Please Help - Asap

[chiu7526]

Hi Guys,

I need help, I am moving from Seattle to LA today and my first stop is Redding.

The car was running fine first 5 hours this morning from Seattle and right passed Portland at middle of nowhere while getting gas my engine light went on and then the car starts acting really scary. The car starts but it stalls right after the rmp drops but that only happened once right after the engine light went on. Other times it feels like the engine is going to stall at low rpm. Since I had no choice (the closest dealer is 120+ miles away) I had to keep on going. The car runs really weird and when I accelerate the car shakes and vibrates like crazy especially if I am going uphill but if I keep the RMP over 3k or down hill the car will run ok. By the way the engine or transmission were making weird noise too. Glad I just made to Redding, CA (most painful 6 hours drive after the engine light went on). Called BMW assist to arrange a pickup tomorrow morning to the closest BMW Dealer (70 miles away from here)

Should I try to make it to LA tomorrow (another 600 miles? or have the BMW tow my car to the closest Dealer?)

Since I drove another 6 hours after the engine light went on. Is there anything I may fucked up?
Anyone know if is the HPFP issue from what I describe?

Thanks

[nicknaz]

Sorry to hear about your issues.

I've read in the E90 forums that some people had driveability issues from a bad tank of gas (i.e. too much ethanol or moisure in the gas).

Perhaps could you try filling up with 91 or 93 octane from a known "top tier" gas station and see if the issues go away?

For me, HPFP and injectors failing showed up as a long crank on start up and a a rough idle. I could see yours being an extreme case of this, but that is a GUESS

[chiu7526]

Thank you so much for getting back to me. I actually have longer crank on start than normal and rough idle too. I only put in 92 v-power from shell in Seattle. Same station I get gas past 6 month. ...the station I stopped today at middle of no where is Shell v-power as well. Guess I should just tow to the bmw and have them check it up.

[chiu7526]

By the way the car feels like lose or no power at all...mine car is 2011 z4 35is

[nicknaz]

I've heard of BMW dealers really going the extra mile to help a traveling customer, such as giving a loaner car to allow the trip to continue, and then showing up with the customer's car on a flat bed to exchange with the loaner try.

Agreed with your approach on getting the tow.... the last thing you need is the situation escalating into getting stuck in the middle of nowhere

EDIT: sounds like your car is in "limp mode" right now

[chiu7526]

Finally had the car tow to the bmw dealer. They said is O2 sensor. Guess I have to stay a night here in Chico, ca. Anyone around here? Hahaa

By the way bmw covers hotel, rental and food which is nice

[Lurcher]

Very nice, especially that BMW is taking care of you.

Hope the rest of the trip is uneventful...

[persian54]

Originally Posted by chiu7526

Finally had the car tow to the bmw dealer. They said is O2 sensor. Guess I have to stay a night here in Chico, ca. Anyone around here? Hahaa

By the way bmw covers hotel, rental and food which is nice

02 sensor could cause that. I used to carry a BT Cable and laptop with me just in case.

How do you get them to reimburse you for the hotel and food? that's pretty awesome !

[cuddapah]

BT cable and laptop ... for O2 sensor ?

Originally Posted by persian54

02 sensor could cause that. I used to carry a BT Cable and laptop with me just in case.

How do you get them to reimburse you for the hotel and food? that's pretty awesome !

[persian54]

Originally Posted by cuddapah

BT cable and laptop ... for O2 sensor ?

I meant just in case for anything, not just O2 Sensor.

I had a 09 E93 335 and 09 Z4 35i

Back then, the N54s were a mess….. I've had numerous HPFP die on me, and well.. I didn't feel like having the car towed (waste of my time) or limping back (dangerous and annoying).
So I would clear the codes, drive the car without hitting much boost, and be able to make it back home.

Then, before going to the dealer, I would do some spirited runs and the hpfp code would come back, causing the car to go into limp mode and lose power. However, my dealer is 3 miles from my house, so that wasn't a bad limp.

I also had my CP blow off a few times… pull off freeway, reattach it, clear the code and drive back normally and have it fixed. I would have lose of power had I not cleared the code

If OP had the BT cable and laptop, he could've cleared the code and driven normally (but very conservatively).

Then done a spirited run to make the sensor fail code come up again (since BMW won't work on a car without a code).

[mybank2828]

Dang, how many hours of drive is from Seattle to LA?

[rking117]

almost any ODBII scanner can clear many of the O2 codes. If i didnt have a BT cable and laptop on the trip a quick pull into an Auto Zone or Advanced auto we could clear the code. Even some BMW only codes are able to be cleared via ODBII scanners such as vanos sensors etc.

OF course do take your time and verify that the issue isnt due to Oil , coolant or the like.

[nicknaz]

cobb accessport clears codes too

How is LA OP?