Problem Reports
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2002 BMW 530i
Burning Smell or Oil Drips on the Ground Due to Engine Oil Leak
Valve cover gasket leaks are common after 60,000 miles. Symptoms will include oil drips under the vehicle and burning oil smell from the engine compartment.
Blower Final Stage Fan Resistor May Fail
The blower final stage fan resistor is known to fail. Symptoms are the heater fan speed varies regardless of the setting, the fan will not turn off when the car is switched off, or the fan will not switch on at all.
Loosness in the Front Suspension Due to Worn Tension Strut Bushings
The front thrust rod bushings—also referred to as tension strut bushings—are known to fail occasionally. The oil-filled rubber mounts weaken and crack over time, causing a mushy road feel and shuddering in the steering wheel when going over bumps. These worn bushings should be replaced.
Loss of Power Steering Fluid Due to Leaking Hoses
A fluid leak may develop from one or more power steering hose. When a leak is being repaired, it is not uncommon for multiple hoses to be replaced.
Coolant Leak From Radiator
It is not uncommon for the radiator to develop a coolant leak. A leaking radiator will require replacement. When a leaking radiator is replaced the entire cooling system should be inspected and if any additional leaks are found they should be repaired also.
Overheating can cause severe engine damage. If the engine begins to overheat it is recommended to stop at the first available location and have your vehicle towed to a repair shop.
Coolant Loss Due to Leak from Expansion Tank
An engine coolant leak may develop from the expansion tank resulting in engine overheating. When a cooling system component fails the entire cooling system should be inspected. It is not uncommon to find additional component have failed or are leaking.
Overheating can cause severe engine damage. If the engine begins to overheat it is recommended to stop at the first available location and have your vehicle towed to a repair shop.
Noise From Top of Front/Rear Doors When Windows Are Fully Up
A creak or squeak can be heard from the top of the front or rear doors. This noise is most noticeable when the windows are fully up. The noise is caused by the decay of the flocking material on the door seals. New door seals, Teflon tape, special lube, or a combination of all of these may be needed to eliminate the noise.
Check Engine Light and/or Engine Overheating
The thermostat may fail resulting in engine overheating and/or illumination of the Check Engine Light. Replacement of the thermostat along with a complete inspection of the cooling system will be necessary to correct this concern.
Overheating can cause severe engine damage. If the engine begins to overheat it is recommended to stop at the first available location and have your vehicle towed to a repair shop.
Water Pump May Develop Coolant Leak
The low coolant light may illuminate and/or the engine may overheat as a result of a coolant leak from the water pump. The leaking pump will require replacement and the entire cooling system should be inspected for leaks as it is not uncommon to find multiple leaks on higher mileage vehicles.
Overheating can cause severe engine damage. If the engine begins to overheat it is recommended to stop at the first available location and have your vehicle towed to a repair shop.
Heavy rain causes water to collect on rear floor boards
During a heavy or prolonged rain (or carwash) water collects on the rear interior floor boards. There appear to be two major causes for this - mine had the more frequent of the two. One is that the sunroof drains can get clogged. The drains run down the c-pillars just behind the rear doors and if clogged the water backs up and runs down onto the floors. The other, more frequent issue is a torn or unglued noise baffle/vapor barrier that is in e...
Fuel pump dies after 100,000 miles
The fuel pump gives out, and the car stumbles, idles very rough if at all. Giving it gas barely moves the car. Pump is located in the top of the fuel tank and the filter needs to be changed at the same time. Expect an $800+ repair bill for that alone.
Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) malfunctions
The Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) will die. It can stop working altogether, or the voltage output becomes unstable and out of range. Symptoms are varied from rough idle, lack of power, poor shifting, to preventing the car from running at all. Replacement is simple, diagnosis isn't always since it manifests in so many ways. The OEM part can run between $250 and $500 - should cost $50-100 in labor.
Hood latch sticks/binds
Hood release lever stops coming out when release pulled from within driver compartment. This requires using needle-nose pliers or a screwdriver to pull the lever out from between the grill panel.
The hood release mechanism and cable need to be kept oiled/greased or they dry up and seize. In my case I was able to spray with WD-40 real good - both the mechanism and the cable anywhere that I could find it exposed. After working the lever in th...
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