Engine Cycle Suggestions - Emissions Rejected

[yhp2009]

This worked for me on more than one occasion. Had to do it in the dead of night to get it completed without interruption with hazard blinkers on.

[sdmcoupe]

any luck getting the cat readiness set?

[turbosig]

Thanks. No, so far I've noticed the driver door

1. Window doesn't drop when opened nor close up once closed

2. When opened, didn't turn on interior lights.

3. The black nipple stutters and doesn't quite move up and down properly when you press the lock/unlock botton in center console.

The door locks and unlocks with the key just fine, and the window goes up and down auto automatically like it should.

#3 is my biggest clue that it's the actuator I think. Just in my experience of seeing people have issues, the actuator is a problem more often than gm5. I should look into relays too tho I suppose.

It sounds like it might both the actuator and the GM5 or relays. I would email Scott https://www.bmwgm5.com/GM5_Repair_Service.htm your symptoms - he is an expert.

[turbosig]

Did you get the "Cats" read ready? ANy update? I'm in the same predicament at the moment and need to get my car smogged soon.

Not yet unfortunately. I swapped out the TPS sensor by the intake manifold to get rid of the code for that, and then cleared all codes to get rid of that code (TPS) and a pending slight air leak code. This resets all the monitor tests. I have not had the opportunity yet to drive it per the drive cycle steps. But yesterday when I took her out I ran OBDFusion and still see the Cat not ready and now the O2 Sensor Non-Continuous is not ready. All other systems have cleared.

Hoping to be able to drive it more to see if I can clear the Cat and the Non-Continuous O2 sensor. If not, I will be replacing all four O2 sensors. The car is not my daily driver so its hard to get it out to drive the cycle especially here in NJ where there are no stretches of road that can let me do it outside midnight.

[sdmcoupe]

Did you get the "Cats" read ready? ANy update? I'm in the same predicament at the moment and need to get my car smogged soon.

[Tbonem3]

Thanks. No, so far I've noticed the driver door

1. Window doesn't drop when opened nor close up once closed

2. When opened, didn't turn on interior lights.

3. The black nipple stutters and doesn't quite move up and down properly when you press the lock/unlock botton in center console.

The door locks and unlocks with the key just fine, and the window goes up and down auto automatically like it should.

#3 is my biggest clue that it's the actuator I think. Just in my experience of seeing people have issues, the actuator is a problem more often than gm5. I should look into relays too tho I suppose.

[turbosig]

1. Pre cat o2s are most important for performance

2. Passing the cat tests is post cat o2

Change them at around 100k

turbosig - was your problem gm5 or physical actuator?

You're the second person that said its generally the Post Cat sensors for Cat readiness. I think they are the original O2 sensors, so might as well swap all 4.

At first my passenger door wouldn't unlock, just lock and you couldn't open the door from the outside. I replaced the actuator with brand new OEM and that didn't solve. I sent my GM5 to Scott and in his diagnosis, it wasnt the GM5, everything was operating, so he replaced my door lock relays on the GM5 and it worked. So it must've been the door lock relays. You having the same issue?

I attached my O2 logs to see if anyone can help me narrow down which sensors are acting up?

[turbosig]

turbosig, are you on factory or euro headers? My car is in the same boat as yours. After I installed euro headers and cats, my catalyst monitor will never clear. My car does have 168k miles on it and I think they're the original o2 sensors. So I'm thinking about replacing both pre-cat sensors, as those tend to wear out a lot faster than the post-cat ones because they're exposed to a lot more heat.

Factory headers with about 98K. Car is bone stock. I too was thinking the first 2 pre cats, but I think I will swap all four sensors since the subframe will be off anyway. I don't want to drop it again if I replace 2 out of 4 and wind up having to do all 4.

[Tbonem3]

1. Pre cat o2s are most important for performance

2. Passing the cat tests is post cat o2

Change them at around 100k

turbosig - was your problem gm5 or physical actuator?

[marksae]

turbosig, are you on factory or euro headers? My car is in the same boat as yours. After I installed euro headers and cats, my catalyst monitor will never clear. My car does have 168k miles on it and I think they're the original o2 sensors. So I'm thinking about replacing both pre-cat sensors, as those tend to wear out a lot faster than the post-cat ones because they're exposed to a lot more heat.

[turbosig]

Hi guys,
I got everything but the "Cat" to clear. I did the 50-60mph under 3K RPM two times both 18-20 min trips. Still cant get the Cat too clear. Anyone have any idea if the codes it read could effect the Cat from clearing? I am about to order a new post cat O2 sensor, but don't know if I am missing something?

[sapote]

I think having the battery disconnect as long as I did screwed it up. I usually always have the car on a tender, but when removing the GM5 and waiting for it to reinstall this had to be the time where it "reset" itself.

I disconnected the battery many times -- some periods longer than couple months. I had smog check 2 months ago with no issue after I connected it back and drove to work then got off work early and to the shop, total 40 miles round trip.

[WOLFN8TR]

The above methods worked for me to get the "Cats" and the "O2 sensors" to read ready. Just make sure to maintain under 60 mph for 20 minutes. Luckily I live out in the desert where we have long stretches of roads with little traffic.

[turbosig]

I disconnected for a day to test the theory that everyone keeps saying do not disconnect the battery (which you should do to work on electrical things, swapping sensors, coils, etc).

So I have that as a data point.

I don't know if leaving the battery off for weeks would drain the memory (but sounds like it might).

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I think having the battery disconnect as long as I did screwed it up. I usually always have the car on a tender, but when removing the GM5 and waiting for it to reinstall this had to be the time where it "reset" itself.

[turbosig]

I used this. It worked. Done and drove right to the emissions stations and success. Choose the right "not crowded" road that you don't have to brake, speed up to merge or otherwise fall outside the limits.


"The drive cycle consists of four tests. Each test can be done independent of the other tests. It does not matter what order you complete the tests in. Only one of the tests requires a cold start, the other three do not.

To solve your problem, you need to complete the third test shown in the graphic. You do this through the following process:

1) Fix all transmission and engine light faults before emissions testing and completing drive cycle tests. Before you perform the test, I strongly suggest you download the app called "Torque" on your phone and turn on the emissions control screen. This screen lets you know what tests you have completed in real time. In this case, you'll be looking at the Catalytic Converter test. You'll need a $10 blu-tooth OBD connector to connect the car to the phone. This step is optional, but you'll see why it is helpful in later steps.

2) Start your car and go directly to the freeway. DO NOT exceed 3000 rpm, DO NOT make sudden or large accelerations/decelerations, and DO NOT exceed 60 mph on your way to the freeway. Doing any of these will stop the test immediately and the test won't restart unless you restart your car. For these reasons, you'll want to get onto the freeway at night, preferably after midnight when traffic is the lowest. For me personally, I absolutely HAD to get my emissions test completed within a narrow time frame. To ensure I was successful, I did this test at 3AM when there is ZERO traffic.

3) Once on the freeway, SLOWLY accelerate to 55 mph and set the cruise control at 55mph. Just chill in the slow lane for 20 minutes (just to be conservative) and let the computer run its tests. As long as you stay in the slow lane, you're golden. If someone tailgates you, just stay where you are. You're in the slowest lane, they can go around.

4) Once 20 minutes has passed, get off the freeway. Open the Torque app and confirm the drive test is complete.


5) DO NOT do any work on your car until you get the emissions test done. DO NOT disconnect the battery. DO NOT run any diagnostic or performance software plugged in via the OBD port. DO NOT make software modifications. DO NOT clear any codes from the car at all. Wait until you've completed emissions testing to do any of these because the emissions test results get wiped from the ECU when you do them. If you wipe the results, you gotta perform the test again.

The test is easier than you think and works like a charm. That said, BMW engineers are retarded for requiring the test to be performed between 40 and 60 mph for 15 minutes. Essentially all American freeways are 65mph, so its hard to do the test during routine traffic without pissing off other drivers or getting stopped in rush hour. Stopping ceases the test. Two-lane undivided highways pose their own problems for the tests because some turns may force you to slow down beyond the bounds of the test (slower than 40mph) and hitting a stop sign ensures you have to start over. Secondly, for those of us with M3's, we almost always exceed 3000 rpm in first gear (and often in 2nd and 3rd too), we like going faster than 60mph, and we like sudden accelerations. My last point is EXACTLY why so many of us end of with cars not ready for emissions after we've worked on our car and cleared codes."

Appreciate this response. I think I will have to do step 3 at night. No way I can get to a freeway and drive like that here in NJ. LOL Also I do have a normal non-bluetooth OBD2 reader (cabled) and I will just have that plugged in as I go. Thank you for the information!