EPS light and the 18 other Fault Lights!!

[JamiesZ4]

So having picked up my new Z4 E89 around 3 weeks ago, I was somewhat gutted to get the EPS light flash up on my display in the first week of taking delivery. At first the EPS was intermittant in nature, but over time become more constant and seemed to flash up once the car had warmed up.

Having spoken with an EPS specialist the verdict was new steering rack/column!!

Fearing the worst I also put a call into my local BMW Indy who has looked after my BMW's for years and so a trusted place to seek advice. The suggestion here was to hook my car up to the diagnostics and see what faults are displayed.

Phone call 30 minutes later to say that their were no less than 18 faults across:

Footwell Module 2 (FRM2) (frm_70)
Instrument Cluster (INSTR) (Komb87)
Convertible Top Module (CTM) (CTM_89)
User Interface/Radio (CIC/CCC-BO/M-ASK-BO/RAD2-BO/RAD) (rad2)
Parking Brake (EMF) (emf_89)
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) (dxc_90)
Electronic Power Steering (EPS) (eps_90)
Electronic Transmission Management (EGS) (gs19d)

But on the upside my car needed software updates covering:

Car Access System (CAS)
Gateway (CIC-GW/CCC-GW/M-ASK-GW/RAD2-GW)
User Interface/Radio (CIC/CCC-B0/M-ASK-BO/RAD2-BO/RAD)
Footwell Module (FRM)
Instrument Cluster (Instr)
Parking Brake (EMF)
FSC Enabling Codes
A0B5 Fault, road speed signal

Indy suspected CAS was the cause of the EPS problem as the control modules (CAS Unit, ABS Sensors, Steering Angle Sensor) were not talking to one another, so software updates downloaded and the car has been perfect since and no faults returned since Thursday.

So, I guess the question to any experts here is, have I been really lucky or is the car about to completely break down, including the EPS?

 

[Ewazix]

Sounds like a voltage problem, these BMW's don't seem to like a weak battery (or dodgy connections/earth) which cause havoc with fault lights being tripped as the sensors register voltage drops and assume the components are faulty.

 

[mcbutler]

It is important to realise that all 'codes' are not 'faults'. Only faults give a yellow/red warning light.
For example your DSC 'fault'. This code will appear whenever the DSC system comes into operation.
You will get similar codes if one wheel slips momentarily on gravel etc as you pull away.
This will generate a 'code' and the specific dash light will flash as the wheel slips a bit but it will not activate a permanent fault light.
Definately worth getting your battery state checked out, they are high demand electrically speaking and any battery weakness will show up as erratic system behaviours.

 

[MACK]

I agree with the above re battery voltage etc.
I take it the garage cleared all the codes. If they didn't that's what I'd do and see if any return over the few weeks etc. Some could have been in there a very long time, well before your ownership and even if they were genuine issues at the time they could have long since been fixed.

 

[JamiesZ4]

Thanks for the responses guys and some good points raised.

Anyhow after a long weekend of "boing" free warning lights, last night on the way home the EPS light came on again, no loss of power steering though. Same thing happened again this morning as I arrived at work, so the EPS at least seems to have returned, but is one again quite intermittent.

I will get the battery checked out as that could be one cause, failing that being an issue though it looks like I'm looking at a replacement steering rack? :-(

 

[JamiesZ4]

Yes Mack, all codes were cleared with the view of "let's see what comes back" and so far the only one to return is the EPS failure light.

 

[JamiesZ4]

Update!

So it's not the battery, that evidently is as "strong as an ox".

Just spoken to my indy who reckons we need to plug the car back into his Autologic Dynostics and see what fault lights come back on. He still thinks steering rack but wants to run the dyno again first (not additional charge as I paid the dyno first time around.

Only snag is that is not until next Thursday!!!

Will let you guys know once I know more, but feeling like I am the only E89 owner to have ever had steering issues as I still have yet to find anyone else that has had this happen with their E89.

The good news is I am two days into my BMW approved used warranty so when the roof inevitably plays up hopefully that will be covered...

 

[firebobby]

Update!

So it's not the battery, that evidently is as "strong as an ox".

Just spoken to my indy who reckons we need to plug the car back into his Autologic Dynostics and see what fault lights come back on. He still thinks steering rack but wants to run the dyno again first (not additional charge as I paid the dyno first time around.

Only snag is that is not until next Thursday!!!

Will let you guys know once I know more, but feeling like I am the only E89 owner to have ever had steering issues as I still have yet to find anyone else that has had this happen with their E89.

The good news is I am two days into my BMW approved used warranty so when the roof inevitably plays up hopefully that will be covered...

I have just done my E85 EPS motor which is under the dash on the column. Yours looks like it's on the rack

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/132374861754?clk_rvr_id=1535234650490&vectorid=229508&lgeo=1&item=132374861754&rmvSB=true
And it looks like the motor should come off the rack. It may be worth seeing if ECU testing can do a fix on it. All depends what the fault is though

 

[Busterboo]

If the EPS shows a CAS fault profile, then it's almost certainly an OBJ interface discrepancy. Similar MIL irregularities happen when OBJ & OCJ software elements develop incompatibilities. These cause EPS anomalies, which, in turn, lead to FUC & KUP system indication faults that the OP's car is showing.

 

[JamiesZ4]

A quick update for you guys.

So since my last post, my Indy admitted they were stumped. Whilst they could fit a brand new steering rack, they would be unable to either refurb my existing rack or source and install a refurbed rack.

Me not being keen (or able) to pay for a new steering rack from BMW themselves, decided to seek an alternative route. So I took my car to a specialist power steering garage, they've had my old steering rack off the car and evidently it's completely shot and the PCB is not talking to the car's ECU!!!

However they can supply a refurbed rack with a talkative PCB and then recode it to my car so that's where we currently are. My car due for pick up next Tuesday/Wednesday so will update again hopefully with many smiley faces...