low mileage vehicle check and plugs

[gms]

my CBS vehicle check light is on. the car has been driven embarassingly few miles. yet, dealer says the key reader wants the spark plugs, transmission and differential fluids changed. Aren't plugs not monitored by the CBS? Manual says to change them after 37,000 miles or 3rd oil change. Dealer never changed them when low mileage oil changes were done. Fluids appear still optimal, and were changed after break in 1200 miles. Of course, car is out of warranty. Is the CBS going to continue to demand stuff which is not necessary?

[nachob]

Originally Posted by gms

my CBS vehicle check light is on. the car has been driven embarassingly few miles. yet, dealer says the key reader wants the spark plugs, transmission and differential fluids changed. Aren't plugs not monitored by the CBS? Manual says to change them after 37,000 miles or 3rd oil change. Dealer never changed them when low mileage oil changes were done. Fluids appear still optimal, and were changed after break in 1200 miles. Of course, car is out of warranty. Is the CBS going to continue to demand stuff which is not necessary?

You need to put miles for accurate analysis? If you have $16k miles like me. You don't need plugs. But fluids possibly. They collect moisture and crap over time and should still change those by time. I have a bottle of transmission fluid from 2012 And it has An expiration or use by date which is 2016. The fluid in your transmission has been there 4 years now so I would change fluids but not plugs.

[gms]

interesting and thank you. dealer says fluids look good and may remain in place. the plugs have carbon build up. i find that any plug has some carbon once run in. i have driven even fewer miles, 9K so far. I rarely have driven fast, having tracked the car only twice, and then only to lap. strange that the CBS vehicle check lit up immediately after warranty expired. why would key read to replace plugs? do plugs time out? BMW NA may yet help. I hope they monitor this board. I will post what they do here

[nachob]

Originally Posted by gms

interesting and thank you. dealer says fluids look good and may remain in place. the plugs have carbon build up. i find that any plug has some carbon once run in. i have driven even fewer miles, 9K so far. I rarely have driven fast, having tracked the car only twice, and then only to lap. strange that the CBS vehicle check lit up immediately after warranty expired. why would key read to replace plugs? do plugs time out? BMW NA may yet help. I hope they monitor this board. I will post what they do here

Got it. This might sound crazy but never driving fast can cause extra carbon. It seems weird that they would say fluids "look" good. It's really not a good way of determining if fluids are good. You can look at fluids and see if they are bad but the opposite is much harder. Also dealers have been told by BMW that fluids last forever but many of us don't buy it. If the car runs perfectly I wouldn't worry about the plugs. If if seems hesitant then ok to replace but they are expensive and take a odd socket in case you wanted to do it. I've done it on my other BMW and it's a bit of a pain especially the back two plugs. You are probably even ok on fluids since you drive so little but eventually chemistry takes over and you're better of refreshing them. That includes your brake fluid too. I'm about to change coolant despite the dealer saying it can stay forever in the car.

[gms]

they will not reset the CBS unless i change the plugs. i suspect the system will not alert me to actual problems without doing the reset. i have changed the brake fluid every 2 years, and motor oil annually. i think your correct that not driving fast contributes to carbon build up. visually, these plugs don't have a lot. there is no power loss, mpg decline, or misfiring.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by gms

they will not reset the CBS unless i change the plugs. i suspect the system will not alert me to actual problems without doing the reset. i have changed the brake fluid every 2 years, and motor oil annually. i think your correct that not driving fast contributes to carbon build up. visually, these plugs don't have a lot. there is no power loss, mpg decline, or misfiring.

Glad you're changing fluids though. Sounds like a very sensible schedule for low mileage. I don't understand why the light would trigger. I thought it was based on mileage or hours. Unless you live in Juneau Alaska and leave your car running every night. You have a right to be confused by this. I am. Maybe someone else knows if time is used on plug maintenance schedule?

[Jet Mech]

I have 9500 miles on mine and have not had a message to change plugs. My build date was 10/11. Unless I get a misfire I just don't see a plug going bad...its not like milk. But fluids are, so I can see those be changed due to age and not just miles.

[gms]

the service manual and bulletins say to do plugs based on mileage or at the 3rd oil change, which would be 45,000 miles with "normal driving". Dealer reset the OBD/CBS counter when low mile oil changes were done. This caused the vehicle check light and key reader to ask for plugs

[nachob]

Originally Posted by Jet Mech

I have 9500 miles on mine and have not had a message to change plugs. My build date was 10/11. Unless I get a misfire I just don't see a plug going bad...its not like milk. But fluids are, so I can see those be changed due to age and not just miles.

Ditto!

[nachob]

Originally Posted by gms

the service manual and bulletins say to do plugs based on mileage or at the 3rd oil change, which would be 45,000 miles with "normal driving". Dealer reset the OBD/CBS counter when low mile oil changes were done. This caused the vehicle check light and key reader to ask for plugs

So did they reset it for you now without the plug change?

[gms]

dealer claims they reset counter when key said to. of course, thats impossible given my miles driven. now, says bmws will not allow reset without service being done, the spark plugs. whats to stop the computer from thinking it needs more things replaced based on the counter?

[Jet Mech]

Originally Posted by gms

dealer claims they reset counter when key said to. of course, thats impossible given my miles driven. now, says bmws will not allow reset without service being done, the spark plugs. whats to stop the computer from thinking it needs more things replaced based on the counter?

Sounds like you need to reset it yourself or the stealer is going to take you to the woodshed.

[nachob]

Originally Posted by Jet Mech

Sounds like you need to reset it yourself or the stealer is going to take you to the woodshed.

Yeah I'm doing oil change and plan to reset counter myself. I haven't googled it but it uses the start button without the break pedal or clutch and gives you menu to reset. I would find YouTube video