Limp mode?

[ZStig]

I got:

orange brake light ELM Check engine Traction control

car jerks around, rpms fluctuate, and stalls after 10 feet



What does this sound like? Stock drivetrain

[whitejdm]

I had the EXACT same symptoms.
Open the hood, and cycle the key from the off to the "on" position (just before the car starts) after waiting 5 to 10 seconds and you should see the Throttle valves run a diagnostic sweep each time. If they do not then one of your two throttle position sensors is screwed. There is one on the very front of the throttle assembly (easy to change), and there is another beside the throttle motor under the intake manifold ( a bitch to change, requires removal of the intake manifold). The other thing it COULD be is the actual throttle motor, but a technician has to hook up to the car and manually activate that part to check it. The throttle position sensors are FAR more common though.

good luck!

[ZStig]

Thanks man! From playing mechanic on google, it looks like other e46 people are replacing throttle position sensors.

Part # 13637840383 right?

I'll have to wait till tomorrow to get the codes read

[ZStig]

Forgot to mention that 20 seconds before this happened, my radio lost volume and the function to switch radio stations. Maybe its just the battery...

[whitejdm]

Yup, that's the part#

[Thisisdudewhoru]

Hmmm...Mine if i'm going full throttle traction control will kick on so hard it's like it's slamming on the brakes on the front right then it'll do it on the rear right then the orange brake light will be on, car still will run fine. But this is happening at like the top of third gear so you can imagine the car braking on its own at close to 100 is pretty scary. Anyone else's car do this?

[whitejdm]

Originally Posted by Thisisdudewhoru

Hmmm...Mine if i'm going full throttle traction control will kick on so hard it's like it's slamming on the brakes on the front right then it'll do it on the rear right then the orange brake light will be on, car still will run fine. But this is happening at like the top of third gear so you can imagine the car braking on its own at close to 100 is pretty scary. Anyone else's car do this?

That's how mine started, I was giving it the beans onto the freeway and the car SLAMMED on it's brakes then the three orange lights came on. I limped it off the road, cycled the key and started it up again. Car ran fine(ish) then the same thing started happening at all throttle positions more and more often. After 3 days it went into that mode again and even cycling the key did nothing.

[CFoote]

It could just be a electrical glitch. I know that sounds strange, but it does happen. I lost all audio on my radio once. I cycled the key and its fine now, and has never had a problem since then.

If you were closer I'd offer to help you read it with the GT1 I have...

[tekmoe]

That sucks. GL with figuring it out.

[Finnegan]

Keep us posted, doesn't sound like fun, but probably something simple (hopefully).

[ZStig]

Tried cycling the key, didn't help. We'll see......

[krnnerdboy]

mine did that twice to me, disconnecting the battery for a minute helped it get out of limp mode. I attributed it to a low battery

[ZStig]

If I take my battery to an autozone or pep boys, they should be able to see if its good, right?

[krnnerdboy]

yes sir! and they'll charge it...do you drive it daily?

[ZStig]

all day every day. 33k miles

I REALLY hope its the battery, giving me an excuse to get a lightweight one

[ZStig]

local shop got the codes, but wants me to take it to the dealer since they don't know what they mean. getting codes:

P1637-throttle valve position control, control deviation
P1417-???

[Thisisdudewhoru]

Originally Posted by whitejdm

That's how mine started, I was giving it the beans onto the freeway and the car SLAMMED on it's brakes then the three orange lights came on. I limped it off the road, cycled the key and started it up again. Car ran fine(ish) then the same thing started happening at all throttle positions more and more often. After 3 days it went into that mode again and even cycling the key did nothing.

This is weird, I wonder wtf it really is...If I turn traction control off and give it hell, the orange brake light will still come on, it won't hit the brakes and the car still runs fine. What does the orange brake light really mean? I'm getting no other lights and never have. My car just started doing this after I installed cutouts, but apparently i'm not the only one with this problem, surely it can't be from a low battery making traction control kick on. Doesn't make sense. I too DD mine around 50-80 miles a day.

[ZStig]

bought AAA coverage, getting it towed to the stealership

[Nikki]

good luck, keep us updated

[ZStig]

its not looking good...

throttle actuator assembly + throttle sensor
quoted $1620 +, assuming my DME was not fried..

fuck

calling a BMW race shop...

[ZStig]

[whitejdm]

Seems pretty unlikely it would be the throttle position sensor AND the actuator assembly. The shop should have been able to eliminate one or the other as a possibility without changing them both wholesale.