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04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
- james078
- Newbie
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:09 pm
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
My 04' E85 with 236K miles appears to have had the EPS motor/ECU die on it - the light is on and stays on, steering is stiff... for a long time, the light would sometimes stay on at ignition, I could then turn off and restart the car and it would go away... I did do diagnostics with DIS, it says there is No Communication with the EPS... any thoughts on other things I should check, or just proceed with finding a good used EPS ECU/Motor on eBay and moving forward with replacement?
2004 E85 Z4 3.0i, ~230K miles...bought it new, 1 and only owner, still love the car!
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 14830
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
The EPS ECU has failed. Don’t buy secondhand! No idea of its history.
Get yours out, send it to ECUTesting via their eBay ad and it will come back in around 3 days with a lifetime warranty for £295.
Where are you?
If close to me I’m happy to help or failing that PM me a contact number and I’ll talk you through it.
Fairly straightforward job tbh.
Get yours out, send it to ECUTesting via their eBay ad and it will come back in around 3 days with a lifetime warranty for £295.
Where are you?
If close to me I’m happy to help or failing that PM me a contact number and I’ll talk you through it.
Fairly straightforward job tbh.
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04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
I have same problem I'm not an experienced mechanic but enuff_zed gave me excellent help & support and I got my EPS motor off without any problems. Sent off to ECU testing for rebuild, they organized pick up by DHL included in the price! It went off yesterday. I'll update when it comes back.
Enuff_zed is soooo helpful. Gave me the confidence to do the job myself (had been quoted £900 + vat by a local garage. And that was only an estimate!).
Enuff_zed is soooo helpful. Gave me the confidence to do the job myself (had been quoted £900 + vat by a local garage. And that was only an estimate!).
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
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- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
Thanks for the recommendation. Easy to explain with a column on the bench to photograph.Nidge wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 9:52 am I have same problem I'm not an experienced mechanic but enuff_zed gave me excellent help & support and I got my EPS motor off without any problems. Sent off to ECU testing for rebuild, they organized pick up by DHL included in the price! It went off yesterday. I'll update when it comes back.
Enuff_zed is soooo helpful. Gave me the confidence to do the job myself (had been quoted £900 + vat by a local garage. And that was only an estimate!).
If the OP happens to be near you then maybe we can extend the help.
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04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
Sure, no problem. Happy to help if I can. @james078 where in the country are you?
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 14830
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
james078, as Nidge just pointed out to me, if you have WhatsApp then I could simply forward our conversation to you, complete with photos.
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 14830
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
I wonder how many tens of thousands of pounds have been saved by the combined knowledge of this forum?
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04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
In 2016 I was quoted £3500 to fix it!
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 14830
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
That would have been a complete column change, which is the only way BMW or big Indies will tackle it. Ludicrous once you realise how easy it is to swap the motor.
And no need to go cutting that sacrificial section out of the lower dash either.
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04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
Please also check battery condition, specially if its intermittent.james078 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 12:19 am My 04' E85 with 236K miles appears to have had the EPS motor/ECU die on it - the light is on and stays on, steering is stiff... for a long time, the light would sometimes stay on at ignition, I could then turn off and restart the car and it would go away... I did do diagnostics with DIS, it says there is No Communication with the EPS... any thoughts on other things I should check, or just proceed with finding a good used EPS ECU/Motor on eBay and moving forward with replacement?
- james078
- Newbie
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:09 pm
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
Thanks for all the feedback!!! I have had this car since new, so we’ve been through a lot together … I live in the US (Texas) so not sure ECS is an option… haven’t seen any rebuilders here, LMK if you’re aware of any…
2004 E85 Z4 3.0i, ~230K miles...bought it new, 1 and only owner, still love the car!
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04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
Hi @james078. Check out ECUtesting.com. they do international shipping although I don't know the full details. They're good at replies, so you'll find out quick enough.
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
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- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
No problem at all.
Will only cost you a return flight and I'll bring one over and fit it for you
- james078
- Newbie
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:09 pm
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
Looks like ECS does do international ! Next question is there youtube video or pics/instructions of how to get this removed? I want to try and get this out this week and sent to ECS if I can... Thanks!!!
2004 E85 Z4 3.0i, ~230K miles...bought it new, 1 and only owner, still love the car!
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 14830
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
04 E85 3.0i - EPS light on and stiff steering
Can I WhatsApp you all the info and photos I sent to Nidge? If you can PM me a contact number?