Help....99 iL engine failsafe program

[Dnell86]

Ok... last night I was drving on the highway and everything seemed fine until I saw engine failsafe program and I got to a light and I lost power and it died... tried numerous time to start it but everytime I took it out of nuetral and put it in drive, it died again. So I shit there and turn my lights off and waited 2 minutes and tried again and it drove fine but the message was still on the obc... I went to thhe obc 9 test to see my voltage and while running it was about 13.0 volts sometimes droped to 12.8... it seemed that when I pressed the gas the voltage droped than came back up while idiling. So I shut her off and went in the house. This morning I put the key in and put it in postion 2...and the message poped up. So I check my voltage and it was 11.8... I started her up and 13.0 v. But now I try to press the gas and no rpms... I tried to see if I could put her in drive and go but she would only roll... press the gas and nothing much. So I got a ride to work and I am on my phone tryinto see what u guys think could be the problem... any thoughts?

[sdmike1]

You'll need to read the codes. Really could be a lot of things. No sense in chasing your tail.

It sounds fuel starved, but the fuel filter and fuel pump are two things that typically won't trip the CEL or failsafe. Could be MAF. Unlikely to be CPS (normally an on/off scenario)

[Edwin NL]

your voltage is a little low and what Mike said could be lost of issues, get codes

[bstar]

do a battery test

[Dnell86]

So here's the update.... I take off early and go home to check it out... she starts right up and the rpm issue is gone as well as the engine failsafe warning... I was drivng around and what I notice is that the voltage flucuate between 12.8 and 13.8... usually 12.8 if I was driving and let off the gas to come to a light but by the time I stop all the way, the voltage starts to clime back up to 13.8... I'm starting to think alternator... maybe the voltage reg... but as I'm writing this I'm check for codes and I got...p0102... maf low circuit...p0112... iat circuit low input... and p1634 manfact controlled computer and auxialiary outputs... so I'm going to clear them and see wat happens.

[sdmike1]

You might have an issue with your battery or alternator, but I don't think that was causing the power problem. I think that MAF code is more likely to be causing that. The 0112 and 1624 could be electrical in nature, so a battery/alt issue could be driving those. First thing I'd do is try cleaning your MAF, and keep your AAA card nearby.

[Dnell86]

Which I had that AAA card... so last night it happens again and I was stuck in a parking lot. check this out this is exactly what my car is doing... [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sokjAQzGHOo[/ame]... I really think its my Alternator because it seems to happen when the headlights are also on. I was watching my voltage right before it happen and it was around 13.0 and dropping to 12.5v while headlights were on. I dont know what to think anymore.

[Edwin NL]

that is the engine fail safe you see in the video.

Does you alt light come on?

12.5 is way to low when the car is on.

Check the negative cables from the battery and the engine

[Dnell86]

I have checked all cables and they are on tight... I am getting the Engine failsafe message when this happens... Like I said yesterday when i got back from work she kicked over fine and was riding ok but voltage was varying between 12.8 and 13.7 or so.... last night with the headlights on i was get the lower voltage... but no alternator light except when it dies the first time.. after that i can get it to start back up but with the failsafe message and the rpm problem you see in the video... i cant press the gas to make it do anything it just rolls on it own at about 2 miles a hour.

[Edwin NL]

Try to get codes that helps you a lot to locate the issue

[Dnell86]

To edwin... I already posted the codes I got... p0102...p0112 and p 1634...

[Edwin NL]

My bad!
P0102 could be the MAF (check vacuum lines)
P0112 (2 options) On the air filter behind the headlight or MAF if after 9-98
P1634 Throttle Valve Actuator Start Test Amplifier Balancing Plausibility
http://e38.org/m62tu.pdf see page 17

[Dnell86]

Well while I was trying to figure out the problem earlier and when i first started it up this morning i still got the rpm issue and failsafe message... I unplugged the maf and i went away... i then unpluged the throttle sensor and the rpm issue and failsafe message came back. So my question is What exactly is wrong with the throttle system? What should i Look for? Thanks for your help

[Edwin NL]

When you pull the MAF and that cures the issue and after that you pull the throttle sensor the car does not know what the engine is doing.
Not feedback to the DME (engine management)

So when the MAF is off all issues are gone? (unplug when car is NOT running)

[Dnell86]

Well first off... the failsafe problem only seems to happen at night and only happend 2 times.. last night and the night before... so i dont really have a way to check right now until the voltage seems to get real low. but what happend this morning is... first turned it on And the same thing that goes on in the video happend. I than go to the front and unplug the maf and it went away. after a while i plugged the maf back and was spraying around the throttle body to see if there was a leak... I think that there is a slight leak between the gaskets for the throttle body because the rpm rose only about 100 rpm every time I had someone spray there and watched the rpms. I than unpluged the throttle sensor and the rpm problem and failsafe message came back... I than plugged it back and turn the car off and back on and it was back to normal.... Also I've noticed that the steering seems a lil more heavier. And i at Idle its about 500 rpms... maybe its the low rpms causing my alternator to not fully charge the battery or something?

[Edwin NL]

that could be, as you already noticed that you have a vacuum leak i would start there!

[Dnell86]

Just a update.... I went to 2 mechanics and both told me my alternator is on its way out. And the second mechanic says the code im getting for my MAF is not because of the MAF but because of the vacuum leak. But I already ordered the MAF that Edwin said we should use from the VW. So I'm waiting on my rebuilt Bosch Alternator and Bosch MAF and I'll Give another update after i replace my MAF and Alternator. thanks to all who helped out...

[Edwin NL]

If it's a voltage issue then when you hook it up to an other car (under the hood) TFS should stay off.

Also when a fully charged battery it should stay off for a while.

Vacuum leak -> MAF code never seen that

[cazal740i]

I just had this happen to me today ....I cant keep the car idling..Car was running fine until I saw enginefailsafe mode light up driving 30 mph and then car died. ulled over to side and I waited and started it up again. The engine reved up and down , up and down like Exactly -Dnell86`s video.
What was the answer MAF? or vacumm leaks?

[Edwin NL]

Revving up and down is a full blown fail safe (emergency running point code) and this is the only way it will run by doing this

[Timm]

Have a read of this thread:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1666601

[kimokk]

So here's the update.... I take off early and go home to check it out... she starts right up and the rpm issue is gone as well as the engine failsafe warning... I was drivng around and what I notice is that the voltage flucuate between 12.8 and 13.8... usually 12.8 if I was driving and let off the gas to come to a light but by the time I stop all the way, the voltage starts to clime back up to 13.8... I'm starting to think alternator... maybe the voltage reg... but as I'm writing this I'm check for codes and I got...p0102... maf low circuit...p0112... iat circuit low input... and p1634 manfact controlled computer and auxialiary outputs... so I'm going to clear them and see wat happens.

What was the outcome? Did you fix it with a new MAF and/or alternator?