Check engine light!

[Tee-Dub]

Heading down the road today and she throws a CEL. Just when I was preparing to buy a bunch of stuff for her! Already ordered a COBB, dp's and fmic but haven't even gotten them yet. Don't have a way to read the code right now, do they sometimes just go away? Fwiw 2008 39k miles spark plugs 1000 miles old.

[Tee-Dub]

Well, left the barber shop and the light didn't come back on. Swung by the local indy BMW shop, and although he didn't seem to be doing anything said he'd have time to read the code for me tomorrow. I probably wont go back, as this was my first time there and he didn't seem too anxious to help me, plus I was off work today, have to work all day tomorrow. I guess when my COBB AP comes in a couple of days I can read the code with that.

[Tee-Dub]

After doing a little more research it was the "limp mode" yellow half engine light. Weird thing is I was just cruising down the highway with the cruise set at 70mph. About a block off the highway the light came on.

[Maeiourk]

Originally Posted by Tee-Dub

After doing a little more research it was the "limp mode" yellow half engine light. Weird thing is I was just cruising down the highway with the cruise set at 70mph. About a block off the highway the light came on.

This happened to me two weeks ago. I was driving normally, 40mph, when the CEL came on. I asked a friend from Active Autowerke which then he told me to turn off the car for 5 mins. I did, but the CEL was still there. He then asked me about my gas (1/4 at that time), then told me to put more gas. While I was on the way to the gasoline station using the highway, driving 70mph, the CEL went away. I was like, maybe the tune I got from AA doesn't want me to drive slower.

[SteveAZ]

Go to an auto parts store and have them read the code for you and report back...it's free.

[Tee-Dub]

Spoke to another shop tonight (one that serviced the car for the used dealer I bought it from) and he said if it only shows the engine light and not the SES light above it that is known as a "soft" code and there may not be a code stored for it, especially since it was off when I started the car back up. My COBB AP comes in a couple of days, I'll check for codes with that when I get it.

[lastMleft]

Same thing happend to me in my old 07 e92, I was rolling doing about 65 and same code appeared, I was low on fuel so I took the next exit and filled up, I started the car after the fill I proceeded and the code never came back, after that I made sure my fuel tank never got below a 1/4.

On another note watch were you fuel up some stations are suspect.

[Tee-Dub]

Tank was almost full, filled from Shell. Hooked up a code reader today and no codes were stored. Damn computers.

[lastMleft]

Originally Posted by Tee-Dub

Tank was almost full, filled from Shell. Hooked up a code reader today and no codes were stored. Damn computers.

Damn that sucks man, good luck though

[Tee-Dub]

I guess its better it didn't throw a real code. The owner of Pro-Tek who already replaced my plugs said it isn't entirely uncommon on the N54. He chalked it up to a lot of computers and sensors.

I almost started wondering if I accidentally put 87 in the tank instead of 92. Pretty sure I used 92, and shell is usually pretty good, but I noticed a little rough running and the limp mode light only after about 30 miles on the last fill up.

FWIW, if you're in the Portland area, Mike, the owner of Pro-Tek installs DP's for $190. Two hours labor, not bad. He will be installing all my bolt on stuff in the next couple of weeks.

[lynn.ping]

sometimes it throws a code and stores it. you should consider getting it checked out

[JimD]

Especially with your modifictions, I would get Torque. I run it on an Android tablet but it will run on that type phone and possibly on the iphone. There is a free version but I paid the $5. You also need a device to plug into the OBD2 port and put the information out via bluetooth. I followed a recommendation from a post on here on the device. I think it cost about $25 from Amazon. Torque will give you real time displays of many parameters and also let you record signals which it will then graph for you. It also reads and clears codes. A lot of capability for about $30. I have a code reader and NCSExpert so I have multiple ways of doing this but Torque is the easiest. It also does the most other things that may be useful to you. And it is the cheapest to implement (NCSExpert is "free" but you need a cable that cost me about $100 - reading codes with it is like killing ants with a sledge hammer).

Jim

[Tee-Dub]

Originally Posted by lynn.ping

sometimes it throws a code and stores it. you should consider getting it checked out

I read the codes yesterday, none were stored. The BMW mechanic I spoke to said if the limp mode light came on, but not the actual SES light a code probably wouldn't be stored.

Originally Posted by JimD

Especially with your modifictions, I would get Torque.
Jim

I don't have the mods yet, but they're on the way. My COBB should be here today. I've been told I can also datalog and check/clear codes with the COBB. An iPad app would be very cool though!