48 hrs after Oil Change and a Ton of Error Messages Pop Up

[spectrumphoto]

My 08 e90 M3 was calling for an oil change at 43k miles so I took it into my Factory BMW Service Center on Thursday last week (48 hours ago). My SA had an Oil change, new air filter and a standard scope check performed. Being recently out of warranty that set me back about $420 (yeah I was dumbfounded at that too). Service went fine until on my way home I check and I have an Engine Oil overfill message. I take the car back and get it resolved. (You would think that a $400+ oil change would be done right the first time)

Jump to tonight 48 hours and less than a 100 miles later, I am heading home from work and stop for 20 minutes to pick up some Thai food for dinner. I get in my car and start it up and am confronted with a TON of problems.

I instantly have:
CEL
Yellow Brake Light
DSC Light
Red Engine icon
and my Tach is limited to 4k

My error messages:
Engine Malfunction (Limp Mode initialized)
DSC inoperable alert
Increased Emissions alert
DBC inoperable
Start off assist inoperable

I cycled the car a few times to no avail so I limp 2 miles home with a power band limited to about 3500 RPMS. I cycled the car again twice with no luck.

Then I have dinner and about 1.5 hours later I start it again and all the error messages have cleared on their own but I still have a CEL and Increased Emissions alert message.

Anyone here experienced anything like this or have any idea of what is happening? I cant help but think its tied to my BMW Service 48 hrs ago somehow as I have never had any problems before and its just too fishy for it to just randomly happen now.

Anyone have any suggestions on what it may be? I'll take it in on Monday morning but I would love to be somewhat prepared when I go directly to the Service GM.

Thanks.
T

[S65NAPWR]

The Oil Change itself, even with their mistake wouldn't cause all those problems. In fact, I've driven off an "over fill" where the oil level was MAX and nothing happened. If the over fill is severe, the car would have engine malfunction errors immediately.

The errors you have now just seem to be the O2 sensor issue to be honest. What throws me off are the other errors you had earlier, not sure what would cause those.

[Prince_of_Persia]

Most likely it is the throttle actuator problem, search and you will find it is a common problem for e9x m3s

[p-streets]

Originally Posted by Prince_of_Persia

Most likely it is the throttle actuator problem, search and you will find it is a common problem for e9x m3s

I have heard of this is there any signs of it getting ready to go bad because I am close to my warranty running out

[Munit]

I honestly dont put anything past some service people and would check your air filter box and make sure they put an air filter back in there Also just check the connections around the air box/engine since they did change that.

BTW never get your air filter changed by the dealer if you are paying. You can order one for 50 bucks online and change it yourself in 5 minutes with one tool.

The other thing that may be wrong is they used 5w30 oil and not the proper M engine oil. This would cause all of the problems you mentioned

[VCMpower]

Originally Posted by spectrumphoto

My 08 e90 M3 was calling for an oil change at 43k miles so I took it into my Factory BMW Service Center on Thursday last week (48 hours ago). My SA had an Oil change, new air filter and a standard scope check performed. Being recently out of warranty that set me back about $420 (yeah I was dumbfounded at that too). Service went fine until on my way home I check and I have an Engine Oil overfill message. I take the car back and get it resolved. (You would think that a $400+ oil change would be done right the first time)

Jump to tonight 48 hours and less than a 100 miles later, I am heading home from work and stop for 20 minutes to pick up some Thai food for dinner. I get in my car and start it up and am confronted with a TON of problems.

I instantly have:
CEL
Yellow Brake Light
DSC Light
Red Engine icon
and my Tach is limited to 4k

My error messages:
Engine Malfunction (Limp Mode initialized)
DSC inoperable alert
Increased Emissions alert
DBC inoperable
Start off assist inoperable

I cycled the car a few times to no avail so I limp 2 miles home with a power band limited to about 3500 RPMS. I cycled the car again twice with no luck.

Then I have dinner and about 1.5 hours later I start it again and all the error messages have cleared on their own but I still have a CEL and Increased Emissions alert message.

Anyone here experienced anything like this or have any idea of what is happening? I cant help but think its tied to my BMW Service 48 hrs ago somehow as I have never had any problems before and its just too fishy for it to just randomly happen now.

Anyone have any suggestions on what it may be? I'll take it in on Monday morning but I would love to be somewhat prepared when I go directly to the Service GM.

Thanks.
T

Be sure your oil cap is on correct. I have seen them only put on by 1 of the tangs that lock it( it will be lopsided )on and many errors occurred.

[BPMSport]

Originally Posted by Prince_of_Persia

Most likely it is the throttle actuator problem, search and you will find it is a common problem for e9x m3s

Could be this, or idle control valve, etc..

Many of the sensors could cause this too.

Reading the faults will probably tell you exactly what's wrong. Ah, the beauty of OBD-II.

[RBB]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Could be this, or idle control valve, etc..

Many of the sensors could cause this too.

Reading the faults will probably tell you exactly what's wrong. Ah, the beauty of OBD-II.

What Mike said. I had all the same faults, though, when one of my throttle actuators crapped out.

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by Munit

I honestly dont put anything past some service people and would check your air filter box and make sure they put an air filter back in there Also just check the connections around the air box/engine since they did change that.

BTW never get your air filter changed by the dealer if you are paying. You can order one for 50 bucks online and change it yourself in 5 minutes with one tool.

The other thing that may be wrong is they used 5w30 oil and not the proper M engine oil. This would cause all of the problems you mentioned

You really have no Idea what you are talking about do you!? Very unhelpful post!!! None of the things you mentioned would cause the OP's error messages!!!!

[S65NAPWR]

Originally Posted by Munit

I honestly dont put anything past some service people and would check your air filter box and make sure they put an air filter back in there Also just check the connections around the air box/engine since they did change that.

BTW never get your air filter changed by the dealer if you are paying. You can order one for 50 bucks online and change it yourself in 5 minutes with one tool.

The other thing that may be wrong is they used 5w30 oil and not the proper M engine oil. This would cause all of the problems you mentioned

[spectrumphoto]

Thanks for the input thus far. I too am extremely curious as to what it may be...Especially after today.

Started it up this morning...All the original errors were still gone and I still just had the CEL and Increased Emissions message. Drove the car to the Auto Show and after several hours started it up again.

This time though all my errors were cleared and no CEL. It was as if the damn thing fixed itself. Took the car up to Topanga Mall to order a Tesla S Performance and after the car sitting for another few hours up there, it is still acting as nothing had happened and I have no CEL and no error messages.

At this time it looks as though nothing has ever happened. I am still taking it in tomorrow to see what can be found. I didn't think that a CEL with increased emissions could clear itself and after thinking about what systems I was originally alerted to, I am wondering if it is something with the computer and perhaps a system update that they may have downloaded into the car.

Should know more in the morning but thank you all for the input thus far.

[RBB]

Originally Posted by spectrumphoto

Thanks for the input thus far. I too am extremely curious as to what it may be...Especially after today.

Started it up this morning...All the original errors were still gone and I still just had the CEL and Increased Emissions message. Drove the car to the Auto Show and after several hours started it up again.

This time though all my errors were cleared and no CEL. It was as if the damn thing fixed itself. Took the car up to Topanga Mall to order a Tesla S Performance and after the car sitting for another few hours up there, it is still acting as nothing had happened and I have no CEL and no error messages.

At this time it looks as though nothing has ever happened. I am still taking it in tomorrow to see what can be found. I didn't think that a CEL with increased emissions could clear itself and after thinking about what systems I was originally alerted to, I am wondering if it is something with the computer and perhaps a system update that they may have downloaded into the car.

Should know more in the morning but thank you all for the input thus far.

This sounds just like my throttle actuator problems. I'd have to guess that's what you've got going on here. Sometimes you start the car and it's fine, sometimes not. The lights on your dash will clear after a certain amount of time if the malfunction doesn't always occur. The error codes will be stored in your DME, though, so the dealer will have no problems pulling them. Good thing you've still got a bit of warranty left. Get in there and have it taken care of....not a pleasant out of pocket repair.

[Lerxst M4]

I had a similar thing happen to me as well (but I am at 54K miles).

Took mine in for an oil change, they overfilled it and I brought it back to have it corrected. About 2 days later I had the dash light up and went into limp mode so I brought it back in.

Mine turned out to be a faulty coil on #5. They fixed me up and I drove away with the problem fixed.

edited to add - mine was also intermittant and luckily the coil reared it's ugly head while at the dealership.

[Prince_of_Persia]

Originally Posted by spectrumphoto

Thanks for the input thus far. I too am extremely curious as to what it may be...Especially after today.

Started it up this morning...All the original errors were still gone and I still just had the CEL and Increased Emissions message. Drove the car to the Auto Show and after several hours started it up again.

This time though all my errors were cleared and no CEL. It was as if the damn thing fixed itself. Took the car up to Topanga Mall to order a Tesla S Performance and after the car sitting for another few hours up there, it is still acting as nothing had happened and I have no CEL and no error messages.

At this time it looks as though nothing has ever happened. I am still taking it in tomorrow to see what can be found. I didn't think that a CEL with increased emissions could clear itself and after thinking about what systems I was originally alerted to, I am wondering if it is something with the computer and perhaps a system update that they may have downloaded into the car.

Should know more in the morning but thank you all for the input thus far.

That is exactly what happened when I had the famouse throttle actuator problem. When I got to the dealership, all the errors were gone, but I had a picture of my iDrive and showed it to the dealership. They initially updated the SW but it did not resolve the issue so they replaced the parts under warranty. No problem after that.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

I would not be too concerned, I had several times warning lights go on ... Pulling over and restarting the car has reset them for me on many occasions

How did I discover this you might ask ... Well once had several lights go off pulled into a gas station, got gas and after I got gas all was well again ... Go figure

[BPMSport]

Originally Posted by Munit

I honestly dont put anything past some service people and would check your air filter box and make sure they put an air filter back in there Also just check the connections around the air box/engine since they did change that.

BTW never get your air filter changed by the dealer if you are paying. You can order one for 50 bucks online and change it yourself in 5 minutes with one tool.

The other thing that may be wrong is they used 5w30 oil and not the proper M engine oil. This would cause all of the problems you mentioned

The wrong oil would not cause a single error to pop up.

If there was a vacuum leak in the engine bay, it would not cause DSC malfunction either. A missing air-filter isn't a vacuum leak.

In all likelihood, probably a throttle actuator or idle control valve. A wheel speed sensor could cause all of those other than increased emissions/limp mode.

[spectrumphoto]

SO I just got back from the Dealership....

Only 2 Codes were locked into the computer from all the errors that had come and gone on their own.

one was a DSC Code
The other was a Throttle Code

Service center still has my car and believes the Throttle Sensor/Actuator may be the source of the problem. They are needing to get into the car more to determine the exact fault.

Normally I wouldn't be too concerned but I am just 3.5 months out of warranty (I timed out on 8/16 as I only have 43k mileage right now) Im fearful that "RBB" may be right with diagnosis.

I just find it soo highly suspect that on Thursday I have a standard scope, air filter and oil change where the overfilled it and I had to spend several hours waiting for it to be corrected and then less than 2 days and under 100 miles later something like this happens. I realize that coincidences happen but this is all suspect to me.

I should have more info by the end of the day as well as an idea of the dealership is going to pin this on me or on themselves repair wise.

Originally Posted by RBB

This sounds just like my throttle actuator problems. I'd have to guess that's what you've got going on here. Sometimes you start the car and it's fine, sometimes not. The lights on your dash will clear after a certain amount of time if the malfunction doesn't always occur. The error codes will be stored in your DME, though, so the dealer will have no problems pulling them. Good thing you've still got a bit of warranty left. Get in there and have it taken care of....not a pleasant out of pocket repair.

[spectrumphoto]

So, Final determination is that it is a Throttle Actuator issue.
Good news is that a Throttle Actuator is available and will be here in a few days.
Bad news is apparently they also need a gasket for the repair and those are in Germany and probably wont bee here for a few weeks.

Best news of the day though is that from what I am hearing is that the Dealership/BMW are going to perform the repair as a Goodwill gesture as although I only have 43K miles, I am 3.5 months out of warranty. Im sure it helped that I had a bad service experience 2 days prior to all this happening which a part of me still feels that it is related to this whole situation.

[kerrit]

At least it's free - that just saved you about $2k

[Prince_of_Persia]

Originally Posted by spectrumphoto

So, Final determination is that it is a Throttle Actuator issue.
Good news is that a Throttle Actuator is available and will be here in a few days.
Bad news is apparently they also need a gasket for the repair and those are in Germany and probably wont bee here for a few weeks.

Best news of the day though is that from what I am hearing is that the Dealership/BMW are going to perform the repair as a Goodwill gesture as although I only have 43K miles, I am 3.5 months out of warranty. Im sure it helped that I had a bad service experience 2 days prior to all this happening which a part of me still feels that it is related to this whole situation.

Glad they are going to do it for free. I mentioned it from the beginning that its your throttle actuator.Pretty much it is the most common problem for current M3s. And believe me, it has absolutely nothing to do with your 2 day ago service.