Just driving down the road today, its pretty darn cold compared to normal and my car warning light came on, Increased Emmisions, also says hard accelerations could damage catalytic converter. Engine is running really rough.

I see this can mean a few different things and it sounds like I'm gonna need a scan tool to get a clue. Any recommendations on what is the hot tool out there now? I don't think I'm gonna have time to get spun up on the harder to learn ISTA, etc tools that are available. Kind of need the car right away.

Thanks guys.

 

There's been discussions on this topic on the forum if you do a search. Here's one:

https://5series.net/forums/e60-discu...laptop-147359/

 

ya, had read that before posting, it didn't really tell me anything. Ended up ordering the Fox 510 Elite. Fingers crossed its good. I was tempted to go for the Carly, but the software expires after a year and it was pretty hard to compare them. Cant program/code with the Fox, but hope to learn the ISTA stuff anyway.

 

A code reader is not going to help you. I'm sure it's cold in your region so I would check your battery. You're probably going to have random misfire codes which in turn will have you chasing the wrong issue. Check your battery and hopefully, it's your issue.

Your symptoms are the same as mine that I get every winter. I only get the errors because my battery is low or needs replacing. Just got it last week on a new battery and knew I needed to charge it because I don't drive it much.

 

Cold? In Austin? In Augusta? (Laughs in Calgary).

 

Seriously though, the Foxwell 510 has been working great for me. I have INPA and ISTA on a laptop but haven't figured it out yet.

 

Its always colder in Canada because we use Celsius! Great in the summer, though.

 

Heck yeah. Lol. Anything below 50 is cold to me. It did get in the 20s this week

 

ya guys, Here in Austin going from 105 to 30 nearly overnight (F for you Canadians is like braking from 120 to 30 because you just crested a hill on TX-130 and a cop is sitting, radaring. frozen like a deer in the headlights.

Did a little detective work last night, Discovered coolant leak at the Vent Hose from Expansion Tank (Upper Fitting)(2004 BMW 545i Base Sedan)(m) Part #: 17-12-7-519-247 where the rubber hoses meet the long plastic tubing. Both sides, guess the cold caused them to contract to start a real leak. I had noticed a few sputters a few weeks ago when it was warmer, but wasn't sure where it was coming from. Coolant level is low. It was low 30's when the increased emissions warning came on. I "think" the car went to Limp mode. Never experienced limp mode before, so not certain it was in limp mode, just may be a real problem. Makes me wonder if there is a possibility that the battery is going out, (its 3 years old) and the ECU "over-reacted" and put out the wrong warning. Scan tool arrives Friday, and Vent Hose arrives next Tuesday. Its gonna be a long day and half before that scan tool gets here!

 

Talk to me when it's 20 below.