Water pump failure....? Odd code issue

CurtisP87 · 01-04-2018, 01:56 PM

I've got a 2011 335xi, with MHD stage 1 tune.

Last week I was driving around town when I got the yellow warning light for my coolant temp being too high. I was cruising gently around town at the time, 25-35 mph, not really stop-n-go but not ripping around the freeway or anything either. A couple minutes later the yellow message gave way to the red one, so I pulled over and shut the engine down for a while. I watched the coolant temps with my MHD app, waited for them to come down to an acceptable level, and carried on (while keeping a close eye on temps). I was able to limp it home without getting the warning again. Get home and check codes and I had one that said something about "Coolant pump shut off due to blockage". My car has about 62k miles, so I thought it's my water pump that gave up the ghost, no big deal, I've been waiting for this to happen.

I made an appt with BMW to get it in and have it looked at. Before I took it in, I flashed back to the stock map. I did not delete any codes (not manually, but I'm not sure if MHD has to delete codes before changing a map). BMW says they not only can't find any codes in my car's computer, but they've idled and driven the car and can't get the warning light to return. Without any evidence of fault to show my warranty company, there's nothing that can be done without those codes.

So my questions then: Is it possible that there was an issue with MHD that made the code trip in the first place...? That seems unlikely, but plausible I guess. If (as I assumed) my water pump did die, why won't it give the overheating warning again? Where did the code(s) go? What can I do to recreate the warning without damaging my car? I'm real hesitant to go romp on it in an effort to intentionally overheat it.....

Any and all advice is appreciated....

jake1220 · 01-04-2018, 02:01 PM

That's the exact same code I got when my water pump started going. Get it replaced.

CurtisP87 · 01-04-2018, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jake1220

That's the exact same code I got when my water pump started going. Get it replaced.

Considering where my car's mileage is at, I felt pretty certain it was my pump also. But, if there is a mechanical failure, why won't the warning message come back for the techs...?

It's as if I flashed back to the stage 0 map and the problem disappeared entirely (which makes no sense, I know....)

OP3NAIR · 01-04-2018, 02:05 PM

The water pump probably shut down, I suspect the flash back to stock cleared the computer out. Water pumps dont always fail completely, so it might have not started running or jammed, you got the requisite codes and dash warnings. If you can monitor water temps, drive around on the stock map until the pump dies again, then take/tow it in.
Mine did the same thing. Drove to train station, never made it to dash lights but I could feel the power being cut off and the fan ran constantly. I drove it home that night without issue (18 miles) and the codes were waiting for me when I scanned it.
Stop and go traffic is probably the most likely way to trip the issue. Since the pump runs on demand, low speed/high load operation of the engine is going to force the pump to do some work.

CurtisP87 · 01-04-2018, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OP3NAIR

Since the pump runs on demand, low speed/high load operation of the engine is going to force the pump to do some work.

Thats exactly the type of driving I was doing when it happened the first time, stop light to stop light type of around town stuff....I guess I'll keep it at on the stock map a while and try to cruise around town until it happens again. I guess I hadn't thought about a partial/intermittent failure of the pump, I had assumed it would either be working or not working.

Thanks for the quick responses guys, I appreciate it!

opjose · 01-04-2018, 08:24 PM

Mine partially failed a week or two before it went out completely.

No codes were thrown until after it died completely.

juld0zer · 01-05-2018, 06:11 AM

It can detect stiff movement by comparing target vs actual impeller speed.

If it continues to occur, you might have to convince them to pull the inlet hose off and feel the impeller for stiff movement. If it feels notchy to difficult to turn, it is no good.

01-04-2018, 01:56 PM	#1
CurtisP87 Enlisted Member 3 Rep 30 Posts Drives: 2011 335xi Alpine White Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	Water pump failure....? Odd code issue I've got a 2011 335xi, with MHD stage 1 tune. Last week I was driving around town when I got the yellow warning light for my coolant temp being too high. I was cruising gently around town at the time, 25-35 mph, not really stop-n-go but not ripping around the freeway or anything either. A couple minutes later the yellow message gave way to the red one, so I pulled over and shut the engine down for a while. I watched the coolant temps with my MHD app, waited for them to come down to an acceptable level, and carried on (while keeping a close eye on temps). I was able to limp it home without getting the warning again. Get home and check codes and I had one that said something about "Coolant pump shut off due to blockage". My car has about 62k miles, so I thought it's my water pump that gave up the ghost, no big deal, I've been waiting for this to happen. I made an appt with BMW to get it in and have it looked at. Before I took it in, I flashed back to the stock map. I did not delete any codes (not manually, but I'm not sure if MHD has to delete codes before changing a map). BMW says they not only can't find any codes in my car's computer, but they've idled and driven the car and can't get the warning light to return. Without any evidence of fault to show my warranty company, there's nothing that can be done without those codes. So my questions then: Is it possible that there was an issue with MHD that made the code trip in the first place...? That seems unlikely, but plausible I guess. If (as I assumed) my water pump did die, why won't it give the overheating warning again? Where did the code(s) go? What can I do to recreate the warning without damaging my car? I'm real hesitant to go romp on it in an effort to intentionally overheat it..... Any and all advice is appreciated....
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01-04-2018, 02:01 PM	#2
jake1220 Private First Class 46 Rep 124 Posts Drives: 2012 135i DCT Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	That's the exact same code I got when my water pump started going. Get it replaced.
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01-04-2018, 02:05 PM	#4
OP3NAIR Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 211 Posts Drives: '11 335i e93, '03 325xiT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: NoVA iTrader: (0)	The water pump probably shut down, I suspect the flash back to stock cleared the computer out. Water pumps dont always fail completely, so it might have not started running or jammed, you got the requisite codes and dash warnings. If you can monitor water temps, drive around on the stock map until the pump dies again, then take/tow it in. Mine did the same thing. Drove to train station, never made it to dash lights but I could feel the power being cut off and the fan ran constantly. I drove it home that night without issue (18 miles) and the codes were waiting for me when I scanned it. Stop and go traffic is probably the most likely way to trip the issue. Since the pump runs on demand, low speed/high load operation of the engine is going to force the pump to do some work.
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01-04-2018, 08:24 PM	#6
opjose Major 242 Rep 1,354 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: May 2016 Location: Md iTrader: (0)	Mine partially failed a week or two before it went out completely. No codes were thrown until after it died completely.
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01-05-2018, 06:11 AM	#7
juld0zer Lieutenant Colonel 480 Rep 1,600 Posts Drives: Prev 135i 7DCT, Now 130i 6sp Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: 2153 iTrader: (0)	It can detect stiff movement by comparing target vs actual impeller speed. If it continues to occur, you might have to convince them to pull the inlet hose off and feel the impeller for stiff movement. If it feels notchy to difficult to turn, it is no good.
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