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Thread: Does anybody know what could cause these codes? 2006 E90 325i

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
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    Vancouver BC
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    BMW 325i E90

    Does anybody know what could cause these codes? 2006 E90 325i

    Hello!

    Codes for reference: https://imgur.com/gallery/xgnwVXA

    I was driving down the highway earlier today, and out of nowhere I got a service light on the dash. This has never happened before, I have never gotten a service light on my dash itself, although I have seen 2 of these codes before as stored codes In INPA (Codes 2A99, 2E1A). Google translate and looking up the codes tells me that two of them are for a cylinder 3 misfire, and one is for intake/exhaust correlation (Not sure what that means).

    I have not felt a misfire while driving, and the car seems to have no loss in power, although I have noticed a slightly rough idle when starting the car in the morning. Ive also noticed that occasionally, in the morning, once i start driving, whenever I would push the clutch in at say, a stop light (when the revs are sitting at idle), the rpms would jump by a couple hundred, so from an idle of 600 they would go up to like 900. Restarting the car seems to get rid of the issue, and it doesnt happen again later in the day. I dont know if these issues are connected in any way.

    The car is an e90 325i from 2006 with a 6mt and N52B30, has about 203,000km on it.

    Thank you very much in advance!
    -Aria

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
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    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
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    E39M5, E500 4WD
    Welcome to the forum.

    The first thing that I'd recommend is a "tune-up": replace the spark plugs and coils. Sure, you could just replace one coil and one plug, on number three cylinder, but really.....it's time.

    The intake/exhaust correlation is a bit more problematic. How often do you change your oil? (every 6000 miles is a good answer, every 12,000 miles is not) I'd likely start with cleaning and swapping the Vanos solenoids for this issue. This takes about an hour or 1.5 , easy DIY if you do that. I do NOT recommend going to a generic shop for this though: stick with a good BMW specialist, or do it yourself..

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  3. #3
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    Jan 2022
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    BMW 325i E90
    Sounds good, looks like an ignition tune up is in my future. I do the oil every 6,000km or so, and I use LiquiMoly 5w-40. Ive heard that when replacing VANOS solenoids its important to change the oil too, or is this not entirely necessary?

    Thank you so much!
    -Aria

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
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    E39M5, E500 4WD
    While old sludgey oil is often the cause of a solenoid clogging, if you're already changing your oil every 6000 km, I wouldn't say it's necessary.

    Intake/exhaust correlation would indicate a cam timing error between the two cams. I've never seen that code, although I've seen cam to crankshaft correlation codes plenty of times.
    AND....hmmm, I decided to check, and your 2a99 seems to be exhaust cam to crankshaft correlation, not intake to exhaust.

    So, here's a link to an excellent diag procedure from one of the very finest scan tool companies:

    https://us.autologic.com/news/bmw-va...and-diagnosing

    I'd still clean then swap positions of the two solenoids, clear the codes and see if the code follows the solenoid.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Vancouver BC
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    My Cars
    BMW 325i E90
    I see, alot of this stuff is very much outside of my skill range, so I suppose Ill have to get my hands dirty or get a friend to help me. Im really hoping that its not anything to do with timing and I wont have to take the valve cover off but whatever happens, happens. For now Ill do what you've suggested and clean/swap the VANOS solenoids, hoping that it will make the code move and potentially even fix my misfire (wishful thinking). Thank you so much for your suggestions and thank you for the resources!

    Currently regretting having acrylic nails done yesterday....
    -Aria

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
    Posts
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    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD
    COPIED FROM ARIA's NEW THREAD:


    Problem solved! e90 325i Engine codes 2A99, 2E1A, 29CF.

    Hello!

    3 weeks ago or so I created a thread (https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-2006-E90-325i) about 3 codes that one day appeared on my e90. Luckily, since then, I've gotten my hands dirty and did some diagnostics on my car, I'm making this post to hopefully help anyone suffering from these codes.
    My main concern was code 2A99, this seemed to be the scariest and its a camshaft correlation code. My worry was that it was a bearing ledge issue, which I heard was an uncommon, but nonetheless prevalent problem on the N52 engine. After a forum post and some light research I was informed that it is most likely a VANOS solenoid, and that it was possible to clean the solenoids to see if the problem goes away, even temporarily. It was time to put on my big girl pants and actually get my hands dirty (regrettably, I had acrylic nails done a day prior). Taking the solenoids out was really easy. I found that unscrewing the oil fill cap helped with pulling them out (presumably because it allows pressure to escape). After a deep deep clean with brake cleaner, and swift reinstallation, I went for a very spirited drive, trying to hit VANOS as often as possible. I scanned my car after this drive and was oh, so relieved that the code has not come back. Since then it has been 3 weeks without the code reoccurring, so, needless to say so far so good.

    Now for the other 2 codes, 2E1A, 29CF. These are both correlated as they are misfire codes. I had a misfire on cylinder number 3. I fixed them by just reconnecting a loose connection on my ignition coil on cyl 3. So that was luckily very easy.

    I really hope that this post can help someone with these 3 codes! I was very lucky to have had a pretty easy repair, and since both of these methods were basically free (Brake cleaner was $9), its definitely worth a try on your car.

    Have a great day!
    -Aria

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

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