CEL fault code?

[drshoebocks]

I use a peake fault code reader. My CEL just came on, and when I retrieve the code I get "0A", which is listed as Emission (lambda) Control. Anyone know what this means? Car is running fine. If it's emission I would assume it could be a cat or maybe a hole in the exhaust system. There is a different code (1C) for oxy sensor, so I'm assuming that isn't it. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[BMWJNKY]

Have someone pull the code with a BMW specific scan tool that will give a better description. Those generic code readers don't do too well with the BMW's and can give false info. A lambda sensor is an O2 sensor. The only thing I can think of is a vacuum leak causing the car to run rich. This would cause the O2 sensor to go to its limit of trying to lean the car out to a normal range. But without looking at the car in person or a more exact description of the code pulled its hard to tell what it is.

[drshoebocks]

Seems pretty specific to me. What is a bmw specific scan tool? Anyone encouter this code before?

[BMWJNKY]

Here at work our BMW specific scan tool will tell you when it happened, how many times, what the engine temp was, engine speed, and sometimes vehicle speed. There really isn't anything that controls the O2 sensor besides the DME and if your car runs well otherwise I would suspect either a vacuum leak or the O2 sensor itself is going bad and not reacting fast enough to be within the DME's specs which would cause the CEL to come on. When was the last time the O2 sensor was replaced? If you don't know and the car has over 100,000 miles its time to change it. BMW recomends the O2 sensor be replaced on any of their vehicles every 90,000-100,000 miles.

[drshoebocks]

Wow, that is a bit more specific. I'd like to try and do this my self first (as in not take it to a shop), but I appreciate the input. The o2 sensor hasn't been replaced, but the car has 72,000 miles on it. What is the best way to diagnose a vacum leak? Like I said its running fine.

[drshoebocks]

One thing
Recently rebuilt my suspension and took the exhaust off to get at the front control arm. This why I woner if there could be an exhaust leak, but I'm not sure how to best diagnose this either.

[BMWJNKY]

One thing
Recently rebuilt my suspension and took the exhaust off to get at the front control arm. This why I woner if there could be an exhaust leak, but I'm not sure how to best diagnose this either.

If you had an exhaust leak you would hear it.

[drshoebocks]

BMWJNKY-I appreciate your input on this.
Any way to test an o2 sensor?

[ddongbap]

Heh, sensor. He thinks we have an o2 sensor in our cars.

Its o2 meter btw. AFM. Sort of a clunky, inefficent thing. Gets it's job done though.


/edit

By our, I mean e30 owners.

[randywalters]

Heh, sensor. He thinks we have an o2 sensor in our cars.
Its o2 meter btw. AFM. Sort of a clunky, inefficent thing.

Oxygen Meter??

Every E30 has an o2 sensor.

Does your E30 not have an oxygen sensor?

[BMWJNKY]

Heh, sensor. He thinks we have an o2 sensor in our cars.
Its o2 meter btw. AFM. Sort of a clunky, inefficent thing. Gets it's job done though.
/edit
By our, I mean e30 owners.

Maybe you should do some more research about E30's and cars in general before you steer someone in the wrong direction.

The E30 does infact have an O2 sensor. It also has an air flow meter for measuring the rate and temp of the incoming air. The AFM and O2 sensor combined with the DME and a few other sensors are what make the car run.

[drshoebocks]

Just a speculation, because I don't profess to know anything much, but if my AFM was faulty, wouldn't the car idle and probably run terribly. I've got a couple messages out asking people that have posted about the "0A" what their resolution was. Just trying not to replace things like 02 sensors if they aren't bad. What the heck does lambda stand for?

[drshoebocks]

Yesterday I took the car for a ride, when I started it and it was warming up, but still cold the CEL went off. As soon as the car warmed up, the CEL came back on. Is that indicitive of an O2 sensor.