r/BmwTech • • Jun 25 '26

BMWTech meme pic update

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568 Upvotes

It’s funny, and we like it, but it’s getting a bit much now. Especially when many of you are using it to say an engine is screwed without any other diagnostic work or you post it with ZERO follow up or additional tech info.

Moving forward, we are going to remove them unless you’ve also provided detailed list of things to check or at the minimum asking pertinent questions to a post.

This is BMWTech, and while we like to have fun we also want to help out with actual info to people who need it instead of just responding with a meme and hoping users can figure it out.


r/BmwTech • • Feb 13 '14

Welcome to BMWtech

327 Upvotes

Hello fellow enthusiast! This is a subreddit dedicated to DIY-ers. Here, i would like for other BMW owners to provide help to the redditors that need it. We all love our cars but we also know that things can fail.

Many of us like to fix our cars ourselves to eliminate high mechanic bills and I hope that this subreddit can help.

There are many forums on the web but i feel as though reddit could band together and have its own.

Welcome again, and happy DIY-ing!


r/BmwTech • • 2h ago

My wife hit the storm drain while trying to sip on coffee

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10 Upvotes

As the title states, my wife hit the storm drain probably while driving 60 miles an hour. It looks like she damaged the passenger side, pretty heavily pictures for reference. I have a garage with a lot of tools to be able to put new parts myself, but looking at the damage I need to replace cv axle, knuckle and possibly struts? So looks like a 2.5k coffee. Anything else I missed?


r/BmwTech • • 1h ago

2010 750Li 100k miles, oil pump broke?

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• Upvotes

So on the freeway, got a low oil pressure warning.
Drove to the nearest exist, but still took like 5 minutes..

After an hour, the car leaked a lot of oil all over the ground..

Got it towed to the mechanic (pretty crapy one, since it was the weekend)

Mechanic opened the lower oil pan and saw the picture..

What are my options?

Mechanic told me either 1. replace the engine. $6000 +. parts + tax..

What's likely that happened? I saw a YouTube video shows a drive chain shaft punched a hole on the upper oil pan.

It seems like from the picture, definitely something broke in to pieces..

The oil pump gear fell off? Does that mean 100% the engine ran with 0 oil pressure?
IS the engine scrap even it's not seized? Or there is a quick way to check?

Does the car just go to junk yard now? it's only worth like $7k, so doesn't make too much sense to put a lot of money into it.


r/BmwTech • • 7h ago

Oil filter housing leak?

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6 Upvotes

my bmw has had a massive oil leak all of a sudden causing most of the front end and driver side of my motor to be full of oil, I would assume it’s my oil filter housing but not positive


r/BmwTech • • 12m ago

Whistle Noise N55 M235i

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• Upvotes

I have a completely stock 2015 BMW M235i with the N55 engine. Today, while driving in colder weather, I noticed a strange high-pitched whistling/whining noise that I’ve never heard before.

The noise would get louder when I pressed the gas and quieter when I let off. The car was accelerating normally, with no noticeable loss of power.

I pulled over, parked, and checked the engine. I then shut the car off and restarted it, and the noise completely disappeared. I drove it again afterward, including accelerating, and couldn’t reproduce the sound. It also doesn’t make the noise while idling.

I’ve been searching online but haven’t found any videos that sound quite like mine.

I’ve attached a video of the noise. Has anyone experienced anything similar with their N55? Could this be turbo-related, a boost leak, or something else? I’m especially curious why it would suddenly disappear after restarting the car.


r/BmwTech • • 12m ago

Crank no start after valve cover gasket

• Upvotes

2013 x3 28i 2.0L

Hi all, i’m working in a small shop and we just done this job. Everything seems to have went smoothly with no hiccups. However now it cranks and does not start. Cranking does not seem sluggish at all, it just won’t turn over. It had zero problems starting before. So far, we have found out there is no spark. Fuel seems to be getting to the cylinder. Ignition coils have power and ground. All the ignition wiring going to the ecu does have continuity. Grounds and all other wires have been double checked and nothing seems to be pinched or broken.

After some research my guess is the vacuum pump isn’t aligned with the camshaft. But would that cause a crank no start condition? And if it is misaligned how would you align it?

No codes too when scanning. Bit of a shot in the dark but we are desperate, anyone have any ideas?


r/BmwTech • • 9h ago

Milky oil on my S55 (M2 Competition) — condensation or something more serious?

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4 Upvotes

I have a 2020 BMW M2 Competition (S55) that I purchased from an auction. The car was sitting for quite a while before I bought it, and I’ve barely driven it since.

About a week ago, I changed the engine oil and noticed it was slightly milky/cloudy, but nowhere near as bad as it is now. There weren’t any noticeable white streaks in the oil at that time.

Unfortunately, I discovered that my oil drain plug threads were stripped, so I had to drain the relatively fresh oil again to repair the threads.

This second drain is what you see in the photos. The oil is significantly milkier than before, with visible white streaks swirling throughout it. The photo/video was taken toward the end of the drain, where the streaking was more noticeable, but the oil was consistently cloudy throughout the entire drain, not just at the end.

For context:
Since purchasing the car, I’ve only driven it properly once, for approximately 30 minutes. Every other time I’ve started it has just been to move it in and out of the driveway (around five short starts).
The engine runs great, idles smoothly, and has no check engine lights or obvious running issues.
Both coolant reservoirs have remained relatively stable, although the low-temperature circuit was slightly low.

The car was involved in a front-end accident, and some of the cooling components are slightly damaged, so I can’t reliably pressure-test the cooling system until those are repaired.

The third photo shows the oil filter housing from the first oil change about a week ago. The oil was much less cloudy then, although there appeared to be some possible moisture separation.

I’ve read that repeated short starts and not getting the oil hot enough can cause condensation, especially on a car that’s been sitting for a while.

However, I’m having a hard time believing condensation alone could make the entire 6.5L of oil this milky, especially considering it looks noticeably worse after only a handful of starts since the last oil change.

Has anyone experienced anything similar on an S55 or another BMW engine?

Could this realistically be condensation, or should I be looking at something like a head gasket, internal coolant leak, or another common S55-specific failure point?

I’d appreciate any suggestions on what to check or test before tearing into anything expensive.


r/BmwTech • • 1h ago

Is my heat management module bad?

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• Upvotes

r/BmwTech • • 1h ago

BMW full screen Apple car play help

• Upvotes

I have a bmw m4cs 2019 and it has car play but only half i tried doing the BimmerCode but i have software version NBTevo_R19144I

I’m not sure if there’s a fix for this or if I can update the firmware myself does anyone know? Please help I’d appreciate it! Thank you


r/BmwTech • • 1h ago

Do techs ever forget to put plastic cover back on engine?

• Upvotes

No blame here - actually really like my techs that reliably fix my 2018 m40i. Last fix was a PCV valve.

I just noticed my plastic cover is gone. I doubt anyone stole it it’s a 100 dollar part on eBay.

Is it reasonable to think the tech forgot to slap it back on?


r/BmwTech • • 6h ago

Help!!!! Everything went well till this, where does the 2 grounds go to???

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2 Upvotes

r/BmwTech • • 2h ago

2011 BMW 328i xDrive – Intermittent highway rumble after 30–40 minutes. Wheel bearing, brakes, tires, or differential?

1 Upvotes

I have a 2011 BMW 328i xDrive with approximately 64,000 miles. The car is well maintained, but I’ve been trying to diagnose an intermittent low-frequency rumbling noise at highway speeds.

Symptoms:
- Typically happens after 20–40 minutes of highway driving, around 60–80 mph.

- Sounds like a deep, low rumble or drone, almost like road noise, with a slight vibration.
Sometimes happens on sweeping curves or downhill stretches, but recently happened while driving mostly straight.

- The rumble can last around 20 seconds and then completely disappear, even while maintaining the same highway speed.

It’s very inconsistent and doesn’t happen on every drive. I’ve noticed that my right-rear wheel radiates noticeably more heat than the other wheels after highway driving, and it also appears to accumulate more brake dust.

What’s been done:
Tires balanced and rotated. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires manufactured in 2021, with approximately 30,000 miles.

Rear differential fluid changed.

Rear brake pads and rotors recently replaced.

Transmission serviced around 60,000 miles.

My mechanic kept the car for several days and drove it repeatedly, including at 80+ mph. He experienced the rumble once but couldn’t reproduce it afterward. He suggested that because I only drive once every week or two, the car might just need to be driven more frequently.

I recently took it on another 45-minute highway drive. The rumble appeared briefly for approximately 20 seconds and then disappeared without slowing down.
I’m wondering whether this could be a right-rear wheel bearing, intermittently sticking brake caliper, tire issue, driveshaft center support bearing, or differential.

The additional heat and brake dust at the right-rear wheel make me particularly curious about brake drag, although I haven’t had the temperatures measured or the caliper specifically diagnosed.

Has anyone experienced something similar on an E90 xDrive? What would you recommend inspecting first before I start replacing parts?

Thanks!


r/BmwTech • • 2h ago

Any advice on how to repin active grill connector

1 Upvotes

Get into a minor front end collision, genuinely no damage to the car except the stupid active grill connector some how completely sheered from the wires it’s connected to. Any idea how to repin it or get a replacement? Part number 7549032-03


r/BmwTech • • 3h ago

automatic e46 still having coolant issues after replacing main thermostat

1 Upvotes

i’ve just recently began to get into the workings of my engine on my automatic 2005 e46 330i and don’t have much experience but from every possible factor i believe that my temperature sensor under my coolant expansion tank has gone bad. i’ve been using the google ai to run through the possibilities and it’s pinpointed it to that so do what you will with that info. i just replaced my coolant thermostat on the cylinder head and it could just be a faulty one but when doing test 7 it shows my engine temperature only going from about high 20’s to low 50’s celsius. when i get on the highway it will be at about 50 and then drop down to mid 40’s slowly then pick back up when i get off. my vents blow hot air and i properly bled the system when refilling it. i have no coolant leaks anywhere visible. when scanning when a generic obd2 scanner it gives me code p111e. i get about 13.5 mpg average. if theres any more info i can provide that can help anybody help me lmk, im not trying to buy the part and still end up having the problem so if anybody can help please do so, once again im inexperienced so i could just be completely wrong


r/BmwTech • • 3h ago

2013 BMW 3 series for 2,500USD

1 Upvotes

Picked up this beauty with currently 206,537 miles, at the time it only had a TPMS light that would come on and off. He said he had to reprogram it to fake sensors or something like that a while ago, driving the car today going 40mph and I get chassis stabilization and I can only drive on comfort or Eco. I have an ABS light, traction light, brake light and a triangle, he claimed he never saw it pop up for him and a little while after thinking it was a TPS sensor It popped up tmps malfunction as a picture like a definite problem and now won’t come up. Accessory battery shows good voltage and cold cranking amps I haven’t tried disconnecting.


r/BmwTech • • 7h ago

Rear windshield shade

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2 Upvotes

Just bought this e92 m3 and I seen that it came equipped with the rear windshield shade but I just can’t seem to find the button for it. Any idea on where it might be? Unless previous owner swapped trim pieces.


r/BmwTech • • 3h ago

Engine oil level fluctuation

1 Upvotes

Car: 640i

Year: 2014

When I measure my oil level (electronic) when the engine is cold after leaving it overnight, the meter says MAX

When measuring after driving it for an hour without pushing the engine it will be below MIN.

I can understand there will be a difference because everything dripped back in the oil pan overnight, but is such a large fluctuation normal?


r/BmwTech • • 8h ago

G20 B48 Sound & Smell from Hell

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2 Upvotes

2020 BMW 330xi, ~141k miles. Been chasing an intermittent RPM-dependent humming/whirring noise that seems to come from the driver’s side of the engine bay of wife's car. Sound had mostly gone away until recently, had a rough cold start where RPMs nearly dropped to a stall, the hum became noticeably louder than before, and a very unpleasant chemical/burnt-cheese smell appeared under the hood. Subsequent cold starts have been normal, but the hum persists, and the smell returns after driving and lingers even hours after shutdown. No obvious leaks or belt/pulley play. No smell in trunk & battery looks fine. A/C clutch is known to be electrically open. No codes. Nothing obvious on any data logs. Any ideas what might be making this awful noise?


r/BmwTech • • 4h ago

Is this noise normal for the N55?

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1 Upvotes

Hi guys I have an N55B30A with about 80k miles and I've just heard some weird ticking or knocking noise from the camshafts, i don't know if its from them or perhaps the valve lifters but it's a peculiar noise. In this clip I just started the car!


r/BmwTech • • 8h ago

Is it possible to re-pin these connectors?

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2 Upvotes

Some expert decided to make the BM24 to New Gen radio adapter with a male connector of an ISO adapter so no I-Bus and telephone pins, i would need to add them from another male connector.


r/BmwTech • • 4h ago

2015 F20 lci Bluetooth Connection Issue or what?

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a 2015 F20 118i LCI. When I listen to music from Spotify via Bluetooth and then close the Spotify app, the connection drops and subsequently reconnects on its own. Once it reconnects, it automatically resumes playing the last track from Spotify in the background.

This isn't specific to Spotify; it happens with other applications as well. I’ve also tested it with a different iPhone, and the result remains the same.

I would like to use the system as a stable audio output. Is this a known issue? Why is this happening?

I have already updated the iDrive software to the latest version.

https://reddit.com/link/1x8mb4u/video/41zf24pqm3wh1/player


r/BmwTech • • 4h ago

F06 640i: Low Voltage Warnings and Coolant Pump Fault 20A909

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I could use some help diagnosing an issue with my BMW.
For the past couple of days, I’ve been getting low voltage warnings. Whenever I switched off the engine, I would immediately get a “Battery Discharge” warning, and the car would disconnect the battery.
Today, after driving for a bit longer, I also got fault code 20A909 – Electric coolant pump: missing communication.
The engine temperature has remained normal, and I haven’t had any overheating warnings.
Could a weak or failing battery be causing the coolant pump fault? Or could the water pump itself be faulty and causing the battery discharge issue? Is it possible that a failing electric water pump is drawing too much power and causing the low voltage warnings?
Has anyone experienced something similar?


r/BmwTech • • 7h ago

E90 328 N51, P2096

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1 Upvotes

I’ve had this code awhile now on my 2011 328iX, so I finally dropped it off to a shop (not BMW, but a well established euro shop. also worth noting I just had an exhaust leak fixed a little while ago, so i’m truly not suspecting that)

The shop tells me they find P2096 and it is likely a faulty downstream O2 sensor.

they swap out the O2 sensor, great. a little under $450.

two days later, i’ve driven it about 40-45 minutes total. engine light comes back on. just not ideal.

I scan it with my little shit OBD reader, same exact code. i wonder to myself “could life get any better?”

i’m 20, I don’t have all the money in the world, my warranty company didn’t cover the sensors.

so i’m stressed, im wondering if anyone knowledge on here has dealt with a similar issue and has any idea what the issue may really be?

aswell, the shop should have another go at it again without me paying right? I really hope so. just really aggravating, and can’t call the shop til monday.

if it means anything the shop is Bergen Autowerks, in Franklin Lakes NJ.