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. and what's the fix?
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?
4. 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? Any ideas what the actual benefits are meant to be to the driver/owner as on the face of it I'm not seeing what they are?
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. and what's the fix?
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?
4. 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? Any ideas what the actual benefits are meant to be to the driver/owner as on the face of it I'm not seeing what they are?
