Need advice for an e46 318i - WTF is vanos and why is it £600??

[leicesterboy15]

My brother in law has a 2002 318i (2.0) touring and the whole car just cut out as we were driving across France last week, the engine just cut out and the ASC light lit up and the handbrake light went orange. A minute later it started again but a mile down the road it happened again so I disconnected the battery and let it sit for 10 minutes. When I reconnected the battery the ASC light was permanently on (on off button did nothing) and the handbrake light was orange permanently.
When you turn the car off then on again the lights go out and the car ends up cutting out again, the above process then repeats itself.

We nursed the car through France using the above method and then for the last few days and the whole journey back everything was fine, no cut outs at all. When we got back the car stood for 1 day and when they set of for home from my house the car cut out 3 times within 1 mile (disconnecting the battery would not work) so they ended up getting it towed home (London - Liverpool at 55 MPH, nice).

Hes just called me and the AA said it could be the crank sensor but the BMW specialist said theres a common fault on these with the VANOS unit where it just goes and needs to be replaced - and it will be £600 please. They are going to stick it on the computer tomorrow to get a code out of it but has anyone heard of this problem before? Anyone have any ideas what it is? What is a vanos? Is it mechanical or electrical? I know this is the 5 series forum but this is the one I'm used to and the one I trust, I've tried searching but don't really know what to look for, I've tried the obvious and not found anything.

[bad_manners_god]

My brother in law has a 2002 318i (2.0) touring and the whole car just cut out as we were driving across France last week, the engine just cut out and the ASC light lit up and the handbrake light went orange. A minute later it started again but a mile down the road it happened again so I disconnected the battery and let it sit for 10 minutes. When I reconnected the battery the ASC light was permanently on (on off button did nothing) and the handbrake light was orange permanently.
When you turn the car off then on again the lights go out and the car ends up cutting out again, the above process then repeats itself.

We nursed the car through France using the above method and then for the last few days and the whole journey back everything was fine, no cut outs at all. When we got back the car stood for 1 day and when they set of for home from my house the car cut out 3 times within 1 mile (disconnecting the battery would not work) so they ended up getting it towed home (London - Liverpool at 55 MPH, nice).

Hes just called me and the AA said it could be the crank sensor but the BMW specialist said theres a common fault on these with the VANOS unit where it just goes and needs to be replaced - and it will be £600 please. They are going to stick it on the computer tomorrow to get a code out of it but has anyone heard of this problem before? Anyone have any ideas what it is? What is a vanos? Is it mechanical or electrical? I know this is the 5 series forum but this is the one I'm used to and the one I trust, I've tried searching but don't really know what to look for, I've tried the obvious and not found anything.

I dont think it's the VANOS, the VANOs is a varible vale timing unit which usually kicks in during higher rpm.

The VANOs unit is an Electrical unit if im not mistaken, It's more like the Crank Sensor as the problem IMO.

Good luck!

[Paul in NZ]

is an electrical/mechanical/hydraulic device that alters valve timing.I don t think it would cause the car to cut out.wait for a diagnosis and go from there.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

Sounds electrical, more like a low voltage condition with all the various warning lights going on and off.

[Ferret]

There's a well known fault on the later bimmers where a vanos/cam sensor will pack in and trip both the cams into a default state... which the car wont throw an error for until the vanos unit packs in totally 12 months later.

Never heard of it stopping a car running before, and I wasnt aware that the 'vanos unit' controller was electrically different!

[leicesterboy15]

Cheers guys,

Ferret...thats very interesting. The car did throw a code but the AA man cleared them and passed them on to the BMW specialist when he delivered the car to them. I think it turned out to be the Crank sensor which is £150 fitted, is this related to what you are talking about? Is there any info out there on this?

[Paul in NZ]

Cheers guys,

Ferret...thats very interesting. The car did throw a code but the AA man cleared them and passed them on to the BMW specialist when he delivered the car to them. I think it turned out to be the Crank sensor which is £150 fitted, is this related to what you are talking about? Is there any info out there on this?

the e 39 m5 boys have fun with this.vanos codes can often intrepreted as cps codes(or do i mean visa versa??)cps can make the car run very poorly wheras vanos just goes to a "low power" state AKAIK(coutresy of my rersearch into possible E39 M5 purchase)

[Morgenster]

I don't logically see how a vanos problem can cause cut-offs like that. If the unit stops working the engine can still run right?
I think CPS is the right one.

[leicesterboy15]

The guy at the garage said it can't be the vanos because when it runs it runs fine, not lumpy or rough at all. I tell you one thing its quite scary when a car just cuts out on the motorway at 70mph and you loose all power brakes and steering!

[leicesterboy15]

The problem was the crank shaft sensor and a breather pipe (not sure if its related), still not a good design though if it makes the engine cut out!