No check engine light

[Jompe]

Thanks everyone for a quick input.
My thoughts at the moment.
Why would anyone go through the hassle of erasing such a code? An OBD service expert told me over the phone that you have to be a serious coder in order to be able to know how to do such a thing. They thought I should send in the cluster so that they could check all the wiring and soldering, to see if someone managed to solder wires together in a way to block off the signal. Maybe worth trying. They estimated 200$. That was gonna be their first place to check.
What calmed my nerves were youtube videos. Must have found a dozen of clips showing the cluster at start of the ignition and every diesel (you can tell by the cluster) didn’t have the check engine SES light up. The gas once did!
I took that with me to the smog place and said that this is how it is “It’s designed not to come on��” which is probably b.s., also showed the inspection person the cluster test. Which acts perfect. So I passed. Now I’m just wondering if this is just gonna worsen for every year. Continuously failing and failing every smog because this SES no show light.
How is the SES acting in your car. Specially if you have an e53 3.0d. Does it turn on at the start of the ignition? Just curious.
Thanks again everyone.

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by Jompe

... How is the SES acting in your car. Specially if you have an e53 3.0d. Does it turn on at the start of the ignition? Just curious.
Thanks again everyone.

Good question - I will have a closer look next time I'm in my 2005 3.0d (in the morning) - I guess I've not paid that much attention to the check engine light - there are so many lights on at turn-on!

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by Jompe

How is the SES acting in your car. Specially if you have an e53 3.0d. Does it turn on at the start of the ignition? Just curious.

On my 2006 E53 3.0d the light comes on when ignition on pos.2 and goes away when engine started (the same as oil pressure warning light). I assume your 2004 model is facelift with M57N engine like mine.

[andrewwynn]

Either way great you get to punt for a year you have time for a proper solution. You can force SES by unplugging something like MAF. On gas car I'd say o2 sensor.

You said there were codes but plenty of codes don't trip SES.

If SES can be set by unplugging something you're good to go. You can run the dash test with a scan tool to prove to the test station the light works and take a pic when you set it on purpose to show it lit when there is an error.

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

If SES can be set by unplugging something you're good to go. You can run the dash test with a scan tool to prove to the test station the light works and take a pic when you set it on purpose to show it lit when there is an error.

It's the same regulation here in Finland. That light has to illuminate when ignition is on and go off when engine running. If the light doesn't show with ignition on it's an automatic failure of MOT.

[wpoll]

I watched closely when starting up the car this morning - no check engine lamp is lit when the ignition is turned on, during the cluster start-up cycle.

It DOES work, as it lights up during the cluster check.

A quick way to check it's operation would be to pull the vacuum line from the EGR (and plug it). Within a drive cycle or two you should see the check engine light come up. You will also have an EGR code in the DDE fault memory.

I'd try this myself, purely for research, but it's virtually snowing outside, so no....

My 2005 3.0d has very little in the way of emissions gear, no swirls flaps, no DPF, only an un-monitored cat.... came like from the factory.... so I'm guessing different emission levels require different DDE/IKE firmware, which present minor differences in operation.

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by wpoll

I watched closely when starting up the car this morning - no check engine lamp is lit when the ignition is turned on, during the cluster start-up cycle.

It DOES work, as it lights up during the cluster check.

A quick way to check it's operation would be to pull the vacuum line from the EGR (and plug it). Within a drive cycle or two you should see the check engine light come up. You will also have an EGR code in the DDE fault memory.

I'd try this myself, purely for research, but it's virtually snowing outside, so no....

My 2005 3.0d has very little in the way of emissions gear, no swirls flaps, no DPF, only an un-monitored cat.... came like from the factory.... so I'm guessing different emission levels require different DDE/IKE firmware, which present minor differences in operation.

Didn't he already have an active EGR problem which the dealer rectified with a new EGR valve and still the warning light was not on.

Same vehicles on different market areas have different DDE software and this check engine light can be affected. Also there is a difference in EU3 vs. EU4 versions. I have EU4 with working check engine light. I assume you have EU3 if you don't have DPF. Just wondering which version the thread starter has.

Actually the EU4 version with DPF has a different DDE version 6 and EU3 versions have DDE 5.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=13_1223

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by Clavurion

… Actually the EU4 version with DPF has a different DDE version 6 and EU3 versions have DDE 5.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=13_1223

Mines definitely DDE 5.

[Clavurion]

I think the thread starter needs to have a chat with the authorities. In Sweden OBD test and a working check engine light is required on diesel engine vehicles for 5 passengers with total weight over 2500 kg (E53 total weight with passengers ~2700 kg) only on vehicles registered after 2007. (On petrol engine versions OBD test is required from 2002.)

Funktion på felindikator/varningslampa för motorelektronik och omborddiagnossystem, gäller
- bensindriven personbil och lastbil med totalvikt av högst 3 500 kg fr.o.m. 2002,
- dieseldriven personbil med högst 4 passagerare och med en totalvikt av högst 2 500 kg fr.o.m. 2004,

Bilaga 1
TSFS 2017:54
- dieseldriven personbil med 5 passagerare eller fler och med en totalvikt av högst 2 500 kg fr.o.m. 2006, och
- dieseldriven personbil med en totalvikt över 2 500 kg samt lastbil och buss med en totalvikt av högst 3 500 kg fr.o.m. 2007.

https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/TS...%202017_54.pdf