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Sven Nielsen, Technical Director from MEYLE, says the following difficulties may arise with the MINI:

1. Worn out control arm bushings

Problem:

Control arm bushings are exposed to strong forces during acceleration, braking and cornering. Bad roads or weather conditions can also contribute towards them becoming worn and less effective. Steering play may arise and an accurate lateral guidance is no longer possible. Worn control arm bushings will in turn place increased stress on other suspension components and can cause wear throughout the suspension. This may lead to lower levels of safety and costly repairs to the chassis.

Diesel Turbo Cleaner for Mini Owners

Whilst regular maintenance and servicing is key to keeping your classic Mini running smoothly, an extra helping hand is sometimes required to ensure optimum performance at a reasonable cost.

Mini -  ’07 Onwards

Common problems/fixes from the RMI Technical Helpdesk.

• Noise from front suspension, top suspension  top mountings split.

• Timing chain worn/rattle N12 engine.

• Rattle/knocking noise from rear, upper suspension control arm bushes worn.

• Fuel trim fault code P1188- Evaporative canister purge valve faulty.

ZF Services UK has some useful preventive maintenance advice for ZF automatic transmissions in the BMW 3 Series. The semi-synthetic oils developed for use in ZF 5-, 6- and 8-speed transmissions are maintenance-free under normal operating conditions, described as ‘lifetime fill’ by some vehicle manufacturers. However, some degradation of the oil inevitably occurs with time and mileage, which may result in noise, judder, or deterioration in gear change quality. This can be avoided by carrying out a transmission oil and filter change after 50,000 to 75,000 miles.

Injection nozzle/injector - Function, Combustion knocking, Loss in power, Engine warning light is on, Starting problems, Ignition misfire

BMW 325i

Reference number(s): 0013800100

Fault symptoms: Engine warning light is on Non-concentric engine running Engine has starting problems on starting. Low engine power

Causes: Injection nozzle/injector defective

Remedy: Replace injection nozzle/injector.

Injection nozzle/injector - Function, Non-concentric engine running

Ignore symptoms of blown head gaskets at your peril warns Steel Seal

Those who fail to spot blown head gaskets or ignore the symptoms risk damaging their cars and facing huge repair bills, warns quick-fix head gasket repair supplier Steel Seal, part of the Automotive Brands product portfolio.

The company has compiled a list of the most common symptoms of blown head gaskets to help drivers spot the warning signs.

• Coolant loss or leaking from the water pump




• Bubbles of air coming up into the radiator




• Engine overheating




• Engine running rough




• Coolant or oil from the head or on the spark plugs




• White smoke from the exhaust

BMW 3 E90 2005 onwards

Blown central locking fuse, seems a small item but a good revenue generator. Modified door locking motors are available, check and replace as required looking for the odd one out that is drawing more current than the rest.

Worn front suspension lower arms that cause excessive noise/rattles.

Premature wear within the steering rack causing rattles to be transmitted up the steering column.

Parking sensor failure, water ingress to the boot area filling the park control module (when fitted in the boot area) with water causing various other electrical issues.

Rotating Electrics

Remy warns that during its lifespan this BMW 3-series was equipped with a starter based stop-start system - from model year 2008 onwards. It is essential therefore to know if the vehicle you are working on has a stop-start system fitted in order to select the correct replacement starter motor. Vehicles with stop-start have a different starter motor that is more robust to cope with the increased number of engine starts. This goes for both the diesel and petrol models. Choosing the incorrect starter will result in a non-functioning stop-start system.

Sven Nielsen, Technical Director from MEYLE, says the following difficulties may arise with the BMW 3 Series:

Damaged oil pans

Problem:

Oil pans fit BMW models with 6 speed automatic transmissions. Supposedly a sealed for life system but the plastic sump can warp causing loss of ATF.  This is indicated by a lumpy gearchange. It must be used with non-conductive ATF to protect the transmission mechatronics.

Introduced in 2010, the EfficientDynamics versions of the popular BMW 3 series incorporated the company’s Start-Stop system.

As these vehicles begin to drop out of the franchised dealer network and enter the independent sector, workshops, and the technicians undertaking service and repair work on these variants, need to bear in mind that they will not be fitted with traditional lead-acid starter batteries. Instead these models will use an AGM battery such as a VARTA® Start Stop Plus and will therefore require specialist knowledge and equipment to ensure the correct removal and installation process is followed.