Car dies

[DDixon1000]

2012 BMW 128i. I replaced the valve cover a couple weeks ago, and o2 sensor. The car runs amazing, the rpm needle is steady, but randomly, and I mean randomly (like once out of a 30 minute drive, every other time driving) the car will completely die sitting at idle. This happened at a stop light, and in line at McDonalds. There is no knocking, the needle isn't jumping, it just goes dead. There are no codes being generated when this happens, and it starts right back up and we drive away. I also noticed that when you turn the car off, but still have the accesories on, the battery light comes on after about 2 minutes, it never did this before. I checked the battery cables and they are screwed down solid. I'm getting no stored, pending, or perm codes. Oh, and the car passed safety and emissions testing two days ago, replated yesterday.

[DDixon1000]

Bueller..Bueller......Bueller....

[bmwdirtracer]

WTF is Bueller?

Better question: What are you reading codes with? If you're reading p-codes, you might as well use a Ouija board. P-codes are useless bureaucratic B.S., which can only tell you (inaccurate) things regarding emissions. You need to read BMW CODES, if you want any diagnostic information. This requires a BMW-specific diagnostic tool.

Beyond that, you probably need to take the car to a BMW shop for testing fuel pressure, and doing a smoke test, and reading BMW diagnostic codes from ALL your computers.

As for the battery, you almost certainly need a new one. Make sure to replace it with a top-quality AGM battery, of the same amperage or higher, and register the change in the engine computer using that BMW specific diagnostic device.

[mry82]

Chris, you were too busy helping people to watch this famous flick:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyjLyBp64

[02Pilot]

When a modern BMW does something weird, my usual first suspicion is that the battery is involved, if not directly at fault. A proper scan tool will tell you about past and current states of charge, but I'm with Chris in thinking that you will be replacing yours.

[DDixon1000]

Chris! Your killing me bro! Ferris Bueller's Day Off! If you haven't seen it, you have to watch it, classic 80's flick. You can watch it while I'm outside kicking my car. I bought the foxwell scanner. I was under the assumption that it read the BMW codes. I have 0 codes stored, pending, or current. The check engine light isn't on either. The car drives perfect other than the occasional stall. When it stalls the tach is steady and not bouncing at all. The other bizarre thing is that when I start the car in the morning it will idle for 15+ minutes and not stall at all. When I am driving around and come to a light, or I'm getting a McRib, it will randomly stall. Bizarre. It's like it only does it when it's warmed up. I hate to take it to the shop, they charge bukoo bucks. I guess I'm going to have to break down and do it anyway.

[02Pilot]

Use the scanner to check the past and current state of the battery and report the results here.

[bmwdirtracer]

Okay, be that way....you want me to bring out the magic weapon, huh?


8 ball.jpg


CRANKSHAFT SENSOR
OR, WELL, MAYBE THE IGNITION SWITCH
OR, LOOSE MAIN POWER OR GROUND

Hey, what did you expect from a Magic 8-ball? Next time I'll bring the Ouija board.

[DDixon1000]

lol, I think the magic 8ball called it on the first shot. Finally got a code P0340 camshaft sensor A 1. I am assuming that needs to be replaced, or cleaned?

[White94RX]

Replace it. Camshaft sensors are magnetic. Cleaning it won't do a thing.

And use a quality, OEM part. Not generic crap from the parts store.

[bmwdirtracer]

replace it. Camshaft sensors are magnetic. Cleaning it won't do a thing.

And use a quality, oem part. Not generic crap from the parts store.

this.