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There are many benefits to owning a BMW. The BMW Company is internationally recognized for the quality of the vehicles they produce. This luxury vehicle is not only fast and stylish, but has incredible engineering details that have been carefully designed to ensure a positive customer experience. However, even with its careful design and attention to detail, the BMW can still experience problems from time to time.
Many owners of the E46 3 Series complain about having coolant leaks. When dealing with coolant leaks it is important to understand what that means for your vehicle’s performance, and why it happened to begin with. Dealing with this issue rather quickly is important to the proper function of your vehicle. If not properly addressed, coolant leaks can result in problems for your car. There are signs you may begin to notice if you are dealing with a coolant leak. If you are unsure, it might be wise to consider visiting a trusted mechanic — preferably one who is familiar with working on BMWs.
Like most problems, there are usually signs that may indicate you are dealing with an issue. In the case of a coolant leak, one possible cause could be that the reservoir is made from plastic and may begin to wear over time. If it wears too much, it could crack and cause a coolant leak in your vehicle.
The coolant in your car is what helps maintain and control the temperature of your engine. You want to note that you neither want your engine too hot, or too cold. If your car is leaking coolant, your engine may lose its ability to regulate its temperature, putting sensitive engine components in danger.
If you suspect that your coolant reservoir is leaking, you will want to have the entire cooling system inspected. If the reservoir has worn out, there is a strong chance that other components in the cooling system have worn out as well. If other parts have worn out, then you may have additional leaks that you will want to get diagnosed and repaired. As previously mentioned, it is important to make sure your vehicle is not overheating, as this can cause serious damages to your car. These damages can be incredibly costly, but they can be avoided if you are properly maintaining your vehicle.
There are several tests that can be done in order to determine if your car is in fact experiencing a coolant tank leak. The best, and most effective way to determine if you are having a problem with your engine’s cooling system is to test the pressure. A pressure tester is a handy tool to have that can help when dealing with the cooling system in your car. Since there are different ways the coolant could be leaking (internal leak or external leak), it is a good idea to use a pressure tester to determine if there is a leak.
If you are concerned that you may be experiencing a coolant leak in your E46 3 Series BMW, we’re here to help. At Euro Plus Automotive, we are committed to providing 
quality customer care and service to our clients. Our trained technicians have a clear understanding of all of the latest and advanced technology in car repair. They are also well trained in issues dealing with BMW vehicles, so you can rest assured that your car is in good hands.
Our location is convenient to residents of Canoga Park, Woodland Hills, and San Fernando. We aim to find solutions to vehicle issues that work best for our clients, taking the time to discover the source of the car’s problems and the best way to address them, using a combination of quality parts and the expert skills our technicians have to offer.
We take pride in providing honest services and encourage preventative maintenance to ensure your vehicle has a long life. If you would like to schedule an appointment or would like to learn more about the other services we offer, please visit our website or call our office, where a representative will be happy to assist you.
* BMW E46 3-Series image credit goes to: DarthArt.
BMWs are designed with efficiency, high-performance, and impressive power in mind to help satisfy their fan base’s cravings for more driving satisfaction. Just like all other vehicle brands, however, BMWs have a list of specific issues their various models and series commonly encounter. One such issue in certain vehicles produced in earlier years is related to the high-pressure fuel pump. Some drivers are just now experiencing fuel pump failure, and some have dealt with the issue for years. In this article, we’ll go over some basic information about your BMW’s fuel pump, including it’s main purpose, how to spot malfunction, and what you can do moving forward to best protect your BMW from further failures.
Many BMW models are designed with twin-turbo engines, which produce a phenomenal amount of power to the vehicle. In order to keep up with the fuel demand of these engines and the precision such systems require, BMW utilized a high-pressure fuel pump to accurately and precisely spray the proper amount of fuel into the engine to create the right air-to-fuel ratio for combustion. Unfortunately, these fuel pumps are prone to failure and malfunction rather quickly into the life of the vehicle.
High-pressure fuel pump failure can cause serious performance problems that BMW drivers with an N54 engine have consistently reported over the years in the following models:
Many of these vehicles underwent a widespread recall to address the issue of faulty HPFPs, as drivers had complained for years of serious malfunctions and dangerous symptoms that put BMW enthusiasts in precarious situations while driving – the symptoms of failure are no picnic.
As we said before, the warning signs of HPFP failure are concerning to drivers – so much so that thousands of individuals worldwide complained to the manufacturer. These are just a few of the common signs of fuel pump failure that you may encounter and should constantly be on the lookout for:
If your BMW’s fuel pump fails and it falls within the affected models, it’s likely that a few different procedures will be required in order to adequately fix the problem. Depending on previous replacements, repairs, or other procedures to attempt to address the HPFP failure, the BMW manufacturer will recommend that a trained BMW specialist attend to the problem by: upgrading vehicle software, swapping out the faulty fuel pump for a newer design, and regularly inspecting the part for integrity and function.
Here at Euro Plus Automotive, we proudly specialize in German-made vehicles such as BMW. BMW-owning residents of Canoga Park, Woodland Hills, San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles County, CA, have come to us with grievances about symptoms related to fuel pump failure – so much so that we have implemented a preventive regimen in ongoing maintenance schedules to keep failure from occurring. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms previously mentioned in your own BMW, please do not hesitate to call us directly – your vehicle’s performance and longevity is important to us, just as much as your total satisfaction with our services and ensured safety on the road.
* BMW F26 X4 image credit goes to: DarthArt.
BMWs are a popular vehicle; ranging from a mid-size family sedan to a sporty coupe, these versatile, stylish cars provide a wealth of opportunity. The German love for reliability holds true, and the well-engineered BMW will always be there for you. Consistency, attractiveness, styling, and power come together to provide the perfect car for all scenarios.
However, regular wear and tear can—and of course does—occur, even in these gems. One area that can be problematic is the clutch. While a bad clutch can be an issue in many cars, it’s particularly important in a BMW. When driving a manual, a bad clutch can imperil portions of the rest of the car, which you want to avoid when driving an expensive and well-engineered car.
When dealing with a potential clutch issue, most car owners and even some mechanics will immediately jump to a clutch replacement. This isn’t always the case, and only some complaints actually need the pricey repair. The most common complaints that drivers have about their clutches are: even with the clutch pedal pushed down the shifter won’t move into gear; the clutch pedal has to be pressed to the floor in order to shift gears; the clutch pedal itself feels loose or unattached; there is a knocking or shifting sound when the car is in neutral; the engine begins to rev up faster than expected in any given gear; the car doesn’t move immediately after the clutch pedal is released, or the vehicle doesn’t move at all; there is any kind of strange noise when the clutch is pressed; or there is a vibration of the pedal when the clutch is engaged.
While all of these are real problems and do need mechanical attention, it’s likely that only the second half of the list requires a clutch replacement. The others are caused not by clutch disc wear, but generally by some kind of fault in the hydraulic system, or an issue with bearings or gears in the transmission.
Any kind of poor performance on the part of the clutch is always going to impair the ride—and therefore your enjoyment of the vehicle. This is a particularly large problem in a BMW, because the high-quality ride and comfort is compromised if your clutch is not working correctly.
The best way to avoid clutch problems is to reduce clutch wear. Wear only occurs during the time the clutch is being engaged and disengaged; the rest of the time it’s spinning at the same speed as the flywheel, and no friction is caused. If the clutch is engaged or disengaged suddenly or harshly, the clutch wears out a lot faster, so it’s necessary to disengage/engage the clutch pedal gently and carefully. This is especially prevalent in changing to first gear, as that’s where a majority of severe clutch wear occurs.
Other causes of clutch wear include excess weight—like pulling a trailer—and constantly going up and down hills, as more acceleration increases friction.
As with all car-related issues, the best way to make sure that your BMW will remain in tip-top shape is by following the maintenance schedule rigorously and taking it into the shop if there are any questions. Most clutches are designed to last around 75,000 miles, so with careful use a clutch replacement should rarely be necessary, provided you take responsible and safe care with the vehicle.
With a car as nice as a BMW, you want to make sure that you’re getting the quality car service that you deserve, and Euro Plus Automotive delivers. Our technicians are specialized and certified to uniquely work with any car that you bring in, and we have the latest computer diagnostic equipment available. Since 1984, we’ve been providing dedicated, unparalleled service to their customers. When in doubt, take your BMW to Euro Plus Automotive, and be confident that all of your problems will be solved.* BMW M2 image credit goes to: teddyleung.
You may be facing a catch-22 with your BMW clutch. Many BMW parts are plastic or thin metal to save on car weight. It does indeed make it lighter and rust-proof, but plastic does not withstand pressure and friction as well as metal does.
You may be able to repair just part of the clutch, but if the damage is too extensive, you may need to replace the entire kit. If you choose to do these repairs yourself, be sure to be prepared and keep plenty of spare parts, especially new aluminum bolts on hand. If you have any questions, please call the experts at Euro Plus Automotive.
An excellent example of this catch-22 is the shift fork pivot pin. This plastic pin breaks easily, leaving you with an inoperable clutch. The logical solution to this is to replace it with a brass AGA pin. Even with this replacement, you need to be careful because the housing unit this pin fits into is fragile. If you tap the brass pin in with a hammer, you may crack the housing around it, leaving you with a significantly more expensive replacement.
If you cannot merely repair parts, you will have to replace the entire clutch. Make sure you have a new clutch kit ready and new transmission bolts before beginning. Aluminum bolts will always need to be replaced.
1. After lowering the transmission from the engine, remove the six 6mm Allen bolts from the pressure plate in an alternating pattern. Do not let the plate fall when removing it.
2. Remove the flywheel by removing the six T60 Torx bolts from the flywheel in an alternating pattern. If the flywheel surface is in good shape, you can leave it installed. Otherwise, you must replace it.
3. Remove and replace the pilot bearing. Use a bearing driver to install the new bearing.
4. Install and center the clutch disc using the alignment tool. (Your clutch kit should come with one.) Remove the center bolt from alignment tool.
5. Next, install the pressure plate on the alignment dowels. This requires six new Allen fasteners. Tighten the fasteners until pressure plate is flush with the flywheel.
6. Double check to ensure that the pressure plate is flush with the flywheel, and then remove the SAC lock. Most come out by rotating counterclockwise using a 14mm Allen. If the SAC moves and ratchets, you need additional special tools to reset the SAC feature of the pressure plate.
7. Next, torque six new Allen fasteners. Check your vehicle specifications for to confirm torque details. Then remove the clutch disc alignment tool from the clutch disc.
8. To service the bell housing, first remove the throwout bearing, sliding it off the transmission output shaft. Then release the spring retaining clip and remove the clutch fork from the bell housing.
9. Next, replace the throwout guide bushing by removing the four 10mm fasteners, then remove guide bushing from the transmission. Install the new guide bushing, then install and tighten the fasteners. Install a new clutch fork if you are replacing it, or reinstall the old one. Then slide the new throwout bearing over the guide bushing and put it in alignment with the clutch fork.
10. Finally, it is time to reinstall the transmission. Your clutch kit should come with spine grease, which you need to apply to the spines on the transmission output shaft. Jack the transmission into its proper place, then slide the transmission shaft into the clutch. Once engaged, slide the transmission forward until the bell housing is lined up flush with the engine. Install and tighten the bell housing fasteners and make sure to replace all the aluminum bolts. Once you tighten the transmission bolts, you may install the transmission mount and secure the transmission in place.
As you can see, repairing and replacing the clutch in a BMW is not a simple task. You need the correct tools and know-how, or you can find someone else to help you. If are in the San Fernando Valley or Los Angeles County, CA, near Canoga Park or Woodland Hills, be sure to check in with Euro Plus Automotive for your BMW clutch repair needs. We have years of experience working on European vehicles, so our service technicians can provide you the expert assistance to make sure it gets done, and it gets done right.
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