Car Cut Out While Driving

[Chucky]

Hi Guys

Something weird happened to me yesterday while driving home, while driving
the battery light came on but car still drove on so I thought maybe its a loose terminal brought the car to a stop(engine still running) checked the battery and everything seemed in order, as soon as tried to drive away the car cut out and my Warning light(the ASC triangle came on and also my handbrake light but it was yellow)

Started the car again but now my gearbox warning light(car is a steptronic) came on along with the other warning lights still stayed on drove about 8m and then car died again and this time car could not start even though the engine was swinging. Waited like 10 minutes and tried again and car started but all warning lights stayed on drove the car home like that car was sluggish and gear changes were harsh and jerky.

Read on some forums that it might be my crank position sensor that's gone, just want to know if any other fanatics experienced something similar and also if its not what else could it be.

PS drove the car around the block before work and then to work today and everything was fine no warning lights and gear changes were as per normal.

Engine is a N42B20

 

[StK]

I would suggest you have a diagnostics done to chek for fault codes stored on the ECU,it may help to point you in the right direction if it is indeed a crank sensor

 

[zaleonardz]

Hi Bud,

If your in the area, I can do a diagnostics for you, this sounds power related.

I bet you if you do a scan on the errors the descirption is going to be power related. When the altenator does not deliver power, these BMW's become might predictable.

I would not suspect cam or crank sensor in this case, as you had a gearbox failure as well, which is usually related to a low power fault.

Drop me a PM if I can help, I know the N42 fairly well by now

 

[Chucky]

PM sent

 

[Trigger]

I had similar issues and it turned out to be the crank sensor and alternator voltage regulator

Hope u can get it fixed buddy

 

[rick540]

Alternator regulator or engine earth strap.

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

I had the same problem, left it and after awhile, eventually I could never get the car started again. It was my alternator. Got it replaced and everything was back to normal.

Maybe not the same problem, but its worth looking into.

 

[Sankekur]

I would think alternator or battery.

 

[Chucky]

Hi Guys

Thanks for all the possible solutions, just got back from my mech and he said its Alternator Voltage Regulator that's busy giving in and not a crank position sensor, and the reason the cars warning lights lit up like a xmas tree is that the voltage gets too low and all sensor's go Ballistic hence all the additional problems,

he said it should be about a R700 fix incl the labour, he ran a charge test on the front terminal in the engine bay and said the Alternator is still in good health, but im thinking of getting that serviced if possible; or changed just for good measure. :thumbs:

Thanks to all you guys as your diagnostics were spot on with regards to it being Alternator/Power related. and to LZ thanks for being willing to help out.

 

[Sankekur]

Cool glad you are getting sorted :=):