Engine light on / alarm systems goes off
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 10:54 am
Hi looking for some help.
I have a 55 Z4 - owned it three years - very low mileage.
1. The engine light is permanently on. It's been taken to a bmw garage for an MOT (& passed) with only a warning that the catalyptic converter is on the way out but isn't a must fix yet. It's also been taken to a local garage who ran it through their diagnostic device and who found nothing to be wrong with it (not even the cat). Both garages re-set the electronics and light stayed out for a few weeks but comes back on again eventually.
2. Often (not every day - maybe every 3rd day or so) the car alarm goes off for no obvious reason. It's weirdly always about the same time of night (11.00 / 11.30 so luckily before bed time). An unlock of the door and a re-lock 'fixes' it temporarily.
I'm assuming the cat being faulty is something to do with the car alarm going off but I might be wrong (I know fjldkjflkj all about cars to be honest - I'm a petrol & water man when it comes to cars).
My questions are ......
1. why is the car alarm going off for no reason and
2. how the heck do I fix it when even garages seem unable to fix it for more than a few weeks?
A third question:
3. my old G reg Mazda MX5 didn't have a catalyptic converter thingy and it didn't seem to be a problem for the car (or me). Can the cat be bypassed to avoid having to buy a new one every five years or so?
The whole cat conv seems a backwards step to me but maybe the bmw have some sensible reason for installing it that isn't obvious?
I have a 55 Z4 - owned it three years - very low mileage.
1. The engine light is permanently on. It's been taken to a bmw garage for an MOT (& passed) with only a warning that the catalyptic converter is on the way out but isn't a must fix yet. It's also been taken to a local garage who ran it through their diagnostic device and who found nothing to be wrong with it (not even the cat). Both garages re-set the electronics and light stayed out for a few weeks but comes back on again eventually.
2. Often (not every day - maybe every 3rd day or so) the car alarm goes off for no obvious reason. It's weirdly always about the same time of night (11.00 / 11.30 so luckily before bed time). An unlock of the door and a re-lock 'fixes' it temporarily.
I'm assuming the cat being faulty is something to do with the car alarm going off but I might be wrong (I know fjldkjflkj all about cars to be honest - I'm a petrol & water man when it comes to cars).
My questions are ......
1. why is the car alarm going off for no reason and
2. how the heck do I fix it when even garages seem unable to fix it for more than a few weeks?
A third question:
3. my old G reg Mazda MX5 didn't have a catalyptic converter thingy and it didn't seem to be a problem for the car (or me). Can the cat be bypassed to avoid having to buy a new one every five years or so?
The whole cat conv seems a backwards step to me but maybe the bmw have some sensible reason for installing it that isn't obvious?
