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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most mostly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2019 BMW X5 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few evident 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 collection of things for your 2019 BMW X5. Some of these include ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a mixture of other things. It can be as natural as your gas cap being loose or as consistent as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2019 BMW X5, contact Richmond BMW. Contact Richmond BMW 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 flashing.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2019 BMW X5 will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is serviced. 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 2019 BMW X5 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you commute over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Richmond BMW so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Is it safe to drive your 2019 BMW X5 with the check engine light on?

This question is not very uncomplicated 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 capable to drive. This is consistently indicated by a steady 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 treacherous problem. If the check engine light is glaring, this means that there is a treacherous issue and it is recommended to service your BMW X5 promptly. Call the experts at Richmond BMW by dialing 8042074692 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2019 BMW to our certified mechanics as soon as possible.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how copious 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 Richmond BMW to aid express if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.

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

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

Check Engine Light Service 2019 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 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 2019 BMW X5 checked as soon as accurate. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to pricey engine features.

When your 2019 BMW X5's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the mechanical control system that it can’t correct, 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 electronic inspect tool that is used by our BMW auto repair mechanics at Richmond BMW. There are also a number of rather bargain code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you favor that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced experienced to read the issue and repair it.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2019 BMW X5?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as uncomplicated as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a unhealthy problem that could cause unhealthy damage to your engine and come with a productive repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A consistent glow generally means something less unhealthy but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in unhealthy trouble and service is crucial suddenly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2019 BMW X5, we extremely recommend not to commute the vehicle and schedule BMW service today. Below is a list of the most prevalent reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your 2019 BMW X5 if it’s not installed appropriately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even stop the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound prevailing, bring your X5 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, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a small bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be changed. The mass airflow sensor in your BMW X5 is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the sum of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to cognizant changes, like altitude. If your BMW X5 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a harmful mass airflow sensor.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be changed. The Oxygen sensor, acknowledged as the O2 sensor, measures the sum of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less lucid 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 2019 BMW X5's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to designate the right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A harmful O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2019 BMW X5. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires transport the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are harmful or classic, 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, central to more expensive repairs.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2019 BMW X5 is every awesome. 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 lot decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of BMW you drive, but check our prevailing service coupons and specials.
  • Your catalytic converter is harmful or going harmful. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2019 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 2019 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 2019 BMW X5 has a vacuum leak. Every BMW X5 has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps premium 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 arid out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to efficient heat or extreme freezing.
  • One of the most commonplace and bountiful cause is that your 2019 BMW X5 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2019 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 harmful fuel cap? If your gas cap is classic 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 expensive. If your check engine light turns on immediately after you put gas in your 2019 BMW X5, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.

2019 BMW X5 Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that microscopic light on your vehicle’s dashboard quickly 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 X5. There are hundreds of assorted codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a microscopic patience, tackling crucial diagnostics will give you correct knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, legal and main vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of legal OBD codes, there are also hundreds of legal reasons for the light, including:

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

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

2019 BMW X5 Check Engine Light

A blinking light indicates that the problem is astonishing and if not taken care of immediately may result in considerable damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2019 BMW X5 starts blinking, that means that the problem needs agile attention and your BMW should be brought in immediately. This blinking light usually expresses a rigorous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly surge the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is achievable, requiring an lavish repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can totally be the cause. A bad, erstwhile or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. 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. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our department of automotive experts at Richmond BMW immediately by calling 8042074692.

2019 BMW X5 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless possible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several logical causes including something as common as a loose gas cap. Further logical reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, or defective spark plugs to name a lot. 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 2019 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 regularly detecting conditions while sending data to the electrical control unit. If the electrical control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light brightens telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what precisely is wrong 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 Exceedingly Qualified Service high-tech.