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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Mechanical Maintenance: Break-in / Oil & Fluids / Servicing / Warranty > Indicator for scheduled maintenance



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      07-02-2014, 01:20 PM   #1
darkaqua
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Indicator for scheduled maintenance



So I've got this indicator every time I start my car. I know it means take your car in for the full check up in 1600 miles. (it's actually now 50 miles). Does anyone know what the full check up list should be? I know it probably consists of checking break pads, coolant levels, tires, and other automobile fluids. I actually just changed the oil about 900 miles ago, so that's fine. My car is almost at 60K miles. When should the timing belt be replaced? How about the car battery?

I was planning to do this scheduled maintenance myself and reset the computer once I know what I've got to do, but does anyone just recommends me just taking it in to a service center at the dealership or a mechanic at a autoshop?

My car is no longer under warranty. My car is a 2009 328i Cabrio.

Any advice is appreciated. I apologize if this question has been asked before, I couldn't find the specific topic for my question.


Last edited by darkaqua; 07-02-2014 at 01:28 PM.. Reason: Image
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      07-02-2014, 05:26 PM   #2
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Can anyone provide any comments!??
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      07-02-2014, 06:08 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by darkaqua View Post
Can anyone provide any comments!??
Read your "Maintenance and Warranty Information" book. Or download it and then read it.
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      07-02-2014, 09:06 PM   #4
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I don't think it is in the book. The symbol is a 30,000 mile inspection. You can do it yourself. Its a check for leaks, torn CV boots, wheel bearings, lube key locks and door hinges, and general inspection of the car's condition. Just check the car over and clear the indictor using the turnsignal stalk.
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      07-02-2014, 10:25 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
I don't think it is in the book.
It's on page 13/14 of my 2010 M&W book.
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      07-03-2014, 04:52 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floydarogers View Post
It's on page 13/14 of my 2010 M&W book.
That's good. They must have updated the booklet after the 2006 model year. As I recall my documents did not have mention of it. I had to ask the dealer in 2007 about what it meant.
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      07-03-2014, 01:49 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
I don't think it is in the book. The symbol is a 30,000 mile inspection. You can do it yourself.
I'm actually nearing 60K miles. Ok I downloaded the service warranty booklet
off here: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...antyBooks.aspx

There is a maintenance summary page on page 8 (PDF 14), and it goes though a vehicle check:

Vehicle Check
Maintenance work:
  • Check operation of horn, headlight flasher and hazard warning flashers.
  •  Check instrument and control lighting and heater/air-conditioning blower.
  •  Check lighting system: turn signals, back-up, license plate, interior (incl. map, reading lights), glovebox, flashlight, luggage area lights.
  •  Safety belts: Check condition and function.
  •  Check windshield wiper and washer jet positions.
  •  Body: Check for corrosion (except cavities).
  •  Tires: Check tread depth, wear pattern, outer condition, inflation pressure. If necessary, correct pressure.
  •  Reset Tire Pressure Monitor.
  •  Battery: Check state of charge (magic eye) and charge if required.
  •  Power steering reservoir: Check fluid level.
  •  Visually inspect all SRS airbag units for torn covers, obvious damage or attachment of stickers.
  •  Convertible: Open the convertible top. Activate automatic rollover protection system via OBD diagnostic link.
  •  Rear-view mirrors.
  •  Coolant: Check fluid level and concentration.
  •  Windshield washer and intensive cleaning system: Check protection level, fluid level; top if necessary.
  •  Brake system connections and lines: Check for leaks, damage and correct positioning.
  •  Underbody, incl. all visible parts (i.e.,transmission, rear axle, fuel lines, exhaust system): Check for damage, leaks and corrosion.
  •  Steering components: Check for clearance, leaks, damage and wear.
  •  Final Inspection: Road test with check of:
    – Brakes, including burnishing of parking brake pads
    – Steering
    – Shock absorbers (visual)
    – Transmission

Unfortunately I'm not sure if I could make good judgement on what is good and what is bad if I were to do this maintenance myself, so do you guys think it's best for me to take this into a real mechanic to help me with it? I think I'll attempt the check up myself first, then if I'm unable to determine what needs to be replaced or fixed then I'll ask a mechanic for advice.
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      07-04-2014, 05:38 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by darkaqua View Post
I'm actually nearing 60K miles. Ok I downloaded the service warranty booklet
off here: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...antyBooks.aspx

There is a maintenance summary page on page 8 (PDF 14), and it goes though a vehicle check:

Vehicle Check
Maintenance work:
  • Check operation of horn, headlight flasher and hazard warning flashers.
  •  Check instrument and control lighting and heater/air-conditioning blower.
  •  Check lighting system: turn signals, back-up, license plate, interior (incl. map, reading lights), glovebox, flashlight, luggage area lights.
  •  Safety belts: Check condition and function.
  •  Check windshield wiper and washer jet positions.
  •  Body: Check for corrosion (except cavities).
  •  Tires: Check tread depth, wear pattern, outer condition, inflation pressure. If necessary, correct pressure.
  •  Reset Tire Pressure Monitor.
  •  Battery: Check state of charge (magic eye) and charge if required.
  •  Power steering reservoir: Check fluid level.
  •  Visually inspect all SRS airbag units for torn covers, obvious damage or attachment of stickers.
  •  Convertible: Open the convertible top. Activate automatic rollover protection system via OBD diagnostic link.
  •  Rear-view mirrors.
  •  Coolant: Check fluid level and concentration.
  •  Windshield washer and intensive cleaning system: Check protection level, fluid level; top if necessary.
  •  Brake system connections and lines: Check for leaks, damage and correct positioning.
  •  Underbody, incl. all visible parts (i.e.,transmission, rear axle, fuel lines, exhaust system): Check for damage, leaks and corrosion.
  •  Steering components: Check for clearance, leaks, damage and wear.
  •  Final Inspection: Road test with check of:
    – Brakes, including burnishing of parking brake pads
    – Steering
    – Shock absorbers (visual)
    – Transmission

Unfortunately I'm not sure if I could make good judgement on what is good and what is bad if I were to do this maintenance myself, so do you guys think it's best for me to take this into a real mechanic to help me with it? I think I'll attempt the check up myself first, then if I'm unable to determine what needs to be replaced or fixed then I'll ask a mechanic for advice.
I think you absolutely can do all these checks. The under-the-car ones will be slightly difficult if the car is not lifted, but it still can mostly be done. Here's some tips for each check:

Vehicle Check
Maintenance work:
  • Check operation of horn, headlight flasher and hazard warning flashers. - Easy just toot the horn and have the engine running to check the headlight flasher (pull back the turnsignal stalk), push the hazard (red triangle button) in and see if the flashers work.
  •  Check instrument and control lighting and heater/air-conditioning blower. - Easy. At night make sure all the dash light work and the HVAC blower works.
  •  Check lighting system: turn signals, back-up, license plate, interior (incl. map, reading lights), glovebox, flashlight, luggage area lights.
  •  Safety belts: Check condition and function.- Easy. Just check all the seat belts for wear, tears, and if the pull out and click in.
  •  Check windshield wiper and washer jet positions.
  •  Body: Check for corrosion (except cavities). - Not too hard. Just check for rust, usually found behind each wheel and along the underside edges of the car (i.e. "rocker panels).
  •  Tires: Check tread depth, wear pattern, outer condition, inflation pressure. If necessary, correct pressure. - Easy. Tires have "wear-bars" built into the tread. Once the tread blocks are even with the wear-bars, the tires need to be replaced. Tire Rack.com goes into detail on how to check tire wear. The common method is using a US. Penny. If the top of Pres. Lincoln's head is visible when you insert the penny top-down into the tread (between the tread blocks) then the tires need replacement.
  •  Reset Tire Pressure Monitor. - Owners Manual provides instruction for this.
  •  Battery: Check state of charge (magic eye) and charge if required. - Easy. Just open up the battery cover in the trunk and have a look.
  •  Power steering reservoir: Check fluid level. - Easy. Start the car and turn the steering wheel back and fourth a few times. Open the hood with the engine off. On the drivers-side of the engine bay near the strut tower you'll see a brown, round reservoir with a black cap (sort of star-shaped - finger grips) and a green donut label. Wipe it clean, open it up and check the fluid level on the dipstick.
  •  Visually inspect all SRS airbag units for torn covers, obvious damage or attachment of stickers. - Easy. Inside the car, look for the places in the interior for the "SRS" insignia. That's where the airbags are. Just make sure nothing is blocking the places where the airbags are so that they can properly inflate.
  •  Convertible: Open the convertible top. Activate automatic rollover protection system via OBD diagnostic link. - Okay, this on would need a dealer, or possible a BMW scan tool that can operate the rollover protection. But if you don't have a convertible than you do not need to do this one.
  •  Rear-view mirrors. - Easy. Are the mirrors broken or not moving?
  •  Coolant: Check fluid level and concentration. - Okay not hard, but need a $4 tool. Go to the auto parts store and buy a coolant concentration check gauge. Its basically a fancy turkey baster, with a gauge in it. With the engine cold, open the coolant reservoir and check the level. The red stick should pop up and the lower ball should be level with the top of the opening mouth. The insert the coolant concentration level gauge tube into the coolant reservoir and pull out the coolant. Then read the gauge. Easy.
  •  Windshield washer and intensive cleaning system: Check protection level, fluid level; top if necessary. - Okay that's a no brainer. Top off the windshield washer fluid and make sure it sprays the windshield and the wipers work.
  •  Brake system connections and lines: Check for leaks, damage and correct positioning. - Okay a bit hard. So get under the car and look at behind each wheel at the brake caliper. Look for where the rubber brake line comes off the body and connects to the brake caliper. If it's wet, then there's a leak. The under the hood, on the drivers-side near the windshield is a black plastic cover. It covers the brake fluid reservoir. Pull the cover off, and check the brake fluid level. Then next to the reservoir is the brake ABS module with a bunch of little black pipes. Those are the brake lines. If the connection are wet there is a problem. Replace the cover when done with the inspection.
  •  Underbody, incl. all visible parts (i.e.,transmission, rear axle, fuel lines, exhaust system): Check for damage, leaks and corrosion. - Not too hard. Just crawl under the back end with a flashlight and check the diff for wetness and the black-rubber accordion boots (CV-joint boots) on the axels: one on the inners side near the diff, the other is near the wheel. There are two on each axle, four total. If you smell gas then a fuel line could be leaking. Does the exhaust have a noisy leak? Probably not.
  •  Steering components: Check for clearance, leaks, damage and wear. - Okay a bit hard since the steering rack is covered by the belly pan. But you can check for leaks at the small, longish accordion boots at the ends of the steering rack where they connect to the tie-rods. Squeezing them can help tell if there is a leak. If the steering fluid was low, then there is a leak somewhere.
  •  Final Inspection: Road test with check of:
    – Brakes, including burnishing of parking brake pads - okay, this just means drive a few thousand feet with the parking brake engaged to scruff up the parking brake shoes.
    – Steering
    – Shock absorbers (visual) - Look in each front wheel well at the strut. If there is oil on the strut then it's leaking and need to be replaced. The rear shocks are behind the rear wheels, do the same check for wetness when you are under there checking for CV-boot tears.
    – Transmission
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      07-04-2014, 08:32 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floydarogers View Post
Read your "Maintenance and Warranty Information" book. Or download it and then read it.
Floy, if I can ask, do you know if this site (BMWUSA) also provides downloads on the owner's manual? (or some other site?) I have had no luck searching for such a site. I lost mine. Big thanks in advance......
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      07-04-2014, 09:31 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwsinceday1 View Post
Floy, if I can ask, do you know if this site (BMWUSA) also provides downloads on the owner's manual? (or some other site?) I have had no luck searching for such a site. I lost mine. Big thanks in advance......
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/dgh.aspx

The maintenance manuals are also there, drop down the "Owners" menu.
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      07-04-2014, 07:05 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floydarogers View Post
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/dgh.aspx

The maintenance manuals are also there, drop down the "Owners" menu.
Great! Thanks, Man!!
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      07-05-2014, 05:41 AM   #12
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[
Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
I don't think it is in the book.
QUOTE=floydarogers;16228705]It's on page 13/14 of my 2010 M&W book.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
That's good. They must have updated the booklet after the 2006 model year. As I recall my documents did not have mention of it. I had to ask the dealer in 2007 about what it meant.
[/QUOTE]

So this is what I meant. The Owner's manual does not directly confer that a "red car on lift" symbol, without any other symbol showing (i.e. car system) means to perform the inspection items shown on page 13/14 of the maintenance book. The only way I could find out back in 2007 when my car reached 30,000, was to ask the dealer.
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