Drivetrain Malfunction - Drive Moderately

[mapexvenus]

2016 M4 Coupe - took delivery last Friday. 300 miles on the car.

Started up the car on my way to work this morning and go the "Drivetrain Malfunction - Drive Moderately". Subsequent to this the engine would either start and stop immediately, or not start at all.

Called BMW Assist from the car, they put me on hold for 20 mins to connect me to roadside assistance. When they got roadside assistance, that company wanted to know my location. WTF? Didn't BMW Assist have my location through the onboard system that they could have forwarded to the roadside assistance company? Anyway, roadside assistance said they would take an hour to get to me.

I eventually got the car to start and drove it to the dealership. I told my sales guy that I wanted a new car if this turned out to be a major problem. He said he would talk to his team.

BTW - I use Shell V-Power gas and filled up last night.

Now, waiting for the diagnosis.

[humbertin0]

Wow, best of luck bud.

Considering this happened right after you filled....I'm going to make preliminary guess at the reason for this......water in the fuel.

This happened to a co-worker with his brand new S4. The car was fine for weeks until he filled at a gas station and the very next morning his car stalled and it left him on the side of the road.
If I remember correctly....apparently the gas reservoirs underneath the ground at the gas station are "allowed" to contain a certain (small) amount of water. I don't recall the amount but the fuel sample they removed from his car at the dealership had a LOT.


EDIT: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...sed-Break-Down

[mapexvenus]

Originally Posted by humbertin0

Wow, best of luck bud.

Considering this happened right after you filled....I'm going to make preliminary guess at the reason for this......water in the fuel.

This happened to a co-worker with his brand new S4. The car was fine for weeks until he filled at a gas station and the very next morning his car stalled and it left him on the side of the road.
If I remember correctly....apparently the gas reservoirs underneath the ground at the gas station are "allowed" to contain a certain (small) amount of water. I don't recall the amount but the fuel sample they removed from his car at the dealership had a LOT.


EDIT: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...sed-Break-Down

I wonder if I should provide the dealer with the information - i.e. that I filled up last night, or should I just let them go through their standard process?

[humbertin0]

Originally Posted by mapexvenus

I wonder if I should provide the dealer with the information - i.e. that I filled up last night, or should I just let them go through their standard process?

They're probably looking at any diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) stored in the car which triggered the drivetrain malfunction error.
However, I don't think it would hurt at all for them to know you recently filled.
It might make the diagnostic process easier for them by hinting them to get a sample of fuel from the tank.

[dzvero]

Wondering how did you connect water in gas with drivetranny ?

[Sahbatage]

I wouldn't say a thing about anything you did, don't give them any excuse to try and point the problem towards you

[mapexvenus]

Originally Posted by Sahbatage

I wouldn't say a thing about anything you did, don't give them any excuse to try and point the problem towards you

I already did that in good faith that they won't try to screw me over. If the problem is at my end then I am happy to take responsibility.

[humbertin0]

Originally Posted by dzvero

Wondering how did you connect water in gas with drivetranny ?

The error prompt he saw was not "drivetranny"....it was "drivetrain" which includes the engine amongst other components.

[Sahbatage]

Originally Posted by mapexvenus

I already did that in good faith that they won't try to screw me over. If the problem is at my end then I am happy to take responsibility.

You're a good man, hope it works out just fine for you because doing the right thing is punished all too often

[mapexvenus]

Originally Posted by Sahbatage

You're a good man, hope it works out just fine for you because doing the right thing is punished all too often

I know man.

I am sitting here anxious like I have a family member on life-support.

[Sahbatage]

Originally Posted by mapexvenus

I know man.

I am sitting here anxious like I have a family member on life-support.

Prep for the worst, hope for the best and control your expectations or you'll be disappointed. It's brand new and your baby, I'm sure you're fuming right now. It could be a day or weeks before it gets resolved but it will in the end and not out of your pocket so don't let this ruin the car for you.

[CaryTheLabelGuy]

Most likely bad gas.

If the DME runs into lots of knock and has to pull a lot of timing, it will throw a drivetrain error.

It could be other things as well, but this would be my best educated guess considering he just filled up.

[mapexvenus]

Originally Posted by CaryTheLabelGuy

Most likely bad gas.

If the DME runs into lots of knock and has to pull a lot of timing, it will throw a drivetrain error.

It could be other things as well, but this would be my best educated guess considering he just filled up.

My sales guy just called me because the SA has not returned any of my calls Anyway, according to my sales guy, they're still running diagnostics, but they don't think it is fuel-related.

I told him that if this is a major defect then he needs to get me into a new car. The car le less than 4 days old and has 300 miles on it.

[Richevo6]

Surely if it was engine related it would come up powertrain failure rather than drivetrain?? Maybe related to the rear diff issue the 2016 models had??

[mapexvenus]

Another update: Got a call from the SA (finally!) that a sensor chip had failed and was being replaced. He said they would test the car after this and see how things go.

[CaryTheLabelGuy]

Originally Posted by mapexvenus

Another update: Got a call from the SA (finally!) that a sensor chip had failed and was being replaced. He said they would test the car after this and see how things go.

"Sensor chip"?

Make sure you get a copy of the work order and post up what it says.

[mapexvenus]

Originally Posted by CaryTheLabelGuy

"Sensor chip"?

Make sure you get a copy of the work order and post up what it says.

Now I got a call from my sales guy who said that he 'heard' from the service dept that it was an issue with the Dinan 'software' and that they would need to send my car to Dinan authorized dealership to rectify. My SA hasn't called me with the same update.

I have Dinan stage 1 and know that this isn't just software, my car has the the hardware version of the system.

[BMWZ4]

I realize my little 235 is not in the same league as your vehicle but before I upgraded to Dinan Stage 2 I had Stage 1. I got the exact same Malfunction message you did on Stage 1 2 or 3 days after I got the car and tune.

I any case, I turned off the engine, restarted and never saw the message again. I also contacted my dealer (they installed the tune) and the error was attributed to the vehicle adapting to the tune or vice versa).

I'm sure your issue is not serious. Presumably you can take it back to the installer just to double check everything is correctly connected?

[rmizzle101]

I got the exact same error. Took it to my dealer they restarted the system & it went away with no problems.

[mapexvenus]

They're saying it's because the Dinan State 1 system has been installed incorrectly. Apparently the dealer I got the car from isn't certified to investigate this, so they're sending it back to the dealer that installed the Dinan, where they got the car from through a dealer trade.

I am going to start a new thread about whether I should even leave the Dinan in or take it out.

[Xtabi]

Originally Posted by mapexvenus

2016 M4 Coupe - took delivery last Friday. 300 miles on the car.

Started up the car on my way to work this morning and go the "Drivetrain Malfunction - Drive Moderately". Subsequent to this the engine would either start and stop immediately, or not start at all.

Called BMW Assist from the car, they put me on hold for 20 mins to connect me to roadside assistance. When they got roadside assistance, that company wanted to know my location. WTF? Didn't BMW Assist have my location through the onboard system that they could have forwarded to the roadside assistance company? Anyway, roadside assistance said they would take an hour to get to me.

I eventually got the car to start and drove it to the dealership. I told my sales guy that I wanted a new car if this turned out to be a major problem. He said he would talk to his team.

BTW - I use Shell V-Power gas and filled up last night.

Now, waiting for the diagnosis.

Similar thing happened to me after filling up with 93 Shell. Never used it again after that. Switched to 93 BP.

[mapexvenus]

Originally Posted by Xtabi

Similar thing happened to me after filling up with 93 Shell. Never used it again after that. Switched to 93 BP.

They're saying it wasn't the fuel.