Bought an old BMW M3, filled with regret...

BananaDunka · 28 Jul 2017 at 20:46

Weird, forum never notified me of replies since my last post to this thread...

Today the engine check light came back, so i whipped out the phone and cable and did a read:

The other 2 faults are erroneous and not actual errors. Fuel system diagnosis 2 again. And if you check my previous post with screenshots, you can see that the o2 sensor after CAT 2 was the trigger for these fault logs. So looks like my o2 sensor post CAT 2 is on the way out. There are 4 of them, 2x post and 2x pre-CAT. The post ones are for monitoring, and pre ones adjust the fuel/air mixture. The o2 sensors typically have a 100k mile life in the real world after a bit of Googling.

Looks like an o2 sensor is not too expensive on ECP, before I order, can someone give this a proof check to make sure it is the one please. I'll be replacing both post-CAT of course. Gotta order within 3 days to get both at £107...

Cookie12 said:
Ive been hit with an issue today.

Both the DSC and amber brake warning light on the dash are permanently on. Tried to to use INPA, and the cable you provided mrk to read error codes. I've got the software working but the INPA menu is in german. I have eventually given up due to light going away and i was knackered. Also managed to kill my battery pretty quickly so had use jump leads.

From looking it up on m3cutters DSC pressure sensors seems to be one of the most common causes, but obviously need to read codes to find out exactly what the code is. Will have another try tomorrow night. I shall start the car this time though lol

Cookie12 said:
Got the diagnostic codes using the INPA software. These are the codes

0x5e5b - DSC push button pressed longer than 10 sec or Error
0x5e15 - CAN Timeout EGS
0x5e14 - CAN Timeout DME/DDE
0x5e24 - Pressure Sensor 1/2 Not Plausible.
0x5e20 - DSC pressure sensor 1

The last code 5e20 wont clear, so must be pressure sensor one.

If you check back early in the thread, I had the same issue and it was both DSC Pressure sensors 1 and 2. They were about £90 each from BMW.

Gaygle said:
Mrk, did you say you had activated option to have the window opening halfway when the fob button was clicked twice? I activated it on mine, but nothing happens when I press the fob.

I didn't activate it on mine in the end, but noted there was an option in Carly to have it activated. I just never got round to doing it and seeing if it works.

Gaygle · 28 Jul 2017 at 22:51

mrk said:
Looks like an o2 sensor is not too expensive on ECP, before I order, can someone give this a proof check to make sure it is the one please. I'll be replacing both post-CAT of course. Gotta order within 3 days to get both at £107...

If it is - get it from CP4Less and use a discount code - only £95 for both and you don't need to order in the next 3 days.

EDIT: From what i can find, one post cat sensor 11787832035 (Bosch P/N 0 258 005 281 - ECP code 710110965) and one is 11781405324 (Bosch P/N 0 258 986 505 - this is the one you have sent the link for)

Gaygle · 28 Jul 2017 at 23:16

You might have to do a bit more research on the 11781405324 though. It seems Bosch list three part numbers for it, one which looks different to another and one which is universal.

Have a play on here https://www.bosch-automotive-catalog.com/en_GB/product-search , click "External number" on the right hand side and type in the BMW part number you're after. My gut says that the universal one is the one to go for (Bosch PN ending 505), but who knows?!

wedrum · 28 Jul 2017 at 23:28

Which Carly are you using mrk
Do you have a link please

BananaDunka · 28 Jul 2017 at 23:44

Gaygle said:
You might have to do a bit more research on the 11781405324 though. It seems Bosch list three part numbers for it, one which looks different to another and one which is universal.

Have a play on here https://www.bosch-automotive-catalog.com/en_GB/product-search , click "External number" on the right hand side and type in the BMW part number you're after. My gut says that the universal one is the one to go for (Bosch PN ending 505), but who knows?!

Hmm, maybe I'll just contact my indy tomorrow and see what price they quote. If it's in the £100 mark, it saves me the potential faff of getting the wrong part. No major rush other than the engine light irritation, post cat o2 makes no difference to the performance or running of the car, but I'll be booking it in to be done in the next week or two. Although I've not looked into DIY, as if it's easy without having to lift the car up on ramps, then I could do it on the driveway.

wedrum said:
Which Carly are you using mrk
Do you have a link please

Carly for BMW Pro :cool:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iViNi.bmwhatFull&hl=en_GB

wedrum · 28 Jul 2017 at 23:53

With what hardware ?

BananaDunka · 29 Jul 2017 at 00:06

http://bcables.com/#xl_anchor_facts

The D-CAN cable in silver (one with the switch). You can get cheaper ones on ebay too, but whether they are reliable or not is anyone's guess.

Gaygle · 29 Jul 2017 at 06:58

Oxygen sensors aren't going to be a nice DIY job on a 12 year old car. It's likely to need some heat and some space to get it moving - both of which aren't really practicable on the driveway with 1.5 foot of space.

ZedPowered · 29 Jul 2017 at 21:28

mrk said:
http://bcables.com/#xl_anchor_facts

The D-CAN cable in silver (one with the switch). You can get cheaper ones on ebay too, but whether they are reliable or not is anyone's guess.

Do you get the software package with the base cable purchase?

BananaDunka · 29 Jul 2017 at 23:11

I did yeah.

Cookie12 · 3 Aug 2017 at 18:27

Cookie12 said:
Got the diagnostic codes using the INPA software. These are the codes

0x5e5b - DSC push button pressed longer than 10 sec or Error
0x5e15 - CAN Timeout EGS
0x5e14 - CAN Timeout DME/DDE
0x5e24 - Pressure Sensor 1/2 Not Plausible.
0x5e20 - DSC pressure sensor 1

The last code 5e20 wont clear, so must be pressure sensor one.

Well finally sorted my issue out and got it done under warranty (pressure sensor). What a faff it turned out to be an has taken nearly a week to sort out, even though i had it officially diagnosed last week by a garage. Turns out the warranty company i was with got taken over literally last friday and all phone numbers and email addresses did not work anymore. So i was thinking company had gone bump and there goes my warranty or something along those lines. Contacted garage where i purchased it from and they gave me a new number and when i rung the number they were very helpful to be honest. Told me the situation re: takeover and could i give them a day or two to sort out records from my warranty company to be transferred over to their system and apologised for the inconvenience as i was literally the first person from the old company to get in touch about an issue. They contacted me today and the garage who were dealing with it and agreed to pay for it and the garage did the job and i just need to send the invoice off to get my money back.

Also had my log book today and was a little shocked to find the car has had 11 previous owners :eek:

. It is only 14 years old!!! - its a strange one as it is a lovely car, and the garages who seen it / worked on it have said its lovely and looks well looked after, including bmw themselves when they did my subframe resin reinforcement job, and nothing about the car screams to me its a shed or something is off about it. It has all the history with it, had correct services done at correct times and so on but i honestly cant say if i still would have bought the car if i knew that previously. It didnt cross my mind when buying the car for some reason, although i normally do look out of interest most of the time.

B N3GATIVE · 3 Aug 2017 at 20:16

Cookie12 said:
Ive been hit with an issue today.

Both the DSC and amber brake warning light on the dash are permanently on. Tried to to use INPA, and the cable you provided mrk to read error codes. I've got the software working but the INPA menu is in german. I have eventually given up due to light going away and i was knackered. Also managed to kill my battery pretty quickly so had use jump leads.

From looking it up on m3cutters DSC pressure sensors seems to be one of the most common causes, but obviously need to read codes to find out exactly what the code is. Will have another try tomorrow night. I shall start the car this time though lol

If you are in South London,I have a copy of INPA in english and pretty much every other bit of coding software and a good cable. I use it on my E82 all the time.

As for owner count...well,they buy it in the summer and sell it in winter when they realize RWD isnt for everyone...ie,they cant actually drive.

BananaDunka · 3 Aug 2017 at 22:44

He said please

hurfdurf · 4 Aug 2017 at 23:04

mrk said:
He said please

Good man, love positive reactions to cars.

BananaDunka · 5 Aug 2017 at 21:42

hurfdurf said:
Good man, love positive reactions to cars.

It happens more often now than it used to the first year of ownership. Down here much fewer E46s than when I first got the car. Even the local three other E46 M3 owners don't seem to have their rides any more.

In a way a good thing I suppose.

BananaDunka · 21 Aug 2017 at 10:23

Can't get the car booked in for the o2 sensor replacement until 10th Sept, not an issue as it's only the post cat ones so will be fine until then. Labour quote came to under £100 inc VAT, seems fair to do both sensors.

I'll be getting them to eyeball the engine,diff and gearbox mounts and alignment checked at the same time. Anything else I should get a check done on, bearing in mind there's an inspection 2 due in 4600 miles?

Cookie12 · 21 Aug 2017 at 17:51

Had an issue with mine and the garage i bought it from. Upon purchase we agreed it needed inspection 2 service. When i picked it up they said we havent received the invoice from the garage it went and we will post it. Alarm bell did ring in my head but had to give them benefit of the doubt. 7 weeks later i finally received said invoice and there was no mention on valve clearances being checked, no gaskets on invoice etc. So questioned it and they said it had been done. I was having non of it and demanded proof. Lots of discussion happened and i basically said how can i prove to the warranty company, a warranty i took out with you, that it has been done. If i have an issue with the car and lets say the valves were to blame would you / they pay out. To my surprise they actually admitted they didnt do it. "it didnt need it" was the answer. So they offered to pay £250 towards me getting it done myself as a good will gesture.

Problem is finding someone to do it lol. 2 specialist's i've approached dont want to do it. Apparently its too much hassle just to do that and not a whole inspection 2. BMW themselves want £700 just to do that, when the same dealership charge £900 for full inspection 2.

So i dont know what to do now. Garage wont offer any more money, but they offered to have the car again to do it. But to be honest i dont trust them to do it properly.

Gibbo · 21 Aug 2017 at 18:04

Cookie12 said:
Had an issue with mine and the garage i bought it from. Upon purchase we agreed it needed inspection 2 service. When i picked it up they said we havent received the invoice from the garage it went and we will post it. Alarm bell did ring in my head but had to give them benefit of the doubt. 7 weeks later i finally received said invoice and there was no mention on valve clearances being checked, no gaskets on invoice etc. So questioned it and they said it had been done. I was having non of it and demanded proof. Lots of discussion happened and i basically said how can i prove to the warranty company, a warranty i took out with you, that it has been done. If i have an issue with the car and lets say the valves were to blame would you / they pay out. To my surprise they actually admitted they didnt do it. "it didnt need it" was the answer. So they offered to pay £250 towards me getting it done myself as a good will gesture.

Problem is finding someone to do it lol. 2 specialist's i've approached dont want to do it. Apparently its too much hassle just to do that and not a whole inspection 2. BMW themselves want £700 just to do that, when the same dealership charge £900 for full inspection 2.

So i dont know what to do now. Garage wont offer any more money, but they offered to have the car again to do it. But to be honest i dont trust them to do it properly.

Take the £250, don't go back to them!

Its not much help but Ti Motorsport in Stoke know how to do Inspection 2 and valve clearance check, their rates are very reasonable so your £250 might just cover just the valve check.
There is also an M3 specialist in Stockport area.

If your miles from Midlands, then can't help sorry, get on M3Cutters as they will know of plenty specialist around your area.

BananaDunka · 21 Aug 2017 at 18:43

Where are you located? You could post a good specialist request on the relaxant FB groups/m3cutters forum and see what people recommend.

If you're in or around London/Kent, then ETA Motorsport for anything M3 related, if you're down the South Coast, then Alexander Autos in Portsmouth. A full inspection 2 will run a little over £600 there.

Also name and shame the dealer? Skipping a required item (a very important one at that) off a service checklist is totally not on.

Conscript · 22 Aug 2017 at 09:47

mrk said:
He said please