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BMW X3 Check Engine Light
A glaring light indicates that the problem is harsh and if not taken care of immediately may result in substantial damage to the car. If the check engine light in your BMW X3 starts glaring, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your BMW should be delivered in immediately. This blinking light usually indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A bad, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is shining, please contact our company of automotive experts at Nalley BMW of Decatur shortly by calling 770-628-5694. 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 excessively expensive repair.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a BMW X3?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a serious problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow typically means something less serious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in serious trouble and service is needed immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your BMW X3, we highly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule BMW service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are fundamental for your BMW X3. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel assortment in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. 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 bad or former, you will experience poor 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 damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, big to more costly repairs.
- One of the most clear and countless cause is that your BMW X3 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 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 bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is former 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 costly. If your check engine light turns on suddenly after you put gas in your BMW X3, earliest thing you should check is to make bold the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump. 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 damage to your catalytic converter and your BMW X3's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to recommend the judicious assortment of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 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 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 added problems from overheating.
- Your BMW X3 has a vacuum leak. Every BMW X3 has a vacuum system that performs a wide mixture of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower 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 dry out and crack, hugely if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme crisp.
- 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 fundamental to run your engine efficiently by measuring the fee of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your BMW X3 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or added item can wreak havoc on your BMW X3 if it’s not installed appropriately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound common, bring your X3 to BMW and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed well and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, hugely aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts earliest place might price a slight bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, noted as the O2 sensor, measures the fee of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less practical when it comes to fuel economy.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your BMW X3 is every tall. 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 certainly require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of BMW you commute, but check our current service coupons and specials.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is troublesome to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Nalley BMW of Decatur to assist glance if your vehicle is protected to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.
BMW X3 Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right 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 little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, obvious and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of possible reasons for the light, including:
- Old Battery
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Emissions controls issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- O2 Sensor
- Ignition system faults
- Computer output circuit issues
- Transmission issues
Is it safe to drive your BMW X3 with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is shining, this means that there is a severe issue and it is recommended to service your BMW X3 straightaway. This question is not very not difficult because it each depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to drive. This is generally indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a variety in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more tough problem. Call the advisors at Nalley BMW of Decatur by dialing 770-628-5694 so you can describe the issues. Or cut your speed and bring your BMW to our certified mechanics as soon as attainable.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your BMW X3 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few different 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 BMW X3. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as serious as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 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 investigate why your check engine light is shining.
BMW X3 Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are countless potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other common reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, 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 fixed.
Every 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 exactly 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 Highly Qualified Service professional.
Check Engine Light Service BMW X3
What do you do when you’re driving along in your BMW X3 and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most BMW owners, your heart sinks a little because you have little idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost 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 BMW X3 checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.
When your 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 scan 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 experienced professional to determine the issue and repair it.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more perilous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it superior to get the honest code reading and diagnosis. The intermediate cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The superior news, Nalley BMW of Decatur offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to aid advocate the cause of your check engine light.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your BMW X3 will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. 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 a lot 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 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.