550 Sport

While driving my 550 yesterday, I had 2 active steering warnings. First the I-drive stated that the active steering was initializing and then active steering was disabled and it stated drive carefully. I called service and they said it's a problem happening with all of the 550's and new sensors are on back order. It's a drag because I have a road trip planned next weekend and was looking forward to the drive. Hopefully I'll get a nice loaner for the trip if the sensors come in this week. I had some service completed on the car last week, including the latest CIP upgrade, and the car has been running like a bat out of hell. The power is back!
Anyone else having active steering problems?

EBMCS03

Why is AS problems happenning with 550s? what did they do differently with the 550 and 545?

my530i

550 Sport,

There might be a common issue for car with AS that when you park with steering wheel not straight. When you start the car, it'll say AS malfunction or something like that. Stop the car and have your steering wheel straight. Turn off and on ignition. Warning is still there. Drive for about 10 to 20 minutes. It'll go away.

Good luck.

markt540i

I am having this problem too...it started about 4 days ago. You can drive with the AS malfunction...it is like turning AS off. I would go ahead and take your trip with the car. I am taking mine in next friday to have it looked at, but will be taking a road trip tuesday with the malfunction. I did not know others were having this problem or that a part was difficult to get. I guess I will find that out friday. I am waiting till friday to take mine in because that was the earliest I could get a loaner. My service rep said it was okay to drive the car.

What happened to your power as you state the "power is back." Has something been wrong with your car's performance?

innovativeONE

I have the same problem. Usually when IDrive prompts me that active steering is disabled its when the steering wheel is not straight and when I turn the ignition over the actuators activate simultaneously. This actuators usually sound when I hit the unlock button on my key ("ratchet" sounding noise). Anyways, I talked to my service advisor of 5+ years and he states that he will have to update the software throughout the entire car which will take 6+ hours. If this does not remedy the situation, he states that he will order me a new steering rack. He says either/or will remedy the situation. I'll keep everyone posted. BTW: I have an 04 545i (04/04 build).

the_oracle

[font=Comic Sans Ms]
From Sept 2005 build. The E60 had modifications to the electrical system, removal of the byteflight system etc. The steering angle sensor on the newer cars is optical as on the new 3 series. Hence why there are a few bugs with the Active steering that doesnt effect older cars(545i verses 550i), its just a bad batch of optical sensors, and the problem is now cured.

EBMCS03

Oh wow they changed that much stuff?

What kind of sesnor was being used for old Active Steering systems?

So what are they using now for the safety system?

Edit: well a little bit of googling and the answer is found. FlexRay. I think I read that article a while back but then it says "expects" so for once they're on schedule!

BMW has developed support for applications such as brake-by-wire already, although there are no FlexRay-equipped cars on the road yet. The first system tests will be performed later this year and BMW expects to have the FlexRay technology in series production in 2006.
http://www.pofto.com/articles/05.11.04.html

the_oracle

The active steering system is the same. But the upper steering angle sensor is used for the active steering. dsc, indicators and the electronic steering lock, hence why its the 3 series type sensor is now fitted because of the electric steering lock with the card type key. The new safety system is ACSM, byteflight is a expensive system and was replaced.

EBMCS03

Thanks for the info.

But isnt ACSM just the safety system management? ByteFlight is a data bus system. So meaning ACSM needs to use some sort of BUS to allow traffic to flow... if they're not using ByteFlight they have to use something... thats why I'm wondering if its FlexRay bus system as stated in that old old article.

the_oracle

ACSM is just the safety management, up until 09/05 the safety management was byteflight, where bus comunication was via a fiber optic cable, now its done by a sub bus, there is still K-CAN, MOST and PT-CAN, are you confused yet?, LOL.