So I'm smelling smoke......after taking the car to the dealer

[LA-Bimmer]

I had to compose myself before writing this to avoid ranting excessively. I took my 2010 135i in last week for service (tail light replacement, recall on pre-tensioner insulation, and two limp modes related to fuel pump [I scanned with BT scanner first]). SA was nice and got me a decent loner. End of the day I get the call that the car is ready with exception of the parts for the pre-tensioner. ISSUE 1---So I pick up the car and the SA tells me they did not find any codes related to fuel issues only one for a low boost condition. Now lets recall that I scanned it the night before taking it in and cleared no codes. I also highlighted the results and cut/pasted them into a Word document. I go to my briefcase, pull out the laptop, and open the file. "HMMMM", he says and call the tech in. "I don't know, didn't see those in our scan". Ask to see scan results, no luck and "We cleared the codes so there is no use scanning again now". I try not to roll my eyes and get my key.

ISSUE 2---I drive a mile away and the low fuel light comes on. I always write down the milage when I drop a car off for service. I now notice that the car has 17 miles on it vs. when I dropped it off. This seems excessive given why it was there, and I call the SA from the gas station to get an explanation. "Ummm, I don't know. Let me ask the tech". He then explains that they "test drove it" to try and replicate the condition. 17 miles I ask? He says that it does seem a long way, but offers nothing else in terms of explanation or apparent concern.

ISSUE 3---Today I drive the car 70 miles round trip to work, park, and get my stuff together to go in the house. "Is that smoke I smell?" I think to myself. I open the hood to find...


This is on the passenger side of the engine...a pair of needlenose vice grips clamping a shop towel onto some type of line (vacuum line?). Better yet the towel is still smoldering with thin wisps of smoke rising out of the engine bay.

The shop towel was hanging low enough to be touching part of the exhaust manifold or something down there that is HOT

It is Saturday evening so there is nothing I can do until Monday. I'd really like to hear reasonable suggestions on how to approach the issue. I was planning to ask to have a meeting with the SA, tech(s) that worked on the car, service manager, and dealership manager.

Oh yeah, also found a small screwdriver that had been dropped and was rolling around on the undertray....did not see this until I went back out to see if there was anything else before driving the car again....What a day

[Orangerec]

UNACCEPTABLE and dangerous. We are riddled with people who don't give a damn about the craft or workmanship. It's so hard to find good trades these days. I would go right to the dealership owner. Email the pictures to all the heads of departments including the owner. Sorry to hear this.

[1978.530i]

The first question should be, "Why would someone clamp a ******* shop towel to my motor?"

[Guynamedsean]

WTF!!!!!!
They were trying to kill you.

[1978.530i]

You should demand the service tech and service manager submit to a drug test.

[Guynamedsean]

Originally Posted by 1978.530i

The first question should be, "Why would someone clamp a ******* shop towel to my motor?"

[LA-Bimmer]

I have no idea what they were trying to do. I've got a good marriage and limited life insurance so I pretty much ruled out my spouse trying to pay off someone to take me out :-)

I have rather limited mechanical knowledge, so I'm not sure what type of hose it was, but I can assure you I will find out. It is pretty soft which is why I thought it might be some type of vacuum line. It was more the potential fire that really gets me. Somehow my car catching on fire in my garage does not sound like something I want to experience.

[Rawhide]

Shame some technicians don't take as much pride in maintaining these vehicles as BMW does in building them.

After finding that I can imagine the engine wasn't the only thing hot in the garage that night.

[instag8tr]

i would even go a step further and try to contact bmwusa

[MOCKBA]

It is why I prefer to do not do any recalls on my car. I have already a collection of different tools forgotten in my car as screwdrivers, flash lights, knives and so on.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by LA-Bimmer

I had to compose myself before writing this to avoid ranting excessively. I took my 2010 135i in last week for service (tail light replacement, recall on pre-tensioner insulation, and two limp modes related to fuel pump [I scanned with BT scanner first]). SA was nice and got me a decent loner. End of the day I get the call that the car is ready with exception of the parts for the pre-tensioner. ISSUE 1---So I pick up the car and the SA tells me they did not find any codes related to fuel issues only one for a low boost condition. Now lets recall that I scanned it the night before taking it in and cleared no codes. I also highlighted the results and cut/pasted them into a Word document. I go to my briefcase, pull out the laptop, and open the file. "HMMMM", he says and call the tech in. "I don't know, didn't see those in our scan". Ask to see scan results, no luck and "We cleared the codes so there is no use scanning again now". I try not to roll my eyes and get my key.

ISSUE 2---I drive a mile away and the low fuel light comes on. I always write down the milage when I drop a car off for service. I now notice that the car has 17 miles on it vs. when I dropped it off. This seems excessive given why it was there, and I call the SA from the gas station to get an explanation. "Ummm, I don't know. Let me ask the tech". He then explains that they "test drove it" to try and replicate the condition. 17 miles I ask? He says that it does seem a long way, but offers nothing else in terms of explanation or apparent concern.

ISSUE 3---Today I drive the car 70 miles round trip to work, park, and get my stuff together to go in the house. "Is that smoke I smell?" I think to myself. I open the hood to find...


This is on the passenger side of the engine...a pair of needlenose vice grips clamping a shop towel onto some type of line (vacuum line?). Better yet the towel is still smoldering with thin wisps of smoke rising out of the engine bay.

The shop towel was hanging low enough to be touching part of the exhaust manifold or something down there that is HOT

It is Saturday evening so there is nothing I can do until Monday. I'd really like to hear reasonable suggestions on how to approach the issue. I was planning to ask to have a meeting with the SA, tech(s) that worked on the car, service manager, and dealership manager.

Oh yeah, also found a small screwdriver that had been dropped and was rolling around on the undertray....did not see this until I went back out to see if there was anything else before driving the car again....What a day

I guess you have your answer as to why that "Tech" didn't find the codes you did. He probably didn't even bother to look, but took the opportunity to "test drive" your car to his favorite lunch place 8.5 miles away.

That is plain dangerous not to mention irresponsible.
It could have resulted in a fire.
That "Tech" needs a write up, and if he's had some before, then it's time for him to go work somewhere else.

[NYC6]

Look on the bright side, you got a pair of vice grips, fee!

Oh yeah, find a different dealership.

[NewYearsBoy]

Thats that BMW Quality right there....

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by LA-Bimmer

I was planning to ask to have a meeting with the SA, tech(s) that worked on the car, service manager, and dealership manager.

That is how I would go about it. Don't forget to have the shop foreman in there as well and don't let them make it seem as nothing happened. I would not threaten BMW of USA contact until it is necessary.

[Sylon]

The SA said they didnt find any codes. Then later he said "We cleared the codes so there is no use scanning again now."


I thought they didnt find any codes? That was my first indication. Then the mileage, no test takes 17 miles.


Unfortunately, the towel and vice grips are going to be a tough one to prove. Hopefully it works out in your favor given all the other issues, but being you found it after they closed, how do they know you didnt stage that part? I know you didnt, but that'll be their argument.


Good luck.

[LA-Bimmer]

As I said originally, the did suposedly note one code related to a "low boost condition" (just none related to the fuel pump issues). I assume they were referring to error 30FF below...not exactly a Low boost condition if you ask me....anyway, below was the result of the scan I did the night before:

2AAF:
2AAF Fuel pump, plausibility
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed
Short circuit or signal interruption

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 5112kms 3176miles
fuel pressure before mass control valve 0.00 hPa
Engine speed 5,216.00 rpm
voltage Kl. 87 13.51 V
injected mass of fuel 0.00 l/h
Event 2
Odometer 5728kms 3559miles
fuel pressure before mass control valve 5,306.72 hPa
Engine speed 3,904.00 rpm
voltage Kl. 87 13.71 V
injected mass of fuel 0.00 l/h


2FBF:
2FBF Fuel pressure at injection release
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed
Short circuit or signal interruption

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 6024kms 3743miles
rail pressure 8,151.11 hPa
PWM-Signal of mass control valve 47.27 %
voltage Kl. 87 10.77 V
fuel pressure before mass control valve 5,603.90 hPa


30FF:
30FF Exhaust fume turbo charger, low pressure side
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 6840kms 4250miles
ambient pressure 997.66 hPa
ambient temperature 36.00 °C
pressure in front of throttle valve 114.00 kPa
speed 2,624.00 rpm


30FE:
30FE Exhaust fume turbo charger, high pressure side
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 7112kms 4419miles
ambient pressure 997.66 hPa
ambient temperature 41.25 °C
pressure in front of throttle valve 159.00 kPa
speed 4,160.00 rpm


3100:
3100 boost-pressure control, deactivation
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed

I don't know how they missed the rest.... I'm going to ask about what they did to "test" for the condition they found and see if that lines up with the whole clamping the hose issue.

I wish I had the option for another dealer, but this is a pretty small area and the next dealer is about 2 hours away.

[1978.530i]

You deserve 100% free service for the next 12 months.

[Ilma]

There is no excuse the that carelessness and the threat of fire is a very real one as that is your hot turbo side.

On another note.....sometimes codes do clear themselves after a certain time period if there are no other instances of them repeating.

I had a cluster of fuel plausibility codes recently and some of them did seem to disappear a couple of days later, so there could be some truth to that element of their story.

[Frustration]

repost

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by LA-Bimmer

As I said originally, the did suposedly note one code related to a "low boost condition" (just none related to the fuel pump issues). I assume they were referring to error 30FF below...not exactly a Low boost condition if you ask me....anyway, below was the result of the scan I did the night before:

2AAF:
2AAF Fuel pump, plausibility
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed
Short circuit or signal interruption

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 5112kms 3176miles
fuel pressure before mass control valve 0.00 hPa
Engine speed 5,216.00 rpm
voltage Kl. 87 13.51 V
injected mass of fuel 0.00 l/h
Event 2
Odometer 5728kms 3559miles
fuel pressure before mass control valve 5,306.72 hPa
Engine speed 3,904.00 rpm
voltage Kl. 87 13.71 V
injected mass of fuel 0.00 l/h


2FBF:
2FBF Fuel pressure at injection release
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed
Short circuit or signal interruption

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 6024kms 3743miles
rail pressure 8,151.11 hPa
PWM-Signal of mass control valve 47.27 %
voltage Kl. 87 10.77 V
fuel pressure before mass control valve 5,603.90 hPa


30FF:
30FF Exhaust fume turbo charger, low pressure side
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 6840kms 4250miles
ambient pressure 997.66 hPa
ambient temperature 36.00 °C
pressure in front of throttle valve 114.00 kPa
speed 2,624.00 rpm


30FE:
30FE Exhaust fume turbo charger, high pressure side
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed

Freeze Frame Information
Odometer 7112kms 4419miles
ambient pressure 997.66 hPa
ambient temperature 41.25 °C
pressure in front of throttle valve 159.00 kPa
speed 4,160.00 rpm


3100:
3100 boost-pressure control, deactivation
Error will not cause a warning light
Error is not currently present
Test conditions have been completed

I don't know how they missed the rest.... I'm going to ask about what they did to "test" for the condition they found and see if that lines up with the whole clamping the hose issue.

I wish I had the option for another dealer, but this is a pretty small area and the next dealer is about 2 hours away.

First ask what he did to do the test to see if he mentions the vice grips.
Then ask how he managed to leave the grips in place, and if he drove your car with the grips in place.

Do you know what was clamped?
What system was he working on?

[NewYearsBoy]

Originally Posted by 1978.530i

You deserve 100% free service for the next 12 months.

U get that anyway with the warranty... I just feel bad cus you know some old guy that has worked on cars his whole life probably forgot and left that in there now somebody's going to lose a job.... I seriously don't know what the best outcome to satisfy the owner... It sucks for everyone in this situation..

[Frustration]

But... no damage done?




I would guess when you call em they will apologize and make sure that the tech hears it and that they really did the checking they should have.


Tell them you also scan for codes and what you found. But also be ready for the logical question of why you have a scan tool...

At that point, will you be as honest with them as you expect them to be with you about the repairs?