Z4 Owners - Few problems, dealer says 'they all do that'
Discussion
Hi guys,
2003 Z4 3.0 - currently back at the supplying main dealer having a few bits done.
We raised a few issues which they've come back and said no fault found or 'they all that, sir'. I wonder if fellow Z4 owners have the same issue or whether the dealer is being awkward?
Firstly the handbrake often fails to properly disengage - making a squeeling noise as you pull away and often being partially still applied such that if you let the clutch in soon after pulling off the car is stopped by the handbrake. Dealer claims they all do that.
Secondly the windscreen wipers often do not park correctly when used in the intermittant setting - they park further up the screen than usual which often obscures the drivers view. Dealer says no fault found.
And thirdly from cold starts occasionally the revs will dip to 350rpm, the car will shudder as it is going to stall, but then spring back up and idle normally. It does this once per every other cold start or so. My 530i with the same engine doesn't do this.
Anyone else with a Z4 had this? Whats the best counter to the dealers insistance that nothing is wrong?
Cheers!
2003 Z4 3.0 - currently back at the supplying main dealer having a few bits done.
We raised a few issues which they've come back and said no fault found or 'they all that, sir'. I wonder if fellow Z4 owners have the same issue or whether the dealer is being awkward?
Firstly the handbrake often fails to properly disengage - making a squeeling noise as you pull away and often being partially still applied such that if you let the clutch in soon after pulling off the car is stopped by the handbrake. Dealer claims they all do that.
Secondly the windscreen wipers often do not park correctly when used in the intermittant setting - they park further up the screen than usual which often obscures the drivers view. Dealer says no fault found.
And thirdly from cold starts occasionally the revs will dip to 350rpm, the car will shudder as it is going to stall, but then spring back up and idle normally. It does this once per every other cold start or so. My 530i with the same engine doesn't do this.
Anyone else with a Z4 had this? Whats the best counter to the dealers insistance that nothing is wrong?
Cheers!
Mine doesn't do any of those things. I suspect they've plugged in their analytical equipment, it showed no 'fault' so that's that. I'd speak to the service manager, though they may have to have the car there for the cold start issue.
I had a similar thing with my 120. On 'auto' the lights are on pretty well constantly but there's no 'fault' apparently.
I had a similar thing with my 120. On 'auto' the lights are on pretty well constantly but there's no 'fault' apparently.
Edited by NickB12 on Thursday 7th August 21:50
No they dont do that as norm.
Yes we see these but as faults....
1 the hand brake shoes are either catching on the back plates(lubricate), over adjusted or pivot lever is sticking(at shoe end)
2 sounds as if either the wiper park hall sensor is failing or the general module is cutting out motor to soon...ideally need to see this fault as there are a whole host of causes to this fault...need to see where/how it stops.
3 what rpm does it sit at normally? may have a possible air mass fault if there is no fault listed...may be an air leak but that should log a fault
it
Yes we see these but as faults....
1 the hand brake shoes are either catching on the back plates(lubricate), over adjusted or pivot lever is sticking(at shoe end)
2 sounds as if either the wiper park hall sensor is failing or the general module is cutting out motor to soon...ideally need to see this fault as there are a whole host of causes to this fault...need to see where/how it stops.
3 what rpm does it sit at normally? may have a possible air mass fault if there is no fault listed...may be an air leak but that should log a fault
it
Agree with Forza
1/ probably sticking on the backplate or over adjusted, may even be corrossion on inside of the disc due to low usage?
2/ Park switch in the motor or output signal to the motor, how ever we have seen two Z4s where replacement of these parts and no faults could ever be found with the wiring, as you say when on intermittent they park high but switch them off and they sit down
3/ I take it that it is an M54 engine, my money would be on hydraulic lifters causing poor combustion on start up, often accompanied with a rattle as the air bleeds out of them.
The latter can throw up 'misfire due to poor combustion' faults but not always.
1/ probably sticking on the backplate or over adjusted, may even be corrossion on inside of the disc due to low usage?
2/ Park switch in the motor or output signal to the motor, how ever we have seen two Z4s where replacement of these parts and no faults could ever be found with the wiring, as you say when on intermittent they park high but switch them off and they sit down
3/ I take it that it is an M54 engine, my money would be on hydraulic lifters causing poor combustion on start up, often accompanied with a rattle as the air bleeds out of them.
The latter can throw up 'misfire due to poor combustion' faults but not always.
NickB12 said:
I had a similar thing with my 120. On 'auto' the lights are on pretty well constantly but there's no 'fault' apparently.
Nick have you checked to see if you're day running lights are set to on, if so and you have a 1 series without the 'Corona' lights i.e. dont have Xenon's, then your main lights will act as day running lights and therefore will be on for as long as the ignition is on.HTH.
Regards,
Swiss.
I heard mine crack going slowly over a speed bump and parking up allowed the last coil to drop off. Apparently, there is no significant change to the handling. Occasionally I take a look under the car to check the M's coils are OK.
Speaking as an engineer the crack on my ROS coil spring seemed to emanate from a rust spot that I guess was caused by a stone chip. I wonder whether the suspension design in the Z and the 3 series position the springs where they can be hit with road debris that by chance penetrates the (thin/weak) paint coating, causes corrosion and eventually failure. Fairly random failure mechanism that can only be prevented by better coatings or a protective sleeve. Anyway its not expensive to fix.
Speaking as an engineer the crack on my ROS coil spring seemed to emanate from a rust spot that I guess was caused by a stone chip. I wonder whether the suspension design in the Z and the 3 series position the springs where they can be hit with road debris that by chance penetrates the (thin/weak) paint coating, causes corrosion and eventually failure. Fairly random failure mechanism that can only be prevented by better coatings or a protective sleeve. Anyway its not expensive to fix.
And the results..
Handbrake fixed. Cold start problem 'We couldnt find it sir'. Wiper problem 'All fixed sir'.
Which is why it then refused to park properly on the 200 mile trip all the way home. Sigh. Oh and they couldn't fix the slightly damaged seat clip, broke the whole thing, and now I'm missing a seat back for nearly a month whilst my local dealer orders it from Germany.
And the paintwork they did has runs in the paint on the inside of the boot and a distinct line between old paint and new. 'New cars are like that, sir' and 'Well you cant see it, the boot is normally shut anyway'
Sigh.
Still, great fun on the drive home
Handbrake fixed. Cold start problem 'We couldnt find it sir'. Wiper problem 'All fixed sir'.
Which is why it then refused to park properly on the 200 mile trip all the way home. Sigh. Oh and they couldn't fix the slightly damaged seat clip, broke the whole thing, and now I'm missing a seat back for nearly a month whilst my local dealer orders it from Germany.
And the paintwork they did has runs in the paint on the inside of the boot and a distinct line between old paint and new. 'New cars are like that, sir' and 'Well you cant see it, the boot is normally shut anyway'
Sigh.
Still, great fun on the drive home
[TW]Fox said:
And the results..
Handbrake fixed. Cold start problem 'We couldnt find it sir'. Wiper problem 'All fixed sir'.
Which is why it then refused to park properly on the 200 mile trip all the way home. Sigh. Oh and they couldn't fix the slightly damaged seat clip, broke the whole thing, and now I'm missing a seat back for nearly a month whilst my local dealer orders it from Germany.
And the paintwork they did has runs in the paint on the inside of the boot and a distinct line between old paint and new. 'New cars are like that, sir' and 'Well you cant see it, the boot is normally shut anyway'
Sigh.
Still, great fun on the drive home
I'd have gone mental over that level of service; my dealer is much better than that! Complain to BMW UKHandbrake fixed. Cold start problem 'We couldnt find it sir'. Wiper problem 'All fixed sir'.
Which is why it then refused to park properly on the 200 mile trip all the way home. Sigh. Oh and they couldn't fix the slightly damaged seat clip, broke the whole thing, and now I'm missing a seat back for nearly a month whilst my local dealer orders it from Germany.
And the paintwork they did has runs in the paint on the inside of the boot and a distinct line between old paint and new. 'New cars are like that, sir' and 'Well you cant see it, the boot is normally shut anyway'
Sigh.
Still, great fun on the drive home
MitchT said:
I can see the cartoon strip now...
Disenchanted BMW customer: "My local BMW main dealer is making s
tty excuses for faults on my car"
Local Trading Standards bod: "They all do that sir"
Disenchanted BMW customer: "My local BMW main dealer is making s
tty excuses for faults on my car"Local Trading Standards bod: "They all do that sir"
Reminded me of trying to get a main dealer to match the service price of the other two BMW Main Dealers. Me "but why are you £50 more expensive for exactly the same £160 service?" Him "I can't see how they're doing it for that etc etc" whilst pointing to the itemized list on the screen..... and wearing a Rolex..... Not dissimilar to the one worn by the salesman....
I'm getting tired of this cat and mouse game - new rear tyres is the next one. Dealer £190 ea fitted + vat. Blackcircles £190 ea fitted incl vat, a £66 difference. And before someone comes out with the immortal line "but you don't work for nothing" I don't take the P**s either.
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