BMW e90 2008 NOx sensor location removal and refitting

[@johnk.3176]

super-helpful video, thank you for posting. Also enjoyed the bird calls in the background while you were replacing the NOX sensor...one needs all the calming influences one can get when repairing the emissions system of a BMW diesel.

[@DaringBeefcake]

Glad it was helpful!, yes it very calming I really enjoy the wild life where I work :)

[@tinfro]

Thank you for posting this video. It was very helpful for my nox sensor replacement.

[@DaringBeefcake]

tinfro you welcome

[@stevonunn9149]

fantastic vid

[@4rk0974]

Thank you for your video, what did you use as tool to remove this NOx Sensor when we hear the noise ? You hit on your key with a hammer ? And for my information at which mileage did you replace your NOx sensor ?

[@DaringBeefcake]

This car was low mileage, the nox failed and engine light was on, yes I did hit the spanner 🔧 with a hammer 🔨, a couple of blows and it got it going.

[@pinguuization]

@daringbeefcake i have a bmw e93 330i 2008 i went to dyno and my nox sensor is broken i also have a 30hp loss is this due the nox probs ?

[@DaringBeefcake]

well 30hp is fairly substantial not sure if the nox can cause such a loss, but i could be contributing to other parts that might be worn. Spark plugs, coil packs, fuel pump, dirty injectors, worn piston rings.

[@lifeofranco]

hi DaringBeefCake, my 2009 e90 318i, with n43 engine has very laggy throttle response below, 1500 rpm. there is almost 1 second delay, but as the the rpm goes past 1500, it is instant. Could it be the NOx sensor?? also the problem is not there when the engine is cold. only after it warms up, the throttle reponse gets slower.

[@DaringBeefcake]

Life o'F RANCO the nox I change in this car didn’t affect its performance as such, but was triggering the engine light to come on so although it could affect the car in other ways am not sure it would In terms of the car being laggy, usually those issues can be more related to dirty throttle body or air flow meter or manifold pressure sensor, even spark plugs or coil packs, may be better to see if you have any fault codes with an obd, the nox is not cheap to change.

[@hackiejonte]

Hey, Regarding the codes you had on your piece of paper. How did you solve the code 3070? What was the cause? And how did you fix it? Great video!

[@DaringBeefcake]

Jonatan Erazo all codes where cleared and didn’t come back after i changed the sensor.

[@silverh6111]

Good vid! I have a question, i asuming that my bmw 320i nox gone bad. Case is, at cold engine, engine light comes up and i can feel the power loss. But when it gets warm, and start engine again, the eingine light dont show up anymore and the power is ok. I did diagnostics, and had nox sensor error and 2 lamda error what u had in the end of the video, but also some oil pressure code too. Should i change it?

[@DaringBeefcake]

Silver I don’t think you should change it just yet, the reason is that on few e90 e91s we had we get the nox error codes but they don’t cause any issues unless they are really bad, like the on this video was. Power loss may relate to something else, make sure airflow meter is ok and of course you oil pressure switch, if it’s playing up when cold, the ECU may be reducing the power on the engine to protect it.

[@kerrysgold1]

Hi, would this fault cause an engine to run rich? I'm having air/fuel ratio problems with my E90 & am wondering if a nox sensor may be the issue?

[@silverh6111]

@@kerrysgold1 sup, i going to dealership tomorrow and then i can say what is that problem, i think its the vanos solenoid valve.. but i keep you updated

[@kerrysgold1]

@@silverh6111 Thanks. I've cleaned mine already,only made the slightest of difference. If it's a rough idle, I'd highly recommend cleaning the throttle body. That fixed that issue for me,but I'm now having air/fuel ratio problems. My mechanic told me to change the Nox sensor, but it could have been a stab in the dark tbh...

[@DaringBeefcake]

D. Lacey air leaks usually cause rich/lean problems.

[@samiagha4433]

i have 0030EA and 003104 would this be the case too? i have a bmw e81 2007 N43 (i have no warning lamps on) thank you in advance!

[@DaringBeefcake]

The 0030ea fault code according to what I was reading on bmw software, indicates a faulty catalytic converter, how ever it also says if there are no symptoms or no engine management light on then it can be ignored. Eventually you might experience symptoms and engine management light on, you may then need to look in to it further and possible having to change the cat converter, it’s also recommended to drive the car for at least 30 minutes at 70mph in order to clean the cat, you can also add some additives that help the cleaning process, how ever this doesn’t always work but could prolong the life of the cat. The other fault code might be there as a result of the first code if that makes sense.

[@DanielWojtysiak]

Hi, can a NOX sensor be resposbile for high or wrong CO (carbon monoxide) values?

[@DaringBeefcake]

To be honest the catalytic converter is in charge of making the changes, the sensor only tell the computer to inject fuel or more air. It can influence a little but not greatly.. if the emissions are hi the car could also be burning oil. An obd computer can help you with diagnostics.

[@SonOfZeuz]

Great video, but what did you film it on, the Nokia from 1996?

[@DaringBeefcake]

😂 😂 I don’t remember.

[@rotilaovidiu9325]

Hi. I just got my nox sensor today but i can't seem to be able to unscrew the sensor screwed in the exhaust ( minute 6:00 in your video). I even tried with special spray for rust and lubrifiation and still nothing. Any sugestions? Thanks.

[@DaringBeefcake]

Rotila Ovidiu though you cant see on the video i had to hit the spanner with a hammer in order to loosen the sensor. The other option is to cut the sensor wire and get a deep socket in with a power bar and that should do hopefully do it.

[@rotilaovidiu9325]

@@DaringBeefcake thanks for your quick reply. I heard/saw on your video that you hit the spanner with a hammer. The thing is that i don't have much room because the car is jacked up from one side and i'm under the car on my belly. So there is not much room for me to leverage with big tools. I've taught of cutting the wire and using a socket, hopefully it will work. Maybe i can find a torch to heat it up a bit. Thanks again for your answer. I'll post an update as soon as i manage to do something. Cheers!

[@DaringBeefcake]

Rotila Ovidiu i see well yes when you are on the floor its a lot harder to remove things, everything becomes or seems to be very tight. I hope u can get it off persistence shall give u success.

[@TogetherFaster]

Mämäligä Cu brinzä😁 cäldurä Mare!

[@Dayzmackers]

hi, i changed the nox sensor but when I tightened the sonsor down all the way, the actual sensor had a bit of wiggle in it. is this normal?

[@DaringBeefcake]

Hi to be honest the answer to the question is no it shouldn't wiggle.

[@VP-zl1cb]

Hi, I’ve got a 116i 2008 that runs rough on cold start, sometimes cuts out but when revved it’s fine and when it’s been running for a few minutes getting up to temp it runs fine, only code for nitrogen oxide sensor open circuit in heater element, 2af0 code… would that be the NOx sensor at fault ?

[@DaringBeefcake]

Hi, well the sensor can cause problems, however this are also common for having problems with the coil packs and fuel injectors. The heater element usually helps the sensor heat up a little bit faster so it can start working faster. So it’s a little difficult to diagnose. You may need to wait a bit more and see if you get any further fault codes. Having said that if the heater element is broken in the sensor you will need to replace it at some point.

[@VP-zl1cb]

@@DaringBeefcake hi, thanks for response… I’ve replaced all coil packs and spark plugs as well as remove and inspect injectors…. They’re all spraying and working, I have now got codes for fuel trim too lean P2096 and o2 sensor signal stuck rich P2196

[@tr1cky967]

Hi i have e87 n43 from 2008 and the engine light is on and it gave 3 fault codes on the nox sensor and the engine rpm is unstable when idling but no power loss. does it mean my nox sensor is bad? ty for reply

[@DaringBeefcake]

hmmmm well not necessarily faulty sensors but can be, the car in the vid didn't have ay issues apart from the engine light staying on, even though the sensor was faulty, I have seen the fault codes on other e90 n43 engines but haven't cause any issues. I think you may need to check the live data on an OBD and also may see what the emissions test says during the MOT. also some of this models have been suffering with injector problems.

[@tr1cky967]

@@DaringBeefcake thanks for the reply! my father changed the nox sensor anyway and the unstable rpm and engine is gone the car runs smoothly now. But the check engine light is still on and i thought maybe it needs to be reset? what do u think? thanks for reply

[@jaheimwales1353]

Great video, I have a bmw e92 320i 2009 with fault codes; 2C6C, 30EA, 2AF4, 2AF2, 2AF6, 2AF9 and 2C7F. How do you suggest i approach fixing this? Will the nox sensor be the culprit or is the cat. I'm experience poor fuel, white smoke on start up and when driving off. And sluggish response when accelerator depressed. Looking forward to your response

[@DaringBeefcake]

it sounds like you may have a cat problem, I didn't have any of those issues with this car. you can re energise the nox sensor but you need to drive the car at a constant speed for 1 hour or something like that. the cat can cause problems but its difficult to make a diagnosis not looking at the car.

[@jaheimwales1353]

Thank you, ordered a nox sensor so will see if it solves the issue. If not, I'll get the cat.

[@DaringBeefcake]

ok i hope that fixes the issue.@@jaheimwales1353

[@abdulkadernoorani6402]

Hello, I have an issue with bmw 320i e90 N43 engine, I scanned with the elm327 it showed me the error code P122F, there is a check engine light showing on dashboard.

[@DaringBeefcake]

Your nox sensor might be faulty, may be clear the faults clean the sensor, test drive it or use it as normal and see how you get on, the sensor in not cheap so making sure you need one is the best option.

[@jirayuchulacharit1298]

SO after replace NOX sensor, just erase the fault codes. Don't have to decode/ re-code anything?

[@DaringBeefcake]

I didn’t do any programming but I think it’s recommended to drive the car for 1 hour at speed…

[@MS-we4wi]

You should reset adaptations after replacing it

[@MatiKosa]

Did you register the NOx sensor after installing it?

[@DaringBeefcake]

MatiKosa no I just deleted the fault codes.

[@MatiKosa]

@@DaringBeefcake Fault codes may be gone, but the engine might still not be running the way it should (it is meant to run in stratified charge mode, not homogeneous). ISTA allows you to register a new sensor and delete fuel trim adaptations. Your car will now run with new sensor, but using old adaptations.

[@DaringBeefcake]

MatiKosa thanks for the info, the one I worked on needed to pass the emissions test and stop the engine light coming on. I no longer have this car but your info may help others thank you.

[@emiely8270]

Hello. i want to ask the symptoms when it is cold does the engine shake.

[@jeromegabriel1256]

Hi would it be the same location on a bmw e61? Do you also have a N43 engine?

[@DaringBeefcake]

It might be but am not sure, yes this one has the n43 engine. However the fault could also be the cat converter.

[@jeromegabriel1256]

@@DaringBeefcake Okay thank you for your response 👍 keep it up with your videos!

[@DaringBeefcake]

no problem you welcome...@@jeromegabriel1256

[@shengyang4434]

Hi, I have a 320i e92. With codes 0030DE, 002C7F, 002C6C, 0030DA, 002AFD, 002AF8, 002AF9, 002C32. Is it safe to say the problem is the NOx sensor?

[@teafuse583]

0030DE: This code could indicate an issue with the NOx sensor's electrical circuit. 002C7F, 002C6C, 0030DA, 002AFD, 002AF8, 002AF9, 002C32: These codes are related to fuel mixture, oxygen sensors, and catalytic converter efficiency. They may indicate problems with fuel delivery, exhaust system efficiency, or sensor malfunctions. While the NOx sensor could be a potential culprit for some of these codes, it's essential to diagnose the issue systematically to determine the exact cause. It's recommended to perform a comprehensive diagnostic scan using a BMW-specific diagnostic tool or take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic or BMW dealership for a thorough inspection. They can interpret the fault codes accurately and pinpoint the root cause of the problem to ensure an effective repair.

[@DanielZajic]

For anyone watching this (I have both NOx throwing a fault on my 2012 X5 xDrive35d)... apparently you can soak the sensors in a cleaning fluid, then spray out the carbon using carb cleaner, and have the sensors work again. I'm going to try this soon. It would be a $10 fix, instead of $1000 just for the parts.

[@DaringBeefcake]

Great tip thank you for sharing as others can try different options and save cash. The part is sooo expensive. It also seems the catalytic converter can also get dirty and blocked and cause issues. A bit harder to clean though.

[@DanielZajic]

@@DaringBeefcake Do you know how to remove the front (upstream) sensor?

[@azhar2134]

did it work?

[@ethanroberts1607]

​@@azhar2134I'm also curious to know

[@BmwOwnerAndLover]

After starting sometimes the car does not run as speed drops and goes up a few times. Sometimes while driving in low revs switch 3 to 4 car stutters I have the code 30DA malfunction

[@DaringBeefcake]

sounds like an issue with the catalytic converter..

[@jhaazkahn9852]

Hi can drive with faulty Nox sensor? Thanks

[@DaringBeefcake]

Hi as long as there are no other issues and the car is running ok, then it should be ok, but since it regulates fuel and air the car may run rich and use more fuel but also give out more pollution.

[@jhaazkahn9852]

@@DaringBeefcake it got three faults codes : 30C1 engine oil pressure control static. 2AEC nitrogen oxides sensor. 2A99 crankshaft-camshaft exhaust Plus a stretched timing making noise when engine is cold Bmw quoted me £2650 for new chain Thinking of selling the car

[@zertac6770]

Hi is this same on a 318i e92 ?

[@DaringBeefcake]

Am not sure sorry.

[@nathanssworld6934]

I got the same code and my car is shaking and it doesn’t pull. I will change that tomorrow and see what happens . Thanks

[@DaringBeefcake]

Good luck!

[@mihailungu2823]

I’ve changed the sensor on my E90 thanks to your video, unfortunately the check engine light is still on and I didn’t see any difference on the startup of the engine, do i have to reset the error or something? Any suggestions?

[@DaringBeefcake]

What fault codes did you have on the OBD computer? There is another possible cause for this and it might be a blocked catalytic converter depending on the fault codes you had to start with.

[@Telstar_1]

@@DaringBeefcake Is there a DIY fix for blocked CAT or have to replace? Thanks.

[@DaringBeefcake]

@@Telstar_1 no, bmw software recommends replacing the cat. May be other people are doing diy cleaning am not sure.

[@caerleon9176]

should try cleaning the sensor before replacing it, ouchy pricing! The book says that the sensor should be coded also! I fyou delete the code from the memory, it doesnt clear and leaves you with rough idle and more fuel burn Comes up as P3070 code on INPA.

[@DaringBeefcake]

very pricy for sure..

[@vasilecroitoru6258]

i have bmw f10 528i , cold start the engine is shaking after it is get warm everything is normal . i have changed the spark plugs , ignition coils and still the same only on cold start i have also checked the fuel injectors on oscilloscope . i put the car on tester and there are this errors Nitrogen -oxide sensor, linear oxygen sensor : short circuit Nitrogen -oxide sensor, electric :short circuit Misfire, cylinder 5 : injection is cut of Misfire, cylinder 4 : injection is cut of Misfire several cylinders : injection is cut of Nitrogen -oxide sensor , binary oxygen sensor : Short circuit Should i change the nox sensor ?? Thank you

[@014Sedat]

It can be your fuel, get it from other place your fuel and check your cold start again. Bu be shure that your old fuel is empty in your fueltank.

[@emiely8270]

I have the same problem. I changed fuel and it's the same. I wrote to you above, I meant this as a colleague, only with the 523i e60

[@canerkorkoca3052]

Did you fix this? Please let me know have the same problem, same car and same faults!

[@01123581321341]

A blanket must do for all watching. You MUST code the new Nox sensor to the car. You CANT just replace it, clear codes and that’s that. The car has know it has been replaced.

[@DaringBeefcake]

Appreciate the comment and feedback back thank you.

[@garydeasy]

Hi Guys , I need some help please. I am trying to get a NOX emulator fitted to my 320i . I bought NOXEM 130 from bimmerprofs.com , I have to get a mechanic to fit because I cannot get under the car. He says it can be fit in two positions after the CAT , which position is it? Close the CAT or further away ? Also is one of these sensor a lambda and the other a NOX sensor? I am getting confused between Oxygen Sensor / Lambda Sensor and NOX Sensor , are these all the same or are their differences? Any help would be greatly appreciated

[@macardabirturk9380]

Dude, after replacing this part, will it be enough to just reset the classic reset and delete the error code?🫡

[@DaringBeefcake]

To be honest it appears that you need to program the sensor to the car. Do you have any symptoms?