Car starting acting weird yesterday

[dave is cool]

My Check Engine Light has been on for a couple months. I figured the O2 sensor just needed replacing. Yesterday I was driving back from a presentation, and all of a sudden, my RPMs shot up and down, and the check engine light started blinking. When I tried to start the car, it would turn on for about 2-3 seconds, and then shut off. I had the car towed to a shop, and they just called me telling me that 5 codes came up.

They are long-term and short-term fuel trim, O2 sensor, air flow signal, and the air/mass meter. He recommended I get a tune-up and also have the air/mass meter replaced. The estimate is around $1000. Does the air/mass meter cost $475? Also, what do you guys recommend I do? Thanks.

[BCM M3]

Before replacing it, just try cleaning the HFM with some electric contact cleaner or isopropanol and it may solve the problem. The fuel trim codes were likely just caused by incorrect mixture due to the faulty HFM readings. From pelicanparts, a new one is ~$380. The O2 sensor you should probably just replace.

[Balthazarr]

Get a used HFM for about $150 and replace the O2 sensor.
You have a 95, right?

[Balthazarr]

As suggested, try cleaning first.
Be careful with the sensor filament; very careful.

[dave is cool]

Get a used HFM for about $150 and replace the O2 sensor.
You have a 95, right?

Yes, it's a 1995. It's at the shop right now.

The major tune-up for these cars is done at around 80,000-90,000 miles, correct? My car has almost 99,000 miles right now, so do you think I should get all of these things replaced, or still just have them try to clean it?

I got a list of what the tune-up entails:

fuel filter
6 spark plugs and 6 connectors
chemical fuel injection purge
carbuerator cleaner
something about redline synthetic

air flow mass meter is seperate.

The shop told me they don't install parts the owner brings himself, so I have no choice but to buy from them. The problem is, there are no other shops around here that work on these cars because I'm at college right now in a small town, and I can't have it towed 5 hours back home to a trustworthy shop without having to pay an enormous towing fee, which would just negate the cost of having it done back at home. So I feel as if I have no other choice but to have it worked on down here.

I am going to get the written estimate from them either today or tomorrow, and let you guys know the final price.

[hemlock]

How is it that you have 6,745 posts here but don't know how to maintain your car, and furthermore drove it 2 months while the CEL light is on, without determining what the problem even was? Good lord.

Answers to you questions: Yes, a new HFM costs 475 if purchased BMW by a local shop and marked up for them to make a profit. $1,000 seems excessive for the tune-up work you listed, but clearly you've put yourself in a really bad spot by not addressing the problems sooner. Whether you have all the work done or you choose not to - you definitely need to clean HFM (or have it cleaned) and replace the O2 sensor before you can tell if the problems are deeper than that.

Best of luck.

[Jim Bassett]

How is it that you have 6,745 posts here but don't know how to maintain your car, and furthermore drove it 2 months while the CEL light is on, without determining what the problem even was? Good lord.
:lol :clap

Jim

[dave is cool]

How is it that you have 6,745 posts here but don't know how to maintain your car, and furthermore drove it 2 months while the CEL light is on, without determining what the problem even was? Good lord.

Answers to you questions: Yes, a new HFM costs 475 if purchased BMW by a local shop and marked up for them to make a profit. $1,000 seems excessive for the tune-up work you listed, but clearly you've put yourself in a really bad spot by not addressing the problems sooner. Whether you have all the work done or you choose not to - you definitely need to clean HFM (or have it cleaned) and replace the O2 sensor before you can tell if the problems are deeper than that.

Best of luck.

I did have the diagnostic run on the car right when the CEL went on, and the only code that came up then was the O2 sensor.

Now, 5 different codes showed up.

I just called the shop, and the total price, which includes cost of parts and labor, is $975. Does this sound like I'm getting ripped off, or about right?

I don't think neglecting the O2 sensor would cause all of these other problems to arise, would it?

The car is pretty old, so I figure it's just an indication of wear and tear. The thing that bothers me though is that it just suddenly happened. I had no problems with it before except for a slight decrease in a power at around 2300 RPMs. The shop owner told me that the car hasn't had a tune-up in awhile. I am going to get the written estimate tomorrow and talk to him and see if he can work with me some on the price. If not, I have no other choice but to give them the green light and work on the car.