Engine Management Light has come on - VANOS ERROR

[Nastynick]

Hi all.

I bought my 2001 4.4 Sport E53 just before Christmas. It has FSH with the last service only 2k ago

On Saturday the EML came on. The car drove fine with no detectable fault so I took it to a garage in Manchester that I know and trust. He plugged in his fault reader and it came up with "Vanos error".

He looked at me like he was about to tell me I had a terminal illness. He said he can't fix Vanos units but knows a BMW Indy that could.

He cleared the codes on the off chance it was an old error message and the light went out, but the EML came back on again this morning.

What is the Vanos unit? What does it do and is it going to cost a King's ransom to rectify?

This is my first BMW and my first V8. I'd hate it to be so short lived.

Many thanks in advance.

Nick.

[X5Sport]

Firstly..........

Secondly, a hell of a way to say "Hi"......

This thread on Xoutpost will tell you what you need about Vanos.  It's to do with the camshaft operation and valve timing.  VANOS failure is not an unknown issue on this version of the engine.

You will need to replace the units with new ones - possibly only a BMW part - and the work needs to be done by someone with the right skills and special tools.  The only prices I can find are in USD and are around $510 each (there is one on each bank) to which add labour and VAT.

Richard

[pvr]

Ouch .... and welcome indeed.

That is not a nice start to the ownership.

[Nastynick]

As I said, I can't tell that anything is wrong apart from the EML being lit.

Is this a unit that could fail at any second leaving me with a knackered engine or do I have a period of grace before strange tapping or rattling noises signifies the end of the road unless I replace the VANOS units?

Oh, and thank you for the welcomes. Sorry for the abrupt introduction.

[X5Sport]

Chances are this was a fault known before the car was put on the market and the previous owner knew all about it.  First thing is to go back to where you bought it and if a car dealer then you should demand they fix it or refund your purchase price.  Not possible with a private sale though. 

If the unit fails then it puts the valve train at risk and the engine is not 'valve safe' usually meaning terminal destruction if valve and piston meet.  Not seen it in a V8, but I had a failure on a 4-cyl and it punched holes in two pistons, bent one rod and made the head look like a moonscape.

It will all depend upon how long the previous owner knew of the issue and sat on it.......sorry, but that is the only advice I can offer.

Richard

[Nastynick]

It was a private sale and the fact the EML didn't come on when I test drove it points to the fact he most probably cleared the codes and sold it on.

Has anyone had to replace their VANOS  units on a 4.4?

Any idea on approximate costs?

[Nat]

Call Phil Crouch @ cpc

01494 766661.

Hes your man.................

It could be vanos pump, a seal or could be just a dry joint on the vanos board..............so dont despair until you know exactly what it is.

Regards,

Nat.

[shadrack]

or google the 'mr vanos' from darlington he does loads and loads of m3 ones

[Nastynick]

Cheers Nat and Shadrack.

I'll get onto them both when my NYE hangover has gone on the 2nd.

[Steamyrotter]

Hi

You could be lucky and it may be a sensor problem causing it..

Don't panic until you have al the info at hand, from the right sources.

Good luck with it.

[Nastynick]

Well there's an interesting development.

The EML has gone out.

I set off from Lincoln to North Wales for NYE. I stopped off just before I hit the M1 at J31 and when I started the car back up to continue my journey, the light didn't come on.

I'll see what happens tomorrow when I drive it again.

Stay tuned. 

[Ubatoid]

First off - dont panic ! may be as simple as a poor chioce of oil. More than likely it will be the O rings which are cheap enough, but it is a bit of a job to do. YOu will need some specialist tools to lock the cams and the crank etc.

[Nastynick]

The light hasn't come back since NYE.

I've been driving it everyday including a 4 hour trip back to Lincolnshire from north Wales and all seems to ok (touching wood as I type).

Fingers crossed it was just a bug in the system that has resolved itself. I'm sure time will tell.

I have saved Mr Vanos in my bookmarks just in case!

[Woofer]

My brother in law lives in Stockport and takes his beemers to ;

Baymow

Unit 6, National Trading Estate, Bramhall Lane, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire
0161 456 1114

Give them a call as I'm told they know their bmw onions

Best of luck!

[briankerrys47]

[quote="Nastynick"]
The light hasn't come back since NYE.

I've been driving it everyday including a 4 hour trip back to Lincolnshire from north Wales and all seems to ok (touching wood as I type).

Fingers crossed it was just a bug in the system that has resolved itself. I'm sure time will tell.

I have saved Mr Vanos in my bookmarks just in case!
[/quote]For what it is worth as you are a new owner, my standard reply as always 'Check and keep Battery charged' otherwise you will be seeing The 4x4 inactive notification pop up next