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      06-18-2020, 05:21 PM   #1
Strikerxt
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Any BMW mechanic with experience working on a i8?

Need a little help on the best course of action to take.

Any BMW mechanic with i8 experience can advise with a very frustrated BMW owner.

I will try to keep this as short as I can. My i8 is currently off the road with a drive train error and after being at the main dealers I'm very reluctant to take it back in for the repair.

A bit of history the car developed a drive train fault with a safe to continue to drive but with reduced power warning.

After having the code read there was many errors including exhaust crankshaft out of tolerance and low oil pressure.
No low oil warning from the car at this point oil levels was green.
The first thing I don't was a oil check on the car computer. After the test the oil when from green to red with a please top up oil.
I top off the oil with 1L and recheck. Still low oil warning. I added a 2nd 1L and rechecked, still low.
At this point I wasn't going to add any more oil and book the car in for diagnostics with BMW main dealer.
They had the car for 5 days. Phone to say the problem was low oil they added a 3rd 1L that 3L total the car needed with no low warning at all.
They topped up the oil cleared all the codes and said it was fine. There is no signs of oil leaking or being burnt. They had no idea why it was low or why the car had no warning of low oil.
A little concerned I ask them to drain the oil and check if the low oil light comes on which they did and no warning. They said the sensor testing fine so couldn't give any more help.

I come away thinking the diagnistics they done I could of just done myself and feel they had no clue but was happy the car was running at very little cost of repair.
I collected the car, everything seemed fine until 5 minutes on the drive home and the drive train warning come back on the dash.
I recheck the code and the same exhaust crank out of tolerance warning. No low oil pressure warning.
I phoned BMW to take it back but I am very reluctant to do so. I have lost all confidence in them. I ask if I could speak to a technician before bring the car back and was told they don't do that.

I am thinking there is a issue with the vanos system and wanted to ask what the process is working on the engine of these cars. Can you get to the vanos system with the engine in place or is the only way to work by removing the engine from the car?

The car does drive with no problems starting and the code only return when letting off the gas not when accelerating.

Do I take it back to BMW or find a BMW specialist. Would any BMW mechanic be able to fix or would I need one with i8 experience? I'm sure the main dealers have no experience at all.

Any help would be much appreciated.
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      06-19-2020, 02:09 AM   #2
Maxxsirrah
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I think all dealers have a 'master mechanic', I have spoken to this guy at BMW Leicester before when they were unable to diagnose a noise coming from my rear suspension. With the number of 330e's and 530e's etc out there now, the dealers should be getting much better at dealing with hybrid drivetrain issues. If the cars still in warranty and you're not happy with your local dealer, perhaps try another one? I think you'll struggle to find an independent who can cope, this is likely to be the case for a few years yet I suspect...
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      06-21-2020, 12:14 PM   #3
Strikerxt
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I don't think I will be returning the car to the main dealer. Paying £110 diagnostics for nothing. Lost all confidence with them after they said the technician think's maybe the oil warning doesn't come on until its extremely low.

I would of thought they don't need to be an expert on hybrid power train to properly diagnosis a vanos fault as the problem is with the gas engine not the electric motor.

I think I may have better luck taking it to a mini main dealer they will have more knowledge on the engine. Just getting to the engine I feel is going to be the problem.

I would say anyone with a i8 keep a eye on your oil level and run a oil check from time to time as if it anything like my one it will not warn you of low oil. I had the oil sensor check with no problem found so must be a software issue.

I will report back when the issue is fixed.
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      06-22-2020, 11:26 AM   #4
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If the car is under warranty you shouldn't have had to pay for the diagnostic check.
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