1M electronics going nuts (false positives) due to PDC humidity gremlin

[Artemis]

Belgian forum fellow Andra informed me last week about a series of recurring random errors/glitches which befell his VO 1M (2011).

According to what Andra described electronics of his 1M went nuts, as if his 1M was bewitched.

His 1M randomly reported all sorts of ill-founded messages on the instrument panel (battery issue warning, seat belt issue warning, airbag issue warning, engine issue warning) but he also witnessed other crazy situations (SAT-NAV cutting out randomly, RPM meter and speedometer going berserk for no apparent reason [dropping from the actual speed indication to zero indication and back], start/stop button blinking despite the engine being switched off, iDrive button blinking despite the engine being switched off, blinkers not working anymore, windows not fully closing, headlights staying on despite switching off the engine, Park Distance Control no longer operational, etc.).

But Andra's 1M did not detonate... Incidents were usually resolved by resetting the engine (switch off and restart). But issues recurred during subsequent drives.

Quite some erratic incidents happened randomly when idling before traffic-lights during a drive ("Usually the instrument panel lit up like a Christmas tree and SAT-NAV reported all sorts of weird instructions and warnings"). Most absurd incident was a SAT-NAV message ordering him to switch off the engine, remove the key, unbuckle and open and close the driver's door. So he did and no such message re-appeared.

Sounded like a 1M with a "Christine" movie attitude or an ECU on crack, driving the 1M electronics nuts.

Andra is a reliable guy and took his car to his BMW dealership. If BMW gets to read this someday: Andra started documenting the 1M lunatics with pictures as proof "or the BMW dealership would have never believed me".

BMW dealership scratched its head ("never seen or heard this before"). 1M got checked. Dealership concluded that the antics were caused by ..."a Park Distance Control issue, probably related to humidity".

Andra will test his 1M during the forthcoming days and weeks to check whether weird stuff happens again.

Crazy story - unfortunately 100% true.

Re 1ers with electronics going nuts, see also these reported similar experiences:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=516220 (speedometer and RPM meter going jojo)
http://www.bmw-drivers.de/forum-68/e...n-t-43668.html (electronic failure due to a software problem sending false positives: "Das Auto ist wieder einsatzbereit. Alle Warnmeldungen sind weg, alle Funktionen sind wieder da. Nach Aussage der Werkstatt war es ein reines Softwareproblem")
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=754683 (PDC and humidity)

Other examples of 1ers infested by electr(on)ic "gremlins":
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=442429
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=773202
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=594848
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=396878

Speedometer and RPM meter of a German 130i going jojo:

The BMW equivalent of MS Windows notorious "Blue Screen Of Death" of the nineties on this German 130i:


Did some of you already encounter a similar experience with his 1M or heard about this ? If this happens to be the case I will include this issue in the list of the 1M issues log sticky (http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...27&postcount=1)

[Dackelone]

I wonder if this could be part(or related too) of the loose battery cable/crimp recall that just came out. ?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I wonder if this could be part (or related too) of the loose battery cable/crimp recall that just came out ?

1er battery recall cross-reference: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=804823

Dackel, do you know whether the Micro Power Module (MPM, controlling the entertainment, communication, as well as the navigation features of the car) of the 1ers (including the 1M) is located in the boot and/or at risk of water or humidity damage ?

On E60 5-series this happened to be a controversial issue (it was recommended to move the MPM to a higher location to avoid it from "swimming" under the spare tire in the event of trunk seal leaks):
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/bm...sue-48890.html
http://euroautotraining.com/blog/bmw...wer-module-tip
http://forums.5series.net/e60-discus...module-103799/
http://forums.5series.net/e60-discus...m-blown-43399/

[eeghie]

When digital electronics go crazy, they really go bezerk. Very annoying to experience I reckon.

Originally Posted by Artemis

1er battery recall cross-reference: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=804823

...

Would be good if anybody knew what part is involved, the news here reports this as a NA issue. Did anybody outside NA hear about it?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Artemis

1er battery recall cross-reference: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=804823

Dackel, do you know whether the Micro Power Module (MPM, controlling the entertainment, communication, as well as the navigation features of the car) of the 1ers (including the 1M) is located in the boot and/or at risk of water or humidity damage ?

On E60 5-series this happened to be a controversial issue (it was recommended to move the MPM to a higher location to avoid it from "swimming" under the spare tire in the event of trunk seal leaks):
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/bm...sue-48890.html
http://euroautotraining.com/blog/bmw...wer-module-tip
http://forums.5series.net/e60-discus...module-103799/
http://forums.5series.net/e60-discus...m-blown-43399/

No, sorry I do not know.

I was just thinking out loud about the battery terminal thing. I have seen on VW's when the battery gets really low... and the battery gets jump started or just very low voltage.. it can cause all sorts of weird things with electronics. Even if later the battery is full charged, the electronics can get scrambled and do weird stuff. Usually a simple removing of the negative battery terminal and waiting ten minutes will fix those gremlins. I assume this was tried already? IF the battery voltage is less than 12.8volts standing(engine off)... the battery is toast.

Good Luck

[MJockey]

This has happen to my 1M. Now the PDC has stopped working all together. The car is currently at the dealer awaiting a new PDC module and any fix BMW NA recommends to keep the water / moisture out of the PDC module.

[eeghie]

Originally Posted by Artemis

...

Dackel, do you know whether the Micro Power Module (MPM, controlling the entertainment, communication, as well as the navigation features of the car) of the 1ers (including the 1M) is located in the boot and/or at risk of water or humidity damage ?

...

In the e8x and e9x electrical platform (in BMW software abbreviated as 'e89') I suspect you mean the combox which handles most of the features you mention. It sits in the trunk bottom, not near the PDC (lower right side) but just behind the right back seat. e82 Modules that are near (next to) the PDC are the tow hitch module and there's an open space for where i think the EDC (never released) would have gone.

The PDC location is the deepest point in the trunk and any water coming in to the trunk would eventually end up there ...

[Artemis]

See issues #14 (faulty battery cable connector) and #17 (electr(on)ic gremlins due to humidity accessing the boot) of the 1M issues log sticky:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...27&postcount=1

[carchrism5]

This happened to my car too, PDC module was replaced and no gremlins anymore. Was about a year and a half ago.