Expert: Don Berlan - 1/31/2010

Question
RECENT DIAGNOSTIC CODES CAME UP ON MY BMW 2004 318i TOURER (1997CC engine) --- 10835, 0130, 1050 and 1062.

ENGINE BLOCK LIGHT ON PERMANENTLY, EML COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND LIMP MODE ENSUES.

DRIVING ME MAD - BMW DEALER SAYS TO DO WITH VANOS UNIT(?) AND VARIABLE VALVE ISSUES BUT THESE CODES APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO EMISSIONS/LAMBDA SENSOR/S CAT ETC

ANY GUIDANCE/SUGGESTIONS AS DRIVING IS A REAL MENACE AND DANGEROUS

Answer
Although  the codes seem to be emission related to you they do relate to how the car is running.The Vanos unit controls valve timing which in turn affects the emissions.The codes are given because a systems that they control has failed during its on going internal tests.It may come up with a code that says  a sensor is at fault but the system as a whole needs inspection because it is just reading what is going on at that moment.If it fails the test the light comes on. The light will stay on until it is repaired then needs to be cleared with the use of a scanner.