E39 Service Engine Soon Light
 

My 01 525i has been idling rough in the AM for about a minute. This has been going on for a couple of months. I let it go because I hadn't been driving it too much and thought it needed a good run. Yesterday the SES lit up and when I took it to Autozone, they told me it was a manufacturer's code and couldn't read it. I've seen several posts where the code was read and a code number appeared. I don't know if the rough cold idle is the culprit or not but is there a place I can have a manufacturer's code read other than the dealer? Also I would like to get a code reader and Harbor Freight has one for 39.99 (Cen-Tel) I think. Anyone have experience with this?

You might want to go to an independent bmw shop instead of the dealer. I would imagine there are several in Ohio. Some code readers are generic and can't read all of the codes, so be wary of them. Good luck.

Thanks Dinan, I am in the process of finding some now. Someone else told me about the generic readers today. BTW the light was on this morning for 12 miles to work, still on after work for about 15 miles, stopped for errands got back in and no light for the 25 or so miles home.

Just an update, still no light and no problems.