As a vehicle owner, you want to know that your vehicle is safe. You need to know that you and your passengers will be protected each time you get into your car and take it on the road. However, each brand has its issues, and each make/model too. BMW has issues from time to time with the propulsion suddenly going away, right in the middle of driving, leaving you powerless to continue down the road. However, there are reasons for this and signs you can look for before it happens to you.
Insufficient Fuel
If you are driving along and your vehicle is working just fine but then suddenly loses power when you are trying to accelerate, it could be an issue with the fuel delivery. A car functioning to optimum capacity should respond immediately when you press the accelerator. If you step on your accelerator and there isn’t a fast, immediate response, it could indicate a fuel delivery problem. There are many causes of insufficient fuel delivery.
One of the most common causes is clogged or broken fuel injector. As you regularly drive your BMW, the fuel injector’s small passages can become filled with dirt or debris, like clogged arteries in the body. If this happens, the fuel supply to your injector becomes limited. The result is slow acceleration or a sudden loss of propulsion. You might also notice that as you regularly drive your vehicle, the fuel economy decreases, and you start consuming more fuel than normal.
Another potential cause is a defective fuel pump. The fuel pump on your car is responsible for bringing gas to your engine using the fuel lines. If the pump is faltering, then your vehicle might hesitate when you try to accelerate or lose propulsion suddenly. The fuel filter is designed to clean impurities from your gas, but if that gets clogged (which it naturally will over time), less fuel is making it to your injectors. Essentially all of these components can stop working properly because they get clogged, which is why it is important to bring in your vehicle and have the fuel filters and other components checked and cleaned regularly.
Other causes could be a failing catalytic converter, which would cause problems accelerating with your engine running hot at the same time. If you notice the smell of gas or a puddle of gas under your car, you might have a leaking fuel line, which would stop fuel from reaching the injectors.
Lack of Power
A loss of power, the sudden loss of propulsion while driving, could be caused by a problem in your exhaust system. If you have bad cylinders or misfiring spark plugs, it can consume the power that your car needs to function properly. If oil or antifreeze has made its way into the exhaust system, this will also rob it of the power supply necessary to keep the car moving forward.
If your loss of propulsion is from misfiring spark plugs, then the amount of power loss you experience while driving will correspond with the misfiring spark plugs’ rate. If you leave this problem and do not bring in your BMW to have it repaired, it will only worsen. Eventually, regular misfiring will increase exhaust emissions and continually choke off the power supply to your engine.
In some situations, overheating in your engine can damage the cylinder heads, producing failure in the head gasket. If your head gasket stops working properly, it can cause cracks in your cylinder head. One sure way to note this symptom is to see white smoke coming out of your exhaust pipe. White smoke is a classic cracked head gasket sign because it means the crack allowed coolant fluid into your exhaust system.
Hire Professionals
That said, if you are having any of these issues or you believe that your symptoms are similar, bring your BMW in to have it inspected. At Star Motors European, we have a team of highly qualified professionals who work exclusively with BMW models. We are conveniently located in San Juan Capistrano, CA, and other Southern Orange County areas. Call or stop by today to make an appointment!
