2008 X5 3.0si - code P13B6

[xchen]

The car is a little over 120k miles and runs fine. A "Check Engine" light came up while on a local road; Took to a local AutoZone store for a code read:

P13B6 (1 of 1) BMW Stored
Crankshaft / 'B' Camshaft
Reference Error (Bank 1)

Parked on driveway over the weekend and then the CEL went off; car runs fine.

A search online for P13B6 yield many results; among them are bad sensor, bad connections or low quality low octane gasoline ......

Any experts care to share some insights to this code P13B6?

[the_ulf]

bad sensor is the most likely culprit there and not too expensive to replace yourself

[xchen]

Is there a DIY on the replacement? If not, is there a photo on where the sensor is located and what it looks like?

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by xchen

.... A "Check Engine" light came up while on a local road; Took to a local AutoZone store for a code read:

P13B6 (1 of 1) BMW Stored
Crankshaft / 'B' Camshaft
Reference Error (Bank 1)

Parked on driveway over the weekend and then the CEL went off; car runs fine.

A search online for P13B6 yield many results:

1. ...bad sensor,
2. bad connections or
3. low quality low octane gasoline ...

WHOA...can we just ignore #3 without any disqualification as a possible cause? The "crowd" needs to know yea or nay in regards to fuel octane in the tank.

Before replacing anything...I'd recommend waiting to see if the fault comes back. What if it was an anomaly?


Unless the CEL (light) is flashing...it isn't a serious DO NOT DRIVE IT edict...its just an emissions sensor registering/storing a fault code.

{take note of the 3rd & 4th bullet below since you're OBD II (not OBD I)}

[the_ulf]

low quality fuel would more likely set off the knock sensors instead of the crank position sensor. yeah, it _might_ be the lambdas but the fault code should really throw up something a little more emissions related in that case and replacing the four lambdas is way more expensive than checking out the crank sensor, which apparently is explicitly mentioned in the fault code, costs a fraction of the price, and is not the most unusual failure at 120k.

<shrug>

not my car tho.

[ard]

Fwiw....

Either spend $200 for the definitive diagnosis with a real mechanic...OR... Spend $50 on a sensor, pop it in, see if you get lucky

With the S62s, the cam sensors were a 100% failure item by year 10. Pretty much a safe bet...these motors it seem rarer, so not an automatic

Report back!!!

[xchen]

Thanks for all of you with the above comments and advice. As I stated in the original note, the P13B6 code is stored in the on-board computer but the CEL has been turned OFF since the weekend, and the car appears to run just fine for now.

I have read online about the subject. There are comments saying "crankshaft positioning" sensor and other comments saying "camshaft position" sensor.

(1) Are the 2 talking about the same thing?
(2) As the code reader at AutoZone says about Bank 1, is there same sensor(s) at bank 2 on this car?
(3) Where is this crankshaft/camshaft position sensor (bank 1) located?

[ard]

same thing


do a search, I am willing to bet $100 there is a youtube video on this.....