[rpagianotto]

Hey everyone!
Just bought a new m235i (8AT) and couldn't be happier with the car on the street!
However, I recently took it to a trackday, and after a few hot laps, the car went into a sort of limp mode, which left me extremely frustrated.

Granted, it was really hot here (around 97 degrees), but I expected the car to be better prepared for track use. After maybe 3 laps pushing, the car started topping off at 200kph on the straight, and shifting slower.

There was no light on the dash or any error codes, but the performance loss was extremely noticeable. After I let the car cool down for a couple of minutes, it would run fine for another few laps. I was wondering if anyone else here has also experienced this, and if is there a way to get around it!

[overcoil]

Chk out the video at the 6:37 mark time

[Wheelwright]

Traditional torque-converter automatics do tend to overheat on track. That's why DSG is preferred for sport cars. On the other hand I am surprised that manual-equipped car in the video crapped out too.. Must have been underengineered engine cooling.

[///MCFC]

Originally Posted by rpagianotto

Hey everyone!
Just bought a new m235i (8AT) and couldn't be happier with the car on the street!
However, I recently took it to a trackday, and after a few hot laps, the car went into a sort of limp mode, which left me extremely frustrated.

Granted, it was really hot here (around 97 degrees), but I expected the car to be better prepared for track use. After maybe 3 laps pushing, the car started topping off at 200kph on the straight, and shifting slower.

There was no light on the dash or any error codes, but the performance loss was extremely noticeable. After I let the car cool down for a couple of minutes, it would run fine for another few laps. I was wondering if anyone else here has also experienced this, and if is there a way to get around it!

does the brazilian market get euro spec cars or the US/AUS hot weather spec? i believe the latter has an additional oil cooler.

[ska///235i]

Here in US we get additional oil cooler, sucks that you have to deal with limp mode on the track
Get a p3cars guage so you can see more info

[rpagianotto]

looking at my VIN I could see that the car we get here is euro-spec, so no extra oil-cooler I guess! That sucks! Do you guys think it would be possible to add that on as a retrofit somehow?
I wonder who made the judgement call that the US needs extra cooling, but Brazil would do fine without it, anyway? hahahha

[juandavr]

Originally Posted by rpagianotto

Hey everyone!
Just bought a new m235i (8AT) and couldn't be happier with the car on the street!
However, I recently took it to a trackday, and after a few hot laps, the car went into a sort of limp mode, which left me extremely frustrated.

Granted, it was really hot here (around 97 degrees), but I expected the car to be better prepared for track use. After maybe 3 laps pushing, the car started topping off at 200kph on the straight, and shifting slower.

There was no light on the dash or any error codes, but the performance loss was extremely noticeable. After I let the car cool down for a couple of minutes, it would run fine for another few laps. I was wondering if anyone else here has also experienced this, and if is there a way to get around it!

Hi!

How many kms do you have on it? once mine did that too, but there was a message on the screen that said that power was reduced, I was really scared so I called the dealer and they told me that it was some kind of protection that it had that limites the car until it is well taken off. I restarted it and the problem has disapeared.

Maybe is that "protection" mine had like 300kms on itand I live in colombia so our weather is the same.

[Pray for Mojo]

Its silly that cars going to the Middle East or South America don't get the additional cooler but my Canadian (US Spec) car does.

[eboosted]

Shit! This really sucks! We had a lot of problematic N54 and N55 ATs 135i, 335i cars hitting limp mode at the track in the last couple of years. After looking a lot of USA based reviewers I was sold on the new m235i for occasional track use and now I find my car is not the one I thought.

Does anyone knows what other differences does the euro spec m235i vs the USA based one?

[eboosted]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Chk out the video at the 6:37 mark time

That's the fuel meter not an oil temp gauge

[rpagianotto]

Originally Posted by juandavr

Hi!

How many kms do you have on it? once mine did that too, but there was a message on the screen that said that power was reduced, I was really scared so I called the dealer and they told me that it was some kind of protection that it had that limites the car until it is well taken off. I restarted it and the problem has disapeared.

Maybe is that "protection" mine had like 300kms on itand I live in colombia so our weather is the same.

the car had only about 700km on it, but as far as I know, this kind of "protection" is restricted to proper ///m cars. ///m cars have their first oil change set to 2000km, if I'm not mistaken, whereas the m235i, and all other cars with the n55 for that matter, have a regular oil change schedule even for the first one.

Anyway, before opening this thread I had no idea that NA/AUS got their own build, so I really can't say what other differences they have to euro-spec cars...

Really hope some aftermarket cooling upgrades are developed soon to work around this! It sucks not to be able to drive the car as you want it to!

[augerpro]

Anyone know what temp the limp mode kicks in? I could use a lot of adjectives to describe BMW not including the typical host of indications, but if they don't understand the disappointment of owners by now they never will.

Anyway, anyone ever use the Torque app? Just took delivery of my M235xi two days ago and planning for some track days this summer. I would rather know what the temps are before getting into the dangerzone. Not too interested in the p3cars solution.

[spyerx]

Originally Posted by augerpro

Anyone know what temp the limp mode kicks in? I could use a lot of adjectives to describe BMW not including the typical host of indications, but if they don't understand the disappointment of owners by now they never will.

Anyway, anyone ever use the Torque app? Just took delivery of my M235xi two days ago and planning for some track days this summer. I would rather know what the temps are before getting into the dangerzone. Not too interested in the p3cars solution.

I've used the torque app in my porsche for track days before i got a dedicated AIM data system connected to the Can bus. I should probably go out to the garage and try with the m235i and see what i can get out of it. on the porsche I could get oil temp, water temp and about 30 other metrics. It worked OK.

[vteckiller2000]

I am unable to get the oil temp with Torque.

[augerpro]

Thought Torque showed everything the ECU monitors? Or not? Maybe BMW does not use an analog indicator but a simple switch that fires when oil gets over a certain temp. So Torque wouldn't show it?

[rpagianotto]

It's possible to check oil temp via the hidden menu on the car's dash!
I wasn't able to do it when I took mine to the track because I had forgotten my car's code!
I'll be sure to get it right the next time though!

[augerpro]

hidden menu?

[lieb923]

Check out P3 they make a dedicated unit that fits in the drivers side AC outlet.
They had a group buy recently.
Installed in my M235xi in 15 min. Works great!

[rpagianotto]

I've been thinking about getting one of those p3 gauges. Beats having to enter the hidden menu all the time.

To access the hidden menu, this is what you do:

1. with the engine running (and the car stopped), hold the trip reset button on the instrument cluster for about 10 seconds
2. this will open the locked hidden menu. Hit the trip reset button until select the "unlock" option. Hold the button to access it.
3. you'll need to input your car's code to access the other features. Your code will be the sum of the last 5 numbers of your vin
4. after you unlock the other features, just scroll down the "temperature" option. Once you access it, you can check water temp, oil temp, outside temp and intake temp.

During the trackday I tried to get into the temp menu, but I thought the code was the sum of the last 6, not 5 numbers of the VIN, so I couldn't get the code right! Bummer! hahah

[M2-BM35i]

Originally Posted by rpagianotto

I've been thinking about getting one of those p3 gauges. Beats having to enter the hidden menu all the time.

To access the hidden menu, this is what you do:

1. with the engine running (and the car stopped), hold the trip reset button on the instrument cluster for about 10 seconds
2. this will open the locked hidden menu. Hit the trip reset button until select the "unlock" option. Hold the button to access it.
3. you'll need to input your car's code to access the other features. Your code will be the sum of the last 5 numbers of your vin
4. after you unlock the other features, just scroll down the "temperature" option. Once you access it, you can check water temp, oil temp, outside temp and intake temp.

During the trackday I tried to get into the temp menu, but I thought the code was the sum of the last 6, not 5 numbers of the VIN, so I couldn't get the code right! Bummer! hahah

Tried this above, doesn't work?

Doing exact steps above...?

[rpagianotto]

Which step specifically didn't work?

[Béhème]

It works for me when I press and hold the trip reset button before starting the car and hold it until the car has started and the display changes....