What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your BMW 640i is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few 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 illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your automobile. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored automobile performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your BMW 640i. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, controlling engine speed, 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 regular as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your BMW 640i, contact Plaza BMW. Our BMW service department can help you choose what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is glaring. Contact Plaza BMW today!

BMW 640i Check Engine Light

A flashing light suggests that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of immediately may result in major break to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your BMW 640i starts flashing, that means that the problem needs sudden attention and your BMW should be delivered in immediately. This twinkling light usually indicates a relentless engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discharged into the exhaust system. There it can suddenly increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can strictly be the cause. A bad, common 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 particularly expensive repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive advisors at Plaza BMW rapidly by calling 3145823628.

BMW 640i Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are copious potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are a lot normal causes encompassing something as straightforward as a loose gas cap. Back-up normal reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, 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 basic 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 BMW 640i was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its basic systems. The sensors are constantly detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit 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 amiss nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Plaza BMW provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Very Qualified Service professional.

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

It could be anything from a aggressive sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how frequent miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we advocate that you pull over and contact Plaza BMW to help mean if your vehicle is reliable to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck.

Is it safe to drive your BMW 640i with the check engine light on?

This question is not very effortless 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 exact to commute. This is constantly 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 shining, this means that there is a hazardous issue and it is recommended to service your BMW 640i abruptly. Call the experts at Plaza BMW by dialing 3145823628 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your BMW to our certified mechanics as soon as factual.

Check Engine Light Service BMW 640i

What do you do when you’re driving along in your BMW 640i and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most BMW owners, your heart sinks a little because you have little 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 imply 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 BMW 640i checked as soon as convenient. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major wear and tear to expensive engine components.

When your BMW 640i's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electrical control system that it can’t decent, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is generally 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 scan tool that is used by our BMW auto repair technicians at Plaza BMW. There are also a number of rather low-cost code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an trained professional to select the issue and repair it.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your BMW 640i will commonly 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 marvelous, and you did assorted 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 BMW 640i 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 Plaza BMW so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

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

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

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a BMW 640i?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as effortless as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a treacherous problem that could cause treacherous damage to your engine and come with a awesome repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow generally means something less treacherous but a shining check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in treacherous trouble and service is fundamental quickly. If your check engine light is shining in your BMW 640i, we exceedingly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule BMW service immediately. Below is a list of the most commonplace reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or extra item can wreak havoc on your BMW 640i if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can discard the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avert the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound appreciative, bring your 640i to BMW and have our department of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, very aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a scant 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 replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the payment of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less apt 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 BMW 640i's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to mean the reasonable range 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 BMW 640i has a vacuum leak. Each BMW 640i has a vacuum system that performs a extensive 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 parched out and crack, very if they’re exposed to important heat or extreme fun.
• The battery is poor or dead. The battery in your BMW 640i is each abhorrent. 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 certainly require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of BMW you drive, but check our prevailing service coupons and specials.
• One of the most logical and countless cause is that your BMW 640i gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your BMW 640i 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 traditional 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 immediately after you put gas in your BMW 640i, first thing you should check is to make fearless the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are imperative for your BMW 640i. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel range 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 traditional, 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, large to more expensive repairs.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your BMW 640i’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 Plaza BMW offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with each BMW service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your BMW 640i 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 extra problems from overheating.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your BMW 640i is what determines how much fuel is imperative to run your engine efficiently by measuring the payment of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to conclusive changes, like altitude. If your BMW 640i is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.

BMW 640i Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard abruptly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear good 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 known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your 640i. There are hundreds of various codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling imperative diagnostics will give you cooperative knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is certainly supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, distinct and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of accessible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of accessible reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is giant for someone who does not have a few of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a relentless concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue modest away. Call Plaza BMW at 3145823628 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a certified BMW mechanic.