BMW 006293: EKPS Control Current Too High — Diagnosis and Repair

006293 is EKPS: Control current too high. The electronic fuel-pump control module records it when the electrical load needed to drive the in-tank pump becomes excessive. The event can reflect a dragging pump, restricted delivery path, damaged wiring, or an overheated EKPS rather than a simple pressure complaint. What Does BMW 006293 Mean? 006293 means the EKPS measured abnormally high control current while operating the electric in-tank fuel pump. Current is the decisive quantity: a pump can still run and create some delivery pressure while mechanical drag or an electrical defect forces the controller to supply more current than intended. On BMW vehicles using demand-controlled fuel delivery, the EKPS changes pump output according to the DME request. The code therefore belongs to the low-pressure electrical supply side, before the high-pressure pump. Vehicle generation, engine, installed controller, and stored operating conditions determine the applicable BMW test plan. Code: 006293 Definition: EKPS: Control current too high Module: EKPS fuel-pump control Key data: commanded pump output, control current, low-pressure response Typical cause: overloaded in-tank pump circuit Severity: medium to high Note: verify by VIN-specific wiring and test plan Record the stored event before clearing it. A hot restart or high-demand acceleration event is more useful than a warning lamp alone. What Symptoms Can BMW 006293 Produce? The symptoms follow the moment when pump current rises: priming may sound rough, fuel delivery may respond slowly, or the engine may hesitate during the first strong demand after idling. If current rises while delivery falls, the pump is working harder without moving the expected fuel; that relationship is more specific than a generic drivetrain warning. • The in-tank pump sounds harsher during key-on priming, especially after the fuel tank becomes warm. • Low-pressure fuel delivery recovers slowly after startup while current rises instead of settling normally. • Acceleration hesitation appears as requested fuel delivery increases, then eases immediately when engine load is reduced. • A hot restart takes longer because a heat-soaked pump or cannot sustain the requested output. • The housing or its connector becomes unusually warm during repeated priming attempts without stable delivery. • The engine can stall under demand when pump speed drops despite an unchanged or increasing command. Why Does BMW 006293 Occur? 006293 occurs when the fuel-pump circuit demands excessive electrical current. Begin with tank level, connector condition, and supply-voltage loss because they are accessible and can distort controller operation. Continue toward a restricted pump inlet, internal pump friction, or EKPS output-stage damage only after the external circuit and delivery path have been separated by measurement. • Low system voltage forces the to increase duty while the pump struggles to maintain requested delivery. • Heat-damaged connector pins add resistance and local heating at the or in-tank pump connection. • A chafed fuel-pump supply wire creates intermittent excessive load when the body or rear seat moves. • Contaminated fuel obstructs the pump inlet strainer, increasing mechanical effort during sustained high-demand operation. • Worn pump bearings or commutator segments raise current and produce an uneven sound during controlled activation. • A damaged output stage reports or delivers excessive current despite a mechanically healthy fuel pump. How Can OBDThink Diagnose BMW 006293? OBDThink is an independent BMW coding and diagnostics app and is not affiliated with BMW AG. Save the complete EKPS and DME scan, the stored freeze frame data, and current fault status before clearing stored fault codes. Compare the pump command with delivery response during one controlled prime, idle, and brief load event; repeated uncontrolled priming can overheat an already overloaded circuit. • 1. Save status, occurrence count, system voltage, and operating conditions before clearing stored fault codes. • 2. Listen through one priming cycle and note whether pump sound becomes rough as current demand rises. • 3. Compare requested pump output with low-pressure response at idle and during a brief, safe acceleration. • 4. Inspect and pump connector pins for heat discoloration, looseness, moisture, or softened plastic. • 5. Measure voltage drop across the loaded power and ground paths rather than relying on continuity alone. • 6. Move the rear harness gently during activation; a current jump identifies a wiring or connector defect. • 7. If wiring remains stable, compare pump current and delivery cold versus fully heat-soaked operation. • 8. Use the -specific test plan to distinguish a dragging pump from an output fault. IF EKPS current rises AND fuel delivery falls during the same load increase, THEN isolate pump restriction or mechanical drag. ELSE IF current changes when the rear harness moves, THEN repair the supply or connector. ELSE compare a known-good pump load before condemning EKPS. The fastest separation is simultaneous direction: rising current with falling delivery implicates pump load; current spikes with harness movement implicate wiring. How Is BMW 006293 Repaired? Repair the cause demonstrated by the loaded circuit test, not the code label alone. Restore weak supply or ground paths first, then correct overheated connections and tank contamination. Replace the in-tank pump only when excessive current follows the pump across valid power and delivery checks; replace and program the EKPS only after pump load is proven normal. • Low cost: clean and secure the battery and ground connection if loaded voltage loss is excessive. • Low cost: repair overheated or loose connector pins using the correct terminals and undamaged housing. • Moderate cost: replace damaged rear-body wiring where movement reproduces the current increase. • Moderate cost: clean a contaminated tank and renew the obstructed pump strainer according to procedure. • High cost: replace the in-tank pump when mechanical drag produces excessive current and weak delivery. • High cost: replace and code the when a known-good pump still produces incorrect control current. After repair, run controlled priming and a post-repair check; confirm 006293 no longer occurs and delivery follows demand without abnormal current. Can You Drive With BMW 006293? Short travel may be possible when the engine starts normally, delivery remains stable, and there is no fuel odor or connector heat. Nevertheless, excessive pump current can become a sudden no-start or stall as temperature and demand rise. Avoid high load, overtaking, remote routes, and repeated restart attempts until the circuit is measured. Stop driving if the engine hesitates severely, stalls, the rear-seat area smells of hot plastic, or the EKPS connector becomes hot. Arrange recovery rather than repeatedly cycling the ignition. Continued overload can damage wiring, the controller, or the pump and may remove fuel delivery without much warning. Stop immediately for stalling, fuel odor, smoke, or hot-plastic smell near the rear seat or EKPS. Which Questions Are Frequently Asked? Owners often ask whether 006293 proves the pump or EKPS has failed. It proves excessive control current, not which part caused it. The questions below focus on evidence that separates mechanical pump load, voltage loss, wiring movement, and controller error without replacing both expensive components together. • Does always mean the fuel pump is bad? No. A restricted inlet, damaged wiring, weak supply, or output-stage defect can create the same current result. Loaded voltage and delivery tests identify the responsible path. • Can clearing fix the vehicle? No. Clearing removes the diagnostic record but does not remove mechanical drag or an electrical overload. Preserve the event data first, then reproduce the condition safely. • Should the and pump be replaced together? Not routinely. Prove pump load with stable wiring and delivery measurements first. Replace the controller only when a healthy pump still produces an incorrect current response. Treat current and fuel delivery as one paired test. Preserve the evidence, compare their direction under the same operating event, and repair only the path that fails; this avoids turning a measurable EKPS overload into an expensive parts-swapping exercise.