Cold Weather 'Service Engine Soon' - Help with Errors from INPA
 

Temperatures got real cold here yesterday and when I started up the X5 when it was 10 F, I got the familiar pigeon sound of a clogged CCV. Exactly a year ago, I had to have the cold weather CCV package installed, along with a new valve cover gasket. Since then, I have still noticed some of the yellow emulsion in the oil fill cap and on cold days, when I turn the ignition, I get a little of that pigeon sound from the CCV. But when super cold yesterday, the pigeon sound was much more severe, then I had very rough idle and for the first time, my Service Engine Soon light came on solid. After rough idling about 60 seconds, I turned it off, waited a minute, and re-started it, and the idle was much smoother and the SES light wasn't on at first. It came back on about 30 seconds later, but I went ahead and went for a 30 minute drive to warm everything up. Stopped for a little while and another 30 minute drive, and SES stayed on. Today I went for another 30 minute drive, then stopped and bought gas since I was down to 1/4 tank. Started it back up and SES light was off and it has stayed off since! (yes, I checked gas cap yesterday and it was on tight).

I knew that I had a crack in my air intake boot, so I thought it might be that - my indy who did the CCV told me about it then, but since he couldn't get part same day and I needed it, he put some heavy duty tape on it to keep me going. I looked at the tape job and it still seems to be on securely, but I did pick up a new boot today. I try to do easy DIY stuff myself, but I'm not very good with hard to get to things - not sure if I want to try this R/R.

I did some reading on possible causes for SES, then finally figured out how to run INPA enough to read and clear codes, although it was in German (think I just fixed that) and I couldn't figure out how to save it as text. It forced me to print out in OneNote, then I exported that to pdf and xps files, but still couldn't copy text, so all I have is an image of my errors, in German (sorry).

Here's what I got when I read codes for Engine -> MS 43.0 for M54:

https://i.imgsafe.org/189c8e5037.png

Now I wish I hadn't cleared them yet, but I did. Took it for another ride, then will go read again shortly, now that laptop is charged back up and I think I have English.

Does anyone have any experience with these errors?

You know you can use google translate to translate the German to English. Just copy the codes from INPA on your computer, open up a browser and go to google translate. Paste the code into Google translate and it should translate it to English.

Have done a little of that:

241 verbrennungsaussetzer Zylinder 4 - misfire cylinder 4

94 Fehler Sekundaerluftmassenmesser - error secondary mass air flow sensor?

I found a list of all BMW codes, but they all start with a letter, then 4 digits. All I have is 241 & 94

I'm really hoping I don't have to replace the MAF - not cheap! Not sure if anyone can make anything of those MAF values, as well as other values listed under the errors (TCO_ST, TIA_ST, N_32, etc..)

If it is the MAF don't buy a wing wong MAF from eBay or Amazon. By a genuine Siemens MAF for the X.

Using the BMW PNPC tool, the best price I found for OEM was $337 from the BMW Parts Store. ECS Tuning has a Bosch replacement for $140. Bosch isn't exactly "wing wong", right?

For my Porsche, I needed to replace the relay for the AC system. Order a "Genuine" Porsche relay and it came in a box with the PORSCHE logo on it but when I took the relay out of the box the relay had Bosch logo on it along with Made in China on it. Even BMW ignition coils are now made in China.

Quality parts can be made in China. It's all up to the specifications and tolerances of the company ordering the parts (or building their own factory there). I have no clue whether the Bosch MAF would suffice, but I generally trust the brand and I know they are an OEM supplier for some BMW parts.

The secondary mass air flow sensor is the little one on the intake of the secondary air pump, not the main one one.

I don't dispute that quality parts can be produced in China, take for example all the Eye Phones being produced in China, however; the mafs that are sold on eBay or Amazon for under $40.00 is probably not manufactured under a strict QA/QC program.