CEL Reduced Power after N55 VANOS recall

[Rub10s]

So I dropped off my N55 for the VANOS recall, and after finally getting my car back it immediately had a CEL and the reduced power warning.

The car has a JB4, which they obviously noticed when they were doing the install, since they put it back.

Any idea what they could have messed up? All the sensors appeared to be plugged in correctly, and it doesn't look like they did anything in the computer area.

I wouldn't accept the car since it was fine when I dropped it off, but now they are telling me they took off the JB4 and it's still doing it.

Just curious if anyone had any theories... I'm starting to get really worried

It seems like if they weren't comfortable doing the recall with the JB4, they should have told me up front.

[Andrewcoja]

Do you know what code it is throwing?

[Rub10s]

Originally Posted by Andrewcoja

Do you know what code it is throwing?

The tech said it was "open loop" for the sensors that the JB4 monitors. I figured that made sense if they messed up the JB4 somehow, but now that the JB4 is off the car, I'm not sure why it would still be throwing the same open loop errors.

[Rub10s]

OK I'm looking for some help here. BMW has had my car for 10 days now and I can't get them to call me back about what is wrong.

Should I escalate this to a service manager? My service rep is a bumbling idiot, but I really don't want to piss anyone off while they still have my car. Last I heard they ordered a new boost sensor, but that didn't fix it.

Right now the car has the JB4 off, but is still going into limp mode. My fear is they are just going to blame all this on the JB4 and leave me with a broken car. When I brought the car in there was no CEL. They are saying they could see there was a CEL that happened before, which could be true, but the JB4 was hiding it, but the car sure as hell wasn't in limp mode. I did get them to admit SOMEONE would have noticed if I brought the car in while in limp mode.

My service rep said the shop foreman was really pissed that they uninstalled the JB4, so now I'm worried they are ignoring me because they weren't supposed to do that, and don't know what to do with the car.

Any advice would be appreciated It seems to me that if they didn't feel comfortable doing the recall with the JB4 installed they should have said something.

[Suds]

Were there any other mods besides JB4, such as catless DP or anything else

[Rub10s]

Originally Posted by Suds

Were there any other mods besides JB4, such as catless DP or anything else

BMS Intake and that is it.

[Suds]

Did you find out what code or codes are being thrown for the CEL error?

[Rub10s]

Originally Posted by Suds

Did you find out what code or codes are being thrown for the CEL error?

I haven't, they keep saying the tech that is working on the car will contact me, but nothing ever happens. Every time I try to call they are "busy". I drove down there the other day on my lunch break, but sure enough they were on lunch.

[Rub10s]

They called me today to say the DME is shot and needs to be replaced... I'm not sure what they could have done during the recall to mess it up, but the power readings on the sensors are all screwy so they think it is the DME.

And of course they want to charge me $1600 to fix it.

[e36addict]

Originally Posted by Sheldon

They called me today to say the DME is shot and needs to be replaced... I'm not sure what they could have done during the recall to mess it up, but the power readings on the sensors are all screwy so they think it is the DME.

And of course they want to charge me $1600 to fix it.

Holy shit. Are you sure they completely removed the JB4? I think you'd be better off picking up the car, removing the JB4 yourself, and checking over all the connections/etc while you're in there. Seems a bit bogus to me. Of course the dealer will try to blame it on aftermarket add-ons.. If you remove it and there's still a problem, is there another dealer in the area you could take the car to?

[Rub10s]

Originally Posted by e36addict

Holy shit. Are you sure they completely removed the JB4? I think you'd be better off picking up the car, removing the JB4 yourself, and checking over all the connections/etc while you're in there. Seems a bit bogus to me. Of course the dealer will try to blame it on aftermarket add-ons.. If you remove it and there's still a problem, is there another dealer in the area you could take the car to?

I'm thinking there must be a connection loose around the canbus wires or something. I just don't know why they would have even been in there for a vanos recall. Terry told me the JB4 can't fry the DME (which makes sense).

I'm going to go down there tomorrow and see if they will let me poke around.

[Andrewcoja]

I was getting limp mode after my recall was done, it was the boost pressure sensor code. The dealership told me it was a charge pipe. I took it to another guy who found it was the waste gate actuator I think. I forgot what he told me and I found the waste gate actuator on realoem and ecs tuning and it looks like the part he showed me. After that, I've had no problems.

[Rub10s]

Originally Posted by Andrewcoja

I was getting limp mode after my recall was done, it was the boost pressure sensor code. The dealership told me it was a charge pipe. I took it to another guy who found it was the waste gate actuator I think. I forgot what he told me and I found the waste gate actuator on realoem and ecs tuning and it looks like the part he showed me. After that, I've had no problems.

I'm pretty sure they did mention the boost pressure sensor code, so maybe that is it! If only I could get them to actually call me back.

[Dilmorecg]

That sucks...When I took my car in for the recall I removed the JB4 so they wouldn't screw anything up. Of course they still did screw up...When I got it back it was throwing a bunch of codes. Found they forgot to plug the MAF intake sensor back in.

Doesn't sound like your issue but I wouldn't trust them. Get your car back so you can see what codes its actually throwing.

Ive always found with dealerships with every brand of car Ive owned they just want to suck more money out of you.

[Rub10s]

Well the dealership said there is no way it's the Waste Gate Actuator. I'm paying to have the DME replaced... this should be a fun bill.

[Rub10s]

Update (sorry, I'm more updating so I have a log of when things happened)

Dealer said I will have to pay $2.1k for a new DME (with programming)

The part will take 4 weeks to get here.

They swear the JB4 fried the DME, but I don't think that is possible based on what Terry has told me. I'm afraid they are going to do all this and it's still going to be broken

Can't wait to get the car back and drive right to another dealership to trade it in. Audi S3 looks fun.

[Solo_M_Tech]

It's not the cars fault. The shop who did the work fucked up. I have installed, removed, and reinstalled my Jb4 a few times without any issues. This also included the Vanos recall as well. They screwed up and don't want to pay to fix it. Get your car back, and take it somewhere else without the JB4. Do what you want, but I think your jumping the gun by getting rid of it.