It may seem odd to suggest that all Drivers of the vehicles of this famous Bavarian brand will encounter the three specific problems that we will explain to you in a moment – and of course we cannot claim that this is literally the case.
Nonetheless, we felt the need to shine a spotlight on these issues, not least for less experienced BMW owners who may have only recently gotten behind the wheel of a Beemer for the first time.
Yes, the letters “BMW” are synonymous around the world with prestige, refinement, luxury and build quality. But unfortunately none of these terms mean the same thing as ‘reliability’, so we decided it’s a good idea to draw attention to the following common issues with BMWs.
Electrical problems
It is almost guaranteed that if you own a BMW and drive it for any length of time, you will encounter some malfunctions in the electronic aspects of the car.
This includes, for example, the operation of windows, windshield wipers, indicators, heating and air conditioning. With your BMW, the problem may be that one or more of these features of the vehicle are not working – or conversely “work” except that you cannot stop them.
The good news is that any electrical issue with your BMW can be examined and fixed by a reputable MOT center in Laindon or wherever you live. But as long as such errors persist, they can undoubtedly be very annoying.
Wear on the door handle
Problems with your BMW’s door handle can be anything but the “unreasonable” problem you might initially imagine. Because what if one day you find that one of your BMW’s outside door handles lifts just fine, but doesn’t have the effect of opening the door?
This is the kind of problem that pops up whenever you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, and it can feel more than a little absurd.
Since the door opening and locking mechanism on a BMW is in the door itself, it’s not a very complex problem to solve, but it does require replacing the faulty mechanism. This requires the use of certain special tools.
oil leaks
As with the other two issues we’ve detailed in this review, oil is leaking can theoretically on every car, but unfortunately they seem to be common on BMWs.
There are certain areas that are particularly likely to leak oil on a BMW, including the rocker cover and rocker cover gasket, the oil pan and pan gasket, and the oil filter housing and gasket. And those aren’t the only areas of the car where a frustrating oil leak could start.
The gasket responsible for connecting the oil filter to your vehicle’s engine can be a particularly unsurprising source of an oil leak. There are certain moving parts that really need oil and if a leak occurs leaving the engine with less oil it can lead to increased wear. This in turn can contribute to mechanical problems later.
BMWs can sometimes suffer from brittle seals over time, with this weak point leading to a significant oil leak. But it can be expensive to have a gasket repaired on a BMW, which is why you may choose to have the entire part replaced rather than just the gasket alone. You may particularly prefer this option if your Beemer has over 100,000 miles on the odometer.
Indeed, it is worth paying attention to the mileage of your BMW for several reasons. One is that the approximately 100,000 km mark can be a classic stage at which an oil leak can first develop.
However, some BMWs may experience oil leaks for the first time at around 50,000 miles, or your Beemer may surpass 150,000 miles without showing any signs of an oil leak at all.
Do you do everything to take care of your BMW?
While no one doubts the considerable desirability of BMW cars, there hasn’t always been a strong consensus on how reliable the German manufacturer’s vehicles are in the “real world”. Some reports have praised BMWs for being reliable, while others have suggested that these cars can sometimes be prone to snags, bugs, and malfunctions.
Regardless of your previous experience with your own prized BMW, it is important that you remain alert to potential problems such as those outlined above. This way you can ensure you get the most out of your BMW ownership experience for many months and years to come.
