Engine Failsafe Prog - United Bimmer Community

**rgueyo** · 05-14-2008, 12:15 AM

Hi,

I get the message Engine Failsafe Prog after my car dies on the highway.

It happens every time I drive it for more than an hour or so, I will step on the gas to either pass or up a hill and it just quietly the engine dies, but all powers are OK. I stop it, wait a minute and the it will start and go OK, I just cant push it or it will die again.

So far since December I replaced: MAF, Crankshaft sensor, fuel pump, fuel filter, camshafts sensors and spark plugs. Still dies.

No I hear it can be a fuse/sensor in the fuse box under the hood OR the throttle control sensor. Has anyone experienced this and how did you fix it?

Thanks

**740iam** · 05-22-2008, 03:45 AM

its hapend to me too... i dont know how to fix it. the fuel lines could be getting cloged or are coroted...?

throttle sensor...?

**richardcox** · 06-11-2008, 10:33 AM

Rgueyo,
Hey...my wife just backed out of the driveway and poof..the car dies and that is displayed on the dash...i smell burnt electronics...somewhere in the cabin...I'll be surprised if it starts again...if it doesn't I'll be towing it to the dealer.

Let me know if you've found anything out since your post.

Thanks
R Cox

**Antiburn** · 06-11-2008, 09:30 PM

There could be a multitude of different problems that are causing the failsafe to kick in.
Once thing that is very common on e38's is that the catalitic converters get cloged and cause poor flow. Once characteristic of them being cloged is that very poor power and failsafe usually kicks on.

A simple way to see if they are cloged up is to take you car out and really romp on it hard for atleast 10 miles or so. Once pulled over look under the car and see if the cats are "glowing" or see to be smoking and very hot. You can sometimes feel the heat from them just looking under the car. Other then that you would have to take it to a dealer or specialist to have the fault codes read.

**richardcox** · 06-12-2008, 06:39 AM

Antiburn,
I have noticed that the power in the car has seemed weak for awhile. I had the plugs changed recently and the car keeps throwing a code for "lean mixture" and flips on the check engine light under heavy acceleration.

So with the engine cold and in the morning the car starts up and runs rough for maybe 20 seconds and then it dies...that engine failsafe prog displays and it will not even crank over.

Also, there is a smell of burnt electronics that I am picking up in the car too.

Any other ideas?