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Check Engine Light came on today

59K views 23 replies 11 participants last post by  frankth1 
#1 ·
My check engine light came on today. It's only orange so I should be okay to drive. I checked in my owners manual and it said the check engine light comes on and that it is because of some part of the emissions sensors. Should I be worried? I have a call into the local BMW retailer to get it checked soon.
 
#2 ·
Mine came on this week too. Go to an Auto Zone and ask them to read out the codes from your OBDII. This will tell you what the problem may be. I think mine turned out to be just an oxygen sensor failure. I've ordered some new ones and I'm going to install next week.

Anyway, go to Auto Zone and have them read your OBDII for free, then come tell us what it says. Then someone else can help you from there, as I'm a new owner myself and this is the first time I'm working through the same problem too.

--jack
 
#3 ·
Thanks man. I'll let you know soon.
 
#5 ·
same here...

friends in this forum said that for as long as you dont have that rotten egg smell then it is more likely your oxygen sensor and not your $700 or so catalytic converter.

i dont know what your car is but if it is a 1996 or later model then you must have an OBDII which AutoZone can check for free. i heard it somewhere that they cannot do it on an OBDI. also, it would have two O2 sensors one before the cat and another after. AutoZone sells a bosch before cat sensor for $61.xx (plus $6 S&H) which is the cheapest i asked (sold online for $95). their after cat sensor is $138.xx. you'll be better off ordering online for $124.xx with free shipping.
 
#7 ·
Nice work guys. I am leaving right now to go have Autozone check it out for me.
 
#9 ·
Okay, here's the deal. The fault code is P1423. What that means, I don't know. Maybe you guys can help. The thing is, the readout on the diagnostic computer says Auxillary emissions control, manufacturer. In other words, it's not telling us the problem other than it is emissions related. I am going to have to find out through you guys, or the dealer. If you guys can find out, that would be awesome. The dealer here is huge and respected, but they don't return phone calls worth a damn.
 
#10 ·
this was posted on another forum. i'll just copy it in here and not say where it's from... don't want to the moderator to get upset at me for drawing others away from this forum : - )

your code P1423 is almost at the end. unfortunately, this is all the help i can provide. hopefully someone else out there knows how to fix this problem.




Oxygen Sensor Monitoring for the M52 engine only.

P0130 - O2 Sensor Circuit (bank 1, sensor 1)
P0150 - O2 sensor circuit (bank 2, sensor 1)
P0136 - O2 sensor circuit (bank 1, sensor 2)
P0156 - O2 sensor circuit (bank 2, sensor 2)
P0134 - 02 sensor circuit (bank 1, sensor 1) open
P0154 - O2 sensor circuit (bank 2, senso 1) open


Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit for the M52 engine only.

P0135 - O2 sensor heater circuit (bank 1, sensor 1)
P0150 - O2 Sensor heater circuit (bank 2, sensor 1)
P0141 - 02 sensor heater circuit (bank 1, sensor 2)
P0161 - O2 sensor heater circuit (bank 2, sensor 2)
P1186 - O2 sensor heater circuit (bank 1, sensor 2)
P1187 - O2 sensor heater circuit (bank 2, sensor 2)


Switch and response time monitoring for M52 engine only.

P1178 - O2 switch time (bank 1, sensor 1)
P1179 - O2 switch time (bank 2, sensor 1)
P0133 - O2 sensor control frequency (bank 1, sensor 1)
P0153 - O2 sensor control frequency (bank 2, sensor 1)


Catalyst Monitoring for M52 engine only.

P0420 - Catalyst Efficiency Bank 1
P0430 - Catalyst Efficiency Bank 2


Misfire detection Faults

P0301 - Misfire Cylinder 1
P0302 - Misfire Cylinder 2
P0303 - Misfire Cylinder 3
P0304 - Misfire Cylinder 4
P0305 - Misfire Cylinder 5
P0306 - Misfire Cylinder 6


Evaporative System Monitoring for M52 TLEV Vacuum type only.

P0440 - Purge Function Plausibility
P0442 - Small leak detected
P0441 - no purge flow detected
P0446 - shut off valve stuck closed
P0445 - Large leak detected
P0440 - Purge valve stuck open
P0451 - fuel tank pressure sensor range and performance
P1403 - Evap Canister shut off valve and circuit
P0443 - Purge valve and circuit.


Secondary Air Injection Monitoring for M52 engines only.

P1453 - Secondary air pump electric pump.
P0412 - Secondary switching valve.
P1423 - Secondary air injection system bank 1
P1424 - secondary air injection system bank 2


Fuel System Monitoring for M52 engines only.

P1188 - Mixture deviation cylinder 1-3
P1189 - Mixture deviation cylinder 4-6
 
#12 ·
P1423 - Secondary air injection system bank 1
What t he hell is that? Damn it. I guess I'll find out soon....
 
#14 ·
as for secondary air injection, no clue.

Doesn't sound important though, or it wouldn;t be seconday. I'd look for something loose or frayed bu the intake.
 
#15 ·
Originally posted by camnipotent@May 14 2004, 02:58 PM
Okay, here's the deal. The fault code is P1423. What that means, I don't know. Maybe you guys can help. The thing is, the readout on the diagnostic computer says Auxillary emissions control, manufacturer. In other words, it's not telling us the problem other than it is emissions related. I am going to have to find out through you guys, or the dealer. If you guys can find out, that would be awesome. The dealer here is huge and respected, but they don't return phone calls worth a damn.
you can actually go back to autozone (sorry for not letting you know earlier, i thought they would do this as a matter of course). they have this book for you to see (and probably take notes from) as to the possible causes of the code you got.

it will make you understand the fault better than just telling you its the effect - which is "Auxillary emissions control, manufacturer" it will list down possible causes like: O2 sensors fault, indication that gas cap is loose, etc...
 
#16 ·
Thanks. I am going to stop by the BMW dealership tomorrow and then I'll head to AutoZone. I'll keep you guys informed.
 
#17 ·
ok i have a 96 318ti and live in buffalo,ny...ive called a number of places (inc. autozone) and every place tells me that they cant scan my car. im getting pissed because unless i buy a code reader, i have to shell out $70 for the dealership to do it (which i just had to do)... WTF!?!?!?
 
#18 ·
I guarantee AutoZone can tap into your OBDII and read the code. They probably will not be able to tell you the problem. Like I said, BMW has the manufacturer's code which pretty much means that only BMW will know that problem. BASTARDS. Anyway, this is comon in BMW and Mercedes, they want your money.
 
#19 ·
Originally posted by PhunkDJti@May 17 2004, 08:47 AM
ok i have a 96 318ti and live in buffalo,ny...ive called a number of places (inc. autozone) and every place tells me that they cant scan my car. im getting pissed because unless i buy a code reader, i have to shell out $70 for the dealership to do it (which i just had to do)... WTF!?!?!?
What year is?
cause if it is pre 96 its odb1 and autozone may not be able to read it.

some years have stomp codes...some gas petal trick like florring it 5 times while in accessorys or the one before accessory possisition... it should blink the code to you.

I think there is FAQ about it.
 
#20 ·
You have to be in spot one or 2 and floor the gas 3 times. I think that's OBDI. I thought OBDIIs came out after 95....Maybe.
 
#22 ·
If you've got OBDII get a "CarChip" it's this little thing that plugs into the port. It records hard breaking, hard acceleration, top speed, average speed, reads fault codes, and some other stuff. It's pretty sweet, but i can't use it on my car :cry

Kevin
 
#24 ·
hey i just fix this problem on my 98 323IS after expend more than the necessary on different
parts trying to found the solution to this code, the result was my catalytic converter was
clogged just replaced for new one whit compliance to OBD II and the code P1423 don't show anymore and I spend only $160 so don't expend your money on other things, but check first your vacuum lines , oil separator witch go on your intake manifull and clean your iddle valve. thrust me i expend a lot before figure it out, don make my mistake....
 
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