BMW Z4 Parking Heater Dead: Troubleshooting Help Needed

Hi there! I have some experience working on cars and faced something similar with my 2008 BMW Z3. The auxiliary heater completely died on me last winter. First, could you share what error code you're getting? This would help narrow things down. In my case, it turned out to be a faulty glow plug. I took it to my trusted workshop where they diagnosed and replaced it. The whole thing cost me around 440 Euro, but it's been working perfectly since then. The mechanic also checked the fuel lines and control unit while they were at it, just to be safe. I also own a BMW 3 Series, so I'm quite familiar with how finicky these heating systems can be. Before heading to the shop, did you notice any warning signs like the heater working intermittently or making unusual noises? This info would help me understand if you're dealing with the same issue I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I got error code P0215 on mine. Been driving this Z4 for a while now (159451 KM on the clock), and this is the first time I've had any heating issues. Never noticed any weird sounds before it completely stopped, it just died without warning one morning. Good to know about the glow plug, definitely sounds similar to what I'm experiencing. Was your repair cost inclusive of labor? My regular BMW specialist is pretty decent with prices, but I'd like to have a rough idea before I take it in. The car's been great otherwise, just had its service done last month, so this came as a bit of a surprise.

Hey again! Thanks for confirming the error code. Yeah, my Z3 had the exact same P0215 code when my heater died. Sounds like we're definitely dealing with the same glow plug issue here. To answer your question, that 440 Euro I mentioned did include labor. My guy spent about 3 hours on it, as they had to access some pretty tight spaces. The part itself wasn't too expensive, maybe around 180 Euro or so. Since you're also going to a BMW specialist, I'd expect similar pricing. Just thinking back, you mentioned your car was recently serviced. Did they mention anything about the heating system during the service? Mine actually showed some signs during a routine check, but I ignored it (big mistake). The tech had noted something about irregular heating cycles, but I didn't think much of it at the time. Since you're at 159K km, it's actually pretty normal for these parts to need replacement. Mine died at around 145K km, so the timing tracks. The good news is that once it's fixed, it should last you quite a while. Mine's been perfect for the past two years since the repair. Let me know how it goes when you get it checked out. I'm curious if it ends up being the same issue!

Thanks so much for all this detailed info! Really helpful to hear from someone who's been through the same thing. Yeah, nothing came up about the heating system during my recent service, kind of wish they'd caught it then, but I guess these things can fail pretty suddenly. The price range you mentioned sounds reasonable, was actually expecting it to cost more, so that's a relief. Think I'll book it in next week with my specialist. Good to know it's a fairly common issue at this mileage and not something more serious. Really appreciate you sharing your experience. I'll probably get it sorted before it gets any colder. Will definitely get them to check the heating cycles too, don't want to miss any early warning signs next time. Thanks again for all your help!