There is always a certain sense of dread that overcomes one when the check engine light (or malfunction indicator light or service engine soon) comes on. That is sometimes followed by confusion and denial after all your BMW seems to be running just fine. That feeling can be exacerbated if, after driving for a while the light goes off only to come back on again later. BMW’s are some of the most reliable cars in the world so the assumption is that whatever is wrong must be something serious.

What Your Check Engine Light Means

Your check engine light is design to monitor and turn on when it detects a fault with your BMW’s emissions system. While the light says “check engine” the reality is that [...]