Layton BMW Repair

BMW TRAINING

We still participate in BMW factory training as well as independent classes.  We have the latest BMW-specific diagnostic and repair equipment needed.  We truly are your BMW dealer alternative.  All the benefits of having a vehicle-specific trained technician plus the added bonus of dealing with a family-owned auto shop that treats you the way you deserve.

WE STAND APART

We have found that a lot of independent shops in our Layton, Kaysville, and South-Weber area are a little afraid of BMW diagnostics, repairs, and service. We believe this is simply due to a lack of knowledge and confidence in these makes.  BMW does make a great vehicle.  They are designed with a fun driver experience in mind.  They are well-engineered and are very reliable vehicles, especially if you keep up with the maintenance.

BMW PARTS AND FLUIDS

BMWs typically require tools, equipment, parts, and fluids that are not commonly at a general auto repair shop.  Once again we do have the specific tools and equipment needed to properly perform diagnostics, repairs, and service on your BMW. We also have great relationships with European-specific parts and fluid suppliers. This allows us to get the proper parts and supplies needed to do the job right on your vehicle and also allows us to offer a 3-year 100k mile warranty on any repair or service we provide.  The Utah BMW dealer is still stuck in the past with a basic 12-month 12k mile warranty.  Not only do our relationships with suppliers allow us to offer you an industry-leading warranty, but it also allows us to offer great turnaround times and fair pricing.

ENGINE REPAIRS- OIL CONSUMPTION

Another common concern that our BMW customers come in on is oil consumption.  The engine packages in most BMW models are reliable and seldom need engine repairs or engine replacements.  Most BMW engine packages utilize a crankcase vent system. This is a fairly complex system that controls the amount of vacuum your engine is creating.  As your engine runs at idle it actually creates a negative pressure or vacuum.  If that negative pressure (vacuum) becomes higher than BMW factory specifications, it will cause your engine to consume oil.  Most BMW engines have a component called a crankcase vent valve. It is basically a vacuum diagram that makes adjustments to keep your engine vacuum at safe levels.  If your car begins to consume oil, this is the component that is most likely the cause therefore we always check it first. If caught soon enough, this is a fairly easy diagnosis and repair.  If left untreated for too long, it can cause very expensive repairs to not only the engine but can even cause damage to expensive emissions components.  Keep an eye on your oil levels.  As a general rule, if you are consuming more than one quart of oil in between oil changes, that is considered excessive.  It is our recommendation to check a few things even if your engine is consuming ½ quart in between oil changes if the proper European specification synthetic oil is being used with a quality oil filter at each of your oil services.

WARNING LIGHTS, ESPECIALLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS

Chances are that if you are currently searching for a BMW mechanic, you have some sort of warning light in your car’s message center.  Warning lights, especially check engine lights are the most common phone calls we receive.  If your check engine light is on solid, this means you should schedule your car in to be diagnosed by a BMW mechanic as soon as time allows.  Preferably in the next few days. If your check engine light is flashing, this means you should pull over as soon as it is safe to and turn your vehicle off.  The check engine light flashing is a warning that there is a malfunction severe enough to possibly cause damage to emissions components on your vehicle. We would advise calling your BMW mechanic before continuing to drive your vehicle. They will likely recommend sending a tow truck to pick you up to avoid any further damage.

Step one – check vital fluids to ensure the vehicle is safe to drive.

Step two – is to perform a short test drive. During this test drive, the mechanic will be watching, listening, and feeling any abnormal concerns. Loss of power, noises, other warning lights, vibrations, etc.

Step Three – is to use our BMW factory scan tool to retrieve trouble codes. Whenever your check engine light comes on. Your vehicle’s computer system will store trouble codes that help us diagnose the source of the problem. These trouble codes typically consist of a combination of letters and numbers. The trouble codes do not tell the mechanic exactly what is wrong with your vehicle but it does give them good clues as to what areas they need to test.

Step four is to visually check the most common causes for obvious wear or damage.

Step five is to determine what tests need to be performed in order to be 100% confident in diagnosing the concern and how long it will take. This allows your service adviser to call and discuss costs for proper diagnostic procedures before moving forward.

Step 6, once approved by you, your BMW mechanic begins very specific testing using factory equipment, diagrams, and technical data to test all components in the system causing your check engine light. Keep in mind that once repairs have been done to fix the check engine light concern, your BMW mechanic will then clear the codes out of the memory of your computer. Your vehicle will then need to be driven for a few drive cycles to ensure the problem is fixed and no other problems are found. The drive cycle typically takes a couple of days as it involves several cold starts and multiple different driving situations and speeds

One of the biggest things that make your BMW handle better than 90% of other vehicles is the design of the steering and suspension systems.  Once again, BMWs are designed to deliver a positive driving experience and a good part of that experience is the way a vehicle handles at higher speeds and when turning. BMW designers put thought into the type of struts, shocks, coils, control arms, steering racks, and all other steering and suspension parts when designing your vehicle.  Another common concern our BMW customers have is vibrations at certain speeds or suspension noises.

Most BMWs utilize a fairly low-profile tire. With the various road conditions here in Utah and especially here in our Layton, Kaysville, and South Weber areas, it is easy to have a tire become unbalanced. This is generally an easy repair.  Remove all 4 wheels, spin on our tire balancing machine, and adjust weights as needed.  During the tire balance, your BMW will be closely checking the tire and wheel to ensure there is not any damage requiring tire or wheel replacement. Suspension noises can often be easily diagnosed and repaired but sometimes they can be a little more difficult to find. 

The most common suspension part to fail on BMWs is the control arm bushings. A control arm is an integral part of the suspension that moves up and down when going over variations in the road. They have bushings in the ends that mount to the car’s subframe. As these bushings age and wear, they can allow excessive play in the suspension causing noises, tire wear or even a loose feel in the steering and suspension.  Often times the control arm bushings can be replaced but in some cases, it is best to replace the complete control arm.

Your engine calls for a European specification oil that is generally fully synthetic. The synthetic oils that a typical auto repair shop stocks are good oil but do not typically have the exact specifications required for your specific engine.  

Transmission fluid is another fluid that has a completely different process to check levels and services. Your BMW transmission also requires a completely different transmission fluid than almost any other vehicle.  If the garage was to service the transmission with the wrong transmission fluid or wrong transmission service procedure, it could cause early failure and an expensive repair.

Power steering fluid, brake fluid, coolant, and differential fluids are also different in most cases. My point is to be careful when selecting a BMW garage and BMW mechanic to service your vehicle.

BMW PADS

In order to provide good brake stopping power, BMW typically outfits your vehicle with a large diameter brake rotor and two to four-piston brake calipers.  The larger diameter brake rotor allows for more contact surface for brake pads. This leads to greater stopping power.

BMW CALIPERS

The brake calipers on a Brake system have two or four pistons allowing for the proper force to be supplied when you press the brake pedal.

BMW ROTORS

Another unique thing about BMW brake rotors is the metal composition. The brake rotors are usually built with a somewhat soft material that actually allows the brake pads to wear down over time.  This makes for good friction and reduces brake noise. 

• The first part of a good fuel system service is just a simple additive for your fuel tank. You pour it into the tank so it can mix and dilute with a minimum of ¼ tank of fuel. This will help clean and treat the fuel pump, in-tank fuel filter, and fuel lines.

• The second part of a good fuel system service is to run a good cleaner directly at the fuel rail. This cleans the fuel rail and the fuel injectors. The spray nozzle on the fuel injector has very small orifices that are common to build up with fuel deposits and reduce performance. A clean fuel injector is important.

• The final step to a good fuel service is to run a cleaner through the air intake system. This cleans the mass airflow sensor, throttle body, and plate, upper intake manifold, and finally makes its way to the intake valves.