Do you wish to reset the service engine soon light of your BMW smart ride? With technological advancement, modern cars now come with indications and guides to keep you informed on the latest development of cars.
It is important to take note of these indications when they come up and act promptly towards them as that could save you a fortune before it gets out of hand.
Without a doubt, your BMW car comes with these indications. We will be discussing one of them.
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What Does BMW Service Engine Soon Light Mean?
When you notice this with your vehicle, it simply means your car needs to be assessed by an expert technician who could ascertain why the light came on.
More often than not, the light comes on for a number of reasons. Your vehicle may need you to change its oil, and tires or even require you to get coolant in it.
However, if this happens not to be the case with your BMW, it’s time to take it to a reliable repair shop.
Furthermore, when you notice this with your car, it usually pre-informs you of an imminent error or danger with your vehicle in order to work on it.
The light is located on the dashboard of your smart ride and it is usually written in capital letters to get your attention.
While it is not really a serious case when this Pops up on your dashboard, the safest step is to get your car down to a professional that can dissect what the issue is before it changes to “Check engine light” which could be dangerous for your vehicle.
How To Reset Service Engine Soon Light BMW
Step 1: Check The Gas cap
The moment you notice this with your car, ascertain if the gas cap is tight. Also, make sure you have enough coolant and that it is not due for an oil change.
Usually, this is one of the common issues with your BMW, it may be that the last time you got the gas cap opened, it was not well covered.
Step 2: Switch on The Vehicle’s Electrical Systems
When you switch on the car’s electrical systems, endeavor not to start the engine.
However, there are models with push-button which enable you to push the ignition three times but for some, you only need to do it once.
Step 3: Check Out The Small Odometer Button
The odometer button is located at the bottom left side of the instrument panel. When you locate it, hold on to it till the service notification pops up.
Step 4: Release The Button
Release and press the button one more time till you get the “reset message”.
Again, release the button, press and hold it and you will get the “reset in progress” notification and finally, “reset successfully”.
Step 5: Turn off The Car
At this point, switch the car off to kick start it again to be certain the reset process was successful.
It should be noted that resetting the light via this means does not totally erase what the issue is. Adequate checks should be done to ensure the issue is discovered and solved.
Hence, it will not only pop on again but might escalate to some major problems if it is not properly checked.
Basics of How To Properly BMW Service Engine Soon Light Reset
As stated above, there are varying issues that could sum up to the light popping on.
When this happens, the first step to take is to consult the car’s owner manual for some guides as to why this could happen and possibly, a lasting solution.
However, Cars of this sort come with on-board diagnostics like the OBD scanner and it is important to use the one compatible with your vehicle.
Cars with less than 15 years of production dates would work with the latest OBD2 standard.
Furthermore, Bluetooth-enabled OBD scanners can allow you to monitor your vehicle’s state from your device.
All you have to do is plug it into your car to accurately ascertain the error codes detected by the ECU.
This gives you an idea of what the problem is as it makes it less difficult to find solutions to the issue.
If you do not plan on sending your BMW to a workshop in the first instance of noticing the issue and you feel it is something you can handle, here are some first aid steps to take:
STEP 1: Loose Fuel Cap
When the light switches on, this is arguably one of the commonest reasons. In this case, you would have to switch the engine off to remove the fuel cap and fix it back.
It could happen when you forget to tighten it the last time you opened it. After this, you would need to ignite the engine to check if it is already switched off.
This may not happen immediately but if it doesn’t switch off after some time, you may need to change the fuel cap.
STEP 2: Check The Fluid Level
This is also one of the few changes you can affect when you notice this issue. However, you will need to switch off the engine to check the bay.
This is to ascertain if the engine needs a refill of either the engine oil, brake fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, or a combination of all.
Most often, reservoirs have indicators to show the minimum level of fluid required.
If this is low, you could want to check out your owner’s manual to know which of the brands is compatible with your vehicle. Refill the reservoirs and see if the light turns off.
If you in any way consider these steps as rather difficult for you or you feel there is more to the issue than what has been stated, your best bet would be to locate certified and experienced technicians to do a professional diagnosis on your car.
This could come as expensive compared to the steps above but are worth it. After all, your car gets fixed and fine to serve you for a long period of time.
When the case goes beyond what you can handle, it could be the issue with a failing OBD2 sensor.
The BMW uses specific equipment that might not necessarily be the same as other vehicles, you will need to be careful about taking your vehicle to a service center where equipment that does not support your BMW would be used.
This could have a negative effect on your smart ride. Advisedly, ensure the technician you will handle your vehicle to is ASE certified.
This set of mechanics demonstrates experience in working on advanced technology vehicles such as the BMW.
This is usually the best to avoid some additional issues as a result of your technician’s incompetence.
However, there are some attributes to watch out for when giving your BMW out for repairs.
They include:
01. Wealth of Experience
Ensure the technician(s) in question have a great deal of experience with cars such as BMW.
02. Excellent Reputation
It is also quite important to be sure they have earned notable recognition in your locality for fixing BMWs.
A wide range of BMW repair services, price affordability, and great customer service are some of the other things to watch out for.
Common Issues Why “BMW Service Engine Soon” Light Turns on
It is important to reiterate that while it may be almost impossible to ascertain why this happens, there are a few common issues as to why it may occur. Your Car May Need One or a Combination of The Following:
01. Due For Service
When you notice that your BMW gives you this signal, it may be that you need to take it through thorough servicing.
This is because Your vehicle is automatically designed to have its regular maintenance period programmed in its system.
In addition, whenever you notice it, chances are high that the vehicle may be due for its scheduled servicing and checkup.
When regular service and maintenance are done on your BMW, there is a greater chance for the car to stay a longer period without any hiccups.
The reverse is also the case if, at any rate, you missed the scheduled maintenance as great damage could be done to the engine of the car and other compartments.
02. Oil Levels
There is a need to constantly check and top up the oil levels of your BMW.
When this is low, the light comes on because it requires you to refill or completely change oil and other related fluids such as coolant and transmission fluid.
It gives you hints as to the amount of time you have left to keep driving your BMW with its current oil levels.
Refusal to pay close attention to this only means you are ready for whatever negative outcome surfaces.
03. Brake Pads
Brake pads in a vehicle can also cause the light to come on.
This happens when the brake fails and this is due to a number of elements which includes insufficient brake fluids to faulty brake pads.
04. Spark Plugs
Worn spark plugs could also make your vehicle’s light turn on.
This is so because worn-out spark plugs cause your engine to misfire and this prompts the check engine light to be on.
Other Common Issues Why Your “Service Engine Soon” Light Turns on Could be The:
filters, tires rotation, and probably, an emission issue.
Should You Ignore BMW Service Engine Soon Light?
No. While it is not ideal to ignore but doing that would not be a huge crime to commit if especially you do not like the way it stares at you in your face.
A reset would come in handy. This is for persons who do not want to have a headache about seeing the light pop on each time they switch on their cars.
More so, you can therefore ignore it for a short period but you will have to do the needful to put the light off.
However, ignoring the signal when the issue with the vehicle is a serious one especially if it has to do with the engine would only cause damage to it.
Furthermore, ignoring the signal by resetting it does not mean the issue with the vehicle has been solved as it may still appear again and you do not want to keep on resetting because it is not advisable.
That might lead to more serious and complicated issues.
At this point, it is advisable to locate certified and experienced diagnostic centers or technicians to check the cause and the possible solutions to the issue.
Is it Necessary To Visit a Dealership If The BMW Service Engine Soon Light Comes on?
When you finally discover you have no means to proper solutions to the light popping on, the next and best alternative would be to drive your BMW car to your dealership in order for them to have a look at it and find out why the light switches on.
This is important because it would not be a safe idea for the light to pop up while in transit especially when you are clueless about the vehicle’s exact problem.
However, technology compliance cars such as BMW cannot be taken to some random mechanics for issues such as this.
In this case, what you will need to do is to locate a repair workshop specializing in BMWs or take it to a BMW dealership.
While the latter would be the best because it is an extension of the BMW company itself and because they specialize in only BMWs, they already know the issues peculiar to each BMW model and they offer prompt solutions to them.
Whether you take your vehicle to an individual repair home or to a dealership, it is important to bear in mind the qualities to watch out for which include their experience, reputation, affordability, and their customer service.
In all, your aim is to ensure the auto repair outfit you take your vehicle to offers you a top-notch service that brings an end to the issue with your smart ride.
People Also Ask
01. Why Does My BMW Say Service Engine Soon?
The time schedule for your BMW to be serviced has been programmed in its system. Whenever you see it come on, it means the time for your vehicle’s checkup is due.
02. Can I Drive With The Service Soon Light on?
You will probably drive when the service engine soon light is on. So far it is standing still and not blinking.
If the service engine starts to blink, get the attention of an expert mechanic immediately.
03. Can Low Oil Cause The Service Engine Soon Light?
Definitely. When the engine oil in the vehicle becomes low, the light shows up on the dashboard of your BMW. It also could be that the other fluids level is also low.
04. Can You Fix The Causes For a Service Engine Soon Light?
In this case, you could want to consider losing the fuel cap. This is one of the common reasons for the light to come on. You can also check the fluid levels at your own convenience.
05. How Long Does it Take For The Service Engine Light Soon To Go off?
After fixing the issue, you may want to believe the car still has issues because the light is not going off. This is because it requires adequate time to reset and come up.
Your vehicle’s internal system would get its balance after a period of time when it ascertains its sensors.
However, the reset could occur automatically after about 10 to 20 cycles.
Conclusion
As seen above, it is important to always watch out for signs and indicators as they prompt you to be aware of any major development in your vehicle.
When you finally decide to consult a professional, it should probably be because the issue is now beyond you to solve yourself.
When it comes to replacing the engine or some other huge repairs it could be quite cumbersome for you to do alone and so the assistance of an expert is needed.
The expert technician connects your car to a system that runs checks and diagnoses to know what the issue is.
Moreso, an overall physical check would be done which could be to top up the low fluids so that your car is in the perfect condition you have always desired.
Perhaps, if you like to check the cause of your BMW service engine light coming on, get a personal OBD2 Scanner as it makes you assess the vehicle’s problems before it leaves for a repair workshop if need be.
These scanners are not necessarily costly and guess what? They are easy to use.
All you need do is plug in your scanner and follow the instructions on how to should use it. Afterward, make the crucial repairs if they are things you can do.