E90 320d Msport - DTC flashing around bend

[Deon Rupnarain]

Hi guys ,

I tried the search platform but nothing came up that helped me , any advice will do!

After putting tyres on car - Last week
Back 255/40/17
front 225/40/17

The car is behaving very badly. THe alignment technician did mention that the Camber adjustment is off and that only BMW can sort this out . I highly doubt that an alignment issue will cause this : but heck this is my first BMW so here i am : :smashScreen:

I have never had this issue before on the car,
Around a bend at high speeds the car dips in too much , there is too much over steer . Its frightening! the other thing is i notice that the DTC Light flashes when this over steer occurs on a bend . On a straight road and doing 120kph she is perfect! as soon as i get close to any bend , i need to tap off

Is it alignment ,
Is it too big tyres at the back
Is it the DTC ?

Please help!!!

Thanks
DeonR

 

[Lizzard]

How bad bend are we talking about here? and what size tires did you have on the rear before

The dtc is activated when one of the wheels is slipping, I know this as my X also raced a audi one day and did like freaking 140km/h around a slight bend and come to tell me some light flashed on the car's dash and she didn't know what it was until I showed her.

The bends is it the same bends you did before at 120km/h

 

[Deon Rupnarain]

How bad bend are we talking about here? and what size tires did you have on the rear before

The dtc is activated when one of the wheels is slipping, I know this as my X also raced a audi one day and did like freaking 140km/h around a slight bend and come to tell me some light flashed on the car's dash and she didn't know what it was until I showed her.

The bends is it the same bends you did before at 120km/h

Hi thanks for responding ,

The bends can be any bend at a high speed ....I am from durban so i can say coming from PTN joining the N3 , ANy of those bends at even 130kph the car over steers!

Joining the pavilion off ramp , it will want to dip very badly in at this point the DTC is flashing when the car feels it wants to over steer.

When i put DTC off , the car seems a little better! less over steer.

When i drive slow , under 100kph .....perfect no issues on any bend???

I called BMW now and they have a special on Wheel alignment R570. not bad!!!

perhaps it could be that?

 

[Sheldon13]

What brand of tyres do you have on your car?

 

[Lizzard]

That would be best for now.

The only real other way would be to get someone with the same tyre configuration and E90 to do the same turns with you at those speeds to see the cars behaviour.

I think the dudes who did your alignment is Grade 1's thou, as they cant even do a proper alignment. Keep us updated on the behaviour of the car after you got bmw to do the alignment.

Price isn't bad.

 

[Deon Rupnarain]

Nankang tyres all road guarantee - NON RUN FLATS , I wont put run flats again...

Yeh , i will wait till after alignment then update. The service technician did say that this is the problem and you are probably right that the guy that did the alignment messed it up more..

thanks guys.

 

[Carbon]

What are the alignment specs. Take a pic of the report. Whatever it is, its not right.

It sounds like massive rear toe out.

 

[Lizzard]

See our bmw's has 5 sensors that is connected to that dtc light, namely 4 wheels sensors (abs sensor), 1 on each wheel and then the steering angle sensor (which is offcourse at the steering wheel).

They monitor the cars behaviour in rotation and if the default setting inside the car's computer and the new alignment isn't matching up (they allowed like 5° deviation on steering wheel) then the car's DTC will kick in. Presume that those guys at the wheel alignment shop did plug in a laptop and reset the settings once they were done with the car, but I don't think so the car will behave abnormal as it want to correct itself, by switching the DTC off the car allows you more deviance, we can semi sort off throw the ass of the car around the bend more before the nani kicks in again.

 

[Deon Rupnarain]

See our bmw's has 5 sensors that is connected to that dtc light, namely 4 wheels sensors (abs sensor), 1 on each wheel and then the steering angle sensor (which is offcourse at the steering wheel).

They monitor the cars behaviour in rotation and if the default setting inside the car's computer and the new alignment isn't matching up (they allowed like 5° deviation on steering wheel) then the car's DTC will kick in. Presume that those guys at the wheel alignment shop did plug in a laptop and reset the settings once they were done with the car, but I don't think so the car will behave abnormal as it want to correct itself, by switching the DTC off the car allows you more deviance, we can semi sort off throw the ass of the car around the bend more before the nani kicks in again.

this makes perfect sense , exactly what the Service technician from BMW said ....and me being naive ...i begin to understand whats happening....

 

[Lizzard]

I think the guys messed up with the alignment at the rear as Carbon said

 

[Deon Rupnarain]

What are the alignment specs. Take a pic of the report. Whatever it is, its not right.

It sounds like massive rear toe out.

I agree ,

It was JACKS Tyres in Durban! they didnt have any laptops and what what....

 

[Carbon]

Get a laser alignment today. You can ruin new tyres in a week with a bad alignment.

I bet it is the problem. Also, if they can't adjust the camber, them find a shop that knows what they are doing.

 

[Deon Rupnarain]

I must say ,

I have been to many many forums and by far , you guys rock!

this being my first post and be given

Advice without any issues and negative comments/bad attitude...

:clapper::clapper::clapper:

BMW :ty::rollsmile:

 

[Carbon]

Just thought about this again. Over inflated tyres at the rear could also cause this feeling of oversteer. Check tyre pressure.

Also, dont inflate to the specs on the door, runflat tyres require more pressure.

 

[DieselFan]

Your front tyre size is wrong. It should be 225.45.17

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Charlie Brown]

There a few potential problems here;

Firstly front tyre size looks wrong, 225/45/17 is what you are supposed to have on the vehicle.

Secondly "Jacks Tyres" whilst undoubtedly cheap, just look around the "shop" and you'll see that quality and service are not their focus here, they only care about price.

Lastly, the tyre brand itself, unfortunately with this more budget type tyre you are going to get more quality variations than say a more premium tyre brand.

To get the alignment sorted out, go and see Ashwin at KZN Wheel Alignment, he will tell you exactly where the issue is.

 

[S1NGH 911]

There a few potential problems here;

Firstly front tyre size looks wrong, 225/45/17 is what you are supposed to have on the vehicle.


To get the alignment sorted out, go and see Ashwin at KZN Wheel Alignment, he will tell you exactly where the issue is.

+1 Ashwin is the man!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WIDEOPN-X5]

When I fitted the current set of Goodyear Excellence tyres on my F25 X3, the alignment was checked as per usual. Because the previous set of rears had worn on the inside shoulder I asked the tech to try for a more neutral camber setting..

In other words less negative camber. The toe wasnt the issue as i had got 50k plus kms out of the tyres but if you drive behind any X3 / X5 with the narrow/wide set up of rims (19 /20") they have a pronounced negative camber.

So the tech does it but warns me that the handling characteristics may be off with effectively zero camber. I thought "yeah right"....

Left the tyre shop in Crompton street and hit the M13 back up to Kloof. You know the road so having joined at St Johns Rd bridge I ease into the long right hander and the bottom of Fields Hill at around 70km/h (I usually go much quicker but was being kind to the brand new rubber).

The DCT went ape!!!!! Flashing like crazy. So I thought maybe some soap left from the fitting. The next corner (tight left hander) DCT ape again...

Long story short I turned around at the top of the hill and went straight back to the tyre shop and set the camber to the factory spec....

The return journey??? No lights and the car felt planted.

Bottom line... these cars are extremely sensitive to alignment IMHO.

I had non run flats on my E90 323i (ore facelift) and when I made the change over, the handling felt very different and the DTC light came on much earlier. That may be part of your problem....

 

[Deon Rupnarain]

Shame , i made the wife go check the tyre sizes again...i need to edit the original postraise:

Back 255/40/17
Front 225/45/17

I hope the above sizes are correct.

WRT JacksTyres , I clearly remember the guy adjusting the Rear cambers and i found printout but forgot to bring to work today:sorry:

Thanks for the response "X3" . My car will be all over the place if i go on the road at even 100kph.
From what i gather the alignment and the new NON RUNFLATS are the issue, Guess what i forgot to mention ...i paid to keep my original RunFlats which has about 60% life.......

Lets see how it goes on wednesday with BMW.

Thanks alot guys!!!:ty:

 

[r-hart]

Hi there

Any update here with your wheel alignment?