2002 Z3 Exhaust Camshaft Position Sensor

[FZbar]

Must be car week. The "Service Engine Soon" light went on. Hooked up the laptop to diagnose thru the OBDII port with Vehicle Explorer. Would you believe it's the Exhaust Camshaft Position Sensor AGAIN. It's been about 11K miles since I replaced it last time & that occured at 16K miles after new. Anyway, I reset it & will see whether it returns.

The first one was a genuine BMW part, the second a Chinese knockoff from Bavarian Autoparts. Conclusion: BMW engineering & production is better than the Chinese produced one, but both suck. Seems like I need to find a supply that is reliable.

Anybody have the same frequency of failure of these parts as I have? Any suggestions where I might get a reliable part? The total mileage on the car is just over 26K miles. Seems like BMW has problems with electrical control systems.

Fred

[Ron Stygar]

Anybody have the same frequency of failure of these parts as I have? Any suggestions where I might get a reliable part? The total mileage on the car is just over 26K miles. Seems like BMW has problems with electrical control systems.

Fred

My 01 Z3M around 30K
My 318ti around 40K

I would purchase the BMW one from a BMW dealer.
I have one in stock just in case, along with other things.

[Doc Holliday]

I've owned 4 BMWs-E30, E34, E46 and a Z3 3.0-and I've never had this failure.

[FZbar]

Thanks Ron, Doc for your replies.

I wrote an email to Bavarian Autosports & it looks like they will replace it under warrantee - a very extended warrantee, I might add. I'll know more tomorrow.

The problem I have with buying a BMW part is that the original one which came with the car failed, as I said, in 16K miles, not much better than the knockoff - not to mention the price the dealers charge for the part - about double that of a non-OEM.

What I'm most disturbed about is that this seems to be a congenital failure which many of you have also experienced, I gather, from old posts. So the right questions are Why are they failing & why hasn't BMW stepped up to the plate?

More tomorrow.
Fred

[Ron Stygar]

Thanks Ron, Doc for your replies.

I wrote an email to Bavarian Autosports & it looks like they will replace it under warrantee - a very extended warrantee, I might add. I'll know more tomorrow.

The problem I have with buying a BMW part is that the original one which came with the car failed, as I said, in 16K miles, not much better than the knockoff - not to mention the price the dealers charge for the part - about double that of a non-OEM.

What I'm most disturbed about is that this seems to be a congenital failure which many of you have also experienced, I gather, from old posts. So the right questions are Why are they failing & why hasn't BMW stepped up to the plate?

More tomorrow.
Fred

What's the part number?

[FZbar]

The part number of the one I got from Bavarian AutoSports in 2006 is: 12-14-7-518-628 & that's off the box it came in, since this sensor is still installed in the car.

The part number of the original exhaust camshaft position sensor that came on the new car in 2002 is: 1214-1438082-05 & that I read off the original sensor itself.

Fred

P.S. BTW, is there any chance that what's failing with these sensors is the o-ring?

[Ron Stygar]

The part number of the one I got from Bavarian AutoSports in 2006 is: 12-14-7-518-628 & that's off the box it came in, since this sensor is still installed in the car.

The part number of the original exhaust camshaft position sensor that came on the new car in 2002 is: 1214-1438082-05 & that I read off the original sensor itself.

Fred

P.S. BTW, is there any chance that what's failing with these sensors is the o-ring?

Don't know. I thought heat on the exhaust S54 one.

628 is the newer one from 082.

$109.28 retail.
$81.96 plus shipping from:
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214760

[SUNZOUT]

The sensor is failing due to a lack of driving....The car is getting upset at having such few miles on it :cry:

[FZbar]

Ron - thanks for the info. Looks like a factor of 2 in the price of the BMW sensor, but perhaps I'll acquire one as a backup. I would feel better if I had an inkling about why the damned part was failing so frequently. The car drives just fine, but it won't pass a MD emissions test. Fortunately, there's none required for me this year.

Blairrm - As for not driving it enough, you are correct, but there are two motos to be ridden, in addition. We are planning a trip to family & the Indy 500 next month, Swine Flu permitting, so perhaps we'll do better this year.

Thanks.
Fred

[FZbar]

Good news. I can confirm that Bavarian AutoSports has shipped me a replacement exhaust camshaft position sensor to replace the one I purchased from them in September of 2006. This in only two days.

Usually there is only a one year warrantee only. I have to say that BA has got my vote for being a very considerate & responsive supplier & I'll buy from them again (hopefully not more camshaft position sensors, though).

What I haven't been able to determine is why in 26K miles, I've gone thru two such sensors, including an original BMW one. Is there something in the setup of the electronic controls that are killing them in 10 to 15 K miles or so? I find nothing of an explanation by BMW in this matter & I know that many of you have had the same problem over the years. Perhaps someone else has a logical explanation or some actual tests that might be applied to the sensor itself.

Thanks again for the commentary & assistance.

Fred

2002 Z3 Roadster 2.5 liter engine

[Z3SteveJ]

Just one additional data point for you. I have a 2002 Z3 2.5 also with 36K miles, and I've had no trouble with it at all. The car is driven frequently year round.

[FZbar]

Steve -

It's interesting info, & I drive mine year round, but not over long distances - no commuting to work. I still can't fathom why, whatever brand I use, they fail. Temps are quite normal while operating the car. Maintenance is done regularly. I have to conclude that the units are inferior in some way or some electrical controller is at fault, but I have had NO other problems with this car same the ECPS.

Not very satisfying.

Fred

[Z3SteveJ]

Are you sure it's the sensor? I'm thinking connector/wiring issues might be an explanation. The act of connecting the sensor might disturb the connection enough to fix it for awhile.

[FZbar]

Steve -

I'll play with the wires a bit, but when I changed out the original, the light went off immediately. I reinstalled the original BMW sensor & the SES light immediately returned. I doubt it's the wiring but, of course, that's near impossible to prove.

Fred

[Z3SteveJ]

Fred, you're way ahead of me. It sounds like it must be the sensor. At this point I'd go with the latest OEM sensor from your local BMW dealer. I replaced both the thermostat and water pump on my car when the thermostat quit, and the BMW dealer had parts that were improved in both instances with a different part number. Tell me about Vehicle Explorer. I don't have a Peake tool, and it turns out that I now have a laptop that runs Vista. Will Vehicle Explorer reset the service indicator on our cars?

Steve

[FZbar]

Fred, you're way ahead of me. It sounds like it must be the sensor. At this point I'd go with the latest OEM sensor from your local BMW dealer. I replaced both the thermostat and water pump on my car when the thermostat quit, and the BMW dealer had parts that were improved in both instances with a different part number. Tell me about Vehicle Explorer. I don't have a Peake tool, and it turns out that I now have a laptop that runs Vista. Will Vehicle Explorer reset the service indicator on our cars?

Steve

I'm reluctant to buy another sensor since Bavarian AutoSports gave me a free sensor after more than two years of use of the one I purchased in Sept 2006. I'll likely install that new one.

Go to the Vehicle Explorer site. Read carefully. I've used it on my very old laptop running 98SE & now my Acer Netbook to reset the P0369 code one day before I took the Vehicle Emissions test in MD. That was when I replaced the OEM on in Sept 2006. The site is run by a Mr. Peper & the capabilities are quite impressive. There are other manufacturers too. I think Ron Stygar uses another make, but I don't remember which one it is.

Fred