Hi, All E38 bimmers out there,
I really need your help as I was told by indy shops that my option now left is to send my 2001 740i E38 to a BMW dealer and I really want to avoid that if possible and you know why - they will likely to just burn my money without remorse.
I bought my 2001 740i E38 about 6 months ago and I have been dealing with some complicated symptoms.
About 3 months ago, the GPS/computer screen console screen stopped working and the display looks like a whole bunch 'noise' or horizontal lines. The radio then would stay on for a few minutes and shut-off by itself. I read various posts about this being the navigation unit was not properly turned off when disconnect the battery? But since it does not affect driving, I have not done anything to it. Just sharing this so that you have the full picture.
But more serious problems started showing up a few weeks later:
1) One day after I started the car, I saw the temperature gauge rose slowly and stayed around the middle after driving for a few minutes. Suddenly, it shot up to the red zone and the CEL light came on. When that happened, both the speed and RPM meters would drop to zero and showed no reading. But since I knew I just started the car in the morning, it could not be overheating already. After a minute or two, the 'Trans Failsafe Prog' warning message would come up and a few other observations follow after that:
a) The temperature gauge started retracting from the RED zone and back to about middle position
b) The speed and RPM meters would start showing readings again
c) The CEL light would go away
However, it may take another minute or two, the same cycle would repeat again - temperature shot up to RED zone, CEL light came on, speed & RPM meters drop to zero and show no reading, etc.
Then the ABS and Traction Control lights would come on together with the CEL light after starting the car.
I have read a lot of posts on the forum that are related to temperature shot up to the RED zone and about the car stuck in 4th gear after 'Trans Failsafe Prog', etc.
I have since then replaced the following but to no avail:
1) Double Tempature Sensor/Switch
2) Thermostat
3) A new battery
I have also tested the following to ensure it is not an alternator issue (as I have learned that this car is very sensitive to battery voltage)
1) Use a multimeter to measure the voltage of the battery
2) Turned in high beam, air con, rear defrost, etc., and observed the battery voltage reading dropped from 13.7V down to about 13V after the car sat idle and ran for about 15 minutes and the battery voltage seemed to hold and dropped no lower than 12.8-12.9V and it may come back up to 13.0-13.1V again.
The link below sort of captured the symptoms I described above, but was taken while the car was parked and I applied and stepped on the gas pedal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp2a...ature=youtu.be
Again, I had two BMW Indy shops looked at the car (one replaced the double temperature switch, thermostat, etc.) and they scanned computer and said there are too many faults and I should take it to a dealer only. They told me that dealer may have to replace the transmission, computer modules, etc., that may cost more than $5000. I really would not like to do that but the car has not been in operational for several weeks now and I have to do something about it.
I know analyzing the computer code would be one route but the indy shop said there are too many things going on with ABS, traction, temperature, Trans Failesafe prog, etc. I really hope some of you may have run into similar scenarios in the past and could offer some insight into what might have gone so seriously wrong with my 2001 E38. Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
I really need your help as I was told by indy shops that my option now left is to send my 2001 740i E38 to a BMW dealer and I really want to avoid that if possible and you know why - they will likely to just burn my money without remorse.
I bought my 2001 740i E38 about 6 months ago and I have been dealing with some complicated symptoms.
About 3 months ago, the GPS/computer screen console screen stopped working and the display looks like a whole bunch 'noise' or horizontal lines. The radio then would stay on for a few minutes and shut-off by itself. I read various posts about this being the navigation unit was not properly turned off when disconnect the battery? But since it does not affect driving, I have not done anything to it. Just sharing this so that you have the full picture.
But more serious problems started showing up a few weeks later:
1) One day after I started the car, I saw the temperature gauge rose slowly and stayed around the middle after driving for a few minutes. Suddenly, it shot up to the red zone and the CEL light came on. When that happened, both the speed and RPM meters would drop to zero and showed no reading. But since I knew I just started the car in the morning, it could not be overheating already. After a minute or two, the 'Trans Failsafe Prog' warning message would come up and a few other observations follow after that:
a) The temperature gauge started retracting from the RED zone and back to about middle position
b) The speed and RPM meters would start showing readings again
c) The CEL light would go away
However, it may take another minute or two, the same cycle would repeat again - temperature shot up to RED zone, CEL light came on, speed & RPM meters drop to zero and show no reading, etc.
Then the ABS and Traction Control lights would come on together with the CEL light after starting the car.
I have read a lot of posts on the forum that are related to temperature shot up to the RED zone and about the car stuck in 4th gear after 'Trans Failsafe Prog', etc.
I have since then replaced the following but to no avail:
1) Double Tempature Sensor/Switch
2) Thermostat
3) A new battery
I have also tested the following to ensure it is not an alternator issue (as I have learned that this car is very sensitive to battery voltage)
1) Use a multimeter to measure the voltage of the battery
2) Turned in high beam, air con, rear defrost, etc., and observed the battery voltage reading dropped from 13.7V down to about 13V after the car sat idle and ran for about 15 minutes and the battery voltage seemed to hold and dropped no lower than 12.8-12.9V and it may come back up to 13.0-13.1V again.
The link below sort of captured the symptoms I described above, but was taken while the car was parked and I applied and stepped on the gas pedal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp2a...ature=youtu.be
Again, I had two BMW Indy shops looked at the car (one replaced the double temperature switch, thermostat, etc.) and they scanned computer and said there are too many faults and I should take it to a dealer only. They told me that dealer may have to replace the transmission, computer modules, etc., that may cost more than $5000. I really would not like to do that but the car has not been in operational for several weeks now and I have to do something about it.
I know analyzing the computer code would be one route but the indy shop said there are too many things going on with ABS, traction, temperature, Trans Failesafe prog, etc. I really hope some of you may have run into similar scenarios in the past and could offer some insight into what might have gone so seriously wrong with my 2001 E38. Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Need Help-2001 740i - complex symptoms-CEL, ABS, Traction, Trans Failsafe Prog, etc.
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