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

It could be anything from a damaging sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is troublesome to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is shining, we mean that you pull over and contact Richmond BMW Midlothian to help designate if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we mean a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most ordinarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2013 BMW X5 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few different 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 assortment of things for your 2013 BMW X5. Some of these include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of contrasting things. It can be as easy as your gas cap being loose or as alarming as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2013 BMW X5, contact Richmond BMW Midlothian. Contact Richmond BMW Midlothian today! 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 twinkling.

2013 BMW X5 Check Engine Light

A flashing light implies that the problem is curious and if not taken care of rapidly may result in gargantuan damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2013 BMW X5 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs urgent attention and your BMW should be brought in rapidly. This shining light generally indicates a draconian engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be drained into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A bad, former 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 squad of automotive advisors at Richmond BMW Midlothian quickly by calling 8043618758.

2013 BMW X5 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are frequent potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are a few conclusive causes including something as pure as a loose gas cap. Additional conclusive 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 a few. 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 serviced.

Every 2013 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 crucial systems. The sensors are continuously detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control squad. If the electronic control squad 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 exactly is wrong 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 experienced.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2013 BMW X5?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as easy as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a effective problem that could cause effective 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 steady glow typically means something less effective but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in effective trouble and service is essential urgently. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2013 BMW X5, we very advocate not to commute the vehicle and schedule BMW service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your BMW X5 is what determines how much fuel is fundamental 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 authentic 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 bad mass airflow sensor.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak havoc on your 2013 BMW X5 if it’s not installed perfectly. 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 classic, transport your X5 to BMW and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, exceedingly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might rate a little bit more but could save you money from having to get meager work and damage caused by meager installation work corrected.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2013 BMW X5 is every flashy. 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 various decades ago, and they don't surely require maintenance. The rate of a new one depends on the type of BMW you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are fundamental for your 2013 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 departed, you will experience meager 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, best to more expensive repairs.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2013 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 frequently 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 revamped, your 2013 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 other problems from overheating.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, prevalent 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 active 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 2013 BMW X5's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to pick 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.
  • One of the most prevalent and several cause is that your 2013 BMW X5 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2013 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 departed 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 quickly after you put gas in your 2013 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.
  • Your 2013 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 lower 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, exceedingly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme amiable.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2013 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 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 2013 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 deliver it in to Richmond BMW Midlothian so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

2013 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 quickly 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 acknowledged 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 gigantic diagnostics will give you convenient knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is actually supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, cooperative and logical vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of feasible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of feasible reasons for the light, including:

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

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

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 correctly tightened to a more unsafe failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it tremendous to get the decent code reading and diagnosis. The middle cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The tremendous news, Richmond BMW Midlothian offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist read the cause of your check engine light.

Is it safe to drive your 2013 BMW X5 with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a draconian issue and it is recommended to service your BMW X5 expeditiously. This question is not incredibly prudent 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 safe to drive. This is continually 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 strict problem. Call the veterans at Richmond BMW Midlothian by dialing 8043618758 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2013 BMW to our certified mechanics as soon as detailed.

Check Engine Light Service 2013 BMW X5

What do you do when you’re driving along in your BMW X5 and abruptly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most BMW owners, your heart sinks a tiny because you have tiny 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 2013 BMW X5 checked as soon as conceivable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing colossal damage to fancy engine components.

When your 2013 BMW X5's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t appropriate, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically 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 diagnose tool that is used by our BMW auto repair mechanics at Richmond BMW Midlothian. There are also a number of relatively bargain code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you determine that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the issue and repair it.