Diesel DEF ran out, won't restart

ronH123 · 08-04-2019, 08:19 AM

Hello,
(2011 335d 148K miles)
I am being punished for allowing my DEF tanks run out. Miles to no start came on and counted down from 200 to zero on the way home from a long trip. I added fluid to both tanks, did not have enough to fill full. My guess is that I filled the main tank 1/3 full and the other Car then restarted and ran a 50 mile countdown the next day. I was not worried, got to my destination, and filled both tanks full (3 1/2 gallons more). After that, the car will not start, and the miles to no start message remains at -- (zero). Further research indicated a reset at the dealer is needed when the tanks go to empty. EPA requirement. OK that makes sense. Don't like it but. . ..

Off to the dealer on a flatbed. They'll do the reset right away, should take an hour. Then the bad news. Dealer can't communicate with the DDE, so I need a new one ($2,800.00). This could possibly fix the problem, but it might not. Next step is then replace DME, another $2,000. I've heard both of these acronyms,and thought they referred to the same component. I'm probably wrong.
I'm not a fan of throwing thousands of dollars to see if that maybe might possibly fix.
I do not see how the runout would have caused one or both of these engine management components to fail. Are there other components or sensors to check first?
Thanks!
Any thoughts or advice to approach this situation?

Persian Whisperjet · 08-05-2019, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronH123

Hello,
(2011 335d 148K miles)
I am being punished for allowing my DEF tanks run out. Miles to no start came on and counted down from 200 to zero on the way home from a long trip. I added fluid to both tanks, did not have enough to fill full.

Please check over at the diesel forum, there are some astute troubleshooters there. Fwiw I have never heard of a DDE causing a DEF fault. On the other hand it is very common for DEF tanks to crap the bed, as well as DEF injection nozzles. The latter is an easy fix, the former an expensive fix.

The real fix is to preserve the emissions system's particulate trap (DPF) and delete the unbelievably under-engineered DEF system. This will require a tune and, while you're in there, get rid of the carbon-buildup-causing EGR system.

I love BMWs, but as Mike Miller says, the last two years of R&D for a new model happen in the dealer's service bays.

ronH123 · 08-06-2019, 08:48 PM

Thanks for the advice. Didn't know there was a diesel forum, but will track it down. I'm thinking also that the sensor in the tank may be it.

NinetyEight740 · 08-06-2019, 11:22 PM

DDE and DME are two of the same except the DME would be installed on a gas engine and DDE on diesel. Sounds like they need to do a bit more diagnosis before they’re go and start throwing parts at it.

ronH123 · 08-08-2019, 08:58 AM

That's what I had thought, and that's why I'm "uncomfortable" with the dealer's diagnosis and proposed solution. Thanks for the input. What I'm focusing on is potentially the level sensor in the DEF tank. If I had some test values with this component isolated. . .
OK with replacing the 1100.00 tank assembly if that is what's broken.

08-04-2019, 08:19 AM	#1
ronH123 New Member 1 Rep 7 Posts Drives: BMW 335d,BMW 2000, BMW x3 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Lancaster,PA iTrader: (0)	Diesel DEF ran out, won't restart Hello, (2011 335d 148K miles) I am being punished for allowing my DEF tanks run out. Miles to no start came on and counted down from 200 to zero on the way home from a long trip. I added fluid to both tanks, did not have enough to fill full. My guess is that I filled the main tank 1/3 full and the other Car then restarted and ran a 50 mile countdown the next day. I was not worried, got to my destination, and filled both tanks full (3 1/2 gallons more). After that, the car will not start, and the miles to no start message remains at -- (zero). Further research indicated a reset at the dealer is needed when the tanks go to empty. EPA requirement. OK that makes sense. Don't like it but. . .. Off to the dealer on a flatbed. They'll do the reset right away, should take an hour. Then the bad news. Dealer can't communicate with the DDE, so I need a new one ($2,800.00). This could possibly fix the problem, but it might not. Next step is then replace DME, another $2,000. I've heard both of these acronyms,and thought they referred to the same component. I'm probably wrong. I'm not a fan of throwing thousands of dollars to see if that maybe might possibly fix. I do not see how the runout would have caused one or both of these engine management components to fail. Are there other components or sensors to check first? Thanks! Any thoughts or advice to approach this situation?
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08-06-2019, 08:48 PM	#3
ronH123 New Member 1 Rep 7 Posts Drives: BMW 335d,BMW 2000, BMW x3 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Lancaster,PA iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the advice. Didn't know there was a diesel forum, but will track it down. I'm thinking also that the sensor in the tank may be it.
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08-06-2019, 11:22 PM	#4
NinetyEight740 Major General 235 Rep 5,691 Posts Drives: 2 - 2013 535i msport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orange County California iTrader: (2) Garage List 2010 E91 [0.00]	DDE and DME are two of the same except the DME would be installed on a gas engine and DDE on diesel. Sounds like they need to do a bit more diagnosis before they’re go and start throwing parts at it.
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08-08-2019, 08:58 AM	#5
ronH123 New Member 1 Rep 7 Posts Drives: BMW 335d,BMW 2000, BMW x3 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Lancaster,PA iTrader: (0)	That's what I had thought, and that's why I'm "uncomfortable" with the dealer's diagnosis and proposed solution. Thanks for the input. What I'm focusing on is potentially the level sensor in the DEF tank. If I had some test values with this component isolated. . . OK with replacing the 1100.00 tank assembly if that is what's broken.
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