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2018 BMW X5 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 acknowledged as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your X5. There are hundreds of back-up codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling primary diagnostics will give you humane 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, different and cooperative vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is essential for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Richmond BMW at 8042074692 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your automobile further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out abruptly by a certified BMW mechanic.

Is it safe to drive your 2018 BMW X5 with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is blinking, this means that there is a rigorous issue and it is recommended to service your BMW X5 immediately. This question is not very correct because it any depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be reliable to drive. This is naturally indicated by a persistent glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more rigorous problem. Call the experts at Richmond BMW by dialing 8042074692 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your 2018 BMW to our certified mechanics as soon as authentic.

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

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is regularly between $88 and $111. The convenient news, Richmond BMW offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help indicate the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not correctly tightened to a more dangerous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it convenient to get the equitable code reading and diagnosis.

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. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we mean that you pull over and contact Richmond BMW to help hint if your vehicle is safe to commute in or if we mean a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how frequent miles you can commute with the warning light on.

Check Engine Light Service 2018 BMW X5

What do you do when you’re driving along in your BMW X5 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 rate 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 2018 BMW X5 checked as soon as convincing. Ignoring that warning could end up causing productive damage to costly engine components.

When your 2018 BMW X5's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the computerized control system that it can’t persuasive, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is generally 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 computerized scan tool that is used by our BMW auto repair mechanics at Richmond BMW. There are also a number of relatively economical code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced mechanical to pick the issue and repair it.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2018 BMW X5 will commonly 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 2018 BMW X5 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that fee and the light is still on, you will need to transport it in to Richmond BMW so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

2018 BMW X5 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are bountiful feasible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are various commonplace causes including something as accepted as a loose gas cap. Additional commonplace reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, 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 2018 BMW X5 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its critical 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 absolutely is unsound nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Richmond BMW provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Chiefly Qualified Service high-tech.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2018 BMW X5 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few 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 brightens in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your automobile. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored automobile performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2018 BMW X5. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a collection of individual things. It can be as classic as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2018 BMW X5, contact Richmond BMW. 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. Contact Richmond BMW today!

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2018 BMW X5?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as detectable as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a perilous problem that could cause perilous break to your engine and come with a big repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A persuasive glow continually means something fewer perilous but a blinking check engine light expresses that your vehicle’s engine is in perilous trouble and service is needed now. If your check engine light is blinking in your 2018 BMW X5, we extraordinarily recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule BMW service today. Below is a list of the most accepted reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2018 BMW X5’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 Richmond BMW 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 2018 BMW X5 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 alternative problems from overheating.
  • Your 2018 BMW X5 has a vacuum leak. Every BMW X5 has a vacuum system that performs a giant variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower bad 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, especially if they’re exposed to exciting heat or extreme freezing.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replenished. The mass airflow sensor in your BMW X5 is what determines how much fuel is needed 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 vital changes, like altitude. If your BMW X5 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a speedy change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your 2018 BMW X5 if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can jettison the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avoid the car from starting. If these issues sound favorite, bring your X5 to BMW and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • One of the most natural and countless cause is that your 2018 BMW X5 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2018 BMW X5 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 departed 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 pricey. If your check engine light turns on shortly after you put gas in your 2018 BMW X5, 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 low or dead. The battery in your 2018 BMW X5 is every notable. 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 truly require maintenance. The cost of a new one depends on the type of BMW you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replenished. The Oxygen sensor, established 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 less cogent 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 damage to your catalytic converter and your 2018 BMW X5's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to read the right variety 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.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2018 BMW X5. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel variety 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 bad or departed, 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 pricey repairs.

2018 BMW X5 Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is miraculous and if not taken care of instantly may result in big damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2018 BMW X5 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs quick attention and your BMW should be transported in instantly. This blinking light ordinarily indicates a exacting engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discharged into the exhaust system. There it can immediately hike 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 precisely be the cause. A bad, historic or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Richmond BMW suddenly by calling 8042074692. 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 very expensive repair.