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My kid's BMW is about 16 years old and the engine light is going on - auto zone check said the evaporative emission purge control valve is open & the coolant thermostat is causing coolant temp to be below the thermostat - or something like that. Codes 444 and 128.
So the kid checked the coolant and it was low - added coolant & the light went out for about a week - then the same thing happened. Now it seems to be draining after a day but there's no leaking that he sees & the temperature gauge on the dash is reading fine & the air conditioner works fine too. No smoking from the hood or the pipe. Riding a little rougher then normal - picking up speed a little slower then normal - or so he says.
So now he needs a good, solid, BMW mechanic who isn't going to rip him off. College tuition for 3 kids coming up next month so we can't afford to be fixing everything in the car that a shister might tell him he needs.
Recommendations for a good, honest foreign car mechanic greatly appreciated! Prefer Nassau but will consider Suffolk & Queens.
Status:
"Let this year be over..."
(set 22 days ago)
Location: Where my bills arrive
19,219 posts, read 17,095,590 times
Reputation: 15538
Hi my online research found the following:
Code 444: Hi for the 444 code, if it's showing an evap leak, the most common issue is the gas cap being loose at some point, or currently.
I would recheck the gas cap and replace if necessary, its a cheap fix.
Code 128: For the coolant temp fault, this is almost always the thermostat being faulty. You have a electrically heated thermostat that allows the computer to lower the temperature under high load conditions. Replace the thermostat.
You can look on line and find multiple answers and additional troubleshooting steps if you like. Neither fault is difficult if you wanted to try yourself.
Getting a new gas cap is very common. Wait until a full cycle of gas tank for the light to go off.
Thermostat change is pretty simple DIY too. There are a tons of links & vids out there for DIY. I will assume your kid will learn fast its a great way to know their cars....save big $$$$
Out of your desired area but Expedition Imports in St James is great. Scott the owner works on Land Rovers and German cars almost exclusively. Knowledgeable and reasonable.
16 y/o BMW will be a money pit.
Save some money and get your kid a boring and cheap but reliable Corolla, Civic, etc...
And if your kids complains, too bad. He ain't foolin anyone if he thinks driving a 16 y/o BMW is luxurious or a sign of wealth. Its more a sign of poor money management than anything.
16 y/o BMW will be a money pit.
Save some money and get your kid a boring and cheap but reliable Corolla, Civic, etc...
And if your kids complains, too bad. He ain't foolin anyone if he thinks driving a 16 y/o BMW is luxurious or a sign of wealth. Its more a sign of poor money management than anything.
Boy, that sure is an odd shop name.
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