Final warranty service 2004 X3 3.0

Hello All,

My wife has a 2004 X3 3.0 that we purchased last year.
It is indicating that it I now due for an oil change. It is still under the BMW warranty for service so we would like to take full advantage of the final warranty service.

What should we ask to have done?

-Oil Change
-Brake fluid Change

Anything else?

Thanks.

Before you take the car in:

Look at the hoses and the belt. If any are worn, ask for new ones.

Go over the entire car and check everything for correct operation. Check all the lights. Check any accessories you don't normally use. If possible, make sure the AC works. However, if it is really cold, you may not be able to get the AC compressor to come on.
Check that the parking brake will hold the car.


At the dealer:

Ask the service adviser to check the service history of the car. As you know, coverage expires 4 years after your car's original in-service date. Ask what is due before coverage expires.
Ask them to check the brakes. If you are 3 or 5 months away from a brake job, it may be worth spending the $$$ to buy a maintenance extension. You can get that at a discount and you can buy it from any BMW dealer in the US.
Tell them wipers streak the windows. They will give you new wiper blades.

Ask them to check the thrust arm bushings.

^^^What A*D said. Might want to check to see if the brake fluid has been changed within the last 2 yrs also as that is a 2 year interval item.

Since you have a 2004, roll up all the windows. With the radio off, do you hear creaking as you drive slowly over irregular road surfaces? The window guides/door deals have gone through a number of permutations since the 2004 model year, as creaking seals were very common. I am planning to have my seals replaced just before the warranty expires (yes, they are creaking, now).

My 2004 x3 3.0 will come off the warranty period on 3/31/2008. After 4 years only 34k miles. Last year I had Inspection I performed. Brakes are still good since I try to take it easy on the pedal. I do not plan on buying the extended maintenance and will just "pay as I go". I'm concerned that I will not hit Inspection II (60K) on the extended maintenenace and then I will have wasted the $ on the ext maint program.

Originally Posted by mumsa

I'm concerned that I will not hit Inspection II (60K) on the extended maintenenace and then I will have wasted the $ on the ext maint program.

Yeah. You need brakes and inspection II to make it worth the price.

Radiator Flush and fill due every 4 years. Ask for an inspection I. Plus what everyone else said. The dealer should be on your side with this, since they get reimbursed by BMWNA.

Lift up your floor mats and check your carpets for dampness. Report any dampness you find.

Thanks for the advice..
Any more??

If it's not broken, don't fix it.

If the passenger airbag off light comes on intermittently with a passenger occupying the seat, tell them this. There is a service bulletin out for this, where the seat mat sensor is replaced under warranty.

One more thing.... Roll down all of your windows, then roll them up. Do this on each one individually and listen for a "popping" or "creaking" sound. This is the early signs of a failing window regulator. These are common failures on these cars. I was able to convince them to replace the two of mine that were doing this. If you wait until the CPO kicks in you have that 50 dollar ded. to deal with. Best to get them now if you can....

Originally Posted by bmwadam

One more thing.... Roll down all of your windows, then roll them up. Do this on each one individually and listen for a "popping" or "creaking" sound. This is the early signs of a failing window regulator. These are common failures on these cars. I was able to convince them to replace the two of mine that were doing this. If you wait until the CPO kicks in you have that 50 dollar ded. to deal with. Best to get them now if you can....

Oddly enough, the window regulators seem to be holding up alright. Time will tell though.

There is a service bulletin out for noisy window regulators though, so if any one of them present a problem, go ahead and get it fixed.

Thanks for the info and Tips.
I made an apt. for Tuesday..

Thanks for the advice. They has to keep the car over night but.

-Got the oil changed
-New wipers
-New blower motor (fan was making a noise)
-New Tensioner for the belts
-Window guides cleaned and lubed.
-Tires rotated (had to pay for that)

The said the rear brakes will need to be replaced soon. Don't know what soon means but I hope it's in less that 5K or September when the warranty runs out.

Originally Posted by pbum5

Thanks for the advice. They has to keep the car over night but.

-Got the oil changed
-New wipers
-New blower motor (fan was making a noise)
-New Tensioner for the belts
-Window guides cleaned and lubed.
-Tires rotated (had to pay for that)

The said the rear brakes will need to be replaced soon. Don't know what soon means but I hope it's in less that 5K or September when the warranty runs out.

I was wondering why the tires were rotated. I thought that the X3 does not require tire rotation.

Originally Posted by pbum5

Thanks for the advice. They has to keep the car over night but.

-Got the oil changed
-New wipers
-New blower motor (fan was making a noise)
-New Tensioner for the belts
-Window guides cleaned and lubed.
-Tires rotated (had to pay for that)

The said the rear brakes will need to be replaced soon. Don't know what soon means but I hope it's in less that 5K or September when the warranty runs out.

Quit being easy on the brakes and see if you can get the rears to wear enough within 5k and a few months to warrant a change.

BMW told me not to rotate the tires on my X5, they said the amount of extra wear I would get was not worth the risk driving it while the rotated tires were not re-worn in.

Yeah, I asked for the tire rotation because it is force of habit with my other cars. The service manager said that BMW does not require it, mostly because many of their cars have staggered tire sizes. My X3 does not so I figured it couldn't hurt.

Brakes - It's my wife car and she babies it so I doubt that will happen.

Its best to rotate the tires, I do it every 5k, unless of course they are staggered. I know what BMW says about rotating, them, But I dont care. I need my tires to last me! Ive never had any problems with uneven wear issues, if you go easy on it, and rotate frequently, wear should not be an issue...

Just picked up my 04' for it's final service warranty call with 49,650 miles. As a direct result of the incredibly helpful information found here, blower motor replaced, both rear window regulators replaced, oil service, front and rear wipers, and other misc to the tune of almost $1,500 of covered repairs. If I had not known what to look and listen for from all of you I do not think that any of this would have been discovered until it was too late. As an aside I would lve to post pics of mine but being a certified " tecnology dinosaur" It will have to wait until my son "helps".

Thanks again,

Originally Posted by islandbuds

Just picked up my 04' for it's final service warranty call with 49,650 miles. As a direct result of the incredibly helpful information found here, blower motor replaced, both rear window regulators replaced, oil service, front and rear wipers, and other misc to the tune of almost $1,500 of covered repairs. If I had not known what to look and listen for from all of you I do not think that any of this would have been discovered until it was too late. As an aside I would lve to post pics of mine but being a certified " tecnology dinosaur" It will have to wait until my son "helps".

Thanks again,

Was the blower motor and the rear window regulators broken or did you just wanted them replaced?

although there was some associated noise with the fan when the vehicle was turned on I would have not placed the blame on the blower but the tech informed me that the blower motor was in fact "bad". With regards to the rear window regulators I told the tech that there was some popping noise when the windows were being raised and again the tech said that the regulators were either bad or going bad. I also advised them that one of the reverse indicator lights was not working. They said that the housing was loose and they replaced the bulb. Now neither of them work.

An update. Just had all 4 Brake pads, sensors and rotors replaced at 47,500k. Good timing. Not sure how much that saved me.. Now have a little rattle in the exhaust. Got to take it back in soon.