3 error messages and 1 problem - what's the issue
Discussion
So, car (2008 e61 M5) has stood for 6 days, last used last Saturday and the car was fine. Since then we've had very heavy rain, cold and snow.
Went out in it this morning.....
1st Problem - Level control system failure
2nd Problem - Tyre Pressure warning system failure
3rd Problem - Transmission issue warning
4th Problem - Tailgate won't open on automatic.
Apart from the 4th problem, there doesn't appear to be anything actually wrong with the car.
Any ideas? Any chance that it will just go away, or do I need to involve a BMW garage (I have a BMW insurance backed warranty).
If I do have to involve a BMW Garage, are they generally decent. My nearest is Sytner in High Wycombe. I'm working until end of day Thursday, and I really need the car on Wednesday, are they likely to be responsive to my needs or am I facing a wait?
Thanks
Went out in it this morning.....
1st Problem - Level control system failure
2nd Problem - Tyre Pressure warning system failure
3rd Problem - Transmission issue warning
4th Problem - Tailgate won't open on automatic.
Apart from the 4th problem, there doesn't appear to be anything actually wrong with the car.
Any ideas? Any chance that it will just go away, or do I need to involve a BMW garage (I have a BMW insurance backed warranty).
If I do have to involve a BMW Garage, are they generally decent. My nearest is Sytner in High Wycombe. I'm working until end of day Thursday, and I really need the car on Wednesday, are they likely to be responsive to my needs or am I facing a wait?
Thanks
Cold weather has got to your battery i reckon. Not uncommon!
When the battery gets low the car shuts down circuits that it deems to be low priority. Mine used to shut off the Ipod interface, radio and tailgate function before finally giving me transmission faults. Low current would explain your transmission fault.
Mine was caused by the tailgate wiring loom breaking up in the tailgate hinge, but yours sounds more like a duff battery. Get a local specialist to check it for you but dont let them change it without firstly attaching a 12v power supply to the car. They dont like having thier batteries removed if there is no backup power supply to cover the missing cell.
Eddie
When the battery gets low the car shuts down circuits that it deems to be low priority. Mine used to shut off the Ipod interface, radio and tailgate function before finally giving me transmission faults. Low current would explain your transmission fault.
Mine was caused by the tailgate wiring loom breaking up in the tailgate hinge, but yours sounds more like a duff battery. Get a local specialist to check it for you but dont let them change it without firstly attaching a 12v power supply to the car. They dont like having thier batteries removed if there is no backup power supply to cover the missing cell.
Eddie
The battery should last over 3 weeks normally so if yours is struggling after 6 days i'd suggest an Italian tune up is not what it needs. If the wiring is shorting out (see tailgate loom issues) then the battery top up will only work in the very short term. If the battery itself is dead then you really need to be visiting a battery dealer / auto electrician. You can get the battery tested with it still attached to the car so that will rule it in or out. If its not the battery then i'd dust off the warranty pack and visit BMW with a big smile on your face and a confident attitude.
I'd agree with low battery. 5x years is about normal for a BMW/Bosch battery setup. The e60/1 is a very power hungry car and if it's already been low and then subjected to the cold they can set off seemingly random errors.
Charge up the battery overnight and see if things return to normality. The errors may still be there however as they may be stored.
Just from a trouble shooting point of view, regarding the auto bootlid... This may be a normal shutdown if the car is low on power, however the control module for this is in the boot so have a look here in case it's been damaged.
You'll eliminate this from the cause if anything.
http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/topic/49784-i-drive-proble...
Charge up the battery overnight and see if things return to normality. The errors may still be there however as they may be stored.
Just from a trouble shooting point of view, regarding the auto bootlid... This may be a normal shutdown if the car is low on power, however the control module for this is in the boot so have a look here in case it's been damaged.
You'll eliminate this from the cause if anything.
http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/topic/49784-i-drive-proble...
omniflow said:
To get my battery checked on a Sunday, I'm looking at either Halfords or Qwik Fit?
Is one better than the other, or am I mad to be even considering either them?
Ecain63 (Eddie?) mentioned that it needs to be hooked up to another battery when changing it. Is that standard procedure?
Might be best to wait until you can swing into a BMW dealer to make sure its done right.Is one better than the other, or am I mad to be even considering either them?
Ecain63 (Eddie?) mentioned that it needs to be hooked up to another battery when changing it. Is that standard procedure?
Yeah, this is a common fault. The rain guides get gunked up if you dont keep on top of the cars cleanliness. BMW might or might not sort it FOC, but given yours is just out of standard warranty i'd be pushing for goodwill cure. I check my rain guides every 6 months and blast them through with a can of compressed air.
Eddie
Eddie
A watering can on the sunroof shows that the leak is definitely coming from the sunroof, on the drivers side. Problem is it appears to be leaking above where the fuses are, so I've got no idea where the pipe has become blocked / separated.
Also, now I've mopped up all the water and hopefully dried everything out, should I be expecting the error messages to go away? Or should I go for a long drive with the heater turned up to dry everything out that bit more?
Also, now I've mopped up all the water and hopefully dried everything out, should I be expecting the error messages to go away? Or should I go for a long drive with the heater turned up to dry everything out that bit more?
How much water was there? Was it enough to submerge the modules or was it just a bit sloshing around? I had about 1/2 a cups worth that wasn't enough to get to the electronics. The battery however was sat in 2 inches of water.
Are there any signs/smell of electrical burning?
It all comes down to luck if u caught the problem in time. Some people have just dried the modules out on the radiator and stuck them back with no problems.
Some have had all the modules screwed like the photos.
Regarding the warranty, some have had issues with the dealers saying that the water must be from a dropped container or that the blocked pipes are as a result of where u habitually park your car, ie, in a dirty Environment.
All ways to squirm out of paying..
The wet area around the fuses on the RHS was the same was mine. The drain pipe becomes blocked and the water backs up into the sunroof drains and internally comes down the D pillar.
Actually Initially pinpointing this was difficult.
Are there any signs/smell of electrical burning?
It all comes down to luck if u caught the problem in time. Some people have just dried the modules out on the radiator and stuck them back with no problems.
Some have had all the modules screwed like the photos.
Regarding the warranty, some have had issues with the dealers saying that the water must be from a dropped container or that the blocked pipes are as a result of where u habitually park your car, ie, in a dirty Environment.
All ways to squirm out of paying..
The wet area around the fuses on the RHS was the same was mine. The drain pipe becomes blocked and the water backs up into the sunroof drains and internally comes down the D pillar.
Actually Initially pinpointing this was difficult.
There was about 1" of water in the lower part of the well, but nothing looks fried (in fact everything looksbrand new). The battery is raised above the bottom of the well in my car.
So based on what you've just said, all I need to do to clear the blockage is yank the tube out (the one behind the fuses), somehow clear it (probably by trashing the end of it), put it back, and them I'm done. Whilst I'm at it, I should probably do the other side for good measure. Oh, and clear up any more water that's appeared between now and when I get the chance to sort it.
Went out for a run yesterday after I'd cleared up the water and dried it out as much as possible. I was still getting the level control system failure message and the tailgate was still awkward, but I got no transmission errors. I haven't tackled unblocking the pipes yet, and there's more rain forecast. I think I'll tackle the pipes, wait until everything is thoroughly dry, see what's still not working and then visit BMW
However, I have found a cheap way to improve the exhaust note within the car. Simply remove as much of the trim and polystyrene from the boot floor as you can, then lower the back seats and retract the load cover. It gives a noticable improvement.
So based on what you've just said, all I need to do to clear the blockage is yank the tube out (the one behind the fuses), somehow clear it (probably by trashing the end of it), put it back, and them I'm done. Whilst I'm at it, I should probably do the other side for good measure. Oh, and clear up any more water that's appeared between now and when I get the chance to sort it.
Went out for a run yesterday after I'd cleared up the water and dried it out as much as possible. I was still getting the level control system failure message and the tailgate was still awkward, but I got no transmission errors. I haven't tackled unblocking the pipes yet, and there's more rain forecast. I think I'll tackle the pipes, wait until everything is thoroughly dry, see what's still not working and then visit BMW
However, I have found a cheap way to improve the exhaust note within the car. Simply remove as much of the trim and polystyrene from the boot floor as you can, then lower the back seats and retract the load cover. It gives a noticable improvement.
Held in the wheel well is the PDC, I drive and auto tailgate modules. When these get fried people often notice their I drive partly or totally fails to work, the same with the PDC etc.
If yours is working normal then you've probably caught it in time.
Yes carefully but firmly pull the tubes up on both sides as per the post and that will probably clear 99% of the problem. Your looking to detach the grommet on the end which causes the problem. I left my wifes hair dryer going in the boot space for an hour.
Give your battery a 24hr charge if u can - or overnight for 2 or 3 nights charging it from under the bonnet so the juice goes through the IBS and then see where u are.
As I said, the error may still be there as it's been logged with the ECU. A dealer will charge £120 or so to read and clear faults. U could try a BMW specialist who will charge roughly £35 then see whats what.
If yours is working normal then you've probably caught it in time.
Yes carefully but firmly pull the tubes up on both sides as per the post and that will probably clear 99% of the problem. Your looking to detach the grommet on the end which causes the problem. I left my wifes hair dryer going in the boot space for an hour.
Give your battery a 24hr charge if u can - or overnight for 2 or 3 nights charging it from under the bonnet so the juice goes through the IBS and then see where u are.
As I said, the error may still be there as it's been logged with the ECU. A dealer will charge £120 or so to read and clear faults. U could try a BMW specialist who will charge roughly £35 then see whats what.
Right, finally got this sorted.... well almost.
My plan of leaving in to dry whilst all plugged in was critically flawed. The tailgate did get better by itself, but the level control system quite definitely didn't. Talking to someone who sounded like he knew what he was talking about the fact that there was power going through the components would have made the water very destructive, I should have unplugged everything and dried it inside.
Anyway, the rear suspension had finally reached the bumpstops (at least that's how it looked to me) so I decided that the car needed looking at. The two BMW garages I phoned were totally unhelpful, it took me 15 minutes of them collecting marketing information from me before they finally told me they couldn't do anything until early Jan.
Then I remembered a thread on here, about speciaists near High Wycombe. I took it to CPC in Amersham. They looked at while I waited, fixed it, and didn't charge me very much at all, all it actually needed was a new relay for the level control. Really quite awesome service, highly recommended.
Now I just need to unblock the drainholes !
My plan of leaving in to dry whilst all plugged in was critically flawed. The tailgate did get better by itself, but the level control system quite definitely didn't. Talking to someone who sounded like he knew what he was talking about the fact that there was power going through the components would have made the water very destructive, I should have unplugged everything and dried it inside.
Anyway, the rear suspension had finally reached the bumpstops (at least that's how it looked to me) so I decided that the car needed looking at. The two BMW garages I phoned were totally unhelpful, it took me 15 minutes of them collecting marketing information from me before they finally told me they couldn't do anything until early Jan.
Then I remembered a thread on here, about speciaists near High Wycombe. I took it to CPC in Amersham. They looked at while I waited, fixed it, and didn't charge me very much at all, all it actually needed was a new relay for the level control. Really quite awesome service, highly recommended.
Now I just need to unblock the drainholes !
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