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Car Forum / BMW Cars / March 2005CHECK ENGINE light?
I drive a 1995 325is (Canadian). Recently on a very cold day the "check Engine" light on the dashboard came on. I didn't think much of it since I Know the car needs an oil change. I always have it serviced when the oil light comes on and take very good care of the car. Later that week the check engine light went off. But about a week later it came back on and has been on ever since. The book says the car is drivable, but to have it looked at asap. What could this be? Any help is appreciated. Thanks. > I drive a 1995 325is (Canadian). > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > since. The book says the car is drivable, but to have it looked at > asap. What could this be? Any help is appreciated. Thanks. It could be many things, but it's most likely a failing sensor. You have to dump the error codes to find out. Could you explain what dumping the error codes entails? Is it something I can do myself? And if I take it to my mechanic is it usually a big job or small? Thanks. RM > Could you explain what dumping the error codes entails? Is it > something I can do myself? And if I take it to my mechanic is it > usually a big job or small? Thanks. http://www.google.com or http://groups.google.com from memory, to get the code, turn the ignition to ON, then pump the accelerator five times, fully down and fully up, quickly. -mark thats not funny loser... > thats not funny loser... Ummm, he's right, that's the process. Engine not running, codes flash on the CEL. Oh sorry. I thought he meant start the car and redline it 5 times. LOL My bad. Whats the CEL? > Oh sorry. I thought he meant start the car and redline it 5 times. > LOL My bad. Whats the CEL? Check Engine Light Actually, it's not funny. That is how you extract the codes if you don't have a diagnostic tool. It really SUCKS to have somebody come around stating that they KNOW the oil is being abused by remanining in the motor for too long, and wonder if that has anything to do with the Check Engine Light, THEN throw insults at people that are kind enough to offer up a suggestion. To pull the codes, you need a Diagnostic Tool. If you haven't got a diagnostic tool, then you can get the codes via an alternate method. The alternate method is to turn the ignition to ON, but not Start, and fully depress and release the gas pedal five times in less than five seconds. The Check light will flash in a series that indicates the code. If this fails, then you didn't press the pedal right. > thats not funny loser... > Could you explain what dumping the error codes entails? Is it > something I can do myself? And if I take it to my mechanic is it > usually a big job or small? Thanks. > > RM See this link http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/Mult-Code_Reading/Mult-Code_Reading.htm . It explains is very well. Kyle. 98 740iL 97 M3 This morning I tried dumping the codes to no avail. I turned the key to the position just before it turns over the engine and pumped the pedal 5 times. Is there something else I need to do? -R There is a trick to it. It works, really. The first time I tried it, it worked. The second time I tried it, I had to repeat several times to get it to work again. > This morning I tried dumping the codes to no avail. I turned the key > to the position just before it turns over the engine and pumped the > pedal 5 times. Is there something else I need to do? > > -R There is trouble with the emissions system. The only way to know for sure what the car is telling you is to plug in a diagnostic tool that can read the codes. My guess is, you need a new O2 sensor, but chasing a guess can be very costly. Find an independant BMW service center, and have them read the codes. There are tools on the 'net (eBay) that you can buy to read the codes. You don't sound like the kind of person that would use a diagnostic tool very often, and paying the shop to pull codes and put in parts is where you are headed. As a rule of thumb, the O@ sensor should run in the neighborhood of about $50 bucks. You can find them cheaper, but you have to install it yourself. Paying a mechanic $50 is a reasonable charge. Most mechanics will pull the codes for free if they get the repair business. If they do not get the business, then they will charge about $50 for the effort. > I drive a 1995 325is (Canadian). > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > since. The book says the car is drivable, but to have it looked at > asap. What could this be? Any help is appreciated. Thanks. |
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