So, first off, here's some background.

The car is a stock JCW R57, with a resonator delete.

I was going for a spirited drive (I was not beating on it though), and stopped to take some pictures, started my car back up and my handbrake light was yellow, with the engine-lift-service-light-thing. I shut the car down and started back up, light went away. So I continued driving down the mountain.

On my way home on the freeway I downshifted and gunned it for no apparent reason (not gonna lie) and the car went into limp mode. As I continued home, the car went in and out of limp mode a few times (the limp mode was just cutting boost). And now that's pretty much it. I plan on taking it to the dealer tomorrow (extended warranty) but I would just at least like to have an idea of what is wrong, and what I might have to pay for.

Thanks.

And also, what a terrible first post

 

What year is your car? And is there a CEL light lit? Do you have a way to scan for trouble codes?

Without reading the trouble codes it's a crap shoot.

 

It's a 2009. There is a Limp mode light on, that's all. And I don't have a way to scan codes.

 

90% of the time limp mode is triggered by soft codes or codes that are only readable by MINI scanners. Your usual hand-held scanner or Autozone won't be able to pull that info.

 

You need get it read. Oh well, tomorrow will be here soon enough.

 

Are you referring to the half-filled engine symbol in the tach? Or is it a yellow outline of an engine?

 

It is a half filled in engine.

 

That's not going to be readable code even if you had a reader. The only things outside of the dealer that could read that is systems like the Bavarian Technic software.

 

Well, I plan on taking it to the dealer tomorrow morning. Hopefully whatever is causing it is under warranty.

 

Learn something everyday.

 

Lol I fought with that stupid symbol for the better part of a year so I try and help others before they get too far into figuring out how to read it.

 

Cheap code readers will only read the standard codes, not the BMW proprietry code. To read these you need BMW software, or something like bavarian technic, autoenginuity or autologic.

Bavarian technic does not read the codes from N18 engines properly BTW. It is only updated to 2009.

However, YOU CAN get those codes from the car without even having a code reader, through the secret menu, menu 14. However, it just gives you the BMW code number eg "A3B2" etc, without any explanation as to what it means. You can try searching for them on the internet. Some are well known, eg BMW code 2885 = "boost pressure implausibility", which is probably the commonest cause of a half yellow. The problem is these codes are not necessarily consistent from one BMW DME to another, so a google search may be misleading.

 

Update: Got the car back from the dealer. Turned out the BOV failed and wouldn't hold boost.