[kadify]

Have a 428i and have one more month until lease ends and I'm starting to have a weird engine sputtering issue. Car is out of warranty and would like to make it to the end of the lease without having to drop a ton of $$$ fixing a car I'm going to be returning.

The engine the past few weeks has had a weird issue where it will periodically sputter when I'm stopped and die and then a drivetrain malfunction message comes up. If I turn the car off completely and try to restart it'll usually start right up after about 60 seconds with no issue. I'm not sure why this is happening and I'm not sure if it's because it's been so hot out in Colorado lately. Any idea what this may be?


Dad says it sounds like it's vapor locking does that sound right?

[wilbur_the_goose]

30 years ago, I'd have suggested vapor lock, but I don't know if that affects fuel injection as much as it did carbs.

[sspade]

I wasnt aware you could lease a brand new vehicle and be on the hook for ANY failures whatsoever for the entire duration of the lease...

Are you sure this is your problem and not the dealers? Ive leased a handful if vehicles and never paid a penny out of pocket for maintenance, let alone repairs.

[kadify]

Originally Posted by sspade

I wasnt aware you could lease a brand new vehicle and be on the hook for ANY failures whatsoever for the entire duration of the lease...

Are you sure this is your problem and not the dealers? Ive leased a handful if vehicles and never paid a penny out of pocket for maintenance, let alone repairs.

I'm not sure... I think since the warranty ends at 50k miles and I'm over that I would be on the hook for a repair if something broke.

[otay]

Try different gas?

If you're only a month away, don't think I'd spend anything on it. Just turn it in if it keeps happening or becomes dangerous...

[ooshnoo]

I had the same issue years back with my old Pontiac. Turns out all it needed was a cleaning of the throttle body, but don't know if that would pertain to BMWs.

[Bmwman325]

Originally Posted by kadify

Have a 428i and have one more month until lease ends and I'm starting to have a weird engine sputtering issue. Car is out of warranty and would like to make it to the end of the lease without having to drop a ton of $$$ fixing a car I'm going to be returning.

The engine the past few weeks has had a weird issue where it will periodically sputter when I'm stopped and die and then a drivetrain malfunction message comes up. If I turn the car off completely and try to restart it'll usually start right up after about 60 seconds with no issue. I'm not sure why this is happening and I'm not sure if it's because it's been so hot out in Colorado lately. Any idea what this may be?


Dad says it sounds like it's vapor locking does that sound right?

Scan for codes first.

[1QuikWS6]

If this is happening while car is idling, try cleaning your MAF sensor with the special CRC cleaner 1st to see if that cures the problem...

[kadify]

Originally Posted by 3A53

Similar thing happened to my 328i.

It had trouble maintaining an idle and quite frequently died at stop lights. I replaced the spark plugs and that changed nothing. Then it finally threw a code for the upstream oxygen sensor and after I replaced that it hasn't come back.

Did you replace that yourself? Was it difficult?

[kadify]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

If this is happening while car is idling, try cleaning your MAF sensor with the special CRC cleaner 1st to see if that cures the problem...

Wouldn't the car also have trouble starting all the time if it were the MAF?

[kadify]

Originally Posted by 3A53

I did, the part for my car was actually on closeout in the bmw parts system so it was only $60 instead of $240.

The general gist of the project on my 328i

Remove:
(1) Engine cover, pull off
(2) Forward cowl covers, 10mm or T30, quarter turn
(3) 2 rubber circles at the bottom center of the windshield, pry out
(4) Strut brace, 4 E20 bolts, 1 at each strut tower, 1 under each of the circular covers removed earlier
(5) plastic cover under the strut brace, 10mm head bolts and 1 plastic rivet

Now unplug the oxygen sensor plug. It's at the rear passenger side of the valve cover. There are 2 pretty much identical plugs for the 2 oxygen sensors. The upstream one is farther to the passenger side and long ways vertical. It's harder to see than the downstream plug which lays flat.

Next you need to remove the sensor. It's on the exhaust pipe between the turbocharger and the catalytic converter. I used a crowfoot oxygen sensor tool that I got at harbor freight plus a 4" extension, u-joint and then about 16" of extensions to basically go straight up from the oxygen sensor. Put a decently long ratchet on it and crack the oxygen sensor loose. Once loose with the wiring unclipped you can reach down and unscrew it by hand.

Installation is basically the opposite. Thread the sensor on my hand and turn it as much as possible, tighten it with the tool, clip the wiring back together.

Not the easiest job in the world but doable by a novice with one trip to harbor freight too.

Thank you I will take a look into this if it happens again. I'm kind of hoping it was some bad gas since it hasn't happened on the most recent gas fill up the last few days but I'll definitely keep this saved to look into if it happens again. Much appreciated

[Elvisfan]

Originally Posted by sspade

I wasnt aware you could lease a brand new vehicle and be on the hook for ANY failures whatsoever for the entire duration of the lease...

Are you sure this is your problem and not the dealers? Ive leased a handful if vehicles and never paid a penny out of pocket for maintenance, let alone repairs.

You’re responsible for maintenance and out of warranty repairs on leased cars. Same rules apply than if you paid cash or financed. Of course BMW includes maintenance with the purchase. Usually a new car lease is over before the warranty is up. OP’s out of warranty.

[Elvisfan]

Originally Posted by kadify

I'm not sure... I think since the warranty ends at 50k miles and I'm over that I would be on the hook for a repair if something broke.

Yes,definitely. I’d try to wait it out and hope the dealer doesn’t notice it when you turn the car in.

[sspade]

Originally Posted by Elvisfan

You’re responsible for maintenance and out of warranty repairs on leased cars. Same rules apply than if you paid cash or financed. Of course BMW includes maintenance with the purchase. Usually a new car lease is over before the warranty is up. OP’s out of warranty.

Thats strange. All of my maintenance was free up to 50k miles... and I bought mine used. Also had a couple repairs done for free in that time period.

[sspade]

Also... what sort of lease extends past 50k miles? Never heard of such a thing.

[Elvisfan]

Originally Posted by sspade

Thats strange. All of my maintenance was free up to 50k miles... and I bought mine used. Also had a couple repairs done for free in that time period.

Until 17 maintenance was included to 50,000 miles. Also warranty was for 50,000 miles. Nothing strange there at all. Just policy. It doesn’t matter that you got it used.

[Elvisfan]

Originally Posted by sspade

Also... what sort of lease extends past 50k miles? Never heard of such a thing.

The sort of lease where the owner goes over their miles. Or someone leases a used car.

[kadify]

Originally Posted by sspade

Also... what sort of lease extends past 50k miles? Never heard of such a thing.

I unfortunately had a situation change and managed to drive 25k my first year. So I'm a bit over