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Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 8:47 pm
by Jimbo1
Hi bought a 6 year old,60 plate Z4 2.3i with 31000 on clock last august. As of last week started stalling in low gears when at junction. No warning lights etc showing. AA called and the engine seized on them. Took to BMW dealer and they are saying that engine has seized due to lack of oil. And will need a large amount of work done at substantial cost. Not happy. Would have thought some form of warning light would have appeared long before engine gives up.

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:06 pm
by Ewazix
Shocking first post and pretty rare for a BMW engine to seize. Obvious questions, when was it serviced and oil checked?

but yes you should have got a low oil warning light. :(

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:16 pm
by Rusky
wow thats unusual i would have thought that it should have given you some kind of indication. Is it under warranty? I would be arguing with the dealership and dont waste anytime before getting BMW UK involved. Yes there is a responsibility to check the oil but even so the car should be warning you that its getting to a critical level. Hope you get it sorted. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:17 pm
by buzyg
Baffles me that they built modern cars with no dip stick. OP may be unlucky that the electronic systems have not worked, feel for you, but it's inevitable that the computer or sensors will get it wrong some times. :(

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:24 pm
by Smartbear
buzyg wrote: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:17 pm Baffles me that they built modern cars with no dip stick. OP may be unlucky that the electronic systems have not worked, feel for you, but it's inevitable that the computer pr sensors will get it wrong some times. :(
There should be 2 sensors for engine oil, shocked that both have failed on a low mileage car (that's obviously a bit of an oil burner)
When did you last check the oil level?
Rob

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:26 pm
by mr wilks
Ive heard of these straight6 23i seizing before ( my Indy bought one to break a few months ago ) but it wasn't down to lack of oil :? he said overheating after low coolant had caused it so perhaps someone before you bought Op had run the car when it was without water / coolant ?

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:34 pm
by Jimbo1
have not had oil or service since bought it. Mot'd in dec. 2016. Car originally serviced for 3 years under BMW dealership though and then through a local none BMW garage according to previous owner. How often should oil be checked on one of these. Naively I was relying on the car warning lights. Dealer reckons BMW uk will not assist as not full serviced. No idea what to do !!

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 9:38 pm
by Smartbear
I check mine at least once a week but that's probably overkill, until you get to know the car it pays to be ott.
I'd look for a used engine & get an indi to fit, the electronic water pumps on the n52 engine have been known to fail & overheat engines :o
Rob

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:42 pm
by Mr Tidy
Welcome to the forum OP - really sorry to hear of your predicament. :(
I check my oil level every time I use my Z4 just to be sure the sensor(s) are working - paranoid, me? :lol: (Well only since I had a water pump die)!

Just thinking, but don't E89s have an oil temperature gauge - if the level was low wouldn't the temperature have shot up?

Anyway OP, I hope you can find a solution that isn't too painful. :thumbsup:

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 11:58 am
by MACK
I'm wondering if it suffered a catestrophic oil leak rather than a gradual loss of oil. Might explain why the car didn't have a chance to flag a low oil level before failure.

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 12:47 pm
by coupedan
Would've been really noisy with a tapping sound (Almost diesel like) by the time it got to seize point...

Did you notice any unusual sounds coming from the engine at all?

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:29 pm
by Jimbo1
Thanks for all replies so far. With regards to noise or tapping sound. Had none of this. Warning light came on in the morning on way to work 7 mile drive. On way home , still on and about half way home started stalling at junctions. Got it home called AA. They drive for less than a half a mile. It seizes. So none the wiser.

Not happy with BMW dealer saying that there was not enough oil in the engine and also requiring invoice for non BMW service garage to help case with BMW UK. The car does less than 5000 miles each year according to the dvla mot record. Contacted previous owner and says it came out of BMW package she has had no serive warning light on since BMW package ran out. Will the chip on the key be able to tell me this type of information and can I request BMW dealer to show me this and his diagnose of what the actual cause of seizure is?

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:36 pm
by Marlon
So there was an oil warning light, even if only for a short time before seizing. Was there evidence of lots of oil dumped suddenly under the engine?

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:41 pm
by jamie_z4
Jimbo1 wrote: Wed Jul 05, 2017 8:47 pm . No warning lights etc showing.
Jimbo1 wrote: Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:29 pm Warning light came on in the morning on way to work 7 mile drive. On way home , still on and about half way home started stalling at junctions.

:?

Z4 engine seizure : no warning lights

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:54 pm
by Jimbo1
apologies when I wrote warning light maint to say engine management system light.