VANOS Problems ... Anyone else?

[808E90]

I was on my way to work last saturday and only got a block down the road when I got the famous ... Engine Malfunction, Reduce power and all the good stuff

I got the car are towed in on tuesday and the first call I got from my SA was "This is just an update but as of right now we are still running test" I started thinking that it may be the Idle Valve but I got another update call today. Looks like its a VANOS problem. Anyone else run into this problem?

[xxe92xx]

Originally Posted by 808E90

I was on my way to work last saturday and only got a block down the road when I got the famous ... Engine Malfunction, Reduce power and all the good stuff

I got the car are towed in on tuesday and the first call I got from my SA was "This is just an update but as of right now we are still running test" I started thinking that it may be the Idle Valve but I got another update call today. Looks like its a VANOS problem. Anyone else run into this problem?

hmmm well ill guess its the idle valve...highly doubt its vanos, what else did the SA say?

[rsmamg]

i recently had my idle actuator replaced. 08 e92

[808E90]

Originally Posted by xxe92xx

hmmm well ill guess its the idle valve...highly doubt its vanos, what else did the SA say?

On tuesday he first said that the tech had no idea what was wrong with the car ... Then I got a call from my SA today telling me that they did a bunch of testing and the tech/computer is showing signs of a VANOS Solenoid Malfunction.

The car only has 2900 miles on it and only has a axle back exhaust.

[xxe92xx]

Originally Posted by 808E90

On tuesday he first said that the tech had no idea what was wrong with the car ... Then I got a call from my SA today telling me that they did a bunch of testing and the tech/computer is showing signs of a VANOS Solenoid Malfunction.

The car only has 2900 miles on it and only has a axle back exhaust.

so the car was driveable, but the engine malfunction was displayed...did u stop the car and start it up again? if i were you and if the car is drivable i would take it to a different dealership (if theres another one close in your area) and get a second opinion...there could be a chance its nothing, but if it is a "VANOS Solenoid Malfunction" then the warranty will cover it...but i dont trust the dealership so make sure you record the mileage and get the paperwork

best of luck

[808E90]

Originally Posted by xxe92xx

so the car was driveable, but the engine malfunction was displayed...did u stop the car and start it up again? if i were you and if the car is drivable i would take it to a different dealership (if theres another one close in your area) and get a second opinion...there could be a chance its nothing, but if it is a "VANOS Solenoid Malfunction" then the warranty will cover it...but i dont trust the dealership so make sure you record the mileage and get the paperwork

best of luck

The car was driveable but it wouldn't really hold its idle and that was why I thought it was the Idle Valve. I turned the car on and off a few times but nothing changed.
BMW of Honolulu is the only dealer we have here on the island lol!! I really have no choice ... The SA I now have is a friend of a friend and he has been really nice and helpful. Just kinda sucks that this happens when I didn't even have the car for a year let alone pass 5000 miles

[BPMSport]

Haven't heard of any vanos issues with the E9x M3, but a lot of earlier M's had a vanos noise problem. I had a customer last week with an E39 M5 who had the vanos controler on bank 1 malfunction causing the car to misfire like crazy.

[powertrip]

There was one guy out in Arizona that had a VANOS issue on his e92. Pretty sure he was having the same issues you are. If I remember right BMW ended up replacing quite a bit of parts in the VANOS system.

[saeedg48]

It sounds like an idle valve to me..

[JCtx]

Another vote for the idle valve. I remember reading another case just like yours, with the same wrong assumption, and it was the idle valve. That doesn't mean they're wrong, but it's highly likely IMO. Problem with today's techs is they only know what the computer tells them, and we all here know it's not clear with the idle valve. You have EXACTLY all the symptoms of the idle valve, so I'd force them to do it. Tell them you had the idle malfunction before to force the issue if necessary. It's also known not to trigger codes every time. Good luck, and keep us posted.

[808E90]

Originally Posted by Mike@Powerchip

Haven't heard of any vanos issues with the E9x M3, but a lot of earlier M's had a vanos noise problem. I had a customer last week with an E39 M5 who had the vanos controler on bank 1 malfunction causing the car to misfire like crazy.

Yup ... My car had a bad misfire

Originally Posted by powertrip

There was one guy out in Arizona that had a VANOS issue on his e92. Pretty sure he was having the same issues you are. If I remember right BMW ended up replacing quite a bit of parts in the VANOS system.

Oh great ...

Originally Posted by saeedg48

It sounds like an idle valve to me..

I know ... I'm thinking the same thing too.

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Another vote for the idle valve. I remember reading another case just like yours, with the same wrong assumption, and it was the idle valve. That doesn't mean they're wrong, but it's highly likely IMO. Problem with today's techs is they only know what the computer tells them, and we all here know it's not clear with the idle valve. You have EXACTLY all the symptoms of the idle valve, so I'd force them to do it. Tell them you had the idle malfunction before to force the issue if necessary. It's also known not to trigger codes every time. Good luck, and keep us posted.

When I asked my SA about the testing that they were doing ... He said the computer was asking them to check the oil pressure He told me that the computer was shooting a few codes and they were taking each step ... one test at a time. He also said there was no codes in regards to the Idle Valve. I'll be going to the dealer to pick up a loaner today so I'll see if I can talk to the tech.

Thanks guys ... and yes I will post an update.

[tem0618]

Good day...

I need some special tools for the vanos system of my e92 m3

Tool part no. 119970

can anyone point me to thr\e right direction how to acquire this tool.

thanks

[Nawaaz]

Originally Posted by tem0618

Good day...

I need some special tools for the vanos system of my e92 m3

Tool part no. 119970

can anyone point me to thr\e right direction how to acquire this tool.

thanks

Threads merged so that it may help the overall topic.

[niterider]

Originally Posted by 808E90

When I asked my SA about the testing that they were doing ... He said the computer was asking them to check the oil pressure He told me that the computer was shooting a few codes and they were taking each step ... one test at a time. He also said there was no codes in regards to the Idle Valve. I'll be going to the dealer to pick up a loaner today so I'll see if I can talk to the tech.

Thanks guys ... and yes I will post an update.

Just FYI, most SAs dont know what they are talking about. Their is like the 10% out their that actually worked on cars at sometime in their life. But most of them are just salesman. For all u know he hasnt even spoke to the tech yet. Im sure they will address ur problem. It does sound like an Idle air valve problem but u never know, anything is possible with a BMW, doesnt mean they are bad cars just that they have so many computers, modules, sensor etc. They will go bad sometimes, but good luck and again dont worry ur car will be fixed and im pretty sure an axle back exhaust had nothing to do with it.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by tem0618

I need some special tools for the vanos system of my e92 m3

Whatya doin??

[niterider]

Originally Posted by tem0618

Good day...

I need some special tools for the vanos system of my e92 m3

Tool part no. 119970

can anyone point me to thr\e right direction how to acquire this tool.

thanks

as far as special tools, u need to contact BMW parst dept. They can normally order them for u. Their is a few private companies out there that make replica special tools that work, but they normally take a few years to make the newer tools.