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2013 BMW X3 Check Engine Light

A flashing light expresses that the problem is dangerous and if not taken care of hastily may result in major wear and tear to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2013 BMW X3 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your BMW should be brought in hastily. This flashing light consistently implies a rigorous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be ditched into the exhaust system. There it can hastily surge the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is conceivable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A destructive, aged or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive mentors at Nalley BMW of Decatur promptly by calling 7706285694. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a exceedingly expensive repair.

Check Engine Light Service 2013 BMW X3

What do you do when you’re driving along in your BMW X3 and quickly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most BMW owners, your heart sinks a tiny because you have tiny idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the price of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2013 BMW X3 checked as soon as accessible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing generous damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2013 BMW X3's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic probe tool that is used by our BMW auto repair mechanics at Nalley BMW of Decatur. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an skilled mechanical to choice the issue and repair it.

2013 BMW X3 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are copious capability causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are different regular causes including something as uncomplicated as a loose gas cap. Different regular reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the BMW Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your BMW issue was serviced.

Every 2013 BMW X3 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its crucial systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what precisely is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley BMW of Decatur provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Very Qualified Service professional.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is blinking, we recommend that you pull over and contact Nalley BMW of Decatur to help represent if your automobile is safe to travel to work in or if we recommend a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how many miles you can travel to work with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average rate for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is generally between $88 and $111. The fantastic news, Nalley BMW of Decatur offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help advocate the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more hazardous failure like a harmful catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it fantastic to get the lawful code reading and diagnosis.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2013 BMW X3?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as logical as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a precarious problem that could cause precarious damage to your engine and come with a exemplary repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow normally means something fewer precarious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in precarious trouble and service is crucial immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2013 BMW X3, we highly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule BMW service today. Below is a list of the most acceptable reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your BMW X3 is what determines how much fuel is basic to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to precise changes, like altitude. If your BMW X3 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a harmful mass airflow sensor.
  • One of the most easy and several cause is that your 2013 BMW X3 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2013 BMW X3 serves multiple purposes. It prevents gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a harmful fuel cap? If your gas cap is traditional or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your 2013 BMW X3, first thing you should check is to make hopeful the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • The battery is scanty or dead. The battery in your 2013 BMW X3 is every meaningful. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of BMW you drive, but check our historical service coupons and specials.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your 2013 BMW X3. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your car. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are harmful or traditional, you will experience scanty performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or wear and tear to ignition coils and O2 sensors, considerable to more expensive repairs.
  • Issues with each aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or contrasting item can wreak havoc on your 2013 BMW X3 if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can ditch the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the car from starting. If these issues sound friendly, bring your X3 to BMW and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing each issue. Getting accessories, notably aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a inexpensive bit more but could save you money from having to get scanty work and wear and tear caused by scanty installation work corrected.
  • Your 2013 BMW X3 has a vacuum leak. Every BMW X3 has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps reduce harmful emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can arid out and crack, notably if they’re exposed to competent heat or extreme agreeable.
  • Your catalytic converter is harmful or going harmful. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2013 BMW X3’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Nalley BMW of Decatur offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every BMW service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2013 BMW X3 will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause contrasting problems from overheating.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your car will be fewer factual when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause wear and tear to your catalytic converter and your 2013 BMW X3's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to represent the polite mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A harmful O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.

Is it safe to drive your 2013 BMW X3 with the check engine light on?

This question is not very convenient because it all depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be firm to drive. This is regularly indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more awful problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a awful issue and it is recommended to service your BMW X3 instantly. Call the experts at Nalley BMW of Decatur by dialing 7706285694 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and transport your 2013 BMW to our certified mechanics as soon as feasible.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most constantly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2013 BMW X3 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in assorted assorted ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2013 BMW X3. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a mixture of different things. It can be as straightforward as your gas cap being loose or as bizarre as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2013 BMW X3, contact Nalley BMW of Decatur. Contact Nalley BMW of Decatur today! Our BMW service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.

2013 BMW X3 Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that tiny light on your vehicle’s dashboard hastily illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear proper away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your X3. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a tiny patience, tackling decisive diagnostics will give you helpful knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, evident and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of cogent OBD codes, there are also hundreds of cogent reasons for the light, including:

  • O2 Sensor
  • Computer output circuit issues
  • Old Battery
  • Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
  • Emissions controls issues
  • Ignition system faults
  • Bad Spark Plugs
  • Fuel and air metering systems problems
  • Transmission issues

This is why it is basic for someone who does not have various of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out hastily by a certified BMW mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a persuasive concern, you risk damaging your automobile supplemental by not repairing the issue equitable away. Call Nalley BMW of Decatur at 7706285694 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2013 BMW X3 will regularly shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is repaired. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going functional, and you did various of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your 2013 BMW X3 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Nalley BMW of Decatur so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.