Could a BMW garage remotely trigger a fault just after my warranty expired?
I bought my BMW X1 in April 2022 so the three-year warranty has just expired. I had decided not to extend it, given the car had only done 23,000 miles, had full BMW servicing and sailed through its first MOT. However, within two months, a catalytic converter warning light came on. My BMW garage performed a remote diagnostic check and suggested a sensor failure as the cause. However, the cynical side of me wonders whether, if my garage can conduct a remote check, it could also have brought about the failure?
– MC
Dear MC,
I feel as though this question warrants a reference to Hanlon's razor, a rule which states that one should never attribute to malice that which is more easily explained by incompetence. Or more accurately, in this case, simply a broken-down part.
It's easy to see conspiracy when you think you're being taken for a ride, but in this case I reckon your cynical side is getting the better of you.
True, it's theoretically possible that a manufacturer may have developed a system that would allow them to remotely generate faults in order to force you to take your car to their garage. In reality, though, we can be pretty certain no such system exists.
For one thing, how would the manufacturer guarantee it would benefit? You might just as easily take your car elsewhere for repair work.
For another, any such system's discovery would be catastrophic for the brand's reputation – after dieselgate, I'm confident most manufacturers aren't willing to risk their very existence simply to bring in a bit of extra aftersales revenue for their dealers.
The fact of the matter is that cars go wrong sometimes. And, sometimes, they go wrong just after the warranty has expired (the result of another rule: sod's law).
Fortunately, your car has been serviced by a main dealer so you have a good chance of getting some of the cost of the repair covered by BMW.
I suggest asking the dealer to contact BMW and request a gesture of goodwill – or take it up with BMW customer support yourself – given that the warranty has only just expired. The chances are you will get some money off the cost of the repair.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
32 minutes ago
- The Sun
EV drivers can get 5,000 miles of FREE charging this summer – and you can apply now
THE UK's biggest energy supplier is launching its first electric vehicle home charger and you can get your hands on it for free. Octopus Energy has designed and built its own EV charger which will provide charging for as little as 2p per mile and new users will get heaps of free charging. 2 Named Octopus Charge and launching in August, new customers who sign up will get a 5,000 free miles bonus. The offer is only available to the first 100 people, so EV drivers will have to be quick to snap up the offer. Combined with Octopus' Drive Pack tariff, customers can get unlimited charging for just £30 a month. The saving don't just end there, because those with Octopus solar panels can power their EVs with any surplus solar electricity. The new EV charger has built-in 4G and a uniquely designed charging cable holster so it can fit snugly in tight spaces. 'Charging at home is already better than queueing up at the petrol station – and now we've made it even simpler," said Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy. 'Octopus Energy was the first energy company to launch a smart tariff, an EV tariff, an export tariff, and our very own heat pump." She added: "We're delighted to add Octopus Charge to our stable, initially designed to work seamlessly with Intelligent Octopus Go, and with other features to follow shortly.' Octopus Charge will first be exclusively available for customers of Octopus' EV leasing business, Octopus Electric Vehicles, before being launched to all Octopus Energy customers in August. Those interested can register their interest at the Octopus Energy website. New Nissan Leaf tested - it's bigger, better and goes further It's been a big week of announcements from Octopus Energy, who only days ago said it was bringing back its popular Saving Sessions for households. The scheme is a way for customers to earn rewards by reducing their electricity consumption during specific times when the national grid is under pressure. Over the summer, households have a chance to use their washing machine and charge their devices for free if they shift their usage from peak times. Octopus said the free electricity will be available during one-hour slots that will usually be held in the early afternoon. To be eligible for the scheme, you must be an Octoplus member, which is a free rewards program for the smart meter customers. 2
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Car insurance payouts to keep rising after hitting record £11.7bn last year
UK motor claims inflation is set remain elevated over the next year after total payouts hit a record high in 2024, according to EY analysis. However, the group still expects rates paid by customers to fall thanks to a competitive market backdrop, thereby putting further pressure on insurers' margins. EY analysts forecast the average cost of motor insurance claims to rise by around 6 per cent in 2025 and 2026, with damage inflation staying high and bodily injury inflation within the 3 to 5 per cent long-term range. Motor claims hit a record £11.7billion in 2024, according to the Association of British Insurers, with the average claim up 13 per cent year-on-year at £4,900. The predicted increase comes despite a 'significant decline' in the frequency of claims, EY said. It credited this to better car safety, lower speed limits, workplace behaviour changes, and even a reluctance among motorists to make claims as a result of greater insurance costs in the UK. EY expects motor insurers' margins to hit breakeven levels this year before slipping into an underwriting loss of around 107 per cent in 2026 as rates lag behind claims inflation. A combined operating ratio (CoR) exceeding 100 indicates that insurance companies are making an underwriting loss, while a ratio below that figure denotes a profit. The UK motor insurance industry had a CoR of 97 per cent in 2024, despite paying out a record £11.7billion in claims. This was still a considerable improvement on the 113 per cent recorded the previous year when soaring claims, labour and parts costs outpaced the growth in premiums. New business rates in the UK car insurance sector shrank by 14 per cent to £757 last year, according to the Confused/WTW Motor premium index. It noted that the rates of decline had slowed from 7 per cent in the first quarter to 2.6 per cent in the following three months. WTW suggested this could be the result of greater consolidation in the UK motor insurance market. Aviva is likely to finalise the £3.7billion takeover of Direct Line Group, which is home to Churchill Insurance and vehicle recovery provider Green Flag, in July following approval from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. Belgian insurer Ageas also agreed in April to acquire Esure from private equity giant Bain Capital in a £1.4billion deal that will create Britain's third-largest home and motor insurer.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Severe M1 delays warning after 'damage incident' near Leicester
Motorists have been warned of severe delays on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Highways said drivers faced delays of up to 90 minutes between junctions 21a, near Kirby Muxloe, and 21 at Fosse lanes of the motorway have been closed while National Highways staff assess what they described as an "infrastructure damage incident".There is about six miles of slow moving traffic, the organisation added, with congestion back to junction 22. Drivers have been urged to avoid the area.
