BMW CAR SERVICE
Maintenance Schedule
Timing Chain – 70,000km-100,000km onwards
Spark Plugs and Ignition Coils – 60,000km
Coolant, Hoses, Water Pump and Other Related Plastic Parts for Coolant system – 60,000km-80,000km onwards
Oil Leak Issue (Valve Cover Gaskets, Oil Pan Gasket, O-rings, Oil Filter Housing, etc) – as early as 60,000km- 80,000km onwards
Wheel Speed Sensors – commonly 70,000km onwards
Transmission/Gearbox Fluid and Rear Axle Fluid – every 30,000KM-40,000km to replace transmission fluid and its oil filter, we do this together with the axle fluid at the rear which most often ignored.
Spark Plugs and Ignition Coils – 60,000km
Coolant, Hoses, Water Pump and Other Related Plastic Parts for Coolant system – 60,000km-80,000km onwards
Oil Leak Issue (Valve Cover Gaskets, Oil Pan Gasket, O-rings, Oil Filter Housing, etc) – as early as 60,000km- 80,000km onwards
Wheel Speed Sensors – commonly 70,000km onwards
Transmission/Gearbox Fluid and Rear Axle Fluid – every 30,000KM-40,000km to replace transmission fluid and its oil filter, we do this together with the axle fluid at the rear which most often ignored.
Battery – Original usually able to last 5 years depending on situation, standard battery life will be about 2 years.
Occasionally, I see cases where I frequently pick up errors, such as when the warning light comes on even though the battery has been replaced.
Most of the causes come from unstable battery voltage due to cheap batteries.
In BMW, which has a lot of electrical control, vehicle abnormalities are likely to occur due to this slight voltage change, and in the worst case, it may lead to a failure that requires replacement of parts.
Since the battery needs not only to start the engine but also to continue to send stable current to the vehicle, it is essential that the battery has stable performance during the period of use, even if it is not riding for a while on cold or hot days.
We strongly recommend the use of genuine batteries since it provides the performance in terms of durability/stability.
Battery maintenance: You need to charge it once every 12 weeks even if it is not attached to the vehicle.
* Once installed in the vehicle, once every 6 weeks.
Failure to do this may reduce battery performance.
Most of the causes come from unstable battery voltage due to cheap batteries.
In BMW, which has a lot of electrical control, vehicle abnormalities are likely to occur due to this slight voltage change, and in the worst case, it may lead to a failure that requires replacement of parts.
Since the battery needs not only to start the engine but also to continue to send stable current to the vehicle, it is essential that the battery has stable performance during the period of use, even if it is not riding for a while on cold or hot days.
We strongly recommend the use of genuine batteries since it provides the performance in terms of durability/stability.
Battery maintenance: You need to charge it once every 12 weeks even if it is not attached to the vehicle.
* Once installed in the vehicle, once every 6 weeks.
Failure to do this may reduce battery performance.
Common Issues
1) Coolant Leak
Plastic parts doesn’t go along with heat and time, it will deteriorate them and without the presence of an anti-corrosion coolant it will go sooner. Replace your plastic coolant hoses/joints and related parts as early as 60,000km but more commonly around 75,000km-80,000km of mileage. Visually inspect the joints for brownish look, that will be a sign of wear, they will soon have little cracks and coolant will start sipping through. Turbo side will have coolant pipes as well, the corrosion on the metal pipe welds will usually start to leak coolant overtime.
2) Drivetrain Malfunction
a) Bent Camwheel
Another issue that pops up the drivetrain warning:
Vanos Gear/Actuator/Damaged Cam Wheel/Sensor
These parts will affect the engine mechanically either by a faulty sensor giving off wrong information to the computer or a defective mechanical part such as the Vanos cam gear as they consist of mechanical parts inside subject to wear and tear over time. Recommend to replace as early as 80,000km.
Vanos Gear/Actuator/Damaged Cam Wheel/Sensor
These parts will affect the engine mechanically either by a faulty sensor giving off wrong information to the computer or a defective mechanical part such as the Vanos cam gear as they consist of mechanical parts inside subject to wear and tear over time. Recommend to replace as early as 80,000km.
b) Timing Chain
BMW N20/N26 Timing Chain Preventive Maintenance/Fix
A common issue on these 2 types of engine the N20/N26 are the timing chain noises such as rattling or rough noise coming from the engine that occurs roughly at the mileage of 100,000+-km. A more severe case of unchanged timing chain is that the chain and components supporting the chain can break away and you are in for a complete engine overhaul making your cost to repair very much higher.
This noise issue indicates that the timing chain sprockets that are already showing early worn signs of the chain, or the related components such as the timing chain guides that are made of plastic are prone to disintegrating over a long period of time since it is inside the engine, it is exposed to chain movements and high heat. Also the timing chain tensioner are prone to wear and tear as well thus not providing enough tension to the chain.
A common issue on these 2 types of engine the N20/N26 are the timing chain noises such as rattling or rough noise coming from the engine that occurs roughly at the mileage of 100,000+-km. A more severe case of unchanged timing chain is that the chain and components supporting the chain can break away and you are in for a complete engine overhaul making your cost to repair very much higher.
This noise issue indicates that the timing chain sprockets that are already showing early worn signs of the chain, or the related components such as the timing chain guides that are made of plastic are prone to disintegrating over a long period of time since it is inside the engine, it is exposed to chain movements and high heat. Also the timing chain tensioner are prone to wear and tear as well thus not providing enough tension to the chain.
c) Misfiring
Spark Plugs and Coil
Most common issue for a misfiring engine is the ignition coils and spark plugs.
I recommend the spark plugs to be changed every 60,000km of mileage to avoid inconvenience in the future.
Same goes for the ignition coil as the engine needs these 2 components to provide a good spark, without a good spark the fuel mixture won’t be able to ignite properly or efficiently, or when a misfire happens, it is usually one of these that has malfunctioned.
Another less common issue will be the fuel injectors, when they are faulty they will throw the same warning and stuttering of the engine as well, almost similar to a faulty spark plug or ignition coil.
Most common issue for a misfiring engine is the ignition coils and spark plugs.
I recommend the spark plugs to be changed every 60,000km of mileage to avoid inconvenience in the future.
Same goes for the ignition coil as the engine needs these 2 components to provide a good spark, without a good spark the fuel mixture won’t be able to ignite properly or efficiently, or when a misfire happens, it is usually one of these that has malfunctioned.
Another less common issue will be the fuel injectors, when they are faulty they will throw the same warning and stuttering of the engine as well, almost similar to a faulty spark plug or ignition coil.
d) Turbo
3) Driving Stabilisation
90% of the time this is the culprit
The ABS wheel speed sensor, in a car with ABS system, a wheel speed sensor does what it says, it detects wheel speed and sends a signal of the speed to the computer. There will be 4 pieces of this sensor in a car so if either one of it fails, it will trigger a driving stabilisation warning. When it does it will trigger a fail safe mode for your vehicle to prevent you going any faster.
The ABS wheel speed sensor, in a car with ABS system, a wheel speed sensor does what it says, it detects wheel speed and sends a signal of the speed to the computer. There will be 4 pieces of this sensor in a car so if either one of it fails, it will trigger a driving stabilisation warning. When it does it will trigger a fail safe mode for your vehicle to prevent you going any faster.
4) Oil Leak
The most common oil leak will be at your valve cover area which is the valve cover gasket and the engine oil pan gasket.
Related parts that will follow will be:
– Engine oil cooler
– Engine oil filter housing
– Valvetronic motor oil seal
– Camshaft sensor o-rings
– Cam actuator o-rings
– Crank pulley oil seal
– Flywheel oil seal (requires the transmission to be removed to replace)
They usually will leak as early as 60,000km of mileage or if you’re a gentle driver you may make it past 90,000km before it starts to sip oil out of the gaskets and o-rings.
Related parts that will follow will be:
– Engine oil cooler
– Engine oil filter housing
– Valvetronic motor oil seal
– Camshaft sensor o-rings
– Cam actuator o-rings
– Crank pulley oil seal
– Flywheel oil seal (requires the transmission to be removed to replace)
They usually will leak as early as 60,000km of mileage or if you’re a gentle driver you may make it past 90,000km before it starts to sip oil out of the gaskets and o-rings.
BMW F10
BMW F30
5) Undercarriage Bush
Common issues of the suspension system: absorber, lower arms, upper arms
These are the most common issues that gives noise and driving discomfort on uneven or bumpy roads.
The parts consist of rubber bushings that are specifically made soft by the manufacturer to provide a soft comfortable ride. So the downside is they don’t last as long as harder compound rubbers and they wear faster.
The rubber bushings especially the main lower arms have hydraulic oil in them to further absorb and dampen road vibrations, so when you see sort of like leaks coming off the rubber bush area, it is the dampening oil that has already leaked out.
These are the most common issues that gives noise and driving discomfort on uneven or bumpy roads.
The parts consist of rubber bushings that are specifically made soft by the manufacturer to provide a soft comfortable ride. So the downside is they don’t last as long as harder compound rubbers and they wear faster.
The rubber bushings especially the main lower arms have hydraulic oil in them to further absorb and dampen road vibrations, so when you see sort of like leaks coming off the rubber bush area, it is the dampening oil that has already leaked out.
Engine and Gearbox Oil Service
We provide a full gearbox overhaul service for repair and maintenance purpose. Or in a case where your gearbox is flooded with mixture of oil and water from a broken transmission oil cooler, we provide the service to fix this issue.
