BMW 3146 — Terminal Status Message Missing
U111E · Lost communication
Fault 3146 (U111E) is logged by the DME when the CAN "terminal status" message (ID 0x130) stops arriving entirely. This message carries KL15 ignition state — essential information for the DME to know when to wake, prime, and initialise. On E-series cars the transmitter is usually the CAS; on E9x and later platforms it is the JBBF/JBE. A missing terminal status message means the DME is left guessing about ignition state, which frequently results in start/stop issues even if the engine will eventually run.
The DME has not received message 0x130 within the expected timeout (ISTA latches the fault after approximately 0.5 s of absence with battery voltage above 11.0 V and Terminal 15 engaged). Either the transmitter has gone offline, has lost power/ground, or the CAN wiring between transmitter and DME is broken.
Safety warning
This fault affects the DME's awareness of ignition state. Avoid extended cranking attempts while diagnosing — if the fault is intermittent and the DME misses wake-up, repeated unsuccessful cranks can flood the catalyst with fuel.
- Module
- DME
- Severity
- Warning
Symptoms
Hard start, long crank, no start (particularly intermittent). Other modules may also report lost communication with CAS/JBBF simultaneously. Some owners see the car crank but not fire until several attempts; others see no crank at all when the fault is fully present.
Common causes
Ranked by frequency:
- Dead or nearly-dead battery (the most common single cause)
- Water damage to JBBF/JBE on E9x (water leaks from cabin filter housing or A-pillar into the footwell, corroding the module)
- Failed CAS on E-series (often preceded by intermittent EWS/CAS faults or key-detection issues)
- Open or shorted CAN wiring in the body-to-engine harness
- Blown fuse feeding the transmitter module (check the relevant power distribution per wiring diagrams)
Diagnosis
- Check battery voltage and condition. A weak battery can cause bus participants to drop offline.
- Try to connect to CAS (E-series) or JBBF (E9x+) with ISTA. If the module doesn't identify, it's the prime suspect.
- Inspect the relevant module physically. On E9x check the JBBF behind the glove box for water damage — a widely documented failure mode.
- Check fuses supplying the transmitter's KL30 permanent power.
- Battery disconnected, measure CAN bus termination: approximately 60 ohms at the DLC. A reading of 120 ohms indicates the transmitter's termination has dropped out.
Resolution
- Dead battery → replace and register
- Water-damaged JBBF → fix the leak first, then replace the module; programming/coding required
- Failed CAS → dealer-level replacement with EWS key pairing
- Wiring break → locate and repair Clear fault memories after repair, attempt an ignition cycle, re-scan.