ENgine management warning light (3.0l Petrol, manual)

[Benengo]

My 2001 X5 has an engine warning light is on :0(

i've got it booked in on monday but is there a checklist of simple things I can look at before i take in?

So far I'm guessing:
fuel cap
spark plugs and leads
oil cap

What can be done without specialist tools or a diagnostic comp?

Regards

Benengo

[X5Sport]

if it isn't something obvious then diagnostic analysis is required as there are all sorts of reasons for the light.  It could be a simple sensor issue, or emissions, ignition circuit, fuel system, air intake system and controls and the list goes on.  Specialist tools may not be required to fix it, but getting the fault codes triggering the light requires access to the right software.

There is very little you can do with these cars without access to at least a code reader to help point you in the right direction.

[themoog]

Air leak somewhere I recon.. Just a guess.

[Smeeagain]

[quote="themoog"]
Air leak somewhere I recon.. Just a guess.
[/quote]

Go on, Im intrigued, the OP says an "engine warning light is on" and you say air leak. On what basis?

[Horizon]

I heard of a split air intake hose after the MAF, usually on the hose at the junction of the idle valve junction, causing a fault light, s it confuses the Lambda sensor. Just guessing by the way. Spraying easy start on the hose can induce an increase in revs, signifying a vacuum leak.

[themoog]

I had the engine light on intermittently when we first got the black X5. I got no codes off it and I found a tear in one of thr CCV pipes right at the back of the engine purely by chance. Once that was changed it never got the EML on again. Like I said- only guessing...

[henrym3]

Interesting that this subject has come up, mine came on yesterday. Absolutely no noticeable difference when driving. Code reader says multiple misfires plus separate code for misfire cylinder 5. I.m reading that as No5 has misfired multiple times. So my thought process is it's either a plug or coil pack, in the morning I'm going to swap coil 5 & 6 which should eliminate/confirm coil pack/plug. I suspect plug as they have done 18k mostly on LPG. If plug I'll renew all. I  (sadly) carry a full set of plugs and a coil pack in the spare wheel well plus the diagnostics is always in the car.

[Benengo]

I got the fault codes read yesterday with the following found:

P0171
P0174
P1620

The first 2 are codes for each bank running lean. the 3rd is a thermostat issue (I think this may be an unrelated problem).  does anyone have a diagram of the air intake system that can be used to describe the potential leak locations described above? Also a picture of the vacuum system routing would be useful so I can check all the lines there too?

[ianst0028]

the lean codes are gonna be either the throttle body hose p/no  13541440102
or the crank case breather (and all the hoses) p/no 11617501566 (actual breather valve)

I had the same lean codes on mine and I changed both to be safe (i was also chasing another issue)
Febi do all the crankcase breather stuff and the hoses as well as the throttle body hose

interestingly when i replaced my thermostat with a Febi on it was a genuine one in the box with the bmw logos ground out and i've found the same with a lot of febi stuff

[strummer]

maybe just your throttle body needs cleaning,remove intake hose and spray some throttle body cleaner in to the throttle body

[Smeeagain]

[quote="Benengo"]
My 2001 X5 has an engine warning light is on :0(

i've got it booked in on monday but is there a checklist of simple things I can look at before i take in?

So far I'm guessing:
fuel cap
spark plugs and leads
oil cap

What can be done without specialist tools or a diagnostic comp?

Regards

Benengo
[/quote]

Benengo, how did you get on when you took it in yesterday?

Smee

[Benengo]

[quote="Smeeagain"]
[quote="Benengo"]
My 2001 X5 has an engine warning light is on :0(

i've got it booked in on monday but is there a checklist of simple things I can look at before i take in?

So far I'm guessing:
fuel cap
spark plugs and leads
oil cap

What can be done without specialist tools or a diagnostic comp?

Regards

Benengo
[/quote]

Benengo, how did you get on when you took it in yesterday?

Smee
[/quote]

As above really... with these faults:

P0171
P0174
P1620

The chap at the garage cleared all of them and the light went out; however, following first contact with the enemy (my wife’s driving and towing a horse box!) they are back on this AM!

[ianst0028]

I'd definitely go with crankcase breather then

[strummer]

I had lean running codes,cleaned throttle body all ok after

[henrym3]

Ref post 6 It was in fact No5 coil pack. Just shows that when it says multiple cylinder misfires, it can mean one cylinder has misfired multiple times. Still it gives that warm glowy feeling when something was that easy to fix