2012 BMW 328i - P1017 VVT Sensor Plausibility - N20 Engine

Question

My F30 328i suddenly went into limp mode with a 'Drivetrain Malfunction' message on the iDrive screen. It feels very sluggish and the idle is hunting between 600 and 1000 RPM. I pulled the codes and I'm getting P1017 and P1014 related to the Valvetronic system.

I'm terrified this is going to be the eccentric shaft or the motor itself. I tried unplugging the Valvetronic motor and plugging it back in to check for oil in the connector but it looked dry. Is there anything else it could be before I drop $2k at the dealer?

GrandmaGeartooth · Accepted Answer

✅ Confirmed fix: The Valvetronic eccentric shaft sensor was failing internally. I had to remove the valve cover to replace the eccentric shaft and the sensor. Note: when doing this on the N20, you must use a scan tool to perform the 'learn' procedure for the limit stops. Once the new hardware was installed and the adaptation was run, the idle smoothed out and full power was restored.

OvernightOscar · Answer

You might want to check your battery voltage. These BMWs do very strange things when the battery is on its way out, and the Valvetronic motor pulls a lot of amperage to move that shaft. If your voltage is dipping below 12.2V with the engine off, start there.

2012 BMW 328i - P1017 VVT Sensor Plausibility - N20 Engine

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