BMW dealer fails to spot fault code during full service, owner reports

Driver stranded on roadside with a breakdown following full service which hadn't checked for fault codes

BMW dealer fails to spot fault code during full service, owner reports
BMW check-up doesn’t cover fault codes or updates, owner told.

The owner of a BMW X3 has spoken out against his BMW main dealer after a full service failed to acknowledge a fault code which later led to the breakdown of his car.

Speaking to CarBuyer, owner, Steve explained that his car broke down just a month after the main dealer full service.

He said: “I was 80 miles from home and exiting a motorway when a warning flashed on the display about a drivetrain issue.”

BMW Roadside Assistance dispatched a technician who discovered an EGR valve fault code.

Steve added: “He was able to fix it, but then told me the fault code had been there for several months.

Unnecessary breakdown

“The breakdown appeared to have been completely unnecessary and, according to the technician, the fault code had occurred on a number of occasions previously.

“I was more than a little surprised as I had the car serviced less than one month before the breakdown.”

Steve was told by the technician that routine servicing does not include checking for fault codes.

He later found that a software update, made available months before his service, had not been applied to his car.

BMW told Steve: “We don’t feel that checking for software updates in a routine service is required, unless, of course, the owner makes the centre aware of any particular concerns.”

A BMW spokesperson told CarBuyer: “Fault memories on the diagnostics tester are not checked during routine servicing”.

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Home Page Forums BMW dealer fails to spot fault code during full service, owner reports

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  • #157029 Reply

    The owner of a BMW X3 has spoken out against his BMW main dealer after a full service failed to acknowledge a fault code which later led to the breakd
    [See the full post at: BMW dealer fails to spot fault code during full service, owner reports]

    #157042 Reply
    Anon
    Guest

    Where would you draw the line? “I only want to pay for an oil and filter service but want to know the inside and out of a duck’s arse, and a full consultation with your crystal ball…

    #157045 Reply
    jim walker
    Guest

    BMW Main dealer servicing should always check for updates, not fault codes, however considering the very high costs involved with main dealer work perhaps they should check for codes as a matter of courtesy/customer service. ya right that wont happen as it’s all show, as the old saying goes “nice dress, shame theirs no knickers”

    #157049 Reply
    Peter Miles
    Guest

    I would have expected any software updates to have been loaded but fault codes? Easy enough to check for them but if the vehicle was running well at the time and any faults were historic how much time would the customer expect to pay for further investigation of a problem which wasn’t even current? We all know that fault codes are not always necessarily cause for concern
    Obviously in this case it later caused him to breakdown but if it hadn’t would he have been pleased to pay £200 or so for looking into a fault code to then be told it was nothing to worry about?

    #157051 Reply
    Peter
    Guest

    We are a small family run garage and we follow the service schedules as laid down be the vehicle manufacturer, each mechanic gets a printed service itemized sheet of which they follow , every sheet that I have seen has always had CARRY OUT A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK printed on it, perhaps this is why other garages are winning over main dealers !

    #157054 Reply
    Graham Lange
    Guest

    Volvo make big deal of telling customers they include a free software update at every service, but don’t allow the independant sector to do this unless we are prepared to buy every individual software update at huge expense…which is anti competitve. Then you have BMW charging the world and doing less than it should? Not a level playing field really is it?

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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