Is 220D Getting A Hard Time

[Martin80]

Hi all

I would just like to say that I am a previous BMW owner of many models and felt like a change.

I bought a is220d from dealer with full dealer history with the famous EGR valve call back at 80000 miles.

This is the only problem the car has had and now just turned 100000 miles on the clock. I think a lot of people give this beautiful car a hard time! If you chose a diesel you should realise these cars need more looking after than a petrol car and they need to be driven on long runs weekly. They are not city cars!!!!

I am now a converted Lexus owner until it's time for something different.

Thanks

[steve2006]

It's nice to hear a positive report for the IS220d :)

We all tend to hear of the problems with the EGR,DPF and HG failures but as you say the 1st 2 of these requires the car to be run a good distance occasionally.

[Gaz31]

I couldn't agree more Martin, if you look after them they are good cars. Yes they have there problems but so do most cars. I do a lot af short trips but make sure the car gets a good run every now and then. Decent diesel and a good additive seemed to have helped me as I've not had any problems (touch wood)

[g333dz]

im experiencing a problem with an engine I think. when im cruising at 50mph in 5th gear or so, it seems to judder or make some sort of sluggish power loss, it does it for a few seconds and then I accelerate and you wont feel that for another week or so, it puts doubts in my head and I don't know if I should worry about it or not, otherwise the car I lovely. should I just try some fuel additive or something ?

what should I use ?

thanks guys

[Martin80]

Hi

Try bg244 there are lots of happy people on here who use this additive.

Are you doing long drives weekly, I would take it for an hours drive on the motorway.

Hope this helps!

[g333dz]

Yeah i drive daily 50miles on m11 but hardly pushing it. I think i might just take it on the motorway and push it a little. Where can i find that additive to buy ?

Thanks martin80

[Martin80]

I think most places online sale this product,I have seen it on amazon.

Yeah take for a good run through the gears.

[normski2]

I had a 220d before my current 250, so I am speaking from a little experience.

I used BG244 as a engine flush. You put 1 tin into a tank fill up and run it through the car.

I then used 5ml of AR6200 per 50 litres of fuel at each subsequent fill up.

The BG244 helps clean the fuel lines, injectors, and top end of carbon deposits.

The Ar 6200 is a fuel additive that aids combustion and reduces soot.

You can get these products from Powerenhancer...google it.

You may want to clean the EGR too. It is not that difficult and there are useful videos on youtube. If you do, make sure you also clean out the entry port to the engine(where the EGR is attached) and also that the piston inside the EGR is seating correctly. If its not seating properly the mixture can start to go wrong and make the car quite sluggish.

Hope that helps.

[g333dz]

I will get some of these additives. And i have cleaned the egr valve a few weeks back :) thanks for the response mate. :P this forum is turning out to be very useful :)

[g333dz]

I will get some of these additives. And i have cleaned the egr valve a few weeks back :) thanks for the response mate. :P this forum is turning out to be very useful :)

[Martin80]

Normski what made you change to the 250?

This is my first diesel I always had 6pot bmw,s before. Wondering how the 250 compares?

I've gone to diesel just for the amount of miles I do!

[normski2]

Always wanted a 250 but could not afford the Mkii is250 at the time. At that particular time I was doing a lot of miles too. The 220d seemed a good way to go...so i thought!

Within a month of getting it the Head Gasket went and a whole engine rebuild was done( by Lexus). I had six stamps FLSH in the book. Last one just 4000 miles earlier.

I was lucky..I had a 220d that gave 39mpg around town and up to 53mpg ( on a extended run from Bournemouth to Aberdeen, using cruise control) on a decent run. Typical sizeable local runs would give 44mpg quite readily. Overall I liked the car a lot. Having had all the work done the only real minus point for me was the notchy gearbox. It would go like the clappers if you wanted it to. I used the additives and checked the EGR every 8000 miles. My younger son got himself a great job from Uni that involved a lot of driving so i donated the 220 to him. Its going great and he returns mid 40's mpg, but he has a heavy foot and doesn't use cruise that much. I clean his EGR every 8-10,000 miles. Usually just has a light sooty layer and no more. He is using the same additives I started him with.

Then had a change of circumstances and an altered driving pattern for work. I found a Mk2 is250 SEL Auto at 2.5 yrs of age that was £500 more than an 08 plater at Lexus dealer. For me it was a no brainer. Ok the private sale could have been a stumbling block...but it was still in warranty with Lexus and the seller was a really good guy. Still in contact with him now!!

The 220d was £170 pa road tax and the 250 is £280. So its a bit of a hike. But....the 250 Auto is just fabulous in every respect. In fact I have just been to Fareham and back this morning. From where I am its pretty much a flat road, M27 there and back. Used cruise control both ways and kept around 68mph. Its showing 43mpg....amazing...throw a few hills in and it would undoubtedly be less. Serviced 4 weeks ago. My typical mpg on a decent run is usually around 37/38. Around town I get 27-29mpg.

The Mkii is250 is just a fab car in my opinion. I had a 6 pot is200 Sport and that was a lovely engine. The 250 has a V6 and it is very smooth and refined. Give it some welly and it will shift really quite impressively.

[Martin80]

My 220 does around 35mpg around town and 47mpg on a run which is ok I think.

I am keen on having a go in the 250, is the manual 250 like the 220 gearbox is that why everyone goes for the auto.

My wife wants us to get the 400h I think if we do then I can get the 250!!

[normski2]

I would think the road tax is the big issue.

250 manual is £460 pa

250 Auto is £280 pa

Try the auto and I don't think you'll need to look further.

Now I'm back on my local run I'm back to 31.7mpg. It was nice while it lasted.

Your mpg's are good. There are many that only get low to mid thirties.

[g333dz]

I dont know what you guys are talking about. My lexus is220d does no more than 30mpg. No matter where you drive or how u drive. And you guys talk about 47mpg on a stretch :DD i feel sad now :(

[Martin80]

I think you should get that checked out. Even when I go hard through the gears it never drops below 32mpg.

[g333dz]

Yeah i think i should but what do i check out ? Seems to run fine just mpg is not so great :/

Someone said to me that if dpf is a little blocked it would reduce mpg. But even then i think it would show some sort of fault.

[Silver Arrow]

I had one for 2.5 years, and I have to say, I admire those of you that have been getting 30+ mpg in town. Mine would never go above 25, and on a run 38. By the way, this was like that when brand new, and when it had 20k on the clock.

My next car was consistently high 20-low 30's in town and easily 44+ plus (up to 53) on a run. It was a 3.0 6 Cyl Auto diesel....and bigger and heavier - a BMW 5 series which I kept for 4.5 years.....

Don't get me wrong - there are some things to like about an IS 220d. Smart looking, great looking interior, exclusivity etc, and for those of you that are enjoying the experience it's brilliant. There are clearly some bad ones out there and mine was defo one! I knew after having driven (several) courtesy IS250 Auto's that I'd made a big mistake...pretty much the same economy and a proper Lexus....by that I mean Petrol Auto....

[elmenhorster]

normski2.

How you deal with carbon build up in your IS250?

[normski2]

As a precaution I have used a tin of BG44K as a wash through.Then I have used 5ml of AR6200 to 50 ltrs of fuel on every other fill up.

Car seems absolutely fine thus far.

[elmenhorster]

Did you know that carbon build up occurs behind the valves hence fuel never reaches it because it is a direct injection engine and your additives have absolute zero effect? This model has a major recall due to this with some tragic consequences like piston set replacement or even entire engine... It's a flaw in design and sooner or later you will notice rough idle at stop light or cylinder misfire codes at startup. I urge you to do a valve clean up every year. That is the reason why I didn't buy this car.

Also did you know why IS350 is not affected by carbon build up issue? Because it has direct AND port injection which means fuel flushes valves.

[Spider Mike]

And how do you do a valve clean up?

[elmenhorster]

just leave it to professionals in autoservice, preferably Toyota/Lexus they are fully aware of the issue.

[Guest bigbullhead]

I would never drive at 50 mph in 5th I try to drive every gear closer to 2500rph it seems to run a lot better

[g333dz]

I have noticed the same thing Bigbullhead. I dont even use the 6th gear. It seems that you need to drive over 90mph for the engine to rum smooth, otherwise i get some vibration as it would be reving to low.