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Just Picked Up My First 5...terrible So Far

9K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  BBenedict 
#1 ·
just picked up a '99 540i 6m and am so far very torn... the car is a blast to drive--when it isnt stalling on idle. I have had to confront the pixel issue (vdorepair.com....Andy was great!) and have been nursing a SES light (scanner pulled P0102-MAF low input). So I cleaned the sensor with iso alcohol and it is nice and shiny now, but I am still getting stalling at idle. After i cleaned the maf, the car ran great for about an hour or so-- I parked it, came out an hour later and it immediately stalled. I pulled the MAF again, more cleaning and then it went into some kinda 'limp' mode. I pulled codes again...this time it was P0103-MAF input is high. I pulled the maf again, recleaned and dried it with a hair dryer and I am back to where I started and now pull the original p0102 code again.

QUESTION: The MAF is seemingly clean at this point but I have read that clean or not, they can wear-out. Should I plunk down the $300 for a new MAF?? or do I start looking in another direction.

Has anyone else had a similar experience... IE.. cleaning the maf, still having problems, replacing the maf and all is well again?

HELP!!! I really want to love this car! :banghead
 
#3 ·
Originally posted by Speedfreak@Sep 21 2004, 12:50 PM
I had a similar experience. When I fist got my 2000 540ia it stalled. My turned out to be O2 sensors. Good Luck.
When you get by this problem you will love the car.
Pat
[snapback]196026[/snapback]​
thanks for the insight... hopefully its only the MAF and not the O2 sensors as well. The scanner cycles through 'oxygen sensor' and it must pass, 'cause the only code that is pulling is the one from above.

Does anyone know... If I replace the MAF, will the computer 'heal' itself and turn off the SES light?

Thanks for all of your input!
 
#4 ·
replace your o2 sensor(s) theyre only like 30 bucks. and In my experience, fixed rough/bad idles and the like.

You MAY need a reset tool/dealer to shut off the light however.
 
#5 ·
My rule of thumb right after buying a used car.... replace all of the filters... new oil... new fluid in everything.. new brake pads... new sensors... new O2 sensors.. no MAF... new tires... new everything. It lets your start from new.. and it pin points other problems faster.. that way you can fix them with out wondering if its something nominal.

That is my insight... good luck...

Sounds like your sensor is dead.. or barely working... get a new one.

Les
 
#6 ·
thanks for all the help...

d3ity, can you point me in the right direction for those O2 sensors? The only ones I am finding are $90-$100 each and I think there are 4(2 b/4 the cats and 2 after the cats)-- I like $30 each MUCH better!

97alpineM3, I agree totally with you.... Unfortunately, I sold my house not to long ago and my new house and thus garage, is still under construction. I have always done all of my own maintenance and will continue to do so, but currently I just gotta get the @#$% thing past emissions before my temp tags expire!!

On the reset tools that you can buy from Peake, etc, will it reset the SES light too?? I thought that it only reset the oil light and the service interval... I jumped the 7and 19 pins on the diag terminal in an attempt to reset the SES, but suceeded in only resetting the oil indicator(had 2 green bars and now have them all displayed)

thanks again for all of the input that I am getting!
 
#8 ·
Don't know how true it is but I've been told NEVER to clean the maf as it's that sensitive you will never get a decent reading again (No doubt I will now hear from many of you which have clean the maf and all is OK, but this is what a mechanic told me) - if it's buggered it's buggered.
 
#9 ·
thanks 97alpineM3, for the confirmation on the peake tool.... the dealer wants 90bucks to reset it-- the tool is not much more than that

BeelZibub... I found some posts on another board that showed how to clean the MAF... The GENERAL concensus was that it worked, but there were others that had concerns on the types of cleaners used and long term success of the proceedure. For me personally, something on it was screwy, I cleaned it, and it is now no more or no less screwy.

thanks for everyones input!
 
#11 ·
thanks for everyone's help... just replaced the MAF. the motor idled rough for all of about 3 seconds and then smooth as silk. I was in and out of the car through out the day putting 50 or so miles on it with out any problems.... but the best part is that as I started it to drive away from the office, the SES light turned itself off!!!!!!!! WOOO HOOOO!

Did I mention that I LOVE THIS CAR!!!! All's well that ends well!

:driving :cheers
 
#13 ·
Originally posted by happpyguy99@Sep 21 2004, 01:44 PM
just picked up a '99 540i 6m and am so far very torn... the car is a blast to drive--when it isnt stalling on idle. I have had to confront the pixel issue (vdorepair.com....Andy was great!) and have been nursing a SES light (scanner pulled P0102-MAF low input). So I cleaned the sensor with iso alcohol and it is nice and shiny now, but I am still getting stalling at idle. After i cleaned the maf, the car ran great for about an hour or so-- I parked it, came out an hour later and it immediately stalled. I pulled the MAF again, more cleaning and then it went into some kinda 'limp' mode. I pulled codes again...this time it was P0103-MAF input is high. I pulled the maf again, recleaned and dried it with a hair dryer and I am back to where I started and now pull the original p0102 code again.

QUESTION: The MAF is seemingly clean at this point but I have read that clean or not, they can wear-out. Should I plunk down the $300 for a new MAF?? or do I start looking in another direction.

Has anyone else had a similar experience... IE.. cleaning the maf, still having problems, replacing the maf and all is well again?

HELP!!! I really want to love this car! :banghead
[snapback]196019[/snapback]​
:) idle control or lambda sensor (aka O2 sensor)
:yup
 
#14 ·
TO D3ITY

You must have some kind of good connections to get BMW O2 sensors for $30. I haven't seen them that cheap since. Also I haven't seen them less than $90 on an online store down in New Mexico. dealers charge $125 each; in Germany 70 Euros each and I have 4 of them. 2 precats + 2 aftercats. Do you wish to share your "secretive" sources with us??

regards
billb
 
#15 ·
Originally posted by hairy-porter+Sep 27 2004, 08:44 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hairy-porter @ Sep 27 2004, 08:44 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-happpyguy99@Sep 21 2004, 01:44 PM
just picked up a '99 540i 6m and am so far very torn... the car is a blast to drive--when it isnt stalling on idle.  I have had to confront the pixel issue (vdorepair.com....Andy was great!) and have been nursing a SES light (scanner pulled P0102-MAF low input).  So I cleaned the sensor with iso alcohol and it is nice and shiny now, but I am still getting stalling at idle.  After i cleaned the maf, the car ran great for about an hour or so-- I parked it, came out an hour later and it immediately stalled.  I pulled the MAF again, more cleaning and then it went into some kinda 'limp' mode.  I pulled codes again...this time it was P0103-MAF input is high.  I pulled the maf again, recleaned and dried it with a hair dryer and I am back to where I started and now pull the original p0102 code again. 

QUESTION:  The MAF is seemingly clean at this point but I have read that clean or not, they can wear-out.  Should I plunk down the $300 for a new MAF?? or do I start looking in another direction.

Has anyone else had a similar experience... IE.. cleaning the maf, still having problems, replacing the maf and all is well again?

HELP!!!  I really want to love this car!  :banghead
[snapback]196019[/snapback]​
:) idle control or lambda sensor (aka O2 sensor)
:yup
[snapback]200060[/snapback]​
[/b][/quote]

Ahem - if you look 4 posts up you'll see it was the MAF
 
#16 ·
Hi There,

I see that you have got your speedo pixel problem fixed by vdorepairs for a couple of hundreds of Pounds. I know, that these guys do a great job, however I believe the next lines will hurt...

It will, just because there is a permanent solution for the pixel issue for a couple of pounds only. I tried several DIY jobs before I found this: BMW pixel failure repairs

These guys are selling the ribbon cable for the speedo, which actually causes the pixel problem. I tried it (it was around 25GBP incl. shipment as I remember), and it worked. It really did. So if you guys want to have real solution for the instrument cluster pixel problem, but do not want to pay too much, just go and buy one of these cables. And oh yes, you can buy the ribbon for the board computer too…

Regards,
E
 
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