# 335d SES Light - going through the BMW protocol



## SnarlsBarkly (Nov 17, 2014)

After much research about a year ago and looking for a car that met my criteria at the time (0-60 under 6 sec & 35+ mpg hwy) I bought a CPO 2011 335d. Loved the car from the first drive. But now a year later the honeymoon is fading. After a couple months the SES light came on. Researching forums some said it could be the fuel cap. After a couple fill-ups the light went off and had not been on until approx. 3 months ago. Fill-ups didn't help. Took it to the dealer and after a day of tests they said #2 injector needed replaced and in fact they replaced all 6. All was fine for roughly 30 days when SES returned. Another 2 or 3 days at the dealer and they replaced the fuel pressure sensor. I was told they had started a service log with BMW and if within 30 days the SES came on they were authorized to replace the DEF unit. I could be wrong on the name but something similar to that. So it was closer to 60 days but light returned about a week ago. Took it in and have not seen the car since. First phone call said they were planning to reprogram unit through BMW the next morning and should have the car by noon the next day. The next morning received a phone call and was told BMW would not authorize reprogram until manifold was pulled to insure valves, etc. did not have high levels of deposits. If they did they would do the blast clean, reassemble, and see how it goes. Said nothing about a unit replacement or reprogram. When injectors were replaced the dealer took pictures of the valve area and he said it looked good. Supposedly he related that to BMW but they said had to follow protocol. If it did indeed look okay this time I'm hoping for at the minimum a reprogram. Like I said the honeymoon is fading as well as the smiles this car gives when driven. Problem is lately not driven enough. Concern is if decide to go on an extended out of town trip I'm not sure I have much confidence in it. Extremely glad I bought the extended service warranty. I will say I'm coming up on a week without the car but do have a dealer loaner as I had in the past but it's just the inconvenience of not having items that were left in my car because it was going to be for a day. Having second thoughts about a purchase of what I thought was the perfect car and a BMW as well that I had always wanted to try. :dunno:


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## diesel fan123 (Nov 25, 2011)

Hi,
I have been through the same protocol. My SES has been on since 2012. 
The dealer did all the things you listed, plus changed something called a "DDE", and changed some EGR components, cleaned the carbon from the intake manifold.
Most recently they did some special programming related to the injectors.
The car has never run better, great MPG (averages 32 around town, about 36-37 on trips @ 80mph) super torque, and no regens.

But the SES is always on. 
Code is related to fuel injector #4. 
But there is nothing actually wrong w/ fuel injector #4. 
It has been changed many times. 
They have swapped injector positions, still codes for #4. 
So I have just decided to drive it this way until the 100k extended warranty expires, then sell it.
The car is fun to drive, just annoyingly flawed. I expected better from BMW.

But with SES permanently on, I had to find an easy way to check for other codes that might have appeared and also be illuminating SES. 
So I bought the BMWhat for my Android, and the Bluetooth adapter. 
Now I can interrogate the codes, clear them, do lots of other things w/ the car software. 
Frank


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## montr (Oct 7, 2006)

You are not alone. Same experience here. Injector #2 and #4 always show a fault. This has been going on for 3 years. I had a total of 16 new injectors, reprogramming of DDE, fine tuning the injectors programming on DDE, etc, etc. My car has been to the dealer for a total of 3 months in 2014. I am glad that I bought the BMW extended warranty and that I get a free loaner.

Last SES event, one week ago, was for the same injector #2 and #4. Latest procedure from BMW is just reset the DDE zero quantity adaptation and clear the fault. That's it, no part change. I will see how long this fix last.


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## SnarlsBarkly (Nov 17, 2014)

*Thanks diesel fan123 & montr*

Car was running great even after this last ses. I will keep in mind your suggestions and look into the Bluetooth app. If this latest "fix" doesn't last will likely just drive it on. We went through similar with my wife's VW turbo. Light kept coming on and they always wanted to put in new mass air sensor. Anytime it was replaced within 30-60 days light was back on. Finally did same thing; bought a gage that I could check codes and if the same cleared. Bit of a nuisance but I am used to doing it if I have to. Had hoped for better with a perceived premium manufacturer. Between these two cars and and some work related contacts the vaunted "German engineering" we hear about is falling on deaf ears at our home.


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## SnarlsBarkly (Nov 17, 2014)

diesel fan123: does the bmwhat "free" do the job or did you have to get the "paid" version? 

Thanks


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## ChasR (Aug 29, 2012)

As I understand, the free version just checks the communications compatibility of the car and the bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection to the phone. If you want to clear codes or do any coding you have to pay.


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## SnarlsBarkly (Nov 17, 2014)

Thanks ChasR. Received call yesterday from dealer. They had pulled manifold, photographed, sent pictures to BMW. They said even though everything looked good they wanted the blast clean to be done. As I understand after clean they will reassemble then reprogram. When I asked when I could plan to have the car back they said they hoped by end of week. So they will have had it a week and a half. Thankful I bought extended warranty, meanwhile I have an x-drive in this snow and ice. The more this goes on I'm confident this is mainly an electronics issue, sending erroneous signal, etc. and not actually an issue with injectors, fuel pressure sensors, carbon build-up, etc. Seems like someone who knows what they were doing could have isolated this issue for everyone by now.


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## YozhDzl (Mar 5, 2014)

If you dig though all the threads in both forums, you shall find that these error codes are related to DDE and/or the harness. Nothing to so with the actual injectors. You either force BMW to replace your DDE or just clear the codes and enjoy your drive.


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## SnarlsBarkly (Nov 17, 2014)

*The Saga Continues*

So got the car back about 3 weeks ago. Everything was fine for about a week and a half; then SES on again. Took it in this week and dealer called yesterday to say code called for Nox sensor to be replaced; ordered and would be done today. Today received call everything was okay on test drive then on way back light came on again. Code now says the other Nox sensor needs replaced; ordered; will be in by end of week. Total time at dealer in about a year is around a month chasing the elusive SES light. The only saving grace in this "hunt for the red light" is I do receive a 2014/2015 demo to drive through it all. :tsk:


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## GreekboyD (Jan 25, 2012)

SnarlsBarkly said:


> So got the car back about 3 weeks ago. Everything was fine for about a week and a half; then SES on again. Took it in this week and dealer called yesterday to say code called for Nox sensor to be replaced; ordered and would be done today. Today received call everything was okay on test drive then on way back light came on again. Code now says the other Nox sensor needs replaced; ordered; will be in by end of week. Total time at dealer in about a year is around a month chasing the elusive SES light. The only saving grace in this "hunt for the red light" is I do receive a 2014/2015 demo to drive through it all. :tsk:


Dealers will usually just replace them both right off the bat.


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## SnarlsBarkly (Nov 17, 2014)

Years ago I had an Alfa Romeo Spyder; this 335d is reminding of that experience. Love/hate experience; great fun to drive, a mechanical/reliability nightmare; or to relate to non-car guys, like a beautiful woman with a crap personality.


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## 9mmkungfu (Sep 11, 2014)

I posted this in the forum a while back:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=812497

It may be of use with your injector codes.


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## KeithS (Dec 30, 2001)

SnarlsBarkly said:


> Years ago I had an Alfa Romeo Spyder; this 335d is reminding of that experience. Love/hate experience; great fun to drive, a mechanical/reliability nightmare; or to relate to non-car guys, like a beautiful woman with a crap personality.


Fortunately my experience has been much better. If we accept that CBU is the nature of the beast, and it can be handled, most of the other issues are no more common than other cars. For me I've only had the single SES/CBU event in 58K miles. My only other warranty item was the AC compressor belt.


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## Nadir Point (Dec 6, 2013)

Cars are nothing but trouble. Finding the "perfect car" is like finding the "perfect wife." If you do, great - consider yourself lucky.

I view my 335D like a trophy wife. She's good enough to overlook the high maintenance.


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## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

Nadir Point said:


> Cars are nothing but trouble. Finding the "perfect car" is like finding the "perfect wife." If you do, great - consider yourself lucky.
> 
> I view my 335D like a trophy wife. She's good enough to overlook the high maintenance.


+1:thumbup:


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## BB_cuda (Nov 8, 2011)

Flyingman said:


> +1:thumbup:


Ah but good and regular maintenance keeps both motors revving high ;-)


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## ddeliber (Jan 31, 2013)

BB_cuda said:


> Ah but good and regular maintenance keeps both motors revving high ;-)


One complicating factor is that as they age, the jewelr....er...I mean maintenance gets more and more expensive.


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## SnarlsBarkly (Nov 17, 2014)

Thanks for everyone's input. For now 335d is running great and no SES light for a couple weeks. I have to agree with others who have said the new bmw's I have received as loaners while mine is being worked on are no where close to the enthusiast's car my 2011 is. The electric assist steering has no feel and ride is much softer. Keep in mind the loaners were a 328i xdrive and a 320i xdrive; but only way to keep them entertaining was to put them in "sport" mode. I'm sure the "M" cars still have the BMW "feel" but that's a lot of money. For now, at least until the warranty runs out, I will stay with the 335d. Maybe by the end of warranty BMW will stop trying to appeal to the masses and return to the fold. Not sure if I had to buy now what it would be.


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## FredoinSF (Nov 29, 2009)

SnarlsBarkly said:


> Thanks for everyone's input. For now 335d is running great and no SES light for a couple weeks. I have to agree with others who have said the new bmw's I have received as loaners while mine is being worked on are no where close to the enthusiast's car my 2011 is. The electric assist steering has no feel and ride is much softer. Keep in mind the loaners were a 328i xdrive and a 320i xdrive; but only way to keep them entertaining was to put them in "sport" mode. I'm sure the "M" cars still have the BMW "feel" but that's a lot of money. For now, at least until the warranty runs out, I will stay with the 335d. Maybe by the end of warranty BMW will stop trying to appeal to the masses and return to the fold. Not sure if I had to buy now what it would be.


Somewhat off topic, but I find this post humorous. Slight edits to model year and model names, delete the sport mode reference and I could be reading an E90 basher over on the E46 forum. Not much love for anything conceived after the E46 over there.

Go back further in time and same thoughts applied when E30's were aging, and further yet when the round tail light 2002's changed to square - well kinda square - and came saddled with ugly bumpers and cheap black grilles. No Bimmerfest forums back then...

Eventually our beloved cars will be replaced with something newer, shinier, and it will be better too. I expect a lot of E46 Coupe / vert faithful will end up in a 2 series.

Not slamming, just observing and commenting since I bounce around multiple forums.


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