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      03-28-2015, 10:16 PM   #1
BK9731
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Intermittent turbo failure? - HELP

I posted about this earlier with no luck, so I'm going to try again. I love my M3 and just trying learn more about how modern turbos work.

- Time to time, the car feels like the turbos aren't working properly. It's not a limp mode slow, but struggling to freely rev.
- Car sounds and feels a little rough, and the throttle is noticeable stiffer.
- Feels as if the turbos are clogged up.

What drives me nuts is it will correct itself after few days and drives like a dream for a week or so until it happens again.

- It seems to be related to icy/snowy weather. It was freezing cold + snowing today to the degree that a sheet of ice formed a layer on the front bumper.

I've done some web searches and came up with faulty MAF sensors, and vanes clogging. Again, the symptoms come and go. Please help me understand what might be going on!

My car has 4200 miles on it, DCT.
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      03-29-2015, 09:05 AM   #2
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Sure its not traction control?
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      03-29-2015, 09:46 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray knight View Post
Sure its not traction control?
No, I don't think so. Like I mentioned, the car stays this way for couple days than return to normal for couple days which is the strangest thing which makes me think ECU related
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      03-29-2015, 09:51 AM   #4
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What is your BMW/Dealer saying about this problem ?
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      03-29-2015, 10:00 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BK9731
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray knight View Post
Sure its not traction control?
No, I don't think so. Like I mentioned, the car stays this way for couple days than return to normal for couple days which is the strangest thing which makes me think ECU related
yeah sounds ecu related for sure. i'd turn off traction control next time it happens and see if it clears up. it may be cutting power from the ecu for some error. but if its a fuel pump it would probably run the same with traction turned off still. so thats what i'd try. but really you need to take in to the dealer.
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      03-29-2015, 10:02 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BK9731
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray knight View Post
Sure its not traction control?
No, I don't think so. Like I mentioned, the car stays this way for couple days than return to normal for couple days which is the strangest thing which makes me think ECU related
you can also check intercooler piping and make sure a hose clamp is not loose.
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      03-29-2015, 01:33 PM   #7
BK9731
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Quick update:
I drove it around today, still felt similar- stiff throttle, reduced performance up top. I parked it, enjoyed the warm weather outside for awhile, opened the hood to check the clamps and hoses, started the car and what do you know, the car is BACK TO NORMAL. Revs freely, and pulls like freight train. It's considerable warmer and sunny today and I'm even more convinced that it's temp/humidity related and it's some sort of ECU/sensor issue. I'm still going to take it to the dealer to have it looked.
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      03-29-2015, 02:06 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BK9731 View Post
- Car sounds and feels a little rough, and the throttle is noticeable stiffer.


Quick update:
I drove it around today, still felt similar- stiff throttle


The throttle is electronic, no mechanical linkage to the engine.

Maybe you have some sand or a small pebble or something else caught behind the pedal ?
A good vacuum may help
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      04-03-2015, 05:18 AM   #9
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Any update on this?
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      04-03-2015, 07:20 AM   #10
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This sounds like an engine management issue related to humidity and low air temperature.
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      04-03-2015, 08:20 AM   #11
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I believe it's related to the outside temperature. I picked up my car in February (upstate NY), and yesterday was the first 60+ degree day that I drove my car in. The difference was night and day. On cold days, I was struggling to get the torque up to even 300 in lower gears with 75% throttle, but it was bouncing around in the 360 with the same amount of throttle yesterday. Massive difference!
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      04-03-2015, 08:35 AM   #12
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If the throttle feels stiff, I would start there. After all its your first entry into the system - at your foot...

I believe the M3/M4 are drive by wire wrt the throttle mechanism. This would likely require some sort of electrical component to read the position of your throttle (ie. some sort of linear or rotating potentiometer). If you are REALLY feeling stiffness in the throttle then you may have a problem with that component. Its statistically unlikely it would be more than one thing failing at a time (ECU, Turbo, Intercooler, etc).

So you should carefully ask yourself if you are REALLY feeling a stiff throttle. If so, start there... Maybe there could be some freezing moisture in the linkage/pot which is connected to your pedal... Maybe the mechanical linkage is slipping or jamming...

Start your diagnosis at the control point if you feel a difference...
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      04-03-2015, 01:19 PM   #13
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Are you being consistent with your pulls? car makes the most pulling in a sweet upper band of the rpms.

I have seen inconsistency if I let the car on a lower rpm suddenly and then shift to a lower gear quickly.
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      04-03-2015, 04:24 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evanevery View Post
If the throttle feels stiff, I would start there. After all its your first entry into the system - at your foot...

I believe the M3/M4 are drive by wire wrt the throttle mechanism. This would likely require some sort of electrical component to read the position of your throttle (ie. some sort of linear or rotating potentiometer). If you are REALLY feeling stiffness in the throttle then you may have a problem with that component. Its statistically unlikely it would be more than one thing failing at a time (ECU, Turbo, Intercooler, etc).

So you should carefully ask yourself if you are REALLY feeling a stiff throttle. If so, start there... Maybe there could be some freezing moisture in the linkage/pot which is connected to your pedal... Maybe the mechanical linkage is slipping or jamming...

Start your diagnosis at the control point if you feel a difference...
Exactly.

The throttle pedal is completely electronic. There is one connection and one bolt, and you can pull it right out of the car.

If the throttle is stiff, and it's not your imagination, then I would look at the pedal assembly.
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      04-03-2015, 04:27 PM   #15
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I can't believe some of these clueless responses about a pedal.. there is no linkage!

Take it to the dealer for gods sake.. you have a warranty for a reason
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      04-03-2015, 04:52 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Needsdecaf View Post
Exactly.

The throttle pedal is completely electronic. There is one connection and one bolt, and you can pull it right out of the car.

If the throttle is stiff, and it's not your imagination, then I would look at the pedal assembly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yeoman View Post
I can't believe some of these clueless responses about a pedal.. there is no linkage!

Take it to the dealer for gods sake.. you have a warranty for a reason
Not sure if you were responding to me....but my point was completely that it's electronic. Possible there is an issue with the pedal assembly if he's experiencing weird stiffness...which could be translating into bad signal sent to the ECU.
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      04-04-2015, 11:19 AM   #17
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It happened to me as well.

I inadvertently pressed the "LIM" button on the steering wheel at around 20 miles per hour. Car would not go over that speed
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      04-06-2015, 10:27 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yeoman View Post
I can't believe some of these clueless responses about a pedal.. there is no linkage!

Take it to the dealer for gods sake.. you have a warranty for a reason
Regardless of whether it is a single ASSEMBLY or not, the pedal is LINKED to a some sort of potentiometer (or such) to measure the position...

Get over it!
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      04-08-2015, 07:36 PM   #19
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Update:
So I've been out of the country for last couple days. Drove it today and it felt like the car was sick. It's as if the car does not want to perform. The engine sound was off. It's like things are out of sync.

After dinner, I went back to my car, OPENED the hood to check things then CLOSED it, then started the car. Whoa, the M3 was back. It revved smoothly and freely, it sounded awesome and the power was back. I parked it and then started it again. Guess what, the car drove like crap again. It's like 2 different cars. Opening the hood has a resetting effect it seems, but only temporarily.

Anyways, I scheduled a service this Saturday. I really hope this is something minor.
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      04-21-2016, 06:20 AM   #20
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Hi BK9731,

Very interested in your story because I have an F80 M3 in the UK, and I'm having EXACTLY the same issues. Car feeling as though it's down on power and running rough - and then running fine at other times. BMW dealer doesn't seem able to shine any light on the issue and there are no faults found by the diagnostics systems. Have you managed to get anywhere with yours?

Thanks,
Richard.
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      04-21-2016, 06:46 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F80M3Rich
Hi BK9731,

Very interested in your story because I have an F80 M3 in the UK, and I'm having EXACTLY the same issues. Car feeling as though it's down on power and running rough - and then running fine at other times. BMW dealer doesn't seem able to shine any light on the issue and there are no faults found by the diagnostics systems. Have you managed to get anywhere with yours?

Thanks,
Richard.
I'd question when dealers say "no faults" found in the diagnostics system. I was told that in the past and meanwhile using the same diagnostic software, I was able to retrieve many faults. When I confronted them they said, oh we know about those, they don't mean much... Half the time they don't do anything, and most of the time most techs don't even have a clue about intermittent faults with no measure plans to calculate...

Back to the OP, since you are curious, do get the software and the coding cable and look for yourself. It may help you point in the right direction but not necessarily identify the root cause. You can post screenshots here, and I am sure people can chime in with more comments if the dealer can't figure it out.
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      04-21-2016, 06:48 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BK9731 View Post
Update:
So I've been out of the country for last couple days. Drove it today and it felt like the car was sick. It's as if the car does not want to perform. The engine sound was off. It's like things are out of sync.

After dinner, I went back to my car, OPENED the hood to check things then CLOSED it, then started the car. Whoa, the M3 was back. It revved smoothly and freely, it sounded awesome and the power was back. I parked it and then started it again. Guess what, the car drove like crap again. It's like 2 different cars. Opening the hood has a resetting effect it seems, but only temporarily.

Anyways, I scheduled a service this Saturday. I really hope this is something minor.
Probably not it, but is the car fully warmed up when it feels sluggish? Seems like in your story it gets better on warm days (warms up faster), and once you give it some time...
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