[morriscat]

Looking for some tribal knowledge here.

I have a 2016 228i with a 6MT. I got in February with 16k miles on it and it's at 25k now. Today it lit up with a "Drivetrain Malfunction: Drive Moderately" error.

Bimmerlink shows the following codes:
1D3101 - Clutch Damaged
1D3201 - Clutch Seriously Damaged

Now, given that I'm not new to a manual transmission and don't drive particularly aggressively, and I don't ride the clutch, this seems awfully low miles for a bad clutch. I also would have expected to feel it slipping or smelling a hot clutch, and neither of those things has happened either.

That said, it has been very hot the last couple days. Is it possible this is a sensor issue? I reset the code with bimmerlink and I'm going to keep an eye on it for a week or two before I pull the trigger on a visit to the shop, but any wisdom from the group on this error would be helpful.

[Poochie]

Not exactly a 228i but this can be related, since they share the same drivetrain:


https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...46924-9999.pdf


https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...n-Error-Clutch

[morriscat]

Originally Posted by Poochie

Not exactly a 228i but this can be related, since they share the same drivetrain:

Yeah, I saw that too. I'm hoping some other owners are going to say "oh yeah, that happened to me too so I cleared it and it never came back."

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by morriscat

Yeah, I saw that too. I'm hoping some other owners are going to say "oh yeah, that happened to me too so I cleared it and it never came back."

Honestly, this is first I ever heard of this error code, it's certainly not a common one. I wasn't even aware that these vehicles can detect a worn or defective clutch.. 🤷🏻

I would share an anecdotal story; I purchase a certified pre-own Acura and two months later, I found out the clutch was worn; the previous owner must of dogged it.

So, you can never tell when you purchase a used vehicle, with something as hidden as the clutch components.

[morriscat]

Originally Posted by Poochie

Honestly, this is first I ever heard of this error code, it's certainly not a common one. I wasn't even aware that these vehicles can detach a worn or defective clutch.. 🤷🏻

I would say share an anecdotal story; I purchase a certified pre-own Acura and two months later, I found out the clutch was worn; the previous owner must of dogged it.

So, you can never tell when you purchase a used vehicle, with something as hidden as the clutch components.

Yeah... I did notice a burning clutch sms the first few times I drove it, and I DEFINITELY wasn't pushing it, but it went away so I thought it was just something from the previous owner not driving it. I cleared the codes and took it back out and it's definitely slipping, so that's a couple grand of repairs.

Cost of doing business I suppose.

[chattanooga240]

Originally Posted by morriscat

Cost of doing business I suppose.

Cost of revving to 4k and dropping the clutch for burnouts is more likely at that mileage. (looks like the previous owner had a good time with it.)

[Maynard]

Mine is an AT so I'm not really current on this, but I recall a lot of angst about the dual mass flywheels on these; this might be a good time to ask around to see if there are good alternatives; and I'd also drop Mike Miller an email. If you got it from a BMW dealer, it wouldn't hurt to try asking them if they can help - technically this would almost surely be a wear/operator error issue, but they sometimes comp repairs, especially with low miles and you only having it since Feb.

[morriscat]

Originally Posted by chattanooga240

Cost of revving to 4k and dropping the clutch for burnouts is more likely at that mileage. (looks like the previous owner had a good time with it.)

It's weird though... Previous owner only put 16k miles in four years. It SEEMED like I was getting a lightly used car, but maybe not. *I* certainly haven't been doing burnouts in it.

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by morriscat

It's weird though... Previous owner only put 16k miles in four years. It SEEMED like I was getting a lightly used car, but maybe not. *I* certainly haven't been doing burnouts in it.

Isn't there rev-related logging in the DME for a certain time period? I don't know why I think that there is some sort of logging related to that and BMW can pull that in extreme warranty scenarios.

I could be entirely wrong. Surely if such a thing exists it can prove that you weren't pulling burnouts.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Maynard

I recall a lot of angst about the dual mass flywheels on these; this might be a good time to ask around to see if there are good alternatives; and I'd also drop Mike Miller an email.

I'd also look at going with a Clutch Masters unit if the car will be used for any kind of performance driving, including spririted street driving on back roads, canyons, etc.: https://www.bimmerworld.com/ssearch.html#/filter:finder_hierarchy_2:2$2520Series~F22$2520$25 2F$2520F23$2520(2014$252B)~228i/q:/filter:sitecategory_hierarchyriveline/perpage:40/sortrice_min:desc.

Bimmerworld can answer questions about available flywheel replacements, including why you might or might not want one.

[K8_M235i]

Originally Posted by morriscat

It's weird though... Previous owner only put 16k miles in four years. It SEEMED like I was getting a lightly used car, but maybe not. *I* certainly haven't been doing burnouts in it.

It's probably more likely that it was owned by someone new to manual cars. If someone was constantly doing burnouts you would probably notice other signs of that behavior.

Since you got that code (which I didn't even know existed) the friction disc is probably extremely thin.

Not that you can't wear a clutch out from burnouts, I just think it's unlikely, especially in only 16k miles.
The PO probably just rode the clutch hard.

You probably still have a lightly used car.

[gosi]

I really doubt someone new to manual would:
a) Buy a 300+ horsepower car to learn in
b) Not get a hang of it in 4 years

Bad drivers in Europe ride the clutch all the time in their econoboxes and the clutches last longer than 4 years.

My money is on abuse.

[chattanooga240]

Originally Posted by gosi

My money is on abuse.

This ^^^

The age and mileage are dead giveaways.

[morriscat]

Originally Posted by chattanooga240

This ^^^

The age and mileage are dead giveaways.

I would have thought an abuser would put more mileage on it, but I guess I thought wrong.

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by morriscat

I would have thought an abuser would put more mileage on it, but I guess I thought wrong.

With the right A-hole, they can toast a clutch, in one night out.. Trust me, I know a couple of them..

It doesn't much effort, with the right lack of skills or general haste..

This is why its so much more riskier to lend someone your car, with has a manual transmission. There are way too much room for user error, for my liking and is more difficult to sustain and prove fault, as you're experiencing, with a used purchase.