Engine Failsafe Prog Solved

[ggj13557]

I have been posting/reviewing this forum for several days now about a "Engine Failsafe Prog" dashboard error. I have received several helpful hints as to what the problem may be, all of which I eventually ran to ground.

I have a 2002 BMW X5 3.0

Problem:

I filled up with gas and got back on the road headed for home. I put cruise control on and as the car started to climb a slight incline the accelerator kicked in to maintain my speed. All of a sudden, the car started to buck and lose power. The brakes lost power and the accelerator was completely unresponsive! I limped the X5 into a parking lot and tried to replay everything that had just happened. I had lights all over my dash from DSC failure to Check Engine. The display was showing Trans Failsafe Prog and Engine Failsafe Prog. Since I couldn't drive the car I had to have it towed home. I searched the forum in search of an answer. It was very late Sunday night but SlickGT1 was responding with answers and things to try...Thank you! He suggested looking at the voltage, which I did. My voltage was around 11.8 with engine off and between 12.7 and 13.1 with engine idle very rough. I ordered a code reader and pulled the following codes three days later (work got in the way :-))

Here are the initial codes:

Code Description Retrieval Time
P1632 Smart Alternator Faults Sensor/Circuit Malfunction 2012-08-30 18:52:36
P1639 Vehicle ID Block Corrupted or Not Programmed 2012-08-30 18:52:36
P1638 Can Link ECM/INSTM Circuit / Network Malfunction 2012-08-30 18:52:36

I suspected the alternator and the battery. Turns out the battery was fine. I replaced the alternator. Same problem.

I pulled codes again. Now I was only getting one:

Code Description Retrieval Time
P1632 Throttle Valve Adaptation; Adaptation Condition Not Met (Pending) 2012-08-31 14:11:37

After some soul searching I decided to try my luck at the BMW dealership. The guys in the parts department here are awesome! After some research he suggested that I check the Throttle position sensor to see if carbon had collected to a point that the butterfly valve would not shut. I stopped and picked up some throttle body cleaner and begin disassembling again. As soon as I removed the large elbow hose leading from the MAF I found the source of the problem!

I large rubber gasket was caught in the butterfly valve and would not let it shut. I still don't know where this gasket came from...I'll figure that out later. I reassembled everything and it runs great!

Resolution:

The butterfly valve in the Throttle Housing Assembly was being held open by a large rubber gasket.

No. Description Supplement Qty From Up To Part Number Price Notes Photo
01 Throttle Housing Assy 1 13547502445 $362.72

This may be a unique situation but I ran across so many posts that sounded like the situation that I experienced yet there was no resolution.

This problem is solved.