Cant find these error codes - Please help

[spdrcrgtr]

Driving today on the freeway, not pushing the car at all - just cruising and noticed the check engine light up.

After it lit up, i drove the car for another few hours and the car seemed to be completely fine.

Here are the error codes I got from bimmerlink:

In permanent errors:

- FF1800 - Unknown error
- EC1801 - Unknown error


Then I went to the Memory errors and got these:

- 180001 - Catalytic Converter: Efficiency below the limit value
- 180101 - Catalyst 2: Efficiency below the limit value

So I assume the 2nd two errors ( from memory) have something to do with the cats and/or 02 sensors, but what about the first 2.

I also tried to clear the memory errors and these two would not clear.

I have intake, chargepipes and downpipes on the car; no exhaust or mid-pipes or tune. Unfortunately can't tune without bench unlock since I have a 2020.

I did notice some extra exhaust smell, but can't hear an exhaust leak or anything like that. I also checked all the aftermarket parts in the engine bay, but they seemed to be fine.

Any suggestions? How do i fix the issue? Do I need a midpipe

Thanks in advance!

[spdrcrgtr]

Btw, my car has about 3500 miles and about 2-2.5k of those miles had the mods on.

[BzsBimmer]

I’m sure others will chime in but I’d imagine downpipes without coding will cause error codes with O2’s

[spdrcrgtr]

but after so long? I've had the DP's on for about 2k miles (or so).

Also, will this error code somehow degrade performance; e.g. retard timing, reduce boost, reduce fuel, etc?

Thanks

[spdrcrgtr]

Bump

[N1rve]

Originally Posted by spdrcrgtr

Bump

Did you recently change tires or jack up the car?

- 180001 - Catalytic Converter: Efficiency below the limit value
- 180101 - Catalyst 2: Efficiency below the limit value

These are related to Catless DP. If you get a BM3 tune, select OFF for Catalytic Converter Monitoring (CEL).

[spdrcrgtr]

Yes I changed the tires and jacked up the car recently. About a week or so ago. I got 265 I. The front and 275 in the rear.

[TopJimmy]

I know those two codes. They're both of the downstream O2 sensors. Dude, it's definitely catless or sport-cat DPs without a tune... Sometimes it takes a while for the CEL to initially come on, but now it's on. If your DME can't be bench unlocked you either deal with the CEL (bad, what if another worse problem causes a CEL too) or you put your stock cats back on.

I just went through similar pains to pass inspection.

And yes, having those codes on a stock tune can degrade performance as a safety measure. Your Lambda readings will "look wrong" to the stock computer program. Bootmod3 can tell the computer these readings are normal.

[spdrcrgtr]

Got it. Okay gotta figure out a bench unlock now. Thanks for your help!

[TopJimmy]

Inside your door frame what's the chassis build month and year showing on the sticker?

If you hook up an Enet-OBD cable and run Bootmod3 is it able to scan your software versions, or doesn't it read at all?

Trying to determine if you might be hard-locked out... Now knowing what I do I might suggest you find a used DME and tune on it, and keep your original DME untampered in case you have a "big problem" later on.

Understand that once you unlock and tune a DME if you take that car to the dealer and they hook it up to their computer it will find the tune. This is detectable even if the DME was flashed back to stock and "relocked". The original DME on your bench would just be missing data of the event, which could still be questionable. Be warned before you play... Fun can cost you.

[spdrcrgtr]

So I bought BootMod3 a while back and couldn't flash my car. I was able to unlock it, but when I attempted to flash, it would get to the end and fail. I tried a few times without success so I put it back to stock.

I reached out to BootMod3 support and after a few emails back/forth, I was told I needed to bench unlock the DME.

I mean the car is practically brand new (@3500 miles) and who knows what else could happen in its future, so I don't want to jeopardize the warranty for any major work.

That being said if I get a used DME I have a few questions ...

1. Other than putting the new (used) DME in and flashing it, will I need to do anything else?

2. With the "new" DME, could I run into the same issue of BMW recognizing that it's been flashed, even if I flash it back to stock prior to bringing it in?

3. Will BWM have the ability to know it's a different DME in the car, and if so, would I have to switch out the DME prior to service?

4. Any particular year/model used DME I need to get? Do I need anything else other than the DME itself?



Thanks!

[TopJimmy]

Originally Posted by spdrcrgtr

So I bought BootMod3 a while back and couldn't flash my car. I was able to unlock it, but when I attempted to flash, it would get to the end and fail. I tried a few times without success so I put it back to stock.

I reached out to BootMod3 support and after a few emails back/forth, I was told I needed to bench unlock the DME.

I mean the car is practically brand new (@3500 miles) and who knows what else could happen in its future, so I don't want to jeopardize the warranty for any major work.

That being said if I get a used DME I have a few questions ...

1. Other than putting the new (used) DME in and flashing it, will I need to do anything else?

2. With the "new" DME, could I run into the same issue of BMW recognizing that it's been flashed, even if I flash it back to stock prior to bringing it in?

3. Will BWM have the ability to know it's a different DME in the car, and if so, would I have to switch out the DME prior to service?

4. Any particular year/model used DME I need to get? Do I need anything else other than the DME itself?



Thanks!

1) The replacement DME will need to be wiped and reprogrammed by a shop skilled in DME work. Email Dzenan or Halim at PTF and ask who in your Cali area they recommend.

2) You don't take the car to the dealer with a flashed DME. This throws a flag.

3) see 2

4) After Nov-2020 is Hard locked. Ask PTF or their recommended car vintage to program onto (prolly a 2018 LCI box).

$) It costs a grand to swap a DME since it's bolted under the intake many layers down in parts remove/replacement. Not easy for most of us wrenchers.