[ydah]

Hello. I have 2020 BMW 330i. I was driving my bmw today and had my coffee in the cup holder next to me. I was making a turn at the traffic light and my coffee cup flipped and dropped all over the control area and the gear shift.

I drove it a few times throughout the day and just an hour ago while driving I got an error "Restart not possible. Drivetrain fault". I parked my car where I live and I am not able to shift gear anymore. I can stop the engine and turn it back on but thats about it. aM I dead in the water or has anyone seen this before?

[Billfitz]

The coffee caused short circuits in the gearshift control. You may be able to save it using contact cleaner. If not you'll have to replace it. https://www.walmart.com/ip/WD-40-Spe...RoCV9kQAvD_BwE

[ydah]

Thank you very much. Where would I need to spray it on? On the entire gearshift control area?

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by ydah

Thank you very much. Where would I need to spray it on? On the entire gearshift control area?

You will need to remove the gear shifter (and the buttons around it), take it apart if possible and spray loads of contact cleaner on the electronic components, flushing all the coffee residue. You want high volumes of contact cleaner to flush all the cracks, cavities and pores the coffee touched and have it drip from the assembly. Keep.away from fire and sparks. Better to use a jet than a dispersed spray. Then let it dry well before you put it back. Then you may have to clear error codes.
I would probably use up the whole can of contact cleaner, and .maybe another one, depending on how deep the coffee got into the gear shifter.

Was this black coffee or was there milk and/or sugar in it? In the latter case the sugars and proteins likely made things worse.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by ydah

Hello. I have 2020 BMW 330i. I was driving my bmw today and had my coffee in the cup holder next to me. I was making a turn at the traffic light and my coffee cup flipped and dropped all over the control area and the gear shift.

I drove it a few times throughout the day and just an hour ago while driving I got an error "Restart not possible. Drivetrain fault". I parked my car where I live and I am not able to shift gear anymore. I can stop the engine and turn it back on but thats about it. aM I dead in the water or has anyone seen this before?

just fyi, your a 2020 330i is a G20. And you are not the first person this has happened to. The G20 appears to be especially vulnerable to this kind of response to a liquid spill. If you look around or do a search of the G20 forum you should find at least one recent post about this same situation.

edit: Not much here, but here’s the thread https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...ighlight=Spill

[ydah]

Thank you. I already took out the gear shifter console. Its completely removed from the cent except the wiring is still in it. I am going to get some Contact Cleaner and will spray all over it and see what happens. By any chance how do I clear the error code?

No I only had black coffee and it was half the cup. No sugar or cream in it. When I opened the center console there was a strong smell of the coffee in there but it seems like it dried out.

[ydah]

Thank you. I already took out the gear shifter console. Its completely removed from the cent except the wiring is still in it. I am going to get some Contact Cleaner and will spray all over it and see what happens. By any chance how do I clear the error code?

No I only had black coffee and it was half the cup. No sugar or cream in it. When I opened the center console there was a strong smell of the coffee in there but it seems like it dried out.

[B58 parts]

If it's a DME code you can use a little Bluetooth scanner or just go to AutoZone and they can do it. But if that's in one of the DSC modules, I'm not sure honestly with an automatic trans it might have its own module, you'll need a more sophisticated scanner program or the factory ISTA program to clear it. Honestly you should just get the Enet cable yourself and ISTA it's quite useful. You can find it on here somewhere if you search a little bit. If your dealer is cool they might just do that for free or a very small charge.

If you had said there was sugar and cream in the coffee I wouldn't have replied.

Let me know if you know how to get a coffee stain out of white carpet.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by YuminNuman

If it's a DME code you can use a little Bluetooth scanner or just go to AutoZone and they can do it. But if that's in one of the DSC modules, I'm not sure honestly with an automatic trans it might have its own module, you'll need a more sophisticated scanner program or the factory ISTA program to clear it. Honestly you should just get the Enet cable yourself and ISTA it's quite useful. You can find it on here somewhere if you search a little bit. If your dealer is cool they might just do that for free or a very small charge.

If you had said there was sugar and cream in the coffee I wouldn't have replied.

Let me know if you know how to get a coffee stain out of white carpet.

I like coffee, but it has to have both cream and sugar/Splenda!! I even doctor’d up my coffee when I was in the field in the Army.

Don’t get white carpet!!!

[ydah]

I will add some pictures if anyone interested.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by ydah

I will add some pictures if anyone interested.

Good idea. Will help the next guy!

In all honesty, I would really like to see your pictures, but you should also post in the G20 forum, because that’s where they will be the most helpful.

[ydah]

I dont know if all this work is going to fix my problem or if I need a new shifter console but its worth trying.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by ydah

I dont know if all this work is going to fix my problem or if I need a new shifter console but its worth trying.

Too many electronics!! They are fixing things that didn’t need fixing and creating new problems in the process! Change for the sake of change almost never works out well in the end.

[ydah]

I let the shifter console dry overnight and tried to install it back in my car this morning to no avail. The car starts fine but still not able to shift and still getting the error P button not functioning.

[ydah]

Do I need a new shifter at this point? If yes is it just an easy install or does it need to be programmed?

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by ydah

Do I need a new shifter at this point? If yes is it just an easy install or does it need to be programmed?

If you have to buy one www.bmwpartsworldwide.com has the best prices on the internet. It is Orland Park BMW on the south side of Chicago.

[Billfitz]

You need to read and clear any error codes. If any return you need to google them to see what the remedies may be.

[ydah]

Thanks I will check it out. Do you know if BMW has to program it after it gets installed?

[Billfitz]

I doubt it, since it's just a bunch of switches and LEDs, not a module.

[ydah]

Just to let you all know that I replaced the shifter console in my BMW with a used BMW shifter that matches the same shifter I have. It worked perfectly and no need to program it or any of that BS that some people said I had to do on here. Its disappointing that some people on this forum act as if they know what they are saying and are actually deceiving people and provide false info.



Again no need to take your BMW to the dealer if you ever have to replace the shifter yourself and no need for it to be programmed.

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by ydah

Just to let you all know that I replaced the shifter console in my BMW with a used BMW shifter that matches the same shifter I have. It worked perfectly and no need to program it or any of that BS that some people said I had to do on here. Its disappointing that some people on this forum act as if they know what they are saying and are actually deceiving people and provide false info.



Again no need to take your BMW to the dealer if you ever have to replace the shifter yourself and no need for it to be programmed.

K bro...
Nobody in this topic said you had to code your new shit, so not sure what you are referring to.
Please remember that people are not trying to "deceive" you, but are trying to help, and sometimes that can be by extrapolating their personal experiences with other parts. Never a guarantee that it is correct. Also, there are different shifter assemblies. Some have more buttons than others because of options like camera and front PDC, so maybe some people had to code theirs. You were lucky to find a fully identical one.
Ungrateful flame posts like yours are detrimental to how helpful people here will be in the future.
If you don't like the advice that you get here, you are welcome to go and ask the dealership and get bad advice while also getting your pockets emptied.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by MidtownMike

K bro...
Nobody in this topic said you had to code your new shit, so not sure what you are referring to.
Please remember that people are not trying to "deceive" you, but are trying to help, and sometimes that can be by extrapolating their personal experiences with other parts. Never a guarantee that it is correct. Also, there are different shifter assemblies. Some have more buttons than others because of options like camera and front PDC, so maybe some people had to code theirs. You were lucky to find a fully identical one.
Ungrateful flame posts like yours are detrimental to how helpful people here will be in the future.
If you don't like the advice that you get here, you are welcome to go and ask the dealership and get bad advice while also getting your pockets emptied.

+1 I had the same thoughts. And I, too, went back through the responses (pretty easy since there aren’t many) and didn’t find any that were bs. I wondered if maybe he got bad info in the G20 forum, but didn’t find any there either.