planesman

Hi Everyone,

I've lurked around here learning to clean and maintain my new to me BMW. However, the ultimate driving machine is not performing like it should so time has come for me to start contributing (hopefully) something useful. Here's my story.

I wanted a black 535i, xdrive, with saddle brown interior for under $25k. After searching for over a year, I found a 2010 on Craigslist with 63k miles on it. Shortly after bringing it home, the battery needed replaced and registered. The BMW indy changed the battery and showed me some other problems that needed attention. Lean fuel mixture code, leaking oil filter housing gasket, broken control arm bushing. He had a great reputation and reviews so I told him to fix everything and change the spark plugs and oil. He said they needed to pull the intake manifold and remove the carbon by blasting with walnut shells and then called later and said the codes were still coming up and the oxygen sensors needed replace too. The invoice was $1500 and he wanted another $800 to change the O2 sensors. I asked why didn't he change the oxygen sensors first? He said they did that on another car with same problem as mine and it didn't work until they did the walnut blasting too. I said I'd do it myself, but haven't yet.

One other thing, the wife and I drove it to town last week and it ran terrible on the way home. Decreased power, poor throttle response. A really big check engine light came on and the display said the car was drivable but needed attention soon. I put it in sport mode and eased the car to about 80 mph to get the revs up and then punched it. At around 100 mph, the power came back abruptly and I took it up to 120 mph before the wife said OK, that's enough. It was like something was restricting and then got blown out. I don't know how else to describe it. That was the only time it happened and the big engine light is gone.

Got a friends OBDII reader and pulled the following codes:

P2099 - Post catalyst fuel trim system too rich bank 2
P0171 - system too lean bank one
P3027 - HO2S 1 Bank 2 Operating Temperature Malfunction
P0301 - Cylinder one misfire detected
P0303 - Cylinder three misfire detected

We then cleared the codes and drove the car until the CEL came on and the only code that came up was P2099. I don't know what to do with this information. Buy a precat, bank 2 oxygen sensor or buy a digital multimeter and check them first? Buy a code reader or get one of those iPhone apps like GoPoint BT1 and check codes again?

This is all the info except that the car still idles rough at start up, now has 67k miles, and I do use premium unleaded.

The car and I are going on a 2000 mile journey at the end of the year and I need it fixed and running great. Anyone who has had this problem or something similar, please, tell me all about it. Anyone with advice, feel free to chime in. All feedback is good and greatly appreciated.

Maybe next time I can tell you about the truck tire that came apart and hit the passenger side doors, from two lanes over, at 5 am, the first week I had the car and drove it to work. I think it was an omen.

seven11

everything your mechanic did, sounds like it was needed doing

and dont forget you have an extended warranty for the HIGH Pressure Fuel Pump from BMW to 10yr/120k miles and turbos have it extended until 8yr/80k miles.

i dont know why the o2 sensors cost so much, but you might want to change them too

have u changed the plugs? it could be the problem

edit: i bought a BMWhat app for my iphone and the wireless thing that hooks up to the car, i suggest you do so too ($50 for the app and $65 for the unit)

i read and cleared all the fault codes, and coded my car to remove the seat belt chime, close windows from the remote, digital speedometer in the center and a few others.

planesman

Hi seven11. I agree the work needed done and I knew what it would cost. The Bosch sensors are about $125 online and he wanted $250 each plus labor. I just don't have the $$ for that right now. O2 sensors should last 100k miles but they are electronic equipment and in the exhaust stream. Thanks for the app suggestion.. Wow, I didn't know it could do all those things.

planesman

Hey everyone. I searched for oxygen sensor again on the forum and didn't find anything. Just curious why not getting more responses. Did I post in the wrong forum? Is there a forum for engine/mechanical problems?

BesE60

Unlucky dude hope everything works out. Check out a few DIYs and see if your warranty is good for anything.

Check forums for parts and shop around. Get quotes and just ask people to beat others' offers.