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Thread: BMW dealership couldn't resolve a check engine light after 5 visits over 3 months...

  1. #1
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    BMW dealership couldn't resolve a check engine light after 5 visits over 3 months...

    *sigh*

    ...and BMW NA customer relations seemingly didn't care.

    Yup, 5 visits within 3 months (59 days in the dealership, 4 comeback concern visits)

    My experience with BMW NA customer relations was one of the most disappointing experiences I've ever had with any customer relations department. The rep they assigned to my case was either hard to get a hold of, or was just regurgitating answers from his "field team" as a middle man.

    The car is a 2013 M5 with 64k miles. Purchased as CPO in 2015 from Lauderdale BMW with 20k miles and purchased with extended maintenance package. I have owned the car for about 3.5 years now, never any major issues besides small coolant leaks and an oil pan gasket leak. The car is 100% stock with the exception of a handful of cosmetic iND upgrades.

    The dealer servicing the car is Lauderdale BMW, same dealer I purchased the car from.

    CPO warranty expired at the end of August 2018.

    Back in July '18, my 2013 CPO M5 had some routine maintenance due such as:

    • oil change
    • microfilter
    • wiper blades
    • washer fluid top off
    • brake pad inspection


    ...typical "Standard Scope / Condition Based Servicing" items. I brought the car into the dealer on July 23rd to have what should have been a quick in and out visit. A loaner vehicle was provided, a 2019 430i Gran Coupe. About 3 days after I dropped the car off, the service advisor calls me to say that the tech found a coolant leak on a hose (pn# 17-12-2-284-288) that was in a difficult spot to change without ?removing the engine? to get to the hose. I don't remember exactly what the process needed to have done to get to that hose, but it was something along those lines of having to drop the engine. The hose itself is a bunch of snakes due to the complicated cooling system of the S63tu. The service advisor petitioned BMW to "goodwill" the repair since its labor price would have been astronomical for a simple coolant hose. BMW did indeed goodwill the repair at a 65/35 split on parts and labor along with a broken cabin air vent on the driver side. I picked up the car on July 31st (8 days in shop). Total cost after what was to be a simple visit: $951.89.

    About a week and a half later, I take the car on a road trip to Orlando which is about 200mi. drive each way. On the way up, the check engine light turned on, however, the car continued to drive normal. I didn't notice anything of concern, so I left it as something to deal with when I returned from my trip. I kept my hopes up that it was a gas cap thing or something and that it would go away, I was wrong... the check engine light remained lit the entire time we were in Orlando.

    On August 21st, I brought the M5 back in to the dealer to address the check engine light. A loaner vehicle was again provided, 2018 X2 sDrive28i. The actual reason the light is on is buried somewhere in this write-up that was on my invoice:

    62523 SOFTWARE ERROR C/B CODE KM872 CPO. CONFIRMED CUSTOMER'S CONCERN. INSTALLED BATTERY CHARGER. PERFORMED VEHICLE TEST. FOUND FAULT 118021 ( MIXTURE CONTROL, OXYGEN SENSOR ADAPTATION DUE TO ROUGH RUNNING, BANK 1: CYLINDER SPECIFIC TOTAL ADAPTATION ABOVE VALID RANGE, 11811 ( MIXTURE CONTROL 2, CROSS BANK FUEL-AIR MIXTURE TOO RICH ),. PERFORMED MIXTURE CONTROL TEST PLAN. TEST PLAN FOUND NO FAULTS. PERFORMED MISFIRE TEST PLAN. TEST PLAN CHECKED LOW PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM FOR OPERATION, TEST PLAN CHECKED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM FOR PROPER OPERATION. TESTED INJECTORS FOR LEAKS. TEST SPARK PLUGS. TEST PLAN FOUND NO FAULTS. SUBMITTED PUMA CASE 64419735 PUMA STATED TO PERFORM VEHICLE SOFTWARE UPDATE. PERFORMED VEHICLE UPDATE AS PER PUMA. CASE NUMBER 64419735. ROAD TESTED VEHICLE. VEHICLE OPERATING CORRECTLY AFTER REPAIRS.
    Yeah... nothing found but they performed a software update and it seemed to clear the code. The software update also managed to ruin my LCI ceramic iDrive controller which I retrofitted.. and the dealer went and replaced it with a new non-ceramic non-LCI one.... riight. I picked up the car again on August 28th (7 more days in the shop). I was charged a deductible for the visit, Total: $53.

    Along comes Labor day weekend, and I take the car out for about an hour ride on that Saturday just before labor day... check engine light illuminated again. Nothing strange going on with how the car is running or anything, but noticing strange idling RPM fluctuations and a rough idle, almost like a misfire. I take the car in AGAIN on September 4th. A loaner vehicle was provided again, 2018 X1 sDrive28i. This one is a doozie. A few days after dropping off the car, I'm called by the service advisor with an update... this time the shop foreman is involved. They stated that they performed a lot of the same tests as I quoted above, and also found defective injectors. The injectors were replaced, still had the issue. They dig deeper and check for intake and exhaust leaks... found the catalytic converters were clogged, or as they put it in the invoice "the monolith element/honeycomb damaged due to defective injector". A new PUMA case was submitted, 64447758. PUMA stated to replace all 8 injectors, all 8 spark plugs, AND replace BOTH catalytic converters since they were consequential damage from the injectors. The comeback code again was KM872 and on September 17th the car was assumed to be functioning fine, so they released it to me to come pick it up. When I arrive to the dealer, the service advisor shows me the total spent on the repairs... lets just say I could have bought a nice E46 M3 at current market price for what they spent on repairs. Valet brings the car around to me on the 17th and when I get in, the first thing I see is the check engine light on again like it was never off. I didn't even leave the dealer .. I simply called the service advisor right from the drop off area who came out and saw the light on. I was given the same loaner I drove in with again and left without the M5. The next update would mention something about an air channel (13-71-7-843-276) needing to be replaced due to a leak. On September 21st (after 17 more days in the shop), I got the call again to come pick up the car. By this point, the dealer is beyond embarrassed and willing to bend over backwards to satisfy me. I continued to be a patient customer not expecting anything besides a normally functioning M5 repaired according to my warranty. Total cost on this visit: $0, just time lost.

    I can't stress enough how important it is to be a polite and patient customer in situations like these.. the fact that I continue to have issues speaks volumes beyond any temper tantrum I can throw, so I let that speak for itself.

    Another 2 weeks go by, and I still experience rough idles and RPM fluctuations.. the cold start would at times bounce up and down as high as 2500RPM at idle and occasionally just STALL. I could just feel that the check engine light was going to pop back up again..... and it did. It happened on another trip to Orlando, this time headed to Disney world. When I arrived at Disney, I parked the car for a few days since I don't drive while I'm there thanks to the great shuttle bus system. I had hoped that when I go back into the M5 after a few days of sitting, the CEL would magically have disappeared, .. it didn't. I bring the car back in AGAIN on October 16th. Another loaner vehicle was provided, 2018 530i. Same song and dance.... dealer changed all 8 coil packs this time along with the other air channel (13-71-7-843-277) from the last visit. The repair was covered 60/40 BMW/Dealer split. They tested and tested and tested.. and when I was called to come pick up the car on October 26th, the car felt exactly the same. Rough idle, and it even stalled on me after valet handed me the keys. I called the service advisor to come see for himself, it stalled on him as well. To make matters worse, when the car was brought out to me, it had a 4-5" black scuff mark on the rear passenger door. The service advisor came out himself and buffed it out with polish. I could not be more grateful that he was willing to do that.. but it speaks to how badly this dealership wanted to save face. I left with the loaner again, the dealership took the M5 after the tech and foreman came out to see how it was running. Their faces showed confusion and disbelief as did mine. Finally on November 12th I picked up the car with some reservations as to how it was running. I was still experiencing some roughness on the idle, but not much. The service MANAGER was involved at this point, and he said to "take the car, drive it, see if it gets better. If the light comes up again, bring it back... we will continue to work with you as you are a good customer". Another 24 days at the shop. Total cost this visit: $0, just time again.

    By now I had already opened a case with BMW NA. I had called them when I bought the car back in for the 2nd time in September. I was hoping to find out about "downtime compensation" being that the car had spent so much time in the dealer and I continued to make my monthly payment on the BMW loan. The rep that was assigned to my case didn't have the ability to decide much, instead he was dependent upon whatever his non-customer facing "field team" decided. They had initially offered me a Performance Driving Experience at their Spartanburg location... but I wasn't interested in that. I wanted at least 1 payment, if not 2 deducted from the payoff quote. Ultimately, I did not get this. I was left with the answer that since I was provided loaners each time, there would be no compensation. I argued that the loaners were not in the same tier as an M5, but even still, they would not offer financial compensation. I made it clear to the rep that I was a long time customer, enthusiast, CCA member, BMW Classic owner and active on forums willing to share my dissatisfaction with the handling of this case... they were not at all concerned. They were fine with me voicing my dissatisfaction with how they responded to how they handled my case.

    The dealer's service advisor was excellent. My service advisor and his manager accommodated me over and over again each time I came back. As far as the techs at the dealership, the one assigned to my car may have still been too new.. my invoices say BMWTRAINEE all over a lot of the work

    The week after November 12th of which I finally got the car back, I decided to pour 2 cans of Seafoam into the gas tank when it was at about 3/4 full. At this ratio, it is 2oz of Seafoam for every 1gal of fuel... double the concentration. I took the car on some spirited runs and let the engine get fully up to temp each time. I noticed the cars idle getting smoother and the idle fluctuations becoming smaller.. I still see an RPM jump on warm starts though... no check engine light so far. I'm currently still 'monitoring' how its running and feel that the CEL may still pop up. In a way I guess I have lost confidence in the car?

    What did the dealer change?
    • 8 Injectors
    • 8 Ignition coil packs
    • 8 Spark Plugs
    • 1 Updated software
    • 2 Catalytic Converters
    • multiple air channels and vent hoses


    What are my options from here? Should I still be pushing for the financial compensation? My wife keeps asking me... would I buy another BMW after going through this, and I honestly don't know? I'm interested to know where the forum would go with a situation like this.

    I've been giving thoughts to just trading it in for an M2.
    Last edited by Manny G.; 12-13-2018 at 01:57 PM.

    Stancing is for drivers trapped in an abusive relationship of their own lives.

  2. #2
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    They need to replace the mass air flow sensors. I've fixed several that had the exact same issues. And I fixed them on the first visit, BTW. I can't believe with all the parts they threw at it (the shotgun method, they really had no idea what was wrong), they never thought to replace them. If the fault code was specific to one bank, all you have to do is watch the values in the live data, and see if the left and right banks match each other. If not, swap the sensors, and see if the data flip/flops. If it was a regular N63, and not the S63TU, I'd give you the part numbers from the customer care campaign that are about $100/per sensor. Unfortunately, they're not the same sensor, and I think the M5/6 sensors are upwards of $400 or more. Of course, I could never guarantee that mass air sensors fix your problem, but what do you/they have to lose at this point? They've wasted thousands of dollars so far, and the car still isn't fixed.
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

  3. #3
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    Plus the puma system. A technical request from the dealer to BMW on how to proceed. If they did not submit the puma and do the work, BMW would not pay their warranty claim, so that takes awhile.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by White94RX View Post
    They need to replace the mass air flow sensors. I've fixed several that had the exact same issues. And I fixed them on the first visit, BTW. I can't believe with all the parts they threw at it (the shotgun method, they really had no idea what was wrong), they never thought to replace them. If the fault code was specific to one bank, all you have to do is watch the values in the live data, and see if the left and right banks match each other. If not, swap the sensors, and see if the data flip/flops. If it was a regular N63, and not the S63TU, I'd give you the part numbers from the customer care campaign that are about $100/per sensor. Unfortunately, they're not the same sensor, and I think the M5/6 sensors are upwards of $400 or more. Of course, I could never guarantee that mass air sensors fix your problem, but what do you/they have to lose at this point? They've wasted thousands of dollars so far, and the car still isn't fixed.
    There was a reference in one of the invoices to troubleshooting the MAFs.. they said they found no faults with them but you're right, the MAF is one of the first things I thought that could have been causing the whole issue. This was during the visit that they replaced the catalytic converters.

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  5. #5
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    After about one month after I purchased my 2015 228i the check engine came on. I had obtained toff a two year lease with 24899. It was under warranty so I made an appointment to bring it in. I was so new to the car I didn’t even know what the symbol meant. Brought the car to LV BMW. My service advisor advised that after inspection it was a valve dealing with the exhaust. Popped a new one in an a couple hours I was on my way. Ask if it might be that.



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  6. #6
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    Light turned on again after a long ride and getting gas.

    I scanned it with Carly.. found this fault:

    Fault Code: 118010

    Fault Explanation: Mixture control, across the databases: mixture too lean



    .... I'm thinking I should clean my MAFs?

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  7. #7
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    Cleaning won't do a thing if there's a broken wire, resistor out of spec, bad circuit, etc.

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    If this was your doctor misdiagnosing and your illness remained would you not be looking for another doctor?
    It's pretty clear your dealer's mechanic(s) is incompetent. Find a new dealer, they might relish the opportunity to show up a competitor.
    Sucks if you must travel but, as they say, it is what it is. Good luck

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  9. #9
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    Update since my last post,

    I cleaned the MAFs with CRC MAF cleaner. Both looked like they had some oil residue on them. The cleaning did help the MAFs from the wild RPM fluctuations and improved the drive-ability of the car, but the CEL didnt shut off even after 60 miles or after 250 miles.

    I noticed it still occasionally having a spike in RPMs, so I decided to install the new MAF sensors I just purchased to have on standby. After installing them, the car felt very smooth at idle, no more random spike... but the CEL still didnt shut off.

    I read the OBD via Carly and the live values on the Short Term Fuel Trim and Long Term Fuel Trim for both bank 1 and both 2 move around ok, but I noticed the LTFT on Bank 1 is way up around 25% whereas Bank 2 LTFT stays around 14%-16%. Driving around, the STFT for both bank 1 & 2 stay steady and together, and the LTFT on bank 1 starts to come down a little bit, but at idle it climbs right back up.

    From everything Ive read on fuel trims, they should never fluctuate more than +/-5% otherwise I'd be running too lean/rich.

    Any ideas why bank 1 would run so lean? Car is stock with stock intakes
    Last edited by Manny G.; 12-26-2018 at 05:00 PM.

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  10. #10
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    Cleaning the self-cleaning hot film MAFs never solved anything by personal experience and in the many threads I have seen.
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  12. #12
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    Hi Manny,
    Firstly, allow me to say that your post is extremely well written, and your wise and patient approach is a good one. You've been patient, and, to be honest, I think that the dealership, and BMW NA, has been doing a pretty good job of TRYING to make the customer happy.

    Obviously, they have failed, so far.

    I have to admit that occasionally a car beats hell out of me, too. I have ISTA, and I'm very conscientious, but sometimes the complexity of the newer cars (especially the rarer M's) makes diagnosis exceptionally difficult. ISTA doesn't always tell the technician the correct answers, although it's a very fine diag system. Sometimes the correct answer lies outside the box, as you have seen.

    I have to recommend that you take the car BACK to the same dealership, again. After all, they are working for you without taking your money, by and large. Talk to the service manager again, ask him what he can do. Keep being nice.

    Forget the reimbursement; that's not likely to happen. Keep insisting on a correctly fixed M5.

    Your own observance of the +25% multiplicative fuel trim on one bank , with 16% on the other, may be the best piece of evidence so far. I'd tell the service manager about that, and also the fact that you replaced the MAFs yourself, and saw improvement. (You DID use BMW labeled parts, I trust?)

    In such a situation, I'd be horrified if the dealership hadn't assigned its best tech to the diagnosis.

    Chris Powell
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  13. #13
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    I too am impressed by your patience and well articulated posts. I'm not impressed with BMW NA but also not surprised. I'm in a very similar situation with my car and it baffles me to see how they treat their customers and how little they care. I wish you the very best in your efforts. If you want to hear the details on my situation here's a link to my thread. https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ght-quot-thing

  14. #14
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    I am going to take a shot in the dark here on the STFT and the LTFT. So this car has two high pressure fuel pump which is powered by the engine's camshaft. When the values are so high, and you cannot find any vacuum leaks, I would suspect that one or both are leaking fuel into the engine. Too bad there isn't a dipstick to see if the motor is overfilled, but you might be able to sniff out the oil filler cap area to see if the crank does smell a bit like fuel.

    I maybe wrong, but it is worth thinking about.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by dworthy View Post
    I am going to take a shot in the dark here on the STFT and the LTFT. So this car has two high pressure fuel pump which is powered by the engine's camshaft. When the values are so high, and you cannot find any vacuum leaks, I would suspect that one or both are leaking fuel into the engine. Too bad there isn't a dipstick to see if the motor is overfilled, but you might be able to sniff out the oil filler cap area to see if the crank does smell a bit like fuel.

    I maybe wrong, but it is worth thinking about.
    Coincidentally, I got the low oil message about 2 days ago... seems to be asking for it much less over the last 20k miles. At first it would ask for 1qt of oil about every 1k miles... lately its been around every 2k miles. The dealership fixed an oil pan gasket leak a little over a year ago so I'm sure that helped reduce the overall amount of oil leaving the engine. SA also mentioned that BMW says its 'normal' for these engines to burn through oil every thousand miles... :

    I also thought that perhaps the oil cap might have been allowing air in on bank 1 since they share a common side, so I pulled the oil cap off to clean the gasket surfaces and to also to see if I got any wiff of gasoline, didnt notice any.. just oil smell but then again my sense of smell is a bit shot. I'll see how it smells again on a completely cold engine, it was warmed up when I checked. The oil cap gasket seemed to be ok also, but I may just replace it with a new one along with a new fuel cap for the hell of it... the fuel cap's tether broke off and the gasket is starting to look a bit dry.


    Side note... while inspecting for vacuum leaks, I noticed the bank 1 ECU and the turbos coolant reservoir felt very loose. After looking closer, I found 1 of the torx bolts that hold down the bracket holding the ECUs and O2 sensors were missing, and the other only half screwed on. Seems that the dealer tech lost one and didnt tighten the second one down at all. I addressed the 1 bolt that was there along with the disintegrating black plastic nut that was holding down the reservoir and added the missing bolt to my list of fix-it things. While I was at it, I pulled off the same side intake box to check for any oil residue.. everything looked clean no issues found.
    Last edited by Manny G.; 12-31-2018 at 01:23 PM.

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  16. #16
    dworthy's Avatar
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    I call B.S. on the oil consumption, as it is just an excuse in my book. Now I understand as a car ages, it can burn some oil, as things do get looser, but at 65k miles..... My M3 gets an oil change every year and I only put about 6k on that car, it never uses any oil at 100k miles. Now the wagon is another story, as it has been using oil on a regular basis since it hit 100k miles, started with about a quart every 7k to the present of about 1 quart every 3k. Now there is a fix for that which is applying an extra vacuum line to the CCV, which I just did about a week ago. I don't think you can do that with the M5, so there has to be a reason why it is burning so much oil.

    The reason why I was pointing toward the oil in the fuel is the STFT/LTFT readings and how the HPF can leak, thus causing a code for unable to adjust the fuel mixture properly. This can also look like a vacuum leak too, for you are getting fuel coming in thru the crankcase ventilation system that is unaccounted for.
    Darin
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    05 325it Electric Red(438)/Gray(N6TT) ZCW, ZSP 5sp Manual Back set cover, trunk mat, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield, and mud flaps! Mr. Wagon My new Winter car.
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  17. #17
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    While the term "Normal" for the oil consumption may be B.S., it is, unfortunately, BMW's own brand of BS. A turbocharged S engine is allowed to use TWO AND A HALF LITERS EVERY 1000 MILES !!!









    2013 BMW M5 (F10)
    V8-4.4L Turbo (S63T)
    ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION

    image SI B11 03 13
    Engine August 2016
    Technical Service
    image
    ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
    MODEL

    All
    image INFORMATION
    All engines consume a certain amount of engine oil. This is necessary in order to properly lubricate the cylinder walls, pistons, piston rings, valves and if equipped, the turbocharger(s).

    In addition, engines with less than 10,000 miles will generally consume additional engine oil because the internal engine components are not fully seated (break-in). Therefore engine oil consumption analysis should be performed after this break in period.

    Once a new or remanufactured engine has accumulated 10,000 miles, oil consumption can be considered if there is a drastic change in the engine oil consumption rate (e.g., the engine oil consumption rate triples) under similar driving conditions.

    Engines equipped with a turbocharger(s) will consume more engine oil than normally aspirated engines (non-turbocharged). The additional oil that is consumed in a turbocharged engine is mainly due to the turbocharger lubrication requirements. Some of the engine oil normally migrates past the turbocharger turbine bearing seals and will enter the intake tract of the engine. All turbocharged engines also require a complex crankcase ventilation system. The crankcase ventilation system needs to maintain a small vacuum on the crankcase and not allow the crankcase to be pressurized.

    Pressurizing the engine crankcase can lead to external engine oil leaks and increased engine oil consumption via the piston rings and valve seals. When the load and the boost level of a turbocharged engine is varied, the path of the crankcase pressure is changed. During the crankcase ventilation path transition, a small amount of engine oil will pass through the crankcase ventilation system and is additionally consumed. Oil residue found in these crankcase ventilation hoses is a normal condition for properly operating turbocharged engine. The additional engine oil consumption of a turbocharged engine, as compared to a normally aspirated engine, is normal and not a defect.
    image OIL CONSUMPTION SPECIFICATION
    Engine type: Oil Consumption Specification:

    All BMW “N” and “B" engines except N63, N63T, N74 and BMW Motorsport engines 1 liter per 1,500 miles

    All BMW “M” engines (i.e.M54, M62, etc.), N63, N63TU and N74 engines 1 liter per 750 miles

    All BMW Motorsport engines (“S” engines) 2.5 liters per 1,000 miles
    image DIAGNOSTIC HINTS
    When an oil consumption complaint is received, it may be possible to correct it without performing extensive engine repairs. Check the following frequent causes of excessive oil consumption prior to undertaking any engine consumption analysis or repairs.

    image Proper Maintenance

    Has the vehicle received proper maintenance? Certain external conditions (mainly city driving style and/or high engine loads; poor fuel quality; and extreme ambient temperatures), combined with excessively long oil service intervals may accelerate engine oil degradation, which may cause premature wear of the engine components. Continuous city driving and very high ambient temperatures are the most influential factors causing premature oil aging and consequential engine mechanical deterioration.

    External Leakage

    The engine should be leak-free before starting any engine oil consumption analysis.

    Overfilling

    If the oil level is too high, oil in the crankcase will be thrown against the cylinder walls and consumed. Check the dipstick markings or electronic measurement (as equipped) to be sure of accuracy. The oil level must not be higher than the upper mark.

    image Engine Oil Viscosity/Quality

    The use of oil with the wrong viscosity rating for the operating conditions can cause high oil consumption. Check the Owner's Manual or SI B11 01 15 to determine the proper viscosity for the conditions.

    image Engine Speed and Load

    If vehicle operating conditions are severe, oil consumption will be higher than normal. Extreme load, continuous high engine speed or long idling times in traffic will result in increased oil consumption.

    Crankcase Ventilation

    The crankcase ventilation systems use various different crankcase ventilation valves, depending on the engine type. Although the valves all look different, they function similarly, using a spring and diaphragm assembly to control the crankcase pressure. A properly functioning pressure control valve is designed to maintain a slight vacuum (under-pressure) in the crankcase, which assures reliable crankcase venting during all engine operating conditions. One of the results of a malfunctioning crankcase ventilation system can be increased engine oil consumption. Refer to SI B11 03 08 for measuring specifications and procedures.

    Turbocharged Engines

    Engines that are fitted with a turbocharger(s) will consume more engine oil than naturally aspirated engines (non-turbocharged engines). In this case, a turbocharged engine could require topping up of engine oil more frequently. For vehicles with turbocharged engines, refer to the attachment to help identify a turbocharger with acceptable oil leakage.

    B110313_Acceptable_Turbocharger_Oil_Leakage_8_5_20 16
    MEASURING OIL CONSUMPTION
    These measurements should only be considered after all of the points above have been reviewed.

    Vehicles with N63TU – Measuring oil level electronically using the Oil Level Test Plan in ISTA/D

    Applicable models and I-levels:

    F01 and F02 with the N63T engine, produced from 3/2013 and later with I-Level F001-13-03-501 or higher
    F06, F07, F12 and F13 with the N63T engine, produced from 3/2013 and later with I-Level F010-13-03-501 or higher
    F10 with the N63T engine produced from 7/2013 and later with I-Level F010-13-07-501 or higher
    F15 and F16, all I-Levels

    Test plan path:

    The engine will need to be at operating temperature before starting the test plan.
    Select “Service Function.”
    Select “Drive.”
    Select “Motor Electronics.”
    Select “Motor Oil.”
    Select “Oil Level.”
    Select “Continue.”
    Follow the steps as directed in the test plan to complete the measurement.

    The test plan will identify the actual oil level, and will advise the amount of engine oil needed to correctly fill the engine when conducting an oil consumption test. After topping up the engine oil, perform the test plan one more time to ensure the oil level is correct. The vehicle must be driven 1,000 miles or until the next low engine oil message appears (whichever comes first). The oil level test plan must be performed again to identify the consumption level in the distance driven.

    Vehicles with and without an engine oil dipstick (manual oil consumption measurement):

    When a customer complaint of engine oil consumption is received, the engine oil must be drained, measured and the engine oil refilled.

    image The vehicle must be driven 1,000 miles or until the next low engine oil message appears (whichever comes first). The oil must be drained again and measured to identify the consumption level.

    Use the attached oil consumption checklist to document the vehicle information, current engine condition and oil consumption results. Work through the checklist to set up the oil consumption test. If part one exceeds the allowable oil consumption for that engine variant then proceed to part 2 to complete the diagnosis.

    BMW_Oil_Consumption_Checklist_8_5_2016
    image N63, N63TU, N63R, S63, S63TU, S63R AND N74 CUSTOMER INFORMATION
    Provide the attached brochure to the customer when topping up the engine oil.

    B110313_Oil_Consumption_Customer_Brochure_8_5_2016
    WARRANTY INFORMATION
    Not Applicable.
    ATTACHMENTS
    View PDF attachment B110313_Acceptable_Turbocharger_Oil_Leakage_8_5_20 16.

    View PDF attachment B110313_Oil_Consumption_Customer_Brochure_8_5_2016 (2).

    View PDF attachment BMW_Oil_Consumption_Checklist_8_5_16 (2).
    [ Copyright ©2016 BMW of North America, Inc. ]
    Last edited by bmwdirtracer; 01-01-2019 at 12:35 PM.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
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    I've been using BMW 5w-30 oil the entire lifetime of the car. Being a car that lives throughout the year in hot weather, I've been thinking of going towards 5w-40.. thoughts?

    Also I read recently that when the iDrive warns to top off with 1qt of oil, you should actually add 2qts instead? Something to do with the oil level sensor incorrectly reading the "max" level.. I can't find any more reliable source on this?


    As for the CEL and the lean code,... I've been beginning to think the pre-cat O2 sensors may be on their way out.

    Stancing is for drivers trapped in an abusive relationship of their own lives.

  19. #19
    dworthy's Avatar
    dworthy is offline Wagon meister :) BMW Tech Expert
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    Yes, you can run a 5W-40 as there are several on the approved list for LL-01 oils, please see the attached.
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Darin
    Current:
    16 220i Active Tourer Platinsilver MET (C08)/Dakota Black (PDSW), P7ACA, P7LDA, P7LHA, P9BDA, 6sp Manual - Wife's new toy!
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    05 M3 Imolarot II(405)/Gray(N5TT) ZCW, ZPP 6sp Manual C.F. Lip, CSL diffuser, SSK, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield and a trunk liner! Mr. Go_Fast Stored for the Winter
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  20. #20
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    So a follow up to all of this....

    I finally had a chance to take the car into an independent BMW specialist shop here in south Florida for a smoke test to see if any leaks were in the system causing the lean fault.

    0 leaks found.

    The fault appears to have been linked to old adaptations that I was never able to reset on my own after changing the MAFs. The tech reset the adaptations with the Autologic and drive the car without the CEL lighting back up -- previously it would light up immediately after clearing and turning the car back on.

    Also to my surprise, one of the bolts that fasten down the bracket for the ECUs was found in the engine belly pan. I thought the tech from the dealership lost it, turns out it was just misplaced... also sourced some new plastic rivets that hold down the coolant reservoir for the turbos since they were cracked and also tighten down some bolts that were not even half way tightened down by the tech at the dealership.


    Lesson learned: Just because they are dealer techs, doesnt mean that the car is in the right hands to be repaired... it just means that they have more financially driven options of troubleshooting (think shotgun approach to repairing) compared to a person repairing it on their own or through an indy shop.

    Stancing is for drivers trapped in an abusive relationship of their own lives.

  21. #21
    Join Date
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    2001 e46 323i
    Excuse me but I laughed at the irony of this:
    "They had initially offered me a Performance Driving Experience at their Spartanburg location... but I wasn't interested in that."

    I mean you have to be either completely stupid OR sadistic to offer a customer whose M5 you can't fix a PERFORMANCE DRIVING EXPERIENCE, for God's sake.

    Apparently it's fixed now (hope it stays that way) so look at the bright side: you got a lot of very expensive parts replaced for a small cost "thanks" to those misdiagnosed MAF sensors...
    "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." Alan K. Simpson.
    5spd E46 "3XX": 328i engine, 330i Intake and exhaust, CAI, 323i diff.

  22. #22
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    i'll take the driving experience, if its available.........


    i mean, this is all insane but they did offer something of value - honestly, more than i thought they would do at that point.....
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  23. #23
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    Just so you know, Breeze, the BMW Performance Driving school uses factory-provided, new BMW M cars, not the customer's cars.

    As for resetting the adaptations having fixed it, well, I don't mean to be a buzz-kill, but adaptations reset themselves in fairly short order anyway. Clearing adaptations has never fixed a problem, sorry.

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  24. #24
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by bmwdirtracer View Post
    Just so you know, Breeze, the BMW Performance Driving school uses factory-provided, new BMW M cars, not the customer's cars.

    As for resetting the adaptations having fixed it, well, I don't mean to be a buzz-kill, but adaptations reset themselves in fairly short order anyway. Clearing adaptations has never fixed a problem, sorry.
    Chris, I thought so but in this case it's not what I would be worrying about. Given what the OP had been through at that point, I think it would have been more appropriate to offer him training sessions about "how to make a camp fire with VERY tiny little pieces of Bmw's" while singing "kumbaya".

    I concur with other people here who mentioned the OP's patience in this case.
    Last edited by Breeze1; 02-08-2019 at 05:20 AM.
    "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." Alan K. Simpson.
    5spd E46 "3XX": 328i engine, 330i Intake and exhaust, CAI, 323i diff.

  25. #25
    Join Date
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    hiss by my window
    Manny,
    I've been following your story and like the others here admire your patience. I'd have been less composed.
    Hopefully this is over but I have to agree with Chris that a reset doesn't change anything. Perhaps something else your indy has done coincidental has cured it.
    I see you were offered to attend a "driving experience". I urge you to take them up on it. While I've never attended BMW's version I've attended others and it was great fun. Nothing like an opportunity to flog the bejeezus out of a future "demonstrator". Maybe a good way to take out your frustrations over this.
    If the brakes ain't smoking after two laps you're not trying!
    Last edited by ross1; 02-08-2019 at 07:47 AM.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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