There are a number of issues that may arise in your BMW, but ensuring the reliability that you’ve come to love means taking the vehicle in right away if it needs maintenance. Sometimes problems may be easy to spot but sometimes they may be more difficult. Most BMWs are technologically advanced enough to detect when something is wrong under the hood and they usually alert you immediately.
Should you see a check engine light turn on in your vehicle, it is best not to question whether or not your vehicle is right. Take your car into a service dealership right away to ensure there is no serious underlying problem and get the peace of mind you need to get back out on the road.
How Does the Check Engine Light Work
The check engine light is officially known as the malfunction indicator lamp, which is an ominous but insightful name. Essentially, this light only indicates when the car’s computer has detected a problem under the hood. Unfortunately, this light activating is something of a double-edged sword because the problem could be something very minor or something very major.
Fortunately, car manufacturers thought of this and installed a way to know if the problem is more serious. A check engine light that turns on and stays solidly illuminated means the computer has detected a problem that is not too immediately detrimental, though it will still need to be seen to soon. However, if the check engine light begins to flash, you need to take your car in right away, as this is an indication of a serious problem that can quickly become a hazard.
Try not to confuse this light with other indicators on your dash, such as the service light that turns on when it is time to take your vehicle in for something similar to an oil change. You can detect the problem of the car yourself using a code reader, but mixed signals are very common with a check engine light, so it is best to let a professional diagnose and fix the problem for you.
What Causes the Check Engine Light to Turn On?
Check engine lights are finicky because of the wide array of issues that can turn the light on. Once again, if the light is flashing you should take your car in right away, but even if it isn’t flashing it’s always good to take the car in to be serviced and get the light turned off. Below are some of, but not all, the most common reasons your light may have turned on.
Loose Fuel Cap
By far and wide, a loose fuel cap is one of the largest causes for a check engine light to turn on. This cap prevents gas fumes from leaving the fuel tank and helps to keep the whole system at just the right pressure. A loose fuel cap is an easy fix but extremely important, so the check engine light will turn on if the computer senses it is loose.
Oxygen Sensor Failure
This sensor measures the amount of unburnt oxygen in a car’s exhaust system. This sensor then transmits the information to the computer of the vehicle and lets the computer know proper emission levels. Should this sensor go out, your BMW may fail emissions tests or even damage components as the oxygen is unregulated.
Spark Plug Issues
Spark plugs are important to the overall function of your engine and create the ignition that will ignite the fuel and air mixture. Without functioning spark plugs your engine may see performance problems or even misfire. Therefore, spark plugs that aren’t working are enough reasons for the car’s computer to turn on the check engine light.
Encore Motorcars For Your BMW Needs
We here at Encore Motorcars understand the 
complexities of your BMW’s engine and what may cause the check engine light to turn on. We also have plenty of experience servicing cars for clients around Bradenton, Ellenton, Nokomis, Osprey, Parrish, Venice, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, University Park, and Sarasota, FL. This means we have both the knowledge and expertise needed to help fix your BMW issues.
It’s always best to trust a professional to diagnose and fix any problems relating to a check engine light, and this is something we can do for you here at Encore Motorcars. Please give us a call or come visit us today to see how we can help you. We look forward to earning your trust and business.