E46 cutting out a junctions when cold

Hi I have a 2004 318 se touring which has an intermittent cutting out problem before reaching full operating temperature.

Typically this happens when I am waiting to pull out of a junction or roundabout, and the car is just at the top of the blue on the temp guage. I will go to pull out and the throttle is unresponsive, dropping down to about 600-700 rpm, and then just cutting out. As soon as I re-start the car it pulls away fine. This is extremely disconcerting, since the car will actually pull forward part way across the carriageway, and then cut out. I am really worried that at some point we are going to be t-boned by someone while we are stuck in the middle of the road. If anyone can advise I would be extremely grateful.

Hi,

As always with this kind of fault, its worth checking the vacuum pipes around the inlet for perished pipes or pipes that have come adrift.... its free to check and often is the case with these kind of faults...

If all is ok in this department, then you really need to get the fault codes read, this will throw up in most cases, the sensor at fault, and the fault you are experiencing is likely to be a cam position sensor or perhaps even the mass air flow (maf) sensor.... But either way, getting the fault codes read will narrow down the source of the cause considerably, and shouldnt cost a lot to have done.. in fact, you can buy the readers cheaply around £25-£30 and are well worth owning for future use.... You need the OBD-II readers...

Most garages have these, nowadays, so a local should be able to give you the code....

HTH....

MightyBMW wrote:Hi,

As always with this kind of fault, its worth checking the vacuum pipes around the inlet for perished pipes or pipes that have come adrift.... its free to check and often is the case with these kind of faults...

If all is ok in this department, then you really need to get the fault codes read, this will throw up in most cases, the sensor at fault, and the fault you are experiencing is likely to be a cam position sensor or perhaps even the mass air flow (maf) sensor.... But either way, getting the fault codes read will narrow down the source of the cause considerably, and shouldnt cost a lot to have done.. in fact, you can buy the readers cheaply around £25-£30 and are well worth owning for future use.... You need the OBD-II readers...

Most garages have these, nowadays, so a local should be able to give you the code....

HTH....

Thanks very much indeed for this. I'll try them out (cheapest first!) and let you know the outcome.

No problem...

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