or missing.

For example, when the AMM started failing on my 3.3, the ECU recorded 94 incidents of 'AMM Out of Range' over the space of three weeks - even though it wasn't defaulting to Limp mode, it knew that what the AMM was doing was incorrect.

Correct, when i had my M3 serviced, the fault code reader brought up several code 765's. 'Driver Talent Exceeded'

[dxb335d]

Vixpy1 said:

Dunk76 said:

mogul said:

I've have also spoken to the dealer who recently serviced the car and they suggest it's probably a sensor but they will be unable to identify which one and the ECU will not record what happened.

Erm, the ECU should, I believe, record every single sensor input which it believes is erroneous or missing.

For example, when the AMM started failing on my 3.3, the ECU recorded 94 incidents of 'AMM Out of Range' over the space of three weeks - even though it wasn't defaulting to Limp mode, it knew that what the AMM was doing was incorrect.

Correct, when i had my M3 serviced, the fault code reader brought up several code 765's. 'Driver Talent Exceeded'

Very funny, i like that

[phelix]

Dunk76 said:

Erm, the ECU should, I believe, record every single sensor input which it believes is erroneous or missing.

For example, when the AMM started failing on my 3.3, the ECU recorded 94 incidents of 'AMM Out of Range' over the space of three weeks - even though it wasn't defaulting to Limp mode, it knew that what the AMM was doing was incorrect.

But you can also get faults that the ECU doesn't detect. My 535d had a chafed vacuum hose that prevented the small turbo from being activated; the ECU didn't think anything was wrong.

[Dunk76]

Well yes, the ECU is only capable of recognising faults or failures in the equipment which is actually physically attached to it.

From the OP description is does seem to lend itself towards an electronic problem - my money, for what it's worth, is on an intermittant throttle potentiometer fault.

[mogul]

Just been out for lunch and the car died whilst pulling out of a junction.

Called the garage and asked them to take it away which is now being arranged.

[DaveR]

When I had an issue with my petrol-powered 3'er which manifested itself as hesitancy and indeed stalling when pulling away once or twice, it turned out to be a camshaft sensor having departed for the great components scrapyard in the sky.

[emaps]

mogul said:

It seemed to fix itself when I had to stop at a junction but then happened again a short time afterwards. It's just been serviced and had new BMW software to cure iPod and other problems. There are no warning lights or messages in iDrive suggesting the car thinks it's OK, but obviously has a problem.

The cars just come out of BMW after having a service and software updates so no remap on this car

[Vixpy1]

emaps said:

mogul said:

It seemed to fix itself when I had to stop at a junction but then happened again a short time afterwards. It's just been serviced and had new BMW software to cure iPod and other problems. There are no warning lights or messages in iDrive suggesting the car thinks it's OK, but obviously has a problem.

The cars just come out of BMW after having a service and software updates so no remap on this car

Simon

[emaps]

Hi Charlie, see you on the 28th and get the kettle on