Pitster

Have a 2005 545i with 165K. A couple months ago, the bank 2 timing chain jumped off the cam sprockets and started sawing into the head shooting metal all over the motor. Pulled the motor, found a used motor with 91K. Tore motor down, resealed everything, installed, and has been running great for about 200 miles. This morning on my way to work on the tollway, I get a CEL with a message "Engine Malfunction Reduced Power"...or something. I pulled over, pulled out the code reader and found the following:

2A61 Valvetronic, adjustment range
2E95 Alternator
2E8B Intelligent battery sensor, signal
2D0F Air-mass sensor, signal
2A6B Valvetronic, power limitation
2E9F Oil condition sensor

I'm finding it hard to believe that all that stuff is bad...Alternator is brand new with install. The battery however...well, I pulled the positive terminal and let it sit for ~2+ months while I worked on the motor(s) and since I had the car for 3 years, I haven't changed the battery.

I cleared out all those codes, but there were two (2) that won't clear (car was not running, just in accessory position):

2A61 Valvetronic, adjustment range
2E8B Intelligent battery sensor, signal

The upside, if there is one, is that the car ran absolutely NO DIFFERENT. I drove 25+ miles into work with no issues at 60+ mph with stop lights and all and didn't experience any idle issues.

Anyone had this series of codes before or can give opinions on what could be causing this?

turbineguy

Hi, I just replaced my alternator recently and have the alternator communication error, oil condition sensor and IBS codes. Apparently, if the common wire (grey wire which has its own plug in the alternator) is not fully seated/not making good contact, or the voltage regulator is wrong for the car it will give these errors. But, I have never had a reduced power warning. You probably have 2 problems. The one causing the valvetronic out of range would most likely have caused the reduced power problem Sorry, I am no help on that one.

Pitster

Interesting...

Put a meter on the terminals when alternator was running and it was flowing a little over 14 vdc to the batter. I pulled the battery, weekend, found it at 75% capacity, and slow charged it overnight to 100%, cleaned terminals and installed. Ran the vehicle locally, no alarms.

I get on the same on-ramp to the tollway, almost in the exact same place, and got this alarm again. I'm leaning toward a loose connection somewhere like you suggested. It's too bad that !$%!*#@& alternator connector is where it's at.

JuniorB

+1 on voltage connection, check your ground also, they're know to frey