As touched upon in a previous post (Smog Check OBD Reference Update) certain 1999 and 2000 model year BMW vehicles with 2.5 liter and 2.8 liter displacement engines that are having trouble passing the smog inspection due to incomplete monitors may be subject to a voluntary emissions recall (00E-A01: Fault Access/O2 Readiness Codes).
| Model | Manufactured | |
| E39 | 528i, 528iA, 528iT, 528iAT | 2/99-7/99 |
| E46 | 328i, 328iA, 323i, 323iA | 3/98-7/99 |
| E46 | 328iC, 328iCA, 323iC, 323iCA | 2/99-7/99 |
| E36/7 | Z3 coupe 2.8 | 4/99-7/99 |
| E36/7 | Z3 roadster 2.8 | 4/99-7/99 |
| E36/7 | Z3 roadster 2.3 | 9/98-7/99 |
BMW has determined that certain 1999 & 2000 model year BMW automobiles with 2.5 liter and 2.8 liter displacement engines may not fully meet Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board on-board diagnostic requirements.
There are two issues:
- Due to an engine control module software error, a communication conflict exists between the engine control module (“The Computer”) and the transmission control module (“The other Computer”). This may lead to difficulties or prevent communication and data transmission between the engine control module and and diagnostic equipment (Including the “Smog Machine”).
- The oxygen sensor readiness monitor may not run to completion on affected E36/7, E46 and E39 vehicles.
Owners of affected vehicles should have received a letter from BMW as early as November 2000; however if you own one of these affected vehicles and are having trouble receiving California smog certification due to incomplete monitors or communications issues (Or are due for a smog inspection) and have not completed the recall, you should contact your BMW dealer. It may help to refer to Emissions Recall 00E-A01 and BMW Bulletin SI B 12 15 99.
How do I fix it?
As the original article indicated:
I do own one of these models, but I never received a letter, I called BMW of North America, and they stated that I would have to pay the dealer $317.00 for this 00E-A01 recall, I also called my local BMW dealer, and they said the same thing, anybody else out there run into this same problem
I have a 99 bmw z3 and had same experience, went to 3 different star stations and state diagnostic would not read my car for test. Researched issue, recall 00E-A01, and went to bmw dealership the said they would check it out. They reprogrammed the dme with software and charged me for it. They said that there was no open recall and I had to pay to get my car back.