Help! Gas filler cap service light

mpanella · Thu, Jul-08-2010, 03:28:40 AM

So I threw a service engine soon light today and I though it may have something to do with me loosening the plastic near the OBD connection under my steering wheel to fish a wire through but then just now I took a recommendation of a friend and took my gas cap off and then put it back on and the light went out. I also took that wire I had fished out and re-tightened my plastic there!

What do you think caused that light? Cap or the wire there?

Im at 42 and change miles and have around 11k left till oil service on the clock. Going to change at 7.5 anyway but dont think im ready for any service

m3freak86 · Thu, Jul-08-2010, 03:57:19 AM

Mine just did this a couple weeks ago. I got gas the day before, drove it home and parked it in the garage. Next day, started it up and the SES light stayed on. Sh*t my pants. Drove for a bit and found nothing to be abnormal. Talked to my dad and uncle about it and said try the gas cap. Took it off, tightened it back up. Started the car twice and it was gone.

My bet was the gas cap.

mpanella · Thu, Jul-08-2010, 04:11:36 AM

Yeah sounds about right!

Rausch · Thu, Jul-08-2010, 04:12:31 AM

Quote:

What do you think caused that light? Cap or the wire there?

Gas cap. Just about all OBD II vehicles will throw a code when the cap is not tight. It usually comes back as a major evap. leak, as the cap is not sealing. When the Evap. emissions system runs it's tests and can not hold a pressure, it'll throw a code. IF that's the cause, it'll clear after a couple cycles. IF it comes back, and it is that code, you'll most likely need to replace the cap. P0440 or something like that IIRC.

bzsbimmer · Thu, Jul-08-2010, 06:25:22 AM

Check the seal around the cap. If it looks cracked or worn, try getting a new seal or just buy a whole new cap. The cap has been updated from BMW but the seal itself is available.

If you get a new cap, it's like a 2 minute swap and that should include the time to pop open the gas door and close it!

Rendezvous · Thu, Jul-08-2010, 06:55:31 AM

My car does this every once in a while after i get gas. I usually just shut the car off and take the cap off and put it back on and it doesn't come back on.

Thu, Jul-08-2010, 03:28:40 AM	#1
mpanella I live for ///M Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,808 Reputation: 0 Location: Bergen County	Help! Gas filler cap service light So I threw a service engine soon light today and I though it may have something to do with me loosening the plastic near the OBD connection under my steering wheel to fish a wire through but then just now I took a recommendation of a friend and took my gas cap off and then put it back on and the light went out. I also took that wire I had fished out and re-tightened my plastic there! What do you think caused that light? Cap or the wire there? Im at 42 and change miles and have around 11k left till oil service on the clock. Going to change at 7.5 anyway but dont think im ready for any service __________________ 2005 Carbon Black Metallic / Cinnamon - RAC RG4's \| AA Gen 6 exhaust \| Valentine 1 Hardwired \| V-CSL Diffuser + Bootlid + Bumper \| Meisterchaft Sec.2 \| AR20 Rasp Elimination \| TC Kline S/A\| StopTech 4 POT F/R\| Scorza CSL Current Modification list + Journal

Thu, Jul-08-2010, 03:57:19 AM	#2
m3freak86 JERSEY STRONG Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 16,152 In the garage: '04 BMW M3 Reputation: 0	Mine just did this a couple weeks ago. I got gas the day before, drove it home and parked it in the garage. Next day, started it up and the SES light stayed on. Sht my pants. Drove for a bit and found nothing to be abnormal. Talked to my dad and uncle about it and said try the gas cap. Took it off, tightened it back up. Started the car twice and it was gone. My bet was the gas cap. __________________ 2004 Carbon Black ///M3* (Sold) Mods and Specs My Exhaust Obsession My Journal 2013 SWP Subaru WRX Hatch WRX Journal

Thu, Jul-08-2010, 04:11:36 AM	#3
mpanella I live for ///M Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,808 Reputation: 0 Location: Bergen County	Yeah sounds about right! __________________ 2005 Carbon Black Metallic / Cinnamon - RAC RG4's \| AA Gen 6 exhaust \| Valentine 1 Hardwired \| V-CSL Diffuser + Bootlid + Bumper \| Meisterchaft Sec.2 \| AR20 Rasp Elimination \| TC Kline S/A\| StopTech 4 POT F/R\| Scorza CSL Current Modification list + Journal

Thu, Jul-08-2010, 06:25:22 AM	#5
bzsbimmer Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 929 Reputation: 0 Location: Modesto, Central Valley	Check the seal around the cap. If it looks cracked or worn, try getting a new seal or just buy a whole new cap. The cap has been updated from BMW but the seal itself is available. If you get a new cap, it's like a 2 minute swap and that should include the time to pop open the gas door and close it! __________________ Helping the economy one mod at a time

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Thu, Jul-08-2010, 06:55:31 AM	#6
Rendezvous Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 4,473 Reputation: 0 Location: NY	My car does this every once in a while after i get gas. I usually just shut the car off and take the cap off and put it back on and it doesn't come back on.