[Kuroblack]

Hello all,

For the first time ever, my CEL came on last week, frustratingly an hour outside Cherbourg in Northern France. (Quite the brown trouser moment)

The car felt absolutely fine, a few mornings the previous month I had the jerky cold start setting off thing, but didn't think too much of it.

Anyway, as I say the car drove normally and perfectly all the way back ooop North. The light has since gone out after 3/4 starts/drives. Oh, also, at no point did I get any errors messages, check control was 'OK' and no messages/icons appeared in the centre LCD - just the amber CEL.

So I had the codes read today by a friend and wow, check this out...

1. 4e0f - Swirl Valve Plausibility
2. 497d - Exhaust Gas Pressure Sensor Before Turbocharger Plausibility
3. 4a1f - Glow Control Unit
4. 4a4f - Glow Control Unit
5. 40e9 - EGR Control Position
6. 4a5f - Glow Control Unit
7. 3ff0 - Air Mass Flow Sensor
8. 4501 - EGR Controller Deviation
9. 4c9e EGR Valve Plausibility
10. 4c9f - EGR Valve Plausibility
11. 4dff - Swirl Valve Controller Position

So, what's all this about then? Have to say, I've never had CEL or the codes read, perhaps they do this as a part of the Servicing? - so they could either be years old and just not cleared, or all based on the one CEL last week.

The car is a 2011 330d, on 92k - only known failure on my watch (5 years) was some kind of EGR coolant issue years ago, which manifested in similar lumpy low throttle starts but crucially, had a crappy idle (which I don't have) and didn't throw up a CEL...

Am I completely screwed at this point?

Car has the Comprehensive Extended Warranty, but unsure if I'm in 'wear and tear' territory...

[rasa bmw]

i would get codes cleared,then see what comes back,some of those could be old stored codes...

[Kuroblack]

With dealer at the moment, so will report back later

[Andy198712]

Some code readers will tell you which codes are present or not (old codes)
I'm sure they'll tell you at the dealers

[Kuroblack]

Well, the results are in...

Apparently the car needs a replacement inlet manifold, glow plug control unit and EGR valve... All covered under the Comprehensive Extended Warranty, so all good.

Bit surprised it needs so much, but there you go. The chap did say that the inlet manifold is coked up pretty badly (90k, so probably) and the swirl flaps are within it so very much worth replacing the lot.

Absolute full credit to Lloyd Blackpool and BMW Warranty folks, no quibbles or drama.

In terms of the usual cost, no accurate figure but the best guess they could come up with given the rates and parts was around £2.5k.

[ChawenHalo]

Out of curiosity do you do lots of small trips which would explain the clogging up?

EGR, Inlet manifols and preheating control unit/ glow plugs seem to be a bit of an issue on a some of these cars...

Good to know BMW stands up to its warranty though.

[Kuroblack]

Originally Posted by ChawenHalo

Out of curiosity do you do lots of small trips which would explain the clogging up?

EGR, Inlet manifols and preheating control unit/ glow plugs seem to be a bit of an issue on a some of these cars...

Good to know BMW stands up to its warranty though.

That's the weird part, I commute 50 miles each day, roughly 70/30 motorway and A road split. It's always really early, so lots of open roads, no traffic at all. I never use the car for short journey's, at the weekend we use a petrol Kia Rio...

[old grey steve]

Seen this countless times before on N57 engines 4e0f - Swirl Valve Plausibility and the various other codes point to the fact that the inlet has had its day (I've got 5 upstairs all with this problem they coke up and generally fail-even got one where a holes appeared in the casing-due to heat build up at a guess) once replaced the fault goes plus the car drives a whole lot better, EGR''s aren't uncommon on these either and yes if they are faulty or the issues gone to far you may have to resort in replacing the unit as well.

Glow plug controllers yes seen this before once again replaced issues disappear driveability again improved. Clearing codes on these is all well and good but codes re appear when they re appear there is a problem, which needs to be ideally tackled head on and sadly on these usually means spending money on some costly parts to sort the problem out.

Manifold part number is 11 61 8 511 363(comes with the adjuster unit)
Boost sensor in the manifold 13 62 7 804 742
11 71 7 810 871 EGR- valve
12 21 8 591 724 Glow plug controller

hope this helps

[Kuroblack]

Steve, that does help thanks - as it happens I was just reading another of your responses on this, makes perfect sense.

The odd thing is I haven't seen any drop off in performance, or maybe - it's been a gradual degradation and I've not noticed it. It should be up and running by Monday PM, so I'll report back.

[Andy198712]

I think the slow build up over tens of thousands of miles will be hard to notice happening, if be interested to see what you notice when you get it back with new parts!

[Kuroblack]

Originally Posted by Andy198712

I think the slow build up over tens of thousands of miles will be hard to notice happening, if be interested to see what you notice when you get it back with new parts!

Looking forward to it

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Kuroblack

Steve, that does help thanks - as it happens I was just reading another of your responses on this, makes perfect sense.

The odd thing is I haven't seen any drop off in performance, or maybe - it's been a gradual degradation and I've not noticed it. It should be up and running by Monday PM, so I'll report back.

Not a problem but re the drop off say in performance seems to be over a period of time as many owners don't seem to or report issues they all seem to when cars come in report this that and the other and when asked its nigh on always gradual bt one event say an EML light has tipped them over the edge which prompts them to act, when say we look on our AutoLogic machine(for quick reference) it will date/time stamp the first event which usually surprises people our genuine BMW diagnostic when in use is so precise it really does go straight to the point and when we've acted post diagnosis and required test module the results on this matter are usually a) conclusive and b) when acted upon the car returns to how it should be and in some cases the car performs better than it ever did meaning the problems been brewing for some time.

The one thing you have stated is the jerky cold start type symptom which is again with the faults you are showing a common reported issue when I get to see these cars.

Originally Posted by Andy198712

I think the slow build up over tens of thousands of miles will be hard to notice happening, if be interested to see what you notice when you get it back with new parts!

Andy you are rightwith this sort of issue its perhaps in this case a set of problems that have been brewing for some time usually as I've stated above a trigger point usually gets someone reacting or looking for a solution and its usually the EML light that gets someone reacting, quite right to a degree as that's how manufacturers have set their stall out, for me though if you detect something isn't quite right or to you the car seems/feels odd regardless of EML light being on or not its that first noted event that should really with a lot of these cars get you to look in to what you have perhaps noted as if dealt with you can sometimes catch an event early/prevent consequential issues taking place, get the car back to where it should be plus the repair could be cheaper than if you let the issue brew over time.

I sometimes wish to a degree that an EML light would come on earlier with these cars as even without an EML light present many a time we've scanned a car say for a service only to see all sort of things brewing that the owner had no idea about and you can carry out a preventative repair or a preventive solution to potentially nip a problem in the bud.

[Kuroblack]

Got the car back yesterday - all work completed with no issues. (For the princely sum of £100 for any BMW Extended Warranty users - feeling very pleased with BMW and the dealership)

The car feels noticeably better, it's almost like it can breathe properly? It feels much more responsive, throttle inputs seem sharper.

Also, when decelerating on a motorway (not braking, just no gas) it picks up instantly with a very light input, no momentary delay as I think I'd got used to.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Kuroblack

Got the car back yesterday - all work completed with no issues. (For the princely sum of £100 for any BMW Extended Warranty users - feeling very pleased with BMW and the dealership)

The car feels noticeably better, it's almost like it can breathe properly? It feels much more responsive, throttle inputs seem sharper.

Also, when decelerating on a motorway (not braking, just no gas) it picks up instantly with a very light input, no momentary delay as I think I'd got used to.

Good to hear but what work was undertaken

[Kuroblack]

Replacement Inlet Manifold, EGR Valve and Glow Control Unit

Oh, and some form of de-coking looking at the work sheet

I also checked to see if they'd re-used any parts and they said no, everything is brand new. (I was thinking swirl flaps or any sub-assembly stuff)

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Kuroblack

Replacement Inlet Manifold, EGR Valve and Glow Control Unit

Oh, and some form of de-coking looking at the work sheet

I also checked to see if they'd re-used any parts and they said no, everything is brand new. (I was thinking swirl flaps or any sub-assembly stuff)

Figures exactly what I saw from the info your opening post common as muck this sort of issue re the N57/N47's as well seems the only real way to tackle it is sadly head on which involves money but as you've stated with a warranty all's well. Pleased you got it sorted though

[Andy198712]

Bargain!

[ChawenHalo]

Top stuff +1 for BMW!