Long-time BMW enthusiast and technician. BMW is a car that has built and maintained its reputation for decades. I experienced the BMW drivetrain malfunction drive moderately problem for the first time after getting the oil changed in my car. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Auto pickup and delivery. If you drive with the light on and it turns out to be a major issue, the longer you ignore the warning, the more damage your engine or transmission will suffer. It is the most crucial part of our cars overall driving capabilities and costs the most to repair or exchange. So until you read out the fault memory, the message will stay open for individual interpretation. The cause listed above is just one of the many probable causes responsible for a drivetrains malfunction. I payed 2000$ over all . On average, the cost is anywhere from $2,068 to $2,108. Learn more. This error is detected by the vehicles ECU or engine control unit. To do this, make sure its safe to slow down and try to approach a safe spot to park your car in slowly. A damaged or old ignition coil causes the ECM to display the drivetrain error but also causes engine misfires. Is an oxygen level of 83/85 to 91/96 bad when sleeping? Most BMWs perform better when you fill the tank with fuel that comes with a 93-octane rating or higher. For this, you can use a BMW scanner tool. Once they get too old to work efficiently, the warning gets triggered for you to see. This model represents the perfect engine operation with maximum efficiency. But looking at the data it is evident that these are the most probable causes for drivetrain malfunction on BMW. At this point, the limp mode gets activated to protect your engine. Find a safe place for your BMW to be parked for a few minutes. Even though its not technically true, its harmless for the most part. You might be able to fix it for less than $100 or you could end up spending $5000. Grades of fuel are measured in Octane level. Timely and regular maintenance checks will identify issues before they become a nuisance. Im a big fan of the Lucas Oil racing formula octane booster. So I decided to reset the engine parameters/values in ISTA+ to see if that would help in any way. If you have a chance to salvage the existing fuel injectors, use them. It is best to get a professional to unclog the converter and also possibly remove the cause of the clogging. When the engine is off, switch off the headlights, interior light, and electronics, and unplug all accessories. So, in this case, do it at your own risk. When you do not pump high-quality fuel, the efficiency of the engine will drop resulting in a drivetrain error. On the BMW, the first sign of this problem is an error message on the screen which reads: Drivetrain Malfunction: Drive moderately. To reset the Drivetrain Malfunction warning you can cycle the ignition off and on. If faulty spark plugs cause your drivetrain issue on a BMW, you should change all of them, not regarding which one looks good or bad. Although this is a rare problem drivetrain malfunction in BMWs mainly results from an engine or transmission problem. There are some complaints that this error pops up when driving normally. Fuel injector replacements can be costly. The Drive Train Warning Light in your BMW can activate for one of many reasons. It will only strain the damaged parts even more and might cause further damage, which will be both unsafe and pricey to repair. How to get it fixed ? Shaking or vibrations alone will not allow you to come to a conclusion on what the problem is. Security implications due to possibility of data leaks and external malware. The fuel pressure loss will trigger both fuel pressure and misfire fault codes. This is more common in older BMWs. Apart from the drivetrain malfunction alerts, there are a certain number of other symptoms that can alert you when your drivetrain is malfunctioning. This is the first thing that you should try if your drive train malfunctions. It will be mentioned in the error message, which reads: Drivetrain Malfunction: Drive moderately. Turn the ignition off and remove the key if you dont have a push-button starter. If you have an older BMW vehicle displaying the drive moderately problem for the first time, it probably wants new spark plugs. In short, the drivetrain is a big part of the powertrain, centered around transmission more than power and movement. Maximum drivetrain output is not available. Consult service center.. We cannot be 100% certain that if your drivetrain is malfunctioning, one of the above is going to be the reason. This will not work with the drivetrain issue with the BMW. During this particles tend to get stuck and clog the catalytic converter. When a certain cylinder slows down the crankshaft, the DME will set a misfire fault code, and, depending on the misfire severity, it will completely switch off the affected cylinder to prevent further damage. When you can read the codes with a product like the AUTOPHIX BMW diagnostic scanner tool, its much easier to have peace of mind on the road. This is another common reason why you have a drivetrain malfunction on a BMW. When your drivetrain light illuminates, it means that something is wrong with your engine. Yes, drivetrain malfunctions are a serious problem. High-Pressure/Faulty Fuel Pump. The drivetrain malfunction message is maddeningly generic, and I still haven't found any other references to the valve issue they mentioned. 1520. It can also come on when the weather turns cold. They will give you the proper error codes. All direct-injection BMW gasoline and Diesel engines use low and high-pressure fuel pumps. $49.99 Save $20.00. The BMWs engine control module is quite efficient in preventing engine problems from blowing out of proportion. If your BMW alerts you to a drivetrain issue, it may be caused by one of the more common malfunctions we have laid out below: Damaged Fuel Injectors. Identifying them is not always that easy, especially if youre not experienced with car repairs. If your dealer or indy uses remote ISTA BMW diagnostics (RITA), they can run the vehicle test over the air and read out fault codes in about five minutes. When you test the engine, you might get a consistent misfire on a specific cylinder. If this happens, the ECU (engines control unit) will switch the car into safety/limp mode. A mail-in service for an SRS airbag module reset service! Your car needs a high grade fuel to function well. They create high pressure inside themselves, which makes the fuel travel at very high speeds. 2022 BIMMERIST - Premium source of BMW information | Vehicle brands and models belong to their respective trademark holders and do not indicate endorsement of or affiliation with Bimmerist. But if you only get the check engine light, there is a possibility that itll be followed up with a drivetrain malfunction error. Don't worry- the car won't shut down at once, especially not when you're in the middle of driving. This will get your car to . A BMW drivetrain malfunction is a problem with one or more elements of the drivetrain system, which is responsible for transferring power from an engine to the wheels of a vehicle. How Do You Use a Wheel Stud Installer Tool? After performing an engine re-adaptation/value reset/whatever you want to call it on ISTA+, I am getting a drive terrain malfunction and a (paraphrasing here-->) "stability malfunction" screen pop up with 4 uneraseable codes (101401),(101501 . When the fuel pump cannot supply your engine with enough fuel, you are going to have to replace the fuel pump. For example, a BMW 328i costs about $40,000, while a BMW m4 costs almost twice as much. If this error pops up while accelerating, the most likely problem lies in the high-pressure fuel pumps. 1. Again the only way to find the exact cause is to use a scanner tool. Best cat backpacks for carrying and hiking, including bubble ones, 10 Stabbing Stomach Pain Causes in the Upper Left Side (after eating, under the ribs), What is thick water: Its purpose, where to buy it, & health benefits, Fixing P0171 engine code Chevy, Ford, Toyota: System too lean (Bank 1), 6 Reasons an AC or Thermostat Wont Turn off, & How to fix it. 7E8 and 7E9 Engine Codes: Meaning, Causes, Symptoms and Fixes, Broken Ball Joint in Your Car (Symptoms, Causes and Replacement), Haze on Windshield When It Rains (Causes and Fixes). It is a simple procedure and you can do it yourself. A bunch of codes will be on display. The foremost cause for the transmission malfunction BMW lies in its mechatronic sleeves, which are placed near the automatic gearbox on the passenger side. If none of these work, then you have to scan the problem. The first and most obvious sign if your drivetrain has an issue will be the drivetrain malfunction error. The damaged part (or parts) will always need to be replaced or at least brought back into good condition. If he or she notices any of these symptoms, the best course of action is to visit a BMW mechanic. The only solution is to replace the sparkplugs. But in a modern BMW, it is not visible. Perform a scan- if you want the most in-depth analysis of the potential problems of your vehicle, you can scan it with an OBD-II Scanner. As with any problem, the sooner you spot a drivetrain malfunction, the better. Turn the ignition on, but do not start your BMWs engine. Allow the vehicle to remain inactive without using the battery for at least five minutes. The best move would be to replace the fuel injectors. But what if you do not have access to high octane fuel or misread the label? Lets take a look some of the benefits of doing so. That is the better option, but it will cost you more. It would also make sure you replace worn parts on time. What is a Drivetrain? If the malfunction message stays on that means the fault is permanent. Thus it needs to be cleared. Even though this error can be serious, you dont always need to call for a professionals help to fix it. It means that in order for it to appear, some of the mechanical parts of your vehicle have not to be working properly. It is also possible for this warning light to turn on without any noticeable symptoms on display from your BMW. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Responds in about 40 minutes. Although it is technically possible that this issue could happen on any model, its usually the older cars that have it happen the most. It might be a sign of your U-joints being too worn out or your solenoid packs needing to be exchanged. The message appears after the engines control module (ECM) detects a problem with the drivetrain or engine. You can verify that this is the case by swapping the coils for another cylinder. Its advised to keep driving until you reach a safe destination or a place from which youll be able to call the mechanic. Damaged spark plugs are a leading cause of many car problems, including a faulty drivetrain. What does drivetrain malfunction mean in a BMW X3? As unsatisfying as it sounds, the best way to fix the drivetrain in your BMW is to let the professionals deal with it. Sleeve Mechatronic. To help you, weve listed three main causes of this subset becoming damaged: We recommend fuel with at least 92 octane level for your BMW. Its by no means a discovery that errors appearing while were driving arent the thing we want to see. Although the emission control issues will most often light up the check engine light, in some cases the system can malfunction without affecting the emissions themselves. Required fields are marked *. The malfunction in the drivetrain system can be both benign or so serious that will cause thousands of dollars in repairs. The drivetrain, sometimes referred to as the powertrain or driveline, on a vehicle is a collection of components that provide power generated from the transmission to the rest of the vehicle. 9-step guide on how to do it, 14 best floating plants for the top of your freshwater fish tank & aquarium, Lethargic, sick Betta fish lying & breathing heavily at the bottom of the tank. The first time this issue happened, it was due to a battery problem. . Sparkplugs tend to wear out at around 20,000 miles. If the Drivetrain Malfunction warning message appears on your BMW's dashboard, the first thing you should do is read the fault codes with a diagnostic scanner and continue troubleshooting from there. Faulty Ignition Coil. . It is the best solution, as it prevents further damage to the already damaged parts. When it appeared on our 2011 xDrive28i, the reported cause was a cylinder misfire that occurred consistently at about 5000 RPM under strong acceleration. Heres the difference between a drivetrain and a powertrain: The main difference between those two is classifying the engine as a part of the subassembly. Before we start talking about the malfunction, lets make sure we all know what a drivetrain is. The complete list of what is currently available is located at several motorsport websites, including this one. Your email address will not be published. Clues as to the fault will typically be found in downloadable trouble codes, so those codes should be sought, and evaluated, first. When the engine is on idle for a while and you start to drive away it could shut down. The increasing pressure leads to clogging of the combustion chamber, making the engine stall. These repairs are going to cost a few hundred bucks. For example, if the problem is turbocharger control malfunctioning, you can continue driving with reduced power. Purchases made through links on our site may earn us a commission. The vehicle begins to shake more than it typically does while driving it. In turn, it will create an error. Other than that, the symptoms of a faulty ignition coil are almost the same as faulty sparkplugs. With not enough power for the engine to accelerate, it causes the check engine light and the drivetrain error to pop up. When a new battery is installed in a modern BMW, you should 'register' it with the computer so that the charging system can optimize its life. Mismatched tires are another serious cause of your drivetrains malfunction. SRS Airbag Module Reset. In the BMW, it is recommended to use 93 or higher octane. BMW Drivetrain Malfunction Troubleshooting : Restart engine Turn off the engine and let it sit for 5-10 mins. Now open the hood and check the engine. But this problem seems to be persistent with BMW. In diesel vehicles, you might see smoke. Then wair for about 5 to 10 minutes and restart your engine. Once youve parked your car, let the engine rest for up to ten minutes. Getting Stuck in Parks. The remote diagnostics will work for all BMW models equipped with iDrive 4 and later, that is, from the production date of 2014 and an active ConnectedDrive subscription, but not in all markets. You do not notice smoke from the exhaust in modern cars. On the other hand, the cost of labor can range from $155 to $195. Serif is a seasoned automotive enthusiast with a passion for cars. How To Deal With BMW Drivetrain Malfunction Message. It will allow the automatic systems inside your car to perform a system reset and implement the safety measures, letting you drive back to your house safely. This will also cause a drivetrain error. We carry a huge selection of new BMWs with great BMW lease offers \u0026 BMW finance offers. A catalytic converter converts harmful gases into water vapor and CO2, which is less toxic. Depending on the model the cost will vary. The causes for the Drivetrain Malfunction warning range from a broken wire up to a burnt piston. Engine misfires are the No. Engine misfires are the No. The best solution for you is to take OBD 2 scanner and try to diagnose the problem. To access any problem codes saved in the vehicle's computer, connect a diagnostic tool to the system. Once you read the error codes, depending on what caused the error, you could decide whether you can continue driving. As with the engine, its also a part of the powertrain while not being a part of the drivetrain. Find out all about it here. These parts include the driveshaft, the wheels, and the universal joint. Can I Swap a Chevy ZZ4 Engine from a Truck Over to My Boat? The longer you let a problem linger, the more you have to spend. Grinding/bumping- an issue related to the previous one but caused by slightly different factors. No, the engine is not a part of the drivetrain. Next, move onto fluid levels. Watch our Fast Service Advisor, Thomas, explain how to effectively respond in. But, because the engine works in many different operational conditions the diagnostic monitoring system has a specified diagnostic threshold margin for each value. If the problem was the fuel, you will only have to pay for the octane booster, which is relatively inexpensive. . Other parts in the car, such as a catalytic converter, are also a part of the powertrain. In almost all circumstances, the latter choice is the one recommended by the dealership or a mechanic. In short, The leading causes of BMW drivetrain malfunction are damaged spark plugs, faulty fuel injectors, ignition coil failure, and fuel pump malfunction. A drivetrain malfunction on a BMW mechanic see if that would help any! 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