EML light - shaking and spluttering. Please don't die car - I love you! - BMW Forum

djlr2000 · 09-22-2008, 09:39 AM

Hi Guys

Do to the so called 'credit crunch' I have had my 1998 328i E46 auto sitting still on my driveway for 2 months. Like a fool I didn't disconnect me battery and When I went to start it yesturday it spluttered and started and the EML light came on. I turned off the engine scared of damaging it and then tried starting the car again. This time all I got was a clicking noise so I knew the battery had gone flat. I charged the battery overnight and popped it back in the boot and the car is starting fine.

The propblem now is that when the engine is on and the car is stationary in the P gear, when I press the brake/clutch (remember this is an auto) the car splutters and shakes, when I take my foot off the brake its fine again. The EML light shows and stays on.

I took it for a drive to the bottom of the road and back and the brakes are knackered, all I get is severe crunching and squeeking.

Can the brakes be causing this EML light to come on? Could the low battery have caused the light to come on? What is causing the shaking and spluttering when I press the brake?

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

PS. I am a poor student and can't afford to go to a BMW specialist (even though this car is my baby) so other advise would be appreciated.

marti5 · 09-22-2008, 09:51 AM

These cars do not like low voltage, although you charged the battery, it may have sulphated, how old is the batt???, If the car was fine when you parked her up there is no reason why it shouldnt be fine now.

As for the light, yes....low voltage....so basically I would say your batt is shot!!,as if you think about it its trying to keep everything going at once, but if the volts are low its struggles and how can the brakes be shot from just standing there for 2mths???

chinonca · 09-22-2008, 10:54 AM

It sounds like you need brakes, crunching and sqeaking???
Have you had the battery tested??
When ever a brake pedal is depressed while the engine is running and the engine starts to idle funny and sound like its going to shut down its usually a sign of a vacuum leak from the brake booster.

Merlin672 · 09-22-2008, 01:23 PM

Yes, I'd agree with that. Its an air leak causing the misfire/stuttering.....check the pipe from the servo to the inlet manifold.

djlr2000 · 09-26-2008, 11:22 AM

Ok, an update. Car is with a mechanic who specialises in BMWs (i hope). He said the car came up with two errors. Some camshaft censor thing and soemthign else that I have already forgot. He said he will need to replace the censor and the throttle unit which is a small fortune. Dose this sound like the ceased throttle could have caused the problem?

chinonca · 09-26-2008, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djlr2000

Ok, an update. Car is with a mechanic who specialises in BMWs (i hope). He said the car came up with two errors. Some camshaft censor thing and soemthign else that I have already forgot. He said he will need to replace the censor and the throttle unit which is a small fortune. Dose this sound like the ceased throttle could have caused the problem?

Maybe the Throttle Position Sensor! The mechanic should be able to test that sensor with a meter. Yes if the tps is bad it would caused those symtoms that you were having.

Merlin672 · 09-27-2008, 02:09 AM

The cam sensor could cause a misfire, although I would have thought the ECU would refer to the crank sensor to compensate. Your bmw mechanic needs to hook up a diagnostic scanner that incorporates live data so that he can operate the tps and watch the signal from both cam and crank.
Ask him to give you the codes stored by the ECU and post them here.

peterelodie · 11-22-2008, 05:22 AM

Hello all,
Peter me is I'm French.
I have an E46 323 ci cabriolet 2000
I'm obviously a fan of BMW.
I 25anset I am in northern France.

Thank you for m'acceuillir set by you.
Ps: excuse my English.