HELP! Engine shutdown after 10min drive

[Mtigo]

I'm driving a E36 318 1997 with an Auto trans. just bought it last week. yesterday morning, after driving about 10min my engine mati tiba-tiba... after i stop my car and try start it ok...after that it happen again... this time i must start with floor padal minyak baru ok...This morning also happen. But this time after engine running orange light with ! with circle like gearbox simbol was on...still can drive by very lembap... also some time my engine will shutdown again...Pls help what is happening.... a don't know anything about this car...

 

[tamade7]

send it to your mechanic buddy. if the gearbox warning light came on, dont drive it. have it tow to your mechanic.

 

[initialM]

Bro,

Try to check yr AFM. Maybe the butterfly stuck. Any white smoke when u starts engine? When yr engine dies does the electrical item workin? When engine on hows the idling? Explain more on the symptom. Yr car has a lot of sensors u must have it check by an experience mech.

 

[anakin]

Bro...where are you? If you're in KL and don't know anything...lots of sifu here can help..Sifu..sifu! where were you all? our newbie mintak tolong ni....

 

[okow]

Could be one or a few causes. The engine shutdown and the "lembab" behaviour are "preventive measures", your car is built that way so that it does not do more damage to car or driver and it tells you to take it to the workshop. That yellow light may be your ABS, ASC warning light. No major problem, drive slowly to your w/shop and get it fixed. Could be just some sensors faulty.

 

[ALBundy]

Sounds like a AFM problem. Either service it (there is a DIY thread on this by Jarance) or get it replace. Pretty expensive tho'.

The car feels lembap because its in safe mode.

 

[Lionel_Koh]

try to check ur AFM n ur fuel pump as well........

for the warning light ......u need to check the owner manual cos cant determine cos ur infor is too little....

Dont panic cos i know u just pick up the car ......If u need some good workshop....u can PM me anytime ......Dont simply send to any ABC workshop...

This will make the situation worst......

 

[c-square]

I'm driving a E36 318 1997 with an Auto trans. just bought it last week.

yesterday morning, after driving about 10min my engine mati tiba-tiba... after i stop my car and try start it ok...after that it happen again... this time i must start with floor padal minyak baru ok...
This morning also happen. But this time after engine running orange light with ! with circle like gearbox simbol was on...still can drive by very lembap... also some time my engine will shutdown again...

Pls help what is happening.... a don't know anything about this car...

Do you experienced erratic idling as well? Firstly check whether there are any lose / unplugged hoses along the intake manifold. If there are, then re-attached those hoses and go to your friendly workshop to use the ModicII to reset the fault code. The fault code from the ModicII will point towards the AFM but once re-set it should be OK. But if after re-set, the same orange warning light still comes on, then sorry-lah, your AFM needs to be serviced or replaced.

I experienced the same problem recently where after sending my KNN panel filter for cleaning at Sp33dWorks, that bugger was strugglilng with the filter box so much so that one of the hoses got detached unknowingly. Started the car, idling became erratic and the same orange warning sign came out. Told the mechanic there but he appeared to be very ignorant, so instead of wasting my time with him further and allow him to worsen things, I decided to limp my way to my workshop to rectify the problem. Half way along the way, the car just shuts itself down. Opened-up the hood and tried to look harder (not that I really know what to look for) and noticed a dangling hose near the air filter. Re-attached the hose and thought everything will be back honky-dory, but the dreaded orange warning light (with the gear sign) still comes on. However, the idling is slightly better and decided to limp my way again to the workshop. Notice the gear change was jerky (can especially feel the "kick" when it upshift from 2nd to 3rd). Reached the workshop, told the mechanic there and at first by looking at the warning sign and the jerky gear change, he initially thought my gearbox was a gonner. But luckily, after plugging in the ModicII, the fault pointed towards the AFM. Opened-up the AFM, checked and said nothing wrong with it. So, he just re-set the fault code and told me that if the warning sign still re-appear, then my AFM is really faulty. Luckily for me, the warning sign didn't re-appear and gear shift is back to normal. No charges, phew

 

[Mtigo]

Thanks to all sifu..U all are very baik hati to help me...Now i feel so lega a bit...
And yesterday i send back may car to old owner, and he said he will send for servis and check out whats is the problem...
When i know I will let u all know...ok.

 

[jarance]

You have two problem..

1. If your engine suddenly shut down, check the vaccum hose. This is similar to c-square problem. Loss of vaccum can lead to engine shut down.

2. If your AFM is faulty or stuckup, you will experience erractic idling speed. If you have more power during high speed driving, say above 100 kph and erractic idling speed, then your AFM's vane is stuck. This mean too much air is induced into the throttle intake or the AFM is telling the ECU that air intake is high and inject more fuel to the injector causing erractic speed.

3. The warning sign "!" with the gear around it indicated that there is a problem with the automatic transmission.
The problem could be due to the following:-
1. Low Auto Transmission Fluid (ATF) level.
2. Dirty ATF and Filter.
3. Faulty Solenoid for the Auto Transmission.
and last.. your G/box is gone.

Normally item 1 or 2 is the normal cause of the Auto not shifting.
FYI, if there are some problem with the Auto Transmission, it will go into
a SAFE mode. This means that the gear is always engaged in 2 or 3 gear.
That is why you have no power when you start from stationary position. This
safe mode allowed you to drive to the workshop for repair.

 

[Mtigo]

jarance thanks for the explanation.

answer 1: all vaccum is ok
answer 2: experience erractic idling, that what i feel now. In a cold start idling was 1.2k rpm sometime drop to 600rpm.. so i need to service AFM. Cant it DIY and how.

answer 3: Auto Transmission Fluid (ATF) have change. Hope my gearbox not gone

 

[jarance]

Yes you can DIY if you have some basic tool.

I have service it before. Please try the thread below.

http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=494

Good Luck