BMW is famous for making impeccable high-performance vehicles that ooze sophistication, comfort, style, performance, and aesthetics. As one of the most well-established and best-known German auto manufacturers globally, BMW keeps proving its dominance time and time again. The impressive 3-Series is still the benchmark premium sports sedan, while sports cars such as the E30 M3, the 328, and the M1 ensured BMW played a role in changing the game forever.
Despite the accolades, achievements, and premium status, BMW cars are not beyond reproach. Like other European cars, BMWs are plagued by problems everyone seems to ignore. Admittedly, there's plenty of reasons not to buy a used BMW, but even the novelty of fun new toys eventually begins to wear off. Therefore, if you own a BMW or even considering owning one, you need to brace yourself for some of these common issues.
10 Problems With Window Regulators
BMW has struggled with perfecting window regulators in some models for some time, partly because it persists in installing plastic regulator clips. The biggest challenge with using plastic is its susceptibility to breakage or getting smashed down. And if that happens, your windows fail to move up and down.
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In some instances, you may notice the car window moving very slow. This annoying issue is the first indication of regulator or window motor failure. Luckily, fixing these issues is not costly. You could visit your BMW dealer for a quick fix, or better yet, opt to sort it out yourself if you have the necessary DIY skills.
9 Door Lock Issues
Door locks are another central area of concern for BMWs. Should you decide to buy a used BMW, don't forget to test the locks. You should stand 10 feet from the car and press the lock/unlock button to check whether all doors lock and unlock correctly.
Also, use the button on the center console to test all doors for the same issue. Typically, just one of the door locks fails to operate due to a faulty door lock actuator. If the car is new, the car locks should be among the top issues to be cautious about when the dreaded wear and tear starts to kick in.
8 Cooling System Failure
Overheating is not uncommon in BMWs, albeit the underlying factors may differ. Some components of the BMW cooling system use plastic fittings and pieces that become brittle and fail as the car ages. A precursor of this failure could be coolant leaks or faulty water pumps; thus, low coolant and high-temperature warnings should prompt further scrutiny.
In other instances, overheating could result from a faulty thermostat. When the thermostat fails in a closed fashion, the coolant doesn't flow through the radiator, potentially opening a pandora box of severe damages. However, models with modern electronic thermostats tend to fail while in the stuck-open position. The best way to avert cooling system issues is through regular 360-degree health checks after reaching 50,000 miles.
7 Faulty Electrical Systems
BMW has made a few recalls over the years, citing faulty electrical systems. In 2013, unexplained losses in electrical power prompted a recall of over 500,000 vehicles. Again in 2017, over 700,000 units got recalled due to the risk of fire from overheated wiring.
Although these are examples of some extreme cases, BMWs have their fair share of faulty electricals. Depending on the model, common electronics issues include CCC iDrive complications, faulty automatic headlights, jammed windshield wipers, ignition system issues, damaged alternator belts, fuse failure, faulty battery safety terminal sensors, and damaged cables.
6 Corrosion Of Alloy Wheels
Most BMWs purchased off the dealership floor come with stylishly branded alloy wheels. These alloys consist of light-weight aluminum and are painted with either a shiny silver or a flat metallic color, topped off with a clear coat. Like every other exterior component, these alloys are subjected to elements and eventually succumb to corrosion.
After a relatively short time, these great-looking alloys prove to be more style than substance. Corroded or cracked alloy wheels can result in a slow leak or sometimes a risky tire puncture, which can cause an accident. The only way to avoid these consequences is by taking care of the alloy wheels like the car's paint coating and ensuring the proper wheel and tire maintenance.
5 Steering Wheel Vibrations
Although steering wheel vibrations are typical in BMWs, they can happen to any car that shares similar suspension and braking systems. Nonetheless, steering wheel vibrations need to be treated with utmost urgency since they indicate a potential safety problem.
For the BMW 3-Series in particular, steering vibrations could occur under braking, indicating an issue with the thrush arm bushings. However, other possible causes for the vibrations in BMWs include wheel misalignment, worn-out front suspension, warped brakes, damaged wheel rims, or bad wheel bearings.
4 Battery-Related Complications
The 'Battery Discharge' message on the BMW dash often indicates the battery is getting drained and needs time to charge before shutting the engine down again. The concern now becomes, what's causing the drain? The most common factors are leaving the lights on, running on an old battery, faulty alternator diodes, electrical issues, and corroded or loose battery connections.
Warning signs of battery failure include intermittent starting, vehicle requiring jump starts, lights won't come on, or an engine that cranks but cannot start. Sometimes, driving short distances while using numerous battery-consuming accessories such as heated seats, heated steering wheels, stereo, and headlights at the same time could drain the battery. The solution to this issue is adjusting driving habits and having regular battery maintenance.
3 Oil Leaks
If you notice a pool of oil under the car or the irritating smell of burning oil when driving, there's a strong possibility that your BMW has an oil leak. Other slightly less common signs include vehicle sputtering when accelerating from idle, smoke under the hood, popping or sizzling noises, overheating, and illuminated indicator light.
The biggest challenge with oil leaks is the identification of the root cause. The leak could be from the oil pan gasket, valve gasket cover, oil filter housing gasket, timing cover gasket, the rear main seal, or the drain plug. However, oil leaks occur more frequently on cars with over 60,000 miles on them, hence the need to take your BMW for regular servicing after this mark.
2 The VANOS Rattle
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While making the best out of your sweet BMW, the VANOS hardware gets a vigorous workout throughout its dutiful life. As you can imagine, there are several ways for the VANOS system to wear out and make noise as the car gathers mileage. The system uses seals throughout its construction; therefore, they are typically due replacement around 50,000 miles.
The first signs of VANOS trouble are slow reaction when pressing the gas pedal, limp mode, loss of horsepower and torque, decreased driveability, erratic idling, poor fuel economy, slow cold starts, and the dreaded rattling noise. The noise emanates from excessive axial play or excessive wear between the VANOS shaft and the cam gear. Although regularly scheduled service keeps VANOS problems at bay, the rattle will haunt you sooner or later.
1 Fuel Pump Issues
The fuel pump is undoubtedly one of the most critical components in your BMW. Over time, the assembly of components in the fuel pump, such as the seals on pipes or hoses, wear out and result in fuel leaks. Sometimes, the complications stem from some of the smaller parts that usually go unnoticed.
Besides wearing off, driving with low fuel, dirty fuel, and water mixed in the fuel could contribute to fuel pump issues. The signs and symptoms to look out for include high engine temperature, stalling at high temperatures, engine sputtering, decreased gas mileage, noisy pump, surging, problems starting, and lower engine power.