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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the BMW X5 (E53).
sapphireblack
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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by sapphireblack » Sun May 12, 2024 5:30 pm

MOT centre selects the wrong vehicle to test for the DVLA, really?

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Alan Gunn
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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by Alan Gunn » Mon May 13, 2024 6:19 am

Don't see how with today's MOT kit it finds the car on the system.
Even the brake tester is live to the DVSA now.
The only bit i see where you can cheat a bit is where it asks for the plate value for emissions.

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by ScouseMouse » Mon May 13, 2024 12:33 pm

Is it a manual selection? BMW's response about the software may be corrupted was their explanation as to why the MOT testing may have picked up the wrong model of car - if it's manual then it makes their response nonsense.

Hopefully I hear today the problem is with the cluster - that sounds like it'll be the cheapest repair at this stage!

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by X5Sport » Mon May 13, 2024 1:16 pm

As long as the garage you are using aren’t trying to ‘add value’ when there really isn’t anything wrong. I’ve had this twice recently, including a main dealer, when there was actually nothing wrong.
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sapphireblack
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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by sapphireblack » Mon May 13, 2024 3:08 pm

Adding value is a well deployed tactic at my ex main dealer. I think my next maintenance visit will be to a specialist.
Last edited by sapphireblack on Tue May 14, 2024 8:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by ScouseMouse » Mon May 13, 2024 3:13 pm

I don't think the idea at the garage is to look for more work as he actually suggested I look for an auto electrician as he doesn't go to deep into anything like that, so no work in it for him.

However, the specialist has just rang me and said that.........

The cluster is working fine including the check engine light, which it does have.

However, the three main things it failed the MOT on:

Check Engine light not coming on at ignition: Not required for diesel cars before 2008 - only comes on with a detected issue.
Missing DPF filter: Car doesn't come with one.
Missing two O2 filters: Car doesn't come with them,

So it's interesting all round - the original MOT centre should have recognised these things - but surely the specialist should have realised the light shouldn't come on before they charged me another £120 to take the cluster out and examine it?? :headbang:

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by ScouseMouse » Mon May 13, 2024 3:26 pm

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answ ... 2008-cars-

"It is clearly stated in the MoT Inspection Manual (section 8.2): www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/c.../

The MoT tester only needs to inspect the engine MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp) fitted to diesel vehicles first registered on or after 1 July 2008."

PS - the manual link doesn't work, must be old, but still.

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by ScouseMouse » Mon May 13, 2024 3:54 pm

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspect ... tion-8-2-2

Engine malfunction indicator lamp (engine management light or ‘EML’)
Turn on the ignition and check that the engine malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illuminates and then goes off. On some vehicles it will be necessary to start the engine before the MIL goes off.

You need to inspect MIL fitted to diesel vehicles including hybrids with 4 or more wheels and first used on or after 1 July 2008.

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by X5Sport » Mon May 13, 2024 4:39 pm

So with yours predating this, they’ve charged you for irrelevant work? Given none of the ‘failures’ listed applies, something is very amiss here. I would be having serious words with them, their MOT team and DVSA who run the MOT System. That sort of evidence is either showing faulty training and knowledge/competency, or that the DVSA run test system isn’t working.
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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by ScouseMouse » Mon May 13, 2024 6:01 pm

Not much charges by them to be fair, apart from £40 to run through OBD - but I've ended up spending £230 elsewhere to get to this point!

It did also fail on the handbrake, I'm getting that fixed and hopefully I can drive again in peace.

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by sapphireblack » Tue May 14, 2024 8:37 am

This is a shocking story. If the original facility doesn't offer to help with your wasted expenses, i think I'd be visiting my local CAB or just dive into a small claims process.

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by ScouseMouse » Tue May 14, 2024 9:14 am

The story keeps going - It's still with the specialist to fix the handbrake issue which apparently isn't as tight as it should be - although I've never noticed an issue with it in practice.

They've just asked where the locking nut is - is there any reason they'd need to remove the wheels to examine the handbrake??

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by sapphireblack » Tue May 14, 2024 9:41 am

They may want to access the rears, the disc has a drum inside the hub area for the parking brake.

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Alan Gunn
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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by Alan Gunn » Tue May 14, 2024 10:06 am

The adjuster for the shoes is accessed through a wheel bolt whole and better with the wheel off.

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No check engine light on E53 3.0d

Post by ScouseMouse » Tue May 14, 2024 10:15 am

Ok great, thanks for the replies, I thought I'd left it in a fairly obvious place so when they rang I was worried for a minute that it was 'missing'.

They haven't called me back again to say they can't find it, so all must be good!

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