researching 2 KOMBI (and 2 DME) fault codes that are always present

[workingonit]

I've mentioned that I've got two "always present" fault codes that won't clear. My Foxwell shows them as:
actual fault names, undisclosed

So, I've been researching about what the Foxwell letter codes BD & D7 actually mean. I found no reference to them in any Foxwell or (limited) BMW info I have (not even a Bentley), but I did find info via the internet, on various BMW enthusiast sites. The most useful reference to those letter codes was found in some notes I had compiled prior to even getting the X5. I had a list of what I called "KOMBI codes".

Where I found it originally, I don't know when, or where, or from whom. It does agree with another list I found on Bimmerfest:https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/i.../post-13259319

Using that list (and the BMW abbreviations list from https://bmwsections.com/info/abbreviations.php, I did more searching, decided that : BD Electronic brake power on my list actually referred to EBV - Electronic Brake force proportioning, and found this thread https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...ebv-fault.html right here on XO.

As far as they could tell, and I tend to agree, it's a phantom, since I have no brake light lit up on my dash.

Then there's the D7 fault code:D7 Fuel tank sensor 2 (without fuel pump) There's a lot of references to it on XO, including this 18-page AWR-fix thread https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...p-details.html, and dozens more on other sites. D7 may be another phantom code, but it probably ties into my recurring P0171, P0174, & P0313 codes. Since all these point to lean conditions, might it also be partially caused by poor fuel flow? I still can't find any vacuum leak.

Finally, I've just gotten two DME codes, D3 (DME Fuel trim bank 1 permissable range exceeded) & D4 (DME Fuel trim bank 2 permissable range exceeded), that are easier to decode (using Peake reader charts...it seems that Foxwell copied from them while programming)https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/...e3-e4.1032009/ They are the result of the over-enrichening the fuel system is doing to overcome the lean codes, past "plausible" limits.

I may be starting to see the convoluted "big picture" that may be a long-term project to fix. My X5 is now parked for the duration, since it seems to be a progressive disease...I don't want to damage either the engine or catalytic converters. I dusted-off my '04 Chevy 2500HD, and it's now my go-to, again. Damn.

[ahlem]

Have you done any work on the car lately? Specifically involving removing any intake parts?
I had similar lean codes after reassembling post head gasket project and my situation resolved after finding vacuum leaks while doing a smoke test.

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by ahlem

Have you done any work on the car lately? Specifically involving removing any intake parts?
I had similar lean codes after reassembling post head gasket project and my situation resolved after finding vacuum leaks while doing a smoke test.

I've rebuilt the DISA, using the G.A.S. upgrade kit, and cleaned the MAF using MAF cleaner. Codes were already present before that. Only the DME codes are recent.

The KOMBI codes have always been there, even before the X5 passed emissions in October. The P0171, P0174, P0313 came later. The DME codes are likely a result of the fuel trims being haywire for so long.

Since my smoke tester failed, I'm going to use Carb cleaner to check for leaks as soon as the wind and weather cooperates. I'm working outside, exposed to blowing dust & sand, so I don't want to get that crap into the X5's A/C system after I've pulled off the micro filter panel (to expose the rear vacuum hoses).



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[oldskewel]

Nice work on trying to work through the codes. Good info here so far. Thanks.

Regarding "D7 Fuel tank sensor 2 (without fuel pump)", I would not worry about that one. BTW, it is one of the two Foxwell codes I have, and I am not worried at all about it. It's on my list, but I've got a long list.

That is the left side of the fuel tank, and unless you are in danger of running out of gas, it will not cause any engine problems. So I would recommend to not be distracted by that one, and keep going on the other things.

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by oldskewel

Nice work on trying to work through the codes. Good info here so far. Thanks.

Regarding "D7 Fuel tank sensor 2 (without fuel pump)", I would not worry about that one. BTW, it is one of the two Foxwell codes I have, and I am not worried at all about it. It's on my list, but I've got a long list.

That is the left side of the fuel tank, and unless you are in danger of running out of gas, it will not cause any engine problems. So I would recommend to not be distracted by that one, and keep going on the other things.

I've never had less than 1/2 tank, when I got it, and only filled up twice since then. I've driven about 500 miles altogether, with about 350 of them after the codes started, and none since the two DME codes appeared last week. I'll ignore the DME codes unless they don't go away (assuming I find & fix the root cause, first). And I'll also ignore the D7, since you say it might be a ghost code.

There's always something taking precedence over my hunt for the vacuum leak: today it was my wife adopting a 25-year-old African Grey parrot from a friend's mother. A pain in the xxx disassembling the cage, cleaning and reassembling the cage, moving furniture to make room for the (big) cage, throwing out my back doing so, and four hours spent driving there and back, and doing the work with the cage. Always something....

[bcredliner]

Cleaning the MAF doesn't always work. You can build your own smoke tester. There are several youtube videos using a paint can--I made one because carb cleaner has been hit or miss, more often miss.

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

Cleaning the MAF doesn't always work. You can build your own smoke tester. There are several youtube videos using a paint can--I made one because carb cleaner has been hit or miss, more often miss.

I'm about to use the carb cleaner tomorrow, after I pull oo the overhanging microfilter housing, so I can see/spray the vacuum hoses back there (if the wind, 31 mph gusts, allows it). If there are observable results (no engine speed increase=no leaks, an engine speed increase=vacuum leak found), then a better smoke tester won't be needed immediately. If I can't tell what happened (spray misdirected by the wind), then I'll try another smoke tester.

But, I've recently found another thread showing the DME codes I've got, plus fuel trims as bad or worse than mine have been O2 sensor hell. Max fuel trim DTC @ https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...-trim-dtc.html, by andrewwynn.

In it, he changed out O2 sensors, then did reset adaptations to bring his fuel trim readings back to near-normal. I'm interested in finding out how to see & reset adaptations on my Foxwell NT510 Elite (he shows adaptations on a Foxwell NT 510, also).
I have the E3 & E4 codes, too
I've never found adaptations listed

I've yet to find an "adaptation" screen, and if it's only for O2 sensors, not fuel trims, then I haven't looked in the right place. My O2 sensors don't seem to be the problem on my M54, as shown on this graph I made last week.


Plus, if I do find the "adaptations" screen, will a novice like myself be able to reset bad readings without totally screwing up the whole thing?

[workingonit]

After spraying everything with three cans of carb cleaner (I have 6 cans left), I've either fixed the problem or created new ones. I found no vacuum leaks. I'm taking a break in the meantime, before I do worse.

Before spraying, I used my Foxwell to hunt for "adaptations" and found a section in Service, under DME. It gave me three choices, so I opted to just back-out, not knowing what would happen. I ended up there twice more, and I think I may have bumped "reset all adaptations" as I was backing-out again. Then, I checked faults again, where I had one new DME code "8D", which I think means "ASC signal plausibility" (automatic stability control).

I've never seen that one before, nor have ever used any tranny settings other than drive & reverse, nor hill descent, or such. The X5 has been just sitting there for over a week.

I then sprayed underhood with engine running, and while there (after getting zero change in RPMs) I pulled off the MAF sensor plug. No change in idle speed the first two times, but it stalled when I plugged it back in on the third (while idling the MAF reads OK at 3.6-4.7, and rises when more air flow is ingested, so I think it's OK...don't know why I chose to unplug it).

So I went back in the truck, and plugged in and read the Foxwell, and also the Torque Pro screen that I was running; I got an IHKA code "1E" (auxiliary water pump), which may have been caused by a lot of carb cleaner sprayed where the pump wiring is.


I did an active test (and cleared the code after it ran OK), and looked at the Torque Pro screen and saw that my longterm fuel trims were zero'd, with the short terms at plus 18-20!!! Meanwhile, I saw a new warning light on the dash.

I think it may be associated with the new ASC code.

Next, I looked at the Torque Pro screen (I had left the phone face down on the seat, while using the Foxwell), and was shocked at the short & long term fuel trims.

and saw that long terms were zeroed, while the short terms were ridiculously high (and I imagined I smelled gasoline, but got out and didn't smell or observe any).

So, I continued to observe the readings for a few minutes, occasionally raising the RPMs, and in awhile, the readings looked like this

I don't know about the ASC & DME tranny codes, but I'm very pleased with the fuel trims (I don't know how they got that way, but I hope they remain"normalized").

And I hope the new codes go away by themselves, probably a glitch (I sometimes get a Trifecta on the dash, whenever I run an active test, or clear a code, but only for a second). I think I'll leave it as it is, before I do more harm than good.

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by workingonit

... I checked faults again, where I had one new DME code "8D", which I think means "ASC signal plausibility" (automatic stability control).
Attachment 81945
I've never seen that one before, nor have ever used any tranny settings other than drive & reverse, nor hill descent, or such. The X5 has been just sitting there for over a week.

... I saw a new warning light on the dash.
Attachment 81944
I think it may be associated with the new ASC code.


I don't know about the ASC & DME tranny codes, but....

Is there a possibility that the 8D DME code and the warning light on the dashboard might've been caused by first jacking up the left side, then later driving it up on ramps, for two days at a time? The tilt (lateral positioning) sensor under the console might not have liked the positioning. Just a thought....

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by workingonit

I think I may have bumped "reset all adaptations" ...

I then sprayed underhood with engine running, and while there (after getting zero change in RPMs) I pulled off the MAF sensor plug. No change in idle speed the first two times, but it stalled when I plugged it back in on the third (while idling the MAF reads OK at 3.6-4.7, and rises when more air flow is ingested, so I think it's OK...don't know why I chose to unplug it).

...I looked at the Torque Pro screen and saw that my longterm fuel trims were zero'd, with the short terms at plus 18-20!!!...

Next, I looked at the Torque Pro screen (I had left the phone face down on the seat, while using the Foxwell), and was shocked at the short & long term fuel trims.
Attachment 81947
and saw that long terms were zeroed, while the short terms were ridiculously high (and I imagined I smelled gasoline, but got out and didn't smell or observe any).

So, I continued to observe the readings for a few minutes, occasionally raising the RPMs, and in awhile, the readings looked like this
Attachment 81948
...I'm very pleased with the fuel trims (I don't know how they got that way, but I hope they remain"normalized")....

Well, I finally found out how I accidently reset my fuel trims...it was by repeatedly unplugging and re-plugging the MAF sensor
https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/.../post-14695303

Originally Posted by wamcdonald

With car running disconnect the MAF sensor wait a few seconds and reconnect it, that's it. The car may stall but just re-start and you may through a MAF code but this gets the values back to zero.

I hate mysteries, so that's reassuring that it's been done before, with the same results. Now to figure out how come the ASC dash warning light came on, without ever moving the X5.