Congrats on the new set of wheels! A BMW making a ticking noise when off does not always indicate a problem. If you only hear the noise after you turn your BMW off, that ticking you hear is just the metal parts in your engine cooling down.

Quick physics lesson: metal expands in the heat, and contracts when it’s cool. While you’re driving, your engine becomes hot, and once you turn off your car, the parts begin to cool down. It’s not as dramatic as a balloon being inflated or deflated, but metal parts of your engine will contract and clank up against each other, causing a ticking noise.

Hearing a ticking noise while driving, though, is a whole ‘nother issue. Your BMW’s engine may purr while you’re driving, but hearing a ticking noise while operating could indicate a myriad of problems, ranging from low oil levels to exhaust leaks.

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