Electronic gremlins and check engine light
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
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From: NYC
2016 E63 wagon
Electronic gremlins and check engine light
So, yesterday I was driving back to NYC from Boston with my wife and son, when a person in front of us stopped short. My wife was in the back and spilled a diet coke on the floor of the rear passengers side. Immediately after this, I got warning messages saying that the distronic plus was unavailable, adaptive high beam was unavailable, and the dashboard started flickering on and off as well as the gauges shutting down and restarting. Additionally the blinkers wouldn't work. Pulled over at the next exit, and found that front passenger seat controls were not working either. Continued to drive home (only a few miles away at this point), and while the dash board no longer malfunctioned, the passenger seat was still not working. And the final insult was on the final half mile from my garage, the check engine light went on.
Any thoughts? I noticed that much of the fluid may have gone right into the heating vent below the front passenger seat. I don't believe there is a fuse panel near there, so I'm not sure why anything would short out from a spill in this area. Any one think the check engine light is completely unrelated? Love the car, but this is my second issue in the first 2,000 miles of ownership...
Any thoughts? I noticed that much of the fluid may have gone right into the heating vent below the front passenger seat. I don't believe there is a fuse panel near there, so I'm not sure why anything would short out from a spill in this area. Any one think the check engine light is completely unrelated? Love the car, but this is my second issue in the first 2,000 miles of ownership...
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2004
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
Was it raining or snowing?
The high beams and distro rely on the front cameras and if they are blocked you may get a temporary unavailable
Hopefully the check engine light (cel) threw a code you can have the dealer check
I wonder if the liquid spilled onto a wiring harness? If so that could explain some of this as the whole computer system depends on resistances in a very complex circuit system. It would certainly explain the front passenger seat not working
This may be pricey, and if this second issue with your car is due to the Coke spillage then that's not the cars fault but I understand your frustration
The high beams and distro rely on the front cameras and if they are blocked you may get a temporary unavailable
Hopefully the check engine light (cel) threw a code you can have the dealer check
I wonder if the liquid spilled onto a wiring harness? If so that could explain some of this as the whole computer system depends on resistances in a very complex circuit system. It would certainly explain the front passenger seat not working
This may be pricey, and if this second issue with your car is due to the Coke spillage then that's not the cars fault but I understand your frustration
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 22
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From: NYC
2016 E63 wagon
Nope, totally clear day. You don't think this would be covered under warranty? Seems like a design flaw if the harness would be vulnerable to a small liquid spill in the interior...
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,799
Likes: 3,229
2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
It's not covered under warranty
Your dealer, depending on your relationship with them and due to the high price of the car ad depending on the cost of the repair may good will this and pay for it or pay for a good majority of it... But it all depends
I'll check to see if there is a harness
Hopefully it can be cleaned and a new fuse will restore the circuit
----
I can feel a couple harnesses but they are about 1 cm or so above the floor, there may be position sensors in the track and that's on the floor of course
There is a wiring bundle running under the doorsills and perhaps a harness exists there and got affected ... Find out which fuse carries the front passenger seat
Your dealer, depending on your relationship with them and due to the high price of the car ad depending on the cost of the repair may good will this and pay for it or pay for a good majority of it... But it all depends
I'll check to see if there is a harness
Hopefully it can be cleaned and a new fuse will restore the circuit
----
I can feel a couple harnesses but they are about 1 cm or so above the floor, there may be position sensors in the track and that's on the floor of course
There is a wiring bundle running under the doorsills and perhaps a harness exists there and got affected ... Find out which fuse carries the front passenger seat
Last edited by PeterUbers; Nov 28, 2015 at 10:19 AM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: NYC
2016 E63 wagon
Thanks for your reply. I've been following this forum for a while, and always find your posts incredibly helpful and informative. Spoke with the service department today -- they prefer towing it to the dealership, and the tow truck is on the way.
It's not covered under warranty
Your dealer, depending on your relationship with them and due to the high price of the car ad depending on the cost of the repair may good will this and pay for it or pay for a good majority of it... But it all depends
I'll check to see if there is a harness
Hopefully it can be cleaned and a new fuse will restore the circuit
----
I can feel a couple harnesses but they are about 1 cm or so above the floor, there may be position sensors in the track and that's on the floor of course
There is a wiring bundle running under the doorsills and perhaps a harness exists there and got affected ... Find out which fuse carries the front passenger seat
Your dealer, depending on your relationship with them and due to the high price of the car ad depending on the cost of the repair may good will this and pay for it or pay for a good majority of it... But it all depends
I'll check to see if there is a harness
Hopefully it can be cleaned and a new fuse will restore the circuit
----
I can feel a couple harnesses but they are about 1 cm or so above the floor, there may be position sensors in the track and that's on the floor of course
There is a wiring bundle running under the doorsills and perhaps a harness exists there and got affected ... Find out which fuse carries the front passenger seat
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,799
Likes: 3,229
2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
Please let us know what they ultimately find out ... Thanks for the feedback, and I hope you to be quickly back on the road with the '63
