[ssc330d]

Looks like I have had a lucky escape after using INPA last night (I hope!)

I have used INPA before to read general faults and clear them without any issue. Last night I thought that I would scan for any errors (I recently had to change a bulb - so I thought that would be in there). Went into "Functional Jobs" and cleared the error memory.

I thought "INPA" is OK, pretty safe, just "reads" settings, doesn't change anything unless you expressly tell it to (which I wasn't going to). So I thought I would look at what it could show me in the "Engine", "Transmission", "Body" etc sections.

Under "Engine" I read the error memory and there was a fault for glow plug 2. The car has been starting fine so I left it. I had a look at the other readings available - coolant temp, intake temp, pressure settings etc - just looked, didn't alter anything! A couple of times an error popped up saying "did I want to continue running the script?" I just said no. Anyway, I looked at a few other areas - I didn't understand a lot of it, so made sure I left well alone.

Exited INPA, unplugged the cable, turned off the ignition etc. Thought "I will just start her up to check all is OK" OH shit!! Car turns over, but wont fire! Plus the ABS warning light comes on.

"Shit, what have I done?" I was sure I didn't change anything other than clearing the error memory. Hooked up INPA again and read the error memory under "Functional Jobs". Nothing in there other than a fault that is always there about the window fogging sensor (probably had a new screen and didn't replace it). What about the engine error memory - just the glow plug error. I cleared that and tried again - just the same! I am seriously worried now!

The only other thing I could think of was to clear the engine error history memory - same result!

Right, stop panicking and go back in the house and sit down for 10 mins to clear my head. Unhooked everything and went inside. I racked my brains to think what I had done. All I could think is that it had read something that it decided it didn't like!? On the off chance I went back out and tried once more. JOY - it started! No ABS warning, back to normal.

Took it out for a run - all fine. Came home, left it half an hour and tried it again - all OK. Same this morning - all fine.

Looks like I have been a lucky boy! The only half way educated guess of what happened that I can come up with is that the car "immobilised" itself for some reason. When I went back into the house, I locked the car door with the remote. When I unlocked it and tried again, it thought "This is OK now - I'll start".

Anyway, an expert like makkan00 may be able to shed some light on what I did. I am just so relieved it seems OK.

So a possible tip for others using INPA, if things go bad, try unhooking everything, locking the car and trying again 10 mins later! (I will only be using it to read error memory in the future!!)

[MEGA]

Probably found that after the comfort circuit deactivated the OBC wrote whatever you'd buggered back to the CAS and it was OK after, or something like that.

This is why I don't do my own coding! I'm an IT software developer but am terrified of messing with the car... Heh..

[Josh1a1h]

Close call!

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by ssc330d

Car turns over, but wont fire! Plus the ABS warning light comes on.

I am not sure about the history of your car / mileage / service but considering what you wrote, my DD (differential diagnosis) would be;

A) Battery was low and hence ABS warning light came. Possibly you left the climate control on when you were playing with inpa.
B) Did you put anything in test mode? Second possibility would be you putting immobiliser into test mode. Since most of the detailed options are in German and you may have clicked 'OK' to test mode without knowing it. In that case, car would not start unless you let it sleep (10-20 minutes). And then car comes out of test mode ---> back to life.
C) Not to scare you but it may be early sign of Crankshaft sensor failure. Only applicable if you car hesitate / rev drops during heavy acceleration.
Crankshaft sensor can get stuck in a position and may not let you start your car. You let the car sleep and it reset the sensor and car can be started.

There may be many other possibilities / explanation of it happening.

I guess MEGA have already said what we should be doing. Glad to hear that you escaped paying any mega bills to dealers.

[ssc330d]

Originally Posted by makkan00

I am not sure about the history of your car / mileage / service but considering what you wrote, my DD (differential diagnosis) would be;

A) Battery was low and hence ABS warning light came. Possibly you left the climate control on when you were playing with inpa.
B) Did you put anything in test mode? Second possibility would be you putting immobiliser into test mode. Since most of the detailed options are in German and you may have clicked 'OK' to test mode without knowing it. In that case, car would not start unless you let it sleep (10-20 minutes). And then car comes out of test mode ---> back to life.
C) Not to scare you but it may be early sign of Crankshaft sensor failure. Only applicable if you car hesitate / rev drops during heavy acceleration.
Crankshaft sensor can get stuck in a position and may not let you start your car. You let the car sleep and it reset the sensor and car can be started.

There may be many other possibilities / explanation of it happening.

I guess MEGA have already said what we should be doing. Glad to hear that you escaped paying any mega bills to dealers.

Hi makkan00,

thanks for the expert input.

I have never noticed the revs hesitating or dropping during heavy acceleration - so hopefully the crankshaft sensor is OK.

I may have put something in test mode - I thought I was being really careful on what I clicked on. I certainly don't remember clicking on anything in German - apart from the script error messages which had some German in them. But I obviously did something, so you are probably right! Locking it and leaving it for 10 mins obviously reset something.

I am only going to use the "General Functions" section from now on to read any errors! Lesson learnt!

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by ssc330d

Hi makkan00,

thanks for the expert input.

I have never noticed the revs hesitating or dropping during heavy acceleration - so hopefully the crankshaft sensor is OK.

I may have put something in test mode - I thought I was being really careful on what I clicked on. I certainly don't remember clicking on anything in German - apart from the script error messages which had some German in them. But I obviously did something, so you are probably right! Locking it and leaving it for 10 mins obviously reset something.

I am only going to use the "General Functions" section from now on to read any errors! Lesson learnt!

Thats a nice 330D. Liked the rear end conversion to 335.

[mistryn]

maks the man, I too have experience the wrath of inpa just ask Makkan (when you dont know what you are doing) since then I only ever look at reading/clearing codes nothing else (even then Im extra care full with what I click on)

lucky escape

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Thats a nice 330D. Liked the rear end conversion to 335.

Calling Carl.....calling Carl...............