Engine/Transmission issue after shifting into sport transmission

Jetsurly · 03-12-2018, 06:13 PM

So I was driving today, did a little pull, coasted then put the car into sport mode with the transmission and floored it. Car immediately shifted into a low gear and Christmas lights with a message I can’t recall. Pulled over, turned car off and tried to turn on but no go. I heard and felt the starter try to start the engine as it was shaking/vibrating trying to turn over but never did. The starter or whatever was just going for like 10 seconds or so. Couldn’t even get it in neutral. Hitting the gas did nothing. It’s the 4 cylinder gasoline engine

I got a tow to the nearest dealership and waiting to hear back.

Any ideas? I know my explanation isn’t that great

bimmer456 · 03-12-2018, 06:26 PM

What year, probably an N20? It was probably a drivetrain malfunction error and drive moderately, power restriction to 50mph. How many miles on the odo? Maybe due to charge pipe failure as it happened under load/high boost. The ECU may be trying to protect the turbo, not sure why it wouldn't let you restart but wired things can happen with this sort of failure as far as what the ECU will do. Maybe if you waited a few minutes to let the turbo cool it would have restarted.

Jetsurly · 03-12-2018, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bimmer456

What year, probably an N20? It was probably a drivetrain malfunction error and drive moderately, power restriction to 50mph. How many miles on the odo? Maybe due to charge pipe failure as it happened under load/high boost. The ECU may be trying to protect the turbo, not sure why it wouldn't let you restart but wired things can happen with this sort of failure as far as what the ECU will do.

Thank you! Yes and yes! N20 engine. Drivetrain malfunction error and was definitely under high boost. I only have 35k miles. Just weird that when I slapped the shifter over to Sport it acted all scary and then wouldn’t start. Hopefully trying to start a dozen times didn’t mess anything else up. I should hear back from dealer tomorrow. I’ve driven rental N20s before and this has never happened. Usually the cpu shifts the car to a gear it should be in and then goes.

Wires · 03-12-2018, 07:54 PM

Sport mode was pure coincidence. Charge pipe failure would cause those types of symptoms though.

Jetsurly · 03-13-2018, 11:41 AM

Update: Just heard from dealer. they think it might have been a fault with the DME. the engineers and techs are still digging into it.

N52 Moistenor · 03-13-2018, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetsurly

Update: Just heard from dealer. they think it might have been a fault with the DME. the engineers and techs are still digging into it.

did you drive the car like this the first 3000 miles of its life?

Jetsurly · 03-16-2018, 01:46 PM

I didn't own the car the first 3000 miles but from what i was told from the dealer it was first owned by a little old lady.

Jetsurly · 03-16-2018, 01:52 PM

DME replaced. Lost all my codes. Which prompts the question, when I coded the transmission chassis configuration on (to choose transmission+chassis or just chassis, etc) Could that have caused what they are calling fault codes?

bimmer456 · 03-16-2018, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetsurly

DME replaced. Lost all my codes. Which prompts the question, when I coded the transmission chassis configuration on (to choose transmission+chassis or just chassis, etc) Could that have caused what they are calling fault codes?

I'm able to configure sport mode without coding, seems odd that it would cause the issue as coding just unlocks existing features unless it was coded off at the factory because it was still in beta.

Wires · 03-16-2018, 07:13 PM

I doubt it's the coding as well. Those are "approved" engineering settings that just get disable from the customer (like the auto start stop remembering the last setting vs defaulting to always on as per previous years).

If the DME died, it would have thrown a bunch of codes on the failures (which is why they would have replaced it if that was root cause).

NormanConquest · 03-17-2018, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetsurly

I didn't own the car the first 3000 miles but from what i was told from the dealer it was first owned by a little old lady.

Go to any random pre own BMW and they are all own by a little old Asian women.

Billfitz · 03-17-2018, 08:41 AM

From Pasadena?

bimmer456 · 03-17-2018, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NormanConquest

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetsurly

I didn't own the car the first 3000 miles but from what i was told from the dealer it was first owned by a little old lady.

Go to any random pre own BMW and they are all own by a little old Asian women.

I'm assuming you mean non cpo used car dealership? By the way that's racist, sexist, and ageist

Jetsurly · 03-18-2018, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wires

I doubt it's the coding as well. Those are "approved" engineering settings that just get disable from the customer (like the auto start stop remembering the last setting vs defaulting to always on as per previous years).

If the DME died, it would have thrown a bunch of codes on the failures (which is why they would have replaced it if that was root cause).

Just interesting that the engine was throwing fault codes for a while and I never noticed a difference or received any CELs. The car does seem to shift and run a wee bit better now with new DME however that is probably just the mental thinking

BEAR-AvHistory · 03-19-2018, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billfitz

From Pasadena?

No - She had a Super Stock Dodge not a BMW. Must be some other little old lady.

jeffc83 · 03-19-2018, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NormanConquest

Go to any random pre own BMW and they are all own by a little old Asian women.

No no no, that's ACK-OR-AH

jeffc83 · 03-19-2018, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bimmer456

I'm assuming you mean non cpo used car dealership? By the way that's racist, sexist, and ageist

Was a joke kinda like the award your kid got for failing at his/her favorite sport

LMAO, sorry man, couldn't resist

Wires · 03-20-2018, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetsurly

Just interesting that the engine was throwing fault codes for a while and I never noticed a difference or received any CELs. The car does seem to shift and run a wee bit better now with new DME however that is probably just the mental thinking

That is "normal". If they reach a critical point, then it will turn on the CEL.

Butt dyno always wins.

03-12-2018, 06:13 PM	#1
Jetsurly Private First Class 46 Rep 157 Posts Drives: 2014 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Minneapolis iTrader: (0)	Engine/Transmission issue after shifting into sport transmission So I was driving today, did a little pull, coasted then put the car into sport mode with the transmission and floored it. Car immediately shifted into a low gear and Christmas lights with a message I can’t recall. Pulled over, turned car off and tried to turn on but no go. I heard and felt the starter try to start the engine as it was shaking/vibrating trying to turn over but never did. The starter or whatever was just going for like 10 seconds or so. Couldn’t even get it in neutral. Hitting the gas did nothing. It’s the 4 cylinder gasoline engine I got a tow to the nearest dealership and waiting to hear back. Any ideas? I know my explanation isn’t that great
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03-12-2018, 06:26 PM	#2
bimmer456 Major General 2961 Rep 5,995 Posts Drives: 340i Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Pasadena, CA iTrader: (0)	What year, probably an N20? It was probably a drivetrain malfunction error and drive moderately, power restriction to 50mph. How many miles on the odo? Maybe due to charge pipe failure as it happened under load/high boost. The ECU may be trying to protect the turbo, not sure why it wouldn't let you restart but wired things can happen with this sort of failure as far as what the ECU will do. Maybe if you waited a few minutes to let the turbo cool it would have restarted.
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03-12-2018, 07:54 PM	#4
Wires Brigadier General 1646 Rep 4,876 Posts Drives: 2016 340i xDrive Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	Sport mode was pure coincidence. Charge pipe failure would cause those types of symptoms though.
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03-13-2018, 11:41 AM	#5
Jetsurly Private First Class 46 Rep 157 Posts Drives: 2014 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Minneapolis iTrader: (0)	Update: Just heard from dealer. they think it might have been a fault with the DME. the engineers and techs are still digging into it.
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03-16-2018, 01:46 PM	#7
Jetsurly Private First Class 46 Rep 157 Posts Drives: 2014 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Minneapolis iTrader: (0)	I didn't own the car the first 3000 miles but from what i was told from the dealer it was first owned by a little old lady.
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03-16-2018, 01:52 PM	#8
Jetsurly Private First Class 46 Rep 157 Posts Drives: 2014 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Minneapolis iTrader: (0)	DME replaced. Lost all my codes. Which prompts the question, when I coded the transmission chassis configuration on (to choose transmission+chassis or just chassis, etc) Could that have caused what they are calling fault codes?
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03-16-2018, 07:13 PM	#10
Wires Brigadier General 1646 Rep 4,876 Posts Drives: 2016 340i xDrive Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	I doubt it's the coding as well. Those are "approved" engineering settings that just get disable from the customer (like the auto start stop remembering the last setting vs defaulting to always on as per previous years). If the DME died, it would have thrown a bunch of codes on the failures (which is why they would have replaced it if that was root cause).
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03-17-2018, 08:41 AM	#12
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8243 Rep 16,079 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	From Pasadena?
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