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12 04 19_DME FAULT MEMORY ENTRY FOR THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR

SIB 12 04 19
DME FAULT MEMORY ENTRY FOR THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR

2020-01-02

This Service Information Bulletin (Revision 1) replaces SI B12 04 19 dated February 2019.
What’s New (Specific text highlighted):
• Model
• Correction

MODEL
F90 (M5 Sedan) with
S63M

F91 (M8 Convertible)
with S63M

F92 (M8 Coupe) with
S63M

G06 (X6 Sports Activity
Coupe) with N63B

G07 (X7 Sports Activity
Vehicle) with N63M or
N63B
G16 (8 Series Gran
Coupe) with N63B

G12 (7 Series Sedan)
with N63B or N74L

G15 (8 Series Coupe)
with N63B

G05 (X5 Sports Activity
Vehicle) with N63M or
N63B
G14 (8 Series
Convertible) with N63B

G30 (5 Series Sedan)
with N63B

SITUATION
Technicians may notice this fault logged during a diagnostic session:
Fault code:
160021

Control module:
DME

Fault Text:
Crankshaft sensor: general loss of synchronism

Environmental conditions are vehicle speed 0 (stationary) and engine speed less than 1500 rpm.
There is no customer-facing symptom nor related check control message displayed.

CAUSE
Phantom/pseudo fault due to unsuitable DME software.
Background:
After parking the vehicle and turning off the engine, both DME control units go into sleep mode at different
times.

The DME of cylinder bank 2 ("secondary") goes into sleep mode first
The DME of cylinder bank 1 ("primary”) is still awake, and can experience a reduction in signal
voltage for the crankshaft sensor signal
This signal change can mistakenly be evaluated as a skipped crankshaft sensor cog by the DME.
If the engine is started while the primary DME is still awake, this causes a brief loss of synchronization with
the secondary DME.
Fault 160021 is logged after three (3) consecutive engine starts with this momentary loss of synchronization.
Note: Starting the engine after the primary DME has also gone into sleep mode will avoid the loss of
synchronization.

CORRECTION
Copyright ©2020 BMW of North America, Inc.
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12 04 19_DME FAULT MEMORY ENTRY FOR THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR

Evaluate the fault environmental conditions, then follow the recommended procedure.

PROCEDURE
When DME fault code 160021 is present:
1. Read out the environmental conditions for fault memory entry 160021.
2a. If the environmental conditions are:

Engine speed: less than 1500 rpm; and
Vehicle speed: 0 mph

Solution:
Ignore the fault
Clear the fault memory
Do not replace the crankshaft sensor.
2b. If the environmental conditions are:

Engine speed: greater than 1500 rpm; and/or
Vehicle speed: greater than 0 mph

Solution:

Perform and complete diagnosis with ISTA. Do not deviate from the test plan.

Note:
a. The test plan was updated with the release of ISTA 4.17.1x (released April, 2019)
b. Parts replacement will not provide a solution to this situation.

WARRANTY INFORMATION
2a: In conjunction with the ISTA diagnosis of un-related issue(s), covered under the terms of the BMW New
Vehicle Limited Warranty for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks.
Defect Code:

1214101400

Crankshaft sensor, temporary malfunction

Labor Operation:
61 00 980

Labor Allowance:
Refer to AIR/KSD2

Description:
Continuing vehicle test and performing quick delete

Or:
2b: Under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty, if other eligible and covered work is
performed as a result of performing the ISTA diagnostics and the related test plans, claim this work with the
applicable defect code and labor operations provided AIR/KSD2 (including diagnosis with separate punch
times, when applicable).

Copyright ©2020 BMW of North America, Inc.
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