Weird Electronic Issue?

[Ceyo14]

Hello all, Longtime lurker, but I need opinions, I,ve been searching but havent really found anything similar.

2003 X5 3.0l, last night reaching my moms house it suddenly turned on the DSC llight and ABS and a few seconds later it said Engine Fail Safe... after that it said transmission Fail Safe. Engine started stuttering and wouldnt pass 1,500rpm. turned it off. and turned on again and everything normal. but the DSC and ABS Light still on, drove off and about 100ft later same thing but now no amount or restarting changes anything. so it stays at about 1,100rpm in Neutral and goes to about 800rpm in Drive fully stopped. doesnt go past about 1,400rpm. was able to go like 20mph in 3rd...

vehicle was stopped for a few months until I fixed the Transmission Heat Exchanger and I noticed a rat chewed off the IAT sensor wire. but it is the only thing Ive been able to notice. last night I checked as much as I could of the wiring and everything looks intact.

I do have a drain Issue I haven't tackled and after about 2 or 3 days I do have to jump her. but the battery is charging and the alternator is steady.

on my way to the house at 20mph, I was battling with my OBD2 Scanner to connect to it, for some reason it was being crazy (one of the reasons I think its electrical) but when connected It would show me some errors and without erasing they would later disappear.

Here are the codes ones I was able to see.

P1112
P1200
P1243
P1316
P1332
P1612
P1632
P3247
P3301


I got a few others but some I wasnt able to see since I had issues with the scanner. and like I said they were all intermittent. none really stuck. previously I just had the one relating to the IAT circuit, obviously.

this was all last night with the car in operating temp, havent tried this morning. its not currently at my house. left it at my moms.

Do ask if you need any more info to help me.


Thoughts on this please.

[Ceyo14]

Tried today and cold it did the same hesitation when accelerated. But it idled at around 900rpm this time. I switched around 2 coils and same thing.

Thought I saw a vacuum hose broken but apparently its a vent tube... I saw white smoke or steam coming out... This was close to the drivers shock tower.

Did notice the Park indicator light is still on after the 16minutes were it should sleep. Update on the previous drain issue.

Did notice as well that for the battery voltage instead of the usual 12.3 - 12.7v it now was reading 13.3v... Not sure if it maybe Over Volting since I can't raise the rpms to see if it is....

IDK. Please help. Any opinions on what I should test next. Was thinking the fuel rail...

[williamx5]

Good day!!

Ahhhhhhhhh, I don't like electrical gremlins... I think the rat got to more than the IAC wires... I had a nest under the intake (mouse) that got my knock sensor insulation... I still have issues with the knock sensors despite replacing them...

You have a lot of codes popping up... There is something computer related going on... I was thinking the MAFS is going, but I don't think it would throw that many codes... Did you over heat the 3.0L by chance??

The charge voltage should be round the 13.X range... Was it running when you took the reading?

Good luck!!

Cheers!!

[brucemillar]

I would check that you have a good battery and alternator output. Low voltage will cause some (if not all of the symptoms you report) as the brain starts to get confused it will try and default to a Limp Home mode, in doing this it will switch on all sorts of lights and warnings.

[Ceyo14]

Ok. Im about to head out now. I was going to exchange the battery to see if any changes and fix the IAT sensor though I doubt this will do anything.

After that try and check more of the cabling. I checked last night but saw everything ok.

How do I go about the alternator? Just check voltage?

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Ceyo14

Ok. Im about to head out now. I was going to exchange the battery to see if any changes and fix the IAT sensor though I doubt this will do anything.

After that try and check more of the cabling. I checked last night but saw everything ok.

How do I go about the alternator? Just check voltage?

fire up the car and take a reading at the battery terminals with a multimeter. You should be seeing 14+ volts while its running. You should see 12+ when its off.

[crystalworks]

Unlock your cluster and check the voltage output from the alternator at idle, and while driving. Your failures sound like alternator output issues. You said you checked, but verify the voltage under all conditions just to be sure.

[Ceyo14]

Ok. But what do you mean by unlock the cluster?

Nevermind. Just saw what you meant...

[Ceyo14]

I cant really drive since the issue wont let me go much above idle...

It says 13.5v on the cluster and reading 14v on battery. Tested with the battery it had and a known good one from another vehicle.

Did notice that when I put the new battery in. Even before starting it said Engine Failsafe.

[Ceyo14]

I cleaned the MAF Sensor but still the same issue. Tried some other things. But I will be sending her to an indy to let them figure it out. Not going to start throwing random parts at her... Will update with any findings.