It's the end of October, and that means it's time: the BMW iX is due for its change to winter tyres – Michelin Pilot Alpin in 255/50 R21. Normally just a routine appointment. But this time I had something else on my mind.
What the BMW iX fault memory showed
With an OBD adapter and an app, I can check the car's condition myself. The good news first: the high-voltage battery still has 106.68 kWh gross out of the original 111.5 kWh. That's almost 96 percent – a decent figure for a car built at the end of 2021.
The fault memory was less pleasing. The app showed several entries, including some in the charging electronics. Only one code could be clearly identified: 224102 – coolant pump 2, component protection: function restricted due to overcurrent. In other words, the pump had drawn more current than allowed and was throttled by the system to protect it.
That matched something that had been bothering me for a while: at fast chargers, the iX rarely reaches 190 kW, and the charging power sometimes drops sharply. On long trips that costs time – and long trips are exactly what we have this car for.
Taking a list to the workshop
Instead of just mentioning it in passing during the tyre change, I brought a short summary: the car, the fault codes, my observations while charging and a list of what should be checked. It also referred to a BMW service bulletin about leaking coolant valves on the iX.
It paid off. The workshop took the list and checked everything. The coolant level was fine, and there were no leaks. Then they carried out a software reset. After a short test drive, the fault memory was read out again: the fault is gone.
My conclusion
A fault code isn't automatically a drama. But you should take it seriously, especially before a long trip. My tip: read out the fault memory yourself every now and then, note anything unusual and bring a short written list to your workshop appointment. That way the workshop knows exactly what it's about, and nothing gets lost in the conversation.
Whether the reset has really solved the problem will show when charging. I'll keep a close eye on the charging power over the next few weeks and read out the fault memory again.
What's next
The chance to do that is coming soon: on 20 November we set off on our next long road trip – to Greece. With winter tyres, an empty fault memory and hopefully full charging power. You'll be able to read here how the iX does on the way.