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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most mostly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 BMW X5 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a lot odd ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light lights up 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 2012 BMW X5. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a lot. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of back-up things. It can be as authentic as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 BMW X5, contact Richmond BMW Midlothian. 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 Midlothian today!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 BMW X5 will usually 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 sane, 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 2012 BMW X5 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Richmond BMW Midlothian so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

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

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

Check Engine Light Service 2012 BMW X5

What do you do when you’re driving along in your BMW X5 and suddenly, a yellow light brightens on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most BMW owners, your heart sinks a scant because you have scant 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 indicate 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 2012 BMW X5 checked as soon as potential. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2012 BMW X5's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electrical control system that it can’t honorable, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is naturally 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 find out with an computerized scan tool that is used by our BMW auto repair technicians at Richmond BMW Midlothian. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you designate that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced experienced to opt for the issue and repair it.

2012 BMW X5 Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2012 BMW X5 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs abrupt attention and your BMW should be brought in swiftly. A flashing light indicates that the problem is dangerous and if not taken care of swiftly may result in potent damage to the car. This blinking light usually suggests a rigorous engine misfire allowing unused fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can promptly increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where wear and tear is likely, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A bad, popular 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 incredibly expensive repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive advisors at Richmond BMW Midlothian immediately by calling 8043618758.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 BMW X5?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as prudent as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a hazardous problem that could cause hazardous wear and tear 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 persistent glow generally means something less hazardous but a shining check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is mandatory quickly. If your check engine light is shining in your 2012 BMW X5, we hugely recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule BMW service today. Below is a list of the most acknowledged reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • The battery is miniature or dead. The battery in your 2012 BMW X5 is every hard. 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 value of a new one depends on the type of BMW you drive, but check our ongoing service coupons and specials.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2012 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 deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, 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, extensive to more costly repairs.
  • Your 2012 BMW X5 has a vacuum leak. Every BMW X5 has a vacuum system that performs a wide collection of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut down 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 dry out and crack, very if they’re exposed to compelling heat or extreme brisk.
  • One of the most accepted and many cause is that your 2012 BMW X5 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 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 old 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 costly. If your check engine light turns on immediately after you put gas in your 2012 BMW X5, first thing you should check is to make satisfied the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be interchanged. 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 confident changes, like altitude. If your BMW X5 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a hasty change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your 2012 BMW X5 if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound natural, bring your X5 to BMW and have our team of certified technicians ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, very aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might value a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be interchanged. The Oxygen sensor, natural 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 vehicle will be less handy 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 2012 BMW X5's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the right mixture 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.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 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 Midlothian offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every BMW service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it fixed, your 2012 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.

2012 BMW X5 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are copious capacity causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are plentiful traditional causes including something as authentic as a loose gas cap. Different traditional reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, or defective spark plugs to name clear-cut. 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 mandatory 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 2012 BMW X5 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its crucial systems. The sensors are constantly detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control team. If the electronic control team 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 totally is incorrect nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Richmond BMW Midlothian provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Highly Qualified Service professional.

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. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is not advantageous to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is blinking, we recommend that you pull over and contact Richmond BMW Midlothian to aid find out if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. It could be anything from a intrusive sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 BMW X5 with the check engine light on?

This question is not remarkably bold because it all depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be protected to drive. This is regularly 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 hazardous problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a hazardous issue and it is recommended to service your BMW X5 at this moment. Call the experts at Richmond BMW Midlothian by dialing 8043618758 so you can describe the issues. Or discount your speed and bring your 2012 BMW to our certified mechanics as soon as convenient.

2012 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 expeditiously flashes, 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 admitted as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your X5. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling helpful diagnostics will give you available 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, engaging and imperative vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of achievable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of achievable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is decisive for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Richmond BMW Midlothian at 8043618758 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a compelling concern, you risk damaging your car added by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out suddenly by a certified BMW mechanic.