I just received fault code 002A16 on my 2010 e60 with 50,000 miles

It appears this is a gas leak.

For those of you that have not run a ISTA purge valve diagnostic test, I have provided the picture screens attached below. I ran this test and it took about 5 minutes.

While I was running the ISTA purge diagnostic, I went over to the right rear wheel and I could hear the purge valve humming behind the wheel liner covering (at least I know that valve is working). After it hummed for 5 minutes I heard a big pop from the same area and then the test stopped.

I went over to the other side of the vehicle where I have the laptop set up and I could smell gas vapors near the driver’s side door. I couldn’t smell them anywhere else around the car.

Ironically, never smelled gas anywhere around the car before this test. Maybe the purge diagnostic opened up the purge valve and emitted some gas?

This vehicle has never gotten good gas mileage, but I didn’t suspect any leaks until now.

You will see from the pictures attached the end result of the gas test is a diagram asking on which component was the leak detected:

Carbon canister
Tank vent
Fuel filter
Service cap
Gasket on delivery unit
Lines of the tank ventilation
Fuel tank

I have no idea which component is failing as of now.

I suspect I’ll have to remove the right rear wheel and wheel liner cover. I’ll have to visually inspect all the gas related components and see if I can identify the gas leak.

Out of the 7 items listed above, is there one component behind the wheel liner where gas leaks from more often, which is a known fault on these vehicles?


ISTA purge valve test pictures attached.

 

Just put your car up and do a smoke test on the fuel system it could be anything maybe something as simple as the gas cap

 

I'll see if NAPA or other have a smoke machine for rent.

What I was trying to grasp with the evap system is the following.Regarding the two valves in the evap system and doing proactive maintenance:



The DMTL Leak Detection Pump. Does it generally start to fail around 50,000 miles?

The Fuel tank ventilation valve. Does it generally start to fail around 50,000 miles?

What does history tell us about when these components start to fail?

 

In theory no but you're not looking at miles at this point. You should be looking at years. Even though your car has low miles parts deteriorate and that's what you are dealing with (a 10 year old car). Now I wouldn't think those parts would be bad but the gaskets should be starting to get bad. I've had that code twice in my car first time gas cap second time a vent tube in the engine bay.

 

When you say gaskets, do you mean the O rings inside the quick release pipes going into the DMTL pump and the fuel tank ventilation valve lines?

Do you mean that black rubber grommet is likely to be leaking on the DMTL pump?

 

I mean it could be either or. I would do a smoke test to see where it is. It seems you have a very small leak detected. If you do not have a smoke tester there are videos on YouTube on how to make a quick one. I made a paint can one that works great.

 

Is there a possibility I received the check engine light and threw code 2a16 for the EVAP system leaking (not because there is a small leak in the evap as the ISTA diagnostic claims), but because I just learned my wife filled up the car while the engine was running?

When your vehicle threw code 2a16 and you cleared it, how long did it take for the code to return?

 

It could be a possibility. Clear code and wait a couple of weeks. Mine progressively got worse and took shorter each time to come back but by the second time I knew what was wrong just took me a while to actually change the part.

 

Here’ s hoping you told the wife to never do that again......LOL , you’re lucky all you got was a faultcode......it’s illegal anywhere I have ever lived and for good reasons!

Note to self to never get my car filled up near your wife doing same.

 

Update:

I replaced the fuel ventilation valve underneath the intake manifold today. It was no walk through the park. You will do this job blind.

Its #1 in the picture below.




Take off:

- the air box
- the throttle body boot
- the throttle body
- the vent valve connects to the intake manifold (save yourself 15 minutes of time and just snip it off with side cutters)
- you will be blind when removing the electrical connection (its deep under the intake manifold)
- you will be blind when removing the fuel hose connection (its deep under the intake manifold)
- take careful note how the fuel vent valve hose snakes in the back of the manifold and up into the intake manifold for its connection

When you do this job, have throttle body spray cleaner ready. There will be more oil all over the throttle body and inside the intake manifold than you think.