Two days ago I was driving on the highway and passed someone with my foot to the floor and got a "fail safe" mode error pop up than the car went into limp mode and would not allow me to accelerate even though I had my foot to the floor. I had to stick the car in netural and cost to the side of the road where the car died on me. At first it would not restart but I let it sit there for a minute and it did fire backup and all seemed well. Well today I was out with a realtor looking at houses and the car kept dying out on me. When ever I would stop at a light and let the car sit or come to a stop with the revs real low the car would just die. No error code or anything but the SES light is on. Possible MAF problem? Its a 2000 E38 with 84k miles on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like a bad CPS or camshaft position sensor is bad. On my car it would almost stop completely at a light and I would have to rev to keep it alive. Get the codes read at a Autozone.

Possible MAF. Camshaft position sensor can either 1) let your car run great but keep the SES light on, or 2) act like a MAF and cause your car to stumble and die. Camshaft position sensors are cheaper than MAFs....good place to start.

MAFs usually cause hard starting and frequent bouts of low rpms and dying while cold but will run acceptably while warm until fixed.

jake

Yep thats exactly what I had to do was keep the revs up to keep it from dying. How hard is it to replace a cam shaft position sensor?

Easy. Check out www.e38.org There should be a write up on it there, with pix.

Just be sure to have the proper tools. Sometimes just cleaning the sensor works.

jake

I had the same stall symtom when stopping at a light, but without the fail safe mode and lights triggering.

Turns out, the MAF tube was deteriorated, and the trans fluid was a quart low. after repairing these two items and having a BG treatment done, the car runs flawlessly, without stalling.

It's sometimes the simple things.... you might want to have someone look at it and confirm before throwing parts towards the problem... In my case many bushings and other rubber on the car had deteriorated due to the many years it had sat dormant in a garage (less than 4k per year was put on the clock by the previous owner).

Good luck.... hope it turns out to be a minor fix

Man I have had nothing but problems with my '94 740IL
Transmission slams
It goes into Limp mode
Nikasil block sucks and Check Engine light comes on all the time.
$3,000 for a new tranny when I paid $2,500 for it with 123k orig miles

I got hit three weeks ago while parked and their insurance company totaled the car for $6,200.00

Now I am in a '95 BMW 325I w/ 124k miles, 19" Wheels, 5 Speed, Clean leather interior.... All for $3,400.00

If I were young again......well, I'll never be young again....but...

I'd be driving the treads off my e30....

But I'm older now, and I love the comfort of my e38, not to mention that I don't have to row my way down the street anymore. Sorry about the problems you had with yours, but some of us have been very lucky indeed.

The three series can be an awesome littler performer, but they like to swap ends every time it rains, or snows. I wanted the air to work without the car feeling like it was downshifting every time the compressor kicked in, so I tried to buy a 530. No one would sell me one because of the Nikasil engine issue at the time, and BMW didn't want to talk about it (or worse, have to replace the engine). I drove a Lex instead for a number of years, and loved it for the pocket rocket that it was, but it can't hold a candle to my e38.

Thank you BMW for the e38, and thanks, previous owner, whereever you are, for taking good care of her.

jake

Update:
I got the cam position sensor replaced and disconnected the battery during the installation to clear the engine codes. The car fired right up and no check engine light was on. The car drove great that night after a 5 mi test drive. Went out this morning (colder morning) to make a run for breakfest and the check engine light popped right on. At low RPM's the car stumbles a little. Do these cam postion sensors have to be timed or can you just simply pop the old one out and put the new one in because thats what I did.

I believe the 99+ models have 2 CPS and the 95-98 have only one. Did you only change one? If you changed both then I believe that you have a bad MAF sensor

This may help you a little.
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/77352

I was just going to ask that question because I noticed another sensor on the drivers side. That clears it up. I will get another sensor and MAF ordered.

Just as an update replacing both cam postion sensors and replacing the MAF fixed all the cars problems. No check engine light and after replacing the MAF the feels like I have gained 50HP. Amazing how much stronger it runs! Thanks for all your help fellas!

Thats good, hope that's it sorted .

Alan

That is great news. Glad you got everything sorted out. Keep posting.

jake

Glad another e38 is back to normal!

Just as an update replacing both cam postion sensors and replacing the MAF fixed all the cars problems. No check engine light and after replacing the MAF the feels like I have gained 50HP. Amazing how much stronger it runs! Thanks for all your help fellas!

In your opinion, was it the 2nd CPS that fixed your problem, or was it the MAF (or, the combo of both)? Thanks - glad you got your problem fixed.