Common Faults/Warning Lights on BMW & Mini Models

The oil warning lamp can illuminate for a few different reasons, and the colour of the light is very important.

Amber Light: Usually indicates a low oil level or an oil service reminder. Check the oil level in your BMW or Mini. If the level is sufficient, some models use the same warning light for service reminders or other issues that may need further investigation.

Red Light: A red oil lamp is more serious and often signals low oil pressure. If the red light comes on and you hear a ticking noise, pull over safely as soon as possible. This combination may indicate engine damage is occurring. If the oil level is normal but the red light remains on, do not continue driving to avoid further damage.

Bring your BMW or Mini to Pritchard Motor Services for a quick, affordable fault diagnosis and peace of mind.

There are several indications that you BMW or Mini timing chain needs replacing: difficulty starting the engine, engine misfiring or sluggish, vibration or shaking engine when idling, and the “Check Engine” warning light.

The life of a BMW or Mini timing chain is usually around 90,000 miles (or c9 years), and it should always be replaced before it fails, as failure causes expensive engine damage. Continuing without replacing a timing chain beyond these limits increases the likelihood of total failure greatly.

A cooling fan which doesn’t work properly can cause an engine to overheat when the engine is running or drain the battery if the fan remains on when the engine is switched off. Do not continue to drive a BMW or a Mini with an overheating engine.

Issues with cooling fans need to be diagnosed by an experienced, qualified, BMW/Mini technician like our team at Pritchard Motor Services to ensure that any part replacements are necessary and that they are fitted properly and safely.

Oil consumption is a minor sacrifice BMW and Mini owners pay for the signature powerful, low-friction, efficient engines these marques have. But, if you can smell burning oil, or have blue smoke from your exhaust, you may not be able to see evidence of an oil leak. This is likely small amounts of oil escaping and being burned on engine or exhaust components when they’re hot.

Blue smoke from your exhaust or a burning oil smell should always be investigated by a properly trained technician. Small oil leaks, which aren’t visible, happen when pipes, gaskets, rubber seals etc start to perish and oil ends up where it shouldn’t. Finding the source of this kind of oil leak can often be tricky, but our team at Pritchard Motor Services will isolate the problem as quickly as possible and replace any perished component parts as required.

EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation; a system on some BMW models which, as the name suggests, recirculates exhaust gases back into the engine to lower emissions. The EGR system has a cooler to cool these exhaust gases before they are recirculated. If the EGR cooler doesn’t work properly or fails, it can lead to overheating, coolant loss, and ultimately, engine damage.

Our team at Pritchard Motor Services in Gloucester can diagnose and fix any kind of EGR or EGR cooler problem, quickly and for far less than a main dealer would charge.

These are small butterfly valves in BMW engines manufactured before late 2008. They are prone to failure and if they fall or are sucking into the engine when they do they cause expensive engine damage.

Pritchard Motor Services can repair damaged swirl flaps providing they are caught before this happens. It is wise to have this small, but vital component checked regularly to avoid this worst outcome

DPF stands for Diesel Particulate Filter; a filter which collects and stores soot (particulate) from a diesel vehicle’s exhaust to reduce emissions. This stored particulate has to be burned off to keep the DPF working correctly, and if your driving practices and habits, and maintenance regime accommodate the DPF requirements, all should be well.

 If the DPF on your BMW or Mini has become blocked or has a fault, the DPF-specific warning light will show on your dashboard. Causes of DPF problems include short journeys, poor servicing regime, and incorrect oils.

The team of skilled, experienced technicians at Pritchard Motor Services are BMW DPF specialists, with the diagnostic equipment and knowledge to quickly identify your DPF fault and rectify it.

Pritchard Motor Services are BMW and Mini transmission (gearbox) specialists. Transmission juddering can occur for several reasons, such as not enough transmission fluid, a weak battery, a faulty alternator regulator, or a faulty MAF sensor.

Identifying a transmission problem should always be done by a technician who is trained and experienced in this kind of work. You will find technicians of this calibre at Pritchard Motor Services, along with all the diagnostic equipment and tools to find the problem quickly and resolve it with the hefty price tag charged by BMW main dealers.

When a clutch needs replacing very much depends on how a car has been driven. Driven well, a BMW or Mini clutch should last over 100k miles but if driven hard it’ll last half that distance.

As and when your BMW or Mini does need a new clutch you can rest assured that Pritchard Motor Services in Gloucester will remove the failed one and instal the new one exactly as a main BMW would do, but for a fraction of the cost, and with far greater attention-to-detail.

Many BMW and Mini models feature air suspension, considered to be the peak of ride comfort and handling, but issues can arise with the air struts leading to handling problems and occasionally worse, mismatched chassis height.

If you notice your BMW or Mini air suspension isn’t performing as it should, don’t delay bringing it to Pritchard Motor Services in Gloucester for investigation. Caught early any repairs required will cost far less than those needed if you wait. As BMW and Mini specialists, we can quickly find and repair any problems with your air suspension.

BMW iDrive an in-car communication and entertainment system present in BMW models manufactured since 2001, which is continuously evolving. Common faults include:

• partial, unexpected shutdown
• complete, unexpected shutdown
• hard disk component wear and breakdown
• download crashes
• software compatibility issues
• hardware conflicts
• damaged applications

Pritchard Motor Services have all the equipment and expertise to resolve any issues with your BMW iDrive.

ABS stands for Anti-lock Brake System) and if the ABS warning light is illuminated it indicates a problem with the braking system on your BMW or Mini. This could lead to your brakes not functioning as they should and is therefore potentially dangerous to you, the driver, your passengers, and other road users.

Seek diagnosis and advice from Pritchard Motor Services as soon as possible in this event, driving as few miles as possible beforehand. Your normal brakes will still work but keep your speed low and avoid braking suddenly.

Convertible BMWs and Minis are some of the most stylish sought-after cars in the world. But a convertible hood can throw up many operational issues over time, most minor, occasionally major.

Pritchard Motor Services are experts in BMW and Mini convertible hoods, old and new, fixing any fault from component replacement to electrical issues

Hard-tops are also convertible but are a 3-segment folding version of a standard BMW or Mini roof, rather than fabric like a hood. When the roof is closed it is hard to tell it’s a convertible. A hard-top roof folds up and backwards into the boot space in roughly 20 seconds using a powerful, hydraulic system with the touch of a single button.

Faults can and do occur with this hydraulic system, as well as many of the issues found with the traditional convertible hood, but Pritchard Motor Services find and fix any and all hard-top roof faults, making sure you’re back on the road, turning heads, in the shortest time possible.