Welcome to Tech Talk, where our resident BMW tech Nick Owen answers all your pressing BMW technical questions, frustrations, and issues. Have a question for Nick? Email him at techtalk@roundel.org. Let’s get into it.
BMW Reliability
Despite the thousands of engineering feats and beautiful design, handling and braking, why aren’t BMW more reliable compared to many other brands?
My son has a Honda Pilot with over 230,000 miles, nothing leaks. Same with pretty much any Toyota or Genesis; all have over the top reliability and much lower cost of ownership compared to BMW. At a minimum BMW should be able to make a gasket.
Love my BMWs, but can’t understand the poor reliability.
Lenny Marchionni
My only take on your comment is that some cars are just built different. I would argue that the difference between “sweat” and a “leak” are differentiated based on whether or not the fluid reaches the floor. But I’ll bet your son’s Honda isn’t exactly dry at 230,000 but the fluid very well may not be hitting the ground.
I feel that if the BMWs were driven in the U.S. as they are intended in Germany (autobahn) we would see fewer issues due to the vehicle reaching its optimal operating temperature versus just putting around at 65mph.
F87 M2 Wiper Fuse
Here’s a question for you; There have been more times than I can count when during quick turns I’ve tripped the windshield wiper stalk on the steering column of my ’17 M2 with my big mitts. This mainly happens at autocrosses in a slalom or hairpin… and makes me feel so dumb as I’m losing seconds while trying to shut them off!
I spent an hour a couple years back trying to track down the wiper fuse so I could pull it when I knew I had an event coming up. But found there were at least three fuse boxes spread around the car, and never could positively identify the correct fuse (I found the owner’s manual was not really helpful). If you have some knowledge of the 2017 F87 electrical system, could you help me out?
Clint Gans
Not a bad idea, actually. The problem is that it looks like the wiper motor is powered by the FEM, which does not show a fuse for the wiper motor. That means you will need to disconnect it at the motor itself, under the cowl by the brake fluid reservoir. I think this will be the easiest way to disable the wipers.
