Engine Misfire- 55 Miles on the Car!!

[asif163]

Update- The dealer had said they would call me yesterday morning to give me an update however, I didn't hear from anyone. I then emailed my CA for an update and he said that I should lodge a formal complaint with BMW NA, which I proceeded to do.

A few hours later, the service manager of the dealership calls and says that they've finally found the problem. Turns out, it was a bent spark plug- not a big deal! They didn't have to open my engine up, do extensive repairs and have to order parts. Needless to say, I was relieved. However, my car still had trouble the first day I was driving it and the car sat in the dealer's garage for the first 2 and a half days of my ownership.

I still wasn't happy at this point. I expressed this to the dealer and BMWNA. When I picked up the car they informed me that they would be making the first month's payment. That I would be getting a check in the email within two weeks for the amount of a monthly payment.

Problem solved and now, I am a proud, happy, M3 owner! FINALLY!

[sameh]

Originally Posted by asif163

Update- The dealer had said they would call me yesterday morning to give me an update however, I didn't hear from anyone. I then emailed my CA for an update and he said that I should lodge a formal complaint with BMW NA, which I proceeded to do.

A few hours later, the service manager of the dealership calls and says that they've finally found the problem. Turns out, it was a bent spark plug- not a big deal! They didn't have to open my engine up, do extensive repairs and have to order parts. Needless to say, I was relieved. However, my car still had trouble the first day I was driving it and the car sat in the dealer's garage for the first 2 and a half days of my ownership.

I still wasn't happy at this point. I expressed this to the dealer and BMWNA. When I picked up the car they informed me that they would be making the first month's payment. That I would be getting a check in the email within two weeks for the amount of a monthly payment.

Problem solved and now, I am a proud, happy, M3 owner! FINALLY!

Please tell me they didn't REFILL your tank from their bad gas. I still think it was the bad gas and the bent spark plug was a cover up (I'm very big on conspiracy theories). Anyway, get your M3 right now to a Shell and feed her the 93 nectar and she will thank you for it with a big V8 growl

[asif163]

Originally Posted by sameh

Please tell me they didn't REFILL your tank from their bad gas. I still think it was the bad gas and the bent spark plug was a cover up (I'm very big on conspiracy theories). Anyway, get your M3 right now to a Shell and feed her the 93 nectar and she will thank you for it with a big V8 growl

Interestingly enough, they didn't fill my tank! I was thinking that they should have considering all the trouble I went through but in hind sight, as you said, it's probably for the better that they didn't!

[JCE]

How does a spark plug get bent?

[asif163]

Originally Posted by JCE

How does a spark plug get bent?

During installation...

[andrew270681]

Originally Posted by JCE

How does a spark plug get bent?

Yeah? It would have broken all together. Unless it was a lead that was kinked..

[JCE]

Originally Posted by asif163

During installation...

Really?

I've changed a few sparkplugs in my life, but never bent the electrode. Not sure how somebody could mess something up that bad.

Yeah? It would have broken all together. Unless it was a lead that was kinked..

Lead? You mean the lead on the cable?

There's nothing on the sparkplug to "bend", unless it is the electrode and it would be running like shyt from the outset, not after 55 miles. And, as I implied only a blind person trying to install it with a hammer would bend that.

IMO the explanation from the dealer is BS.

[asif163]

Originally Posted by JCE

Really?

I've changed a few sparkplugs in my life, but never bent the electrode. Not sure how somebody could mess something up that bad.



Lead? You mean the lead on the cable?

There's nothing on the sparkplug to "bend", unless it is the electrode and it would be running like shyt from the outset, not after 55 miles. And, as I implied only a blind person trying to install it with a hammer would bend that.

IMO the explanation from the dealer is BS.

It was actually running very rough from the beginning- much more than normal but the dealer at the time said it was fine. The electrode itself was bent- they showed me the spark plug. I'm beginning to think it was BS also but hey, the car is perfect now and they are paying the first month's payment...

[Stainless 45]

That's pretty generous- Who is your dealer??

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by asif163

It was actually running very rough from the beginning- much more than normal but the dealer at the time said it was fine. The electrode itself was bent- they showed me the spark plug. I'm beginning to think it was BS also but hey, the car is perfect now and they are paying the first month's payment...

I'd say the plug itself slipped through quality control when it was made. The folks at M that built your engine also never noticed it when they installed it.

[///V\3Dude]

It''s life, anything is possible! Glad to see your car is back on the road. A week ago i got side swiped by a Ford-150. :'(

[asif163]

Originally Posted by Stainless 45

That's pretty generous- Who is your dealer??

Dealer is in NJ- Hunterdon BMW. I must say that this had nothing to do with them and they are truly magnificent to deal with. My CA is excellent and so is the entire staff there. This issue was caused in the manufacturing process (not their fault) however, they had to deal with the brunt of my frustration and they handled it well. I will definitely buy from them again.

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

I'd say the plug itself slipped through quality control when it was made. The folks at M that built your engine also never noticed it when they installed it.

+1 Funny thing is, my car sat in QC for 10 days. You think they would've caught this!

Originally Posted by SehrSchnell

Dude, that's good news though. Enjoy the car!

I'm loving this car- I actually got to do some spirited driving today on the way to work and I actually screamed in laughter at how much fun I was having. Didn't pass the 5500 RPM threshold yet either!

Originally Posted by ///V\3Dude

It''s life, anything is possible! Glad to see your car is back on the road. A week ago i got side swiped by a Ford-150. :'(

Wow, sorry to hear that man...hope it comes out brand-spanking new when fixed!

[KJM3]

Doesnt take much of a bump to close an electrode, or it may have been closed (or close to it) somewhere between the factory and install. I'm sure they are all machine gapped and protected somehow, and not checked when screwed in.

First months payment isnt bad, at least they did something to try to help.

[JeremyR]

I have a 2011 E90, and brought my car in for the "Increased Emissions" warning. Just got a call and they said that all 8 cylinders misfired, but only once. They were asking if I ever ran out of gas (nope), so they are still looking in to why it happened...

[Prince_of_Persia]

mis fire happened to me once with around 38000 KM on my car. It was due to bad gas. did not happen at all after. I suggest you not to panic as well.

[JeremyR]

Just spoke to them again. Misfire happened on all cylinders but just once and they cant get it to do it again. They think it was most likely either a glitch in the software somewhere or too much ethanol in the gas...going to hold on to it one more day to see if they can get it to happen again

[Krozi]

Probably just a bad coil from the factory.

[meile]

Had the "Increased Emissions" warning the first time I drove the car. I picked up the car (2010 E92) in Germany to drive it back to Sweden where I live, and got the warning. The car stopped pulling for a while everytime when reaching 4500 rpms. The problem was solved when I came back to Sweden and had new gas, the warning disappeared and everything is fine now.

[JeremyR]

Mine is still at the dealer. They cant figure out why it happened, get it to happen again, and they are not comfortable giving me the car back until they have some explanation. The only upside is that the loaner 328 really makes me appreciate my car. You dont realize how great the little things like a soft and hefty steering wheel are until you dont have them!