2012 Bmw 328i Xdrive Engine Problems
52 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (52)
Your engine shut off completely without warning while driving on the highway at night, causing you to lose power steering and creating a serious collision risk. The engine restarted but stalled again shortly after, and continued stalling when slowing down or stopping. A BMW repair shop suspects a VANOS assembly bolt may have sheared off and damaged the engine, leaving engine replacement or scrapping as your only options, though the issue hasn't been confirmed by a BMW dealer.
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While driving at 65 mph, your car displayed a warning message to pull over immediately and then stalled. The vehicle wouldn't restart and had to be towed to the dealer, where technicians found that the timing chain had failed. There's a recall (Campaign 24V608000) for this issue, but the required replacement parts aren't yet available from BMW, and you've been waiting longer than expected for the repair to be completed.
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Your engine is overheating and displaying warning messages when you start or drive the vehicle, causing the engine to stall even though it restarts. The issue has not been diagnosed or repaired by either an independent mechanic or the BMW dealer. Fixing this will likely involve inspecting the cooling system components, checking coolant levels, and testing the thermostat or water pump.
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Your temperature gauge showed the engine was overheating while driving, so you stopped the vehicle. The check engine light also came on at the same time. This issue may be related to a known BMW recall (Campaign 24V608000) affecting the engine cooling and electrical system.
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Your engine has a defect with the VANOS bolts (part of the variable valve timing system), which two independent mechanics confirmed at around 90,000 miles. BMW dealers told you there are no recalls on your vehicle, but the issue may be related to NHTSA Campaign 23V707000. Fixing this will likely require replacing the VANOS bolts and possibly other related engine components.
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Your car stalled without warning while driving at 65 mph, with no check engine light appearing beforehand. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic but hasn't been diagnosed or repaired yet. Diagnosing a stall requires the mechanic to check fuel system components, ignition timing, and engine sensors to identify the root cause.
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Your car experienced a loss of power when you pressed the accelerator pedal while driving at various speeds. You also noticed white smoke coming from under the hood and from the exhaust. The check engine light came on. A mechanic diagnosed the problem as a failed coolant pump connector. Replacing the coolant pump connector should resolve the acceleration issue and smoke.
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Your car produced white smoke from the exhaust while driving, though no warning lights appeared. Both an independent mechanic and your BMW dealer diagnosed a faulty water pump plug connector as the cause. This issue is part of a BMW recall (Campaign 24V608000), but replacement parts were unavailable and BMW provided no assistance or timeline for repair.
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Your car produced smoke from the exhaust and a burning smell from the engine when you started it, with the check engine light turning on. The dealer found an oil leak near the water pump and replaced several gaskets and engine components, then performed an oil change and added coolant. Your car is now part of a recall, but the replacement parts aren't yet available from BMW.
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Your 2012 BMW 328i is subject to a recall (Campaign 24V608000) affecting the engine and electrical system, but the required repair part is currently unavailable from your dealer. The manufacturer has been notified that the recall repair has been delayed beyond a reasonable timeframe. You haven't experienced an actual failure yet, but you should follow up with your dealer for updates on part availability.
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Your 2012 BMW 328i was issued a recall notice (24V608000) affecting the engine and electrical system, but the required repair parts haven't been made available yet. You contacted your local dealer and notified BMW that the delay has exceeded what you consider reasonable. No actual failure has occurred in your vehicle.
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The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 MPH, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the VANOS assembly bolts had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
I had just came off the interstate off ramp I-44 and Chestnut Expressway when out of nowhere my Drivetrain Malfunction warning came on then the car started shaking horribly and sounded awful. Pulled over immediately and it wouldnt restart and if it did it would shut itself off almost immediately. It is currently at BMW of Springfield, they said all my sensors are correct but believe that the timing chain guide teeth busted somehow in the engine?!? Thought it could be due to the VANOS recall but my VIN isn’t included and clearly should be.
I purchased this vehicle [XXX]. Within 2 days a rattle could be heard coming from bmw vanos area, VANOS is a variable valve timing system used by BMW on various automotive petrol engines since 1992. I ceased all use of this vehicle on [XXX], only 3 days. Through my own research i found recall 23v-707 which lists my vehicle and this problem. I had the car towed to a bmw repair shop Harrison Motorsport. The owner said the engine needs to be replaced. Next I tried in Vane to get bmwna or bmwag to warrant this repair. I have numerous emails from bmwag of munich germany saying they are aware and their north america partners will be in touch. The recall states you may drive this vehicle even though it may produce a crash,,,,huh? I have another bmw specialist 4 miles from my home. I drove the car this time to Brian Motor Works. The owner here stated that without a doubt these bolts had come loose. We planned to have him fix it the next week. Still at this time there were no dashboard warnings or internal codes to be found. I tried to drive as slow as possible back home. I went 2 miles and the 1st lights appeared on the dashboard. The engine shut down and I narrowly avoided a crash. The engine will no longer turn over and I believe it has seized. Through research this issue was 1st admitted in 2014. bmw stated it illegal to sell this vehicle as a certified pre owned bmw until these bolts are checked and or replaced. Mine have never been checked or replaced. I am thankful each day that my family was not with me when this happened, My attention was totally on this vehicle when it lost all power to steer or brake. I was very lucky this day, but I fear others will not be so fortunate. thank you. [XXX] [XXX] 770-329-6384 vin wbadw3c58ce[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not able to be restarted. The contact stated that after various attempts, the vehicle was shifted in neutral to be towed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the dealer confirmed that the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken to an BMW certified mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
As I was going down the highway may car lost power. I had to pull onto the shoulder and turned the car off. I then tried to start it but is would not start back up. I left it on the side of the highway for a few hours. Went back and it started back up but it was in limp mode, so I drove it to a shop. This car gave me no problems until this point. The shop I took it to couldn't help me. So I took it to Century BMW in Greenville SC. They told me I needed a motor that was going to cost me $14,000 to fix. I asked them to put my motor back together ( the top part of the motor). They informed me it would cost me $600 to do so. I got my car back with the motor not put back like they got it. It has been sitting every since.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated during cold starts, there was a large puff of bluish-white smoke coming from the tail pipe. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil supply line needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring failure. The independent mechanic researched online and related the failure to manufacturer Voluntary Emissions Recall Campaign Number: 16E-A05 Engine; Replace Turbocharger Oil Supply Line (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
My 2012 BMW 328i (F30 with N20 engine) had the dreaded timing chain guide failure, which is a very common issue with the N20 engine. There has been a warranty extension- https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2017/MC-10142923-9999.pdf and class action settlement- https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10201140-9999.pdf for this. But these doesn't address the safety concern. There has been numerous reports of timing chain & guide failures happening everyday in the various forums. The broken guides can lead to sudden engine failure and a loss of power to the vehicles. If this happens on the highway, this could be life threatening for the passengers. I kindly request NHTSA to look into this problem and issue a recall.
The contact’s mother owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle was overheating and there was a burning plastic odor coming from the A/C vents. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The check engine warning light and the coolant temperature warning light were illuminated. Additionally, upon parking the vehicle for 10 minutes, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic several times, where the cooling system components were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure occurred after driving for 20-30 minutes. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); which she related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
BMW Drivetrain malfunction. Timing chain replacement kit. Pump module with Vanos units and solonoids
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the "Contact BMW" and "Stop Driving" messages were displayed. The contact stated that the power brakes and power steering became inoperable whenever the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled at various speeds and became more frequent. The contact pulled off the roadway and was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the vehicle started and shifted to Limp Mode. The contact disconnected the battery to reset the function on the vehicle. The contact stated that after one failure, the vehicle failed to start and was towed to his residence. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer had been notified about the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The manufacturer had been notified of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V1190000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer had been notified about the recall and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I hear a whining noise coming from the engine and sounds like the timing chain is getting ready to snap. this is a common problem in this type of engine, resulting in a damaged engine.
Car stop completely on main st / took car to dealer and they said it’s the fuel pump ( defective ) / cost to replace about 2000. Lucky no lots of cars behind us at the time ( 2012 / 328 i BMW )
On 23 Nov at approx 8:30 pm I was on I35N heading home in my 2012 BMW 328i. Out of nowhere I get a low oil pressure light, followed immediately by the Drivetrain malfunction light. I pulled over to the side of the road immediately for safety. I stopped the engine and sat for a couple of minutes to see if the error may have cleared, which it did not. I attempted to restart the engine and it would not start again. I had the vehicle towed to BMW. Upon speaking to BMW today, I was told that the cause of failure was a timing chain malfunction/break which renders the engine inoperative. The cost of a replacement is approx 15k-17k I was told. At no time did I get any indication or warning that something was wrong with the car. The car had been running fine until this incident, now I'm without a car and have to make a tough decision because of it. I've owned this car since it was brand new and never had an issue with it until now.
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check oil warning light illuminated. The low oil pressure and drive train message were displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.
N20 Timing Chain failure/broke. My daughter's safety was put at risk because the chain broke while she was driving on a 2 lane back road, causing the vehicle to go into limp mode. The car stopped suddenly, in the middle of the road. The problem has been confirmed at the BMW service center. We have since found out that this is a known problem that BMW North America is aware of, and several class action lawsuits have been filed. The "transmission malfunction warning" appeared on the dashboard within seconds before the timing chain failure.
The car is burning oil badly and making an annoying squeaking noise due to a valve cover gasket failure. I took the car to the BMW dealership for diagnosis and I’ve been told it’s a common problem with ALL BMW once they reach 50k miles and up. The mechanic said it’s because the part is made with a cheap plastic and it’s get worn easily by the heat . It’s cost up to 2000 dollars to fix, BMW should have a recall to resolve the issue.
BMW SAYS THIS CAR HAS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN MODULE THAT WILL CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY.
GOT A CODE FOR LOW PRESSURE AND THEN DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION TOOK IT TO BMW AND THEY TOLD ME I WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT AFTER THEY DIAGNOSED THE CAR THEY SAID I WAS NOT. IT IS A 2012 WITH ONLY 67K MILES AND I WAS VERY UPSET WITH BMW. IT IS GETTING FIXED AT A LOCAL GERMAN SHOP RIGHT NOW AND IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF MONEY
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60MPH THE COMPUTER FLASHED LOW OIL PRESSURE, THEN DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND MOST COMPLETE POWER TO CAR. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED.
I WAS ABOUT A QUARTER MILE FROM MY HOME WHEN MY 2012 328 N20 BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE. THE CAR ALSO STARTED TO IDLE VERY ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WENT OFF. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY BMW MECHANIC AND THEY DIAGNOSED AN ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. THEY VERIFIED A NOISE AND A VERY LOOSE TIMING CHAIN. TIMING CHAIN AND GUIDE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AT A HIGH COST. MILEAGE IS 127500.
TIMING CHAIN (N26 ENGINE) IS LOOSE. MECHANIC RECOMMENDED CHANGING TIMING CHAIN AND ENGINE PUMP BEFORE DESTROYING THE ENGINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, WHEN THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT AND THE DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO REDUCE IN SPEED. THE CONTACT GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND WHEN DOING SO THEY NOTICED A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN TURNED OFF COMPLETELY. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LOCKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE DEALER (LONG BEACH BMW LOCATED AT 1660 E SPRING ST, LONG BEACH, CA 90755 PHONE NUMBER 877-514-7977 ) WHO AGREED WITH THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
STALLED ON BUSY EXPRESS HIGHWAY, ALMOST RESULTING IN CRASH. TOWED TO SHOP. FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT COSTED 729.86 DOLLARS PLUS 140 DOLLARS TOWING. THIS OCCURRED AT 60 MPH ON EXPRESS HIGHWAY.
HELLO I OWN A BMW 328I WITH A N20 ENGINE, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I GOT AN ALERT COME ACROSS MY SCREEN SAYING THAT THE OIL PRESSURE LOW AND TO STOP IMMEDIATELY OR ENGINE FAILURE MAY OCCUR. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL ANYONE HOW SCARY IT IS TO BE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THINK THAT YOUR TIMING CHAIN MAY BREAK OFF AND YOU ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ,BUT I STOPPED AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH AND GETTING THE CAR DIAGNOSED I RAN INTO THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE AND TIMING CHAIN ISSUE OF FAILING ON THESE CARS WAY BEFORE THEY HIT ANY HIGH MILES MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 81K MILES ON IT AND THIS ISSUE HAS IMMOBILIZED MY CAR TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE I WILL NOT DRIVE THAT CAR, WHEN TALKING TO BMW ABOUT THE ISSUE THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DO KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT WILL NOT FIX IT FOR FREE.
I JUST RECENTLY HAD TO TAKE MY 2012 BMW 328I CONVERTIBLE IN BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE PLUS LOSS OF HP. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE VANOS SOLENOID BOLTS HAD BROKEN OFF INTO THE ENGINE AFTER DOING MORE RESEARCH INTO THIS I FIND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VANOS GEAR BOLTS. MY QUESTION IS DO I PAY FOR THIS REPAIR?
I STARTED MY CAR AND GOT A DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING. DROVE IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TOLD ME MY TIMING CHAIN WAS STRETCHED, WHICH CAUSED A VANOS FAULT. THEY SUGGESTED REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN AND OIL PUMP ($5500 REPAIR). THE CAR HAD 90K MILES.
I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM MY HOOD AND AIR VENTS WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE BMW DEALER WHERE THEY SAID THAT THERE'S A A LEAK COMING FROM MY VALVE COVER ONTO MY EXHAUST THAT IS CAUSING THE SMOKE.PARTS AND LABOR CAME TO ROUGHLY $1500 DOLLARS. I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM MY MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT MY VALVE COVER MAY NOT BE DEFECTIVE BUT IT MAY BE MY GASKET AND I JUST NEED THE GASKET CHANGED. BMW STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE GASKET MAY NOT BE THE ISSUE, THEY WANTED TO CHANGE THE WHOLE COVER BECAUSE THEY'RE KNOWN TO BREAK. THEY REFUSED TO CHANGE JUST THE GASKET. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THAT IT CAN CAUSE MY CAR TO CATCH FIRE. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A QUICK FIX AND ALL THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD COUNTLESS CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I AM REACHING OUT BECAUSE I FEEL BMW IS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE.
I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY WHEN A LIGHT CAME ON SAYING DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE STARTED TO STALL I PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF AND NEVER TURNED BACK ON. HAD A MECHANIC CHECK AND TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED/LOCKED UP ON ME. I HAVE SERVICED MY VEHICLE AT THE BMW DEALER & HAVE ALL THE RECEIPTS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED ONE YEAR AND FIVE MONTHS AGO & I HAVE PROPERLY MAINTAINED IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO VEER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY TO BMW OF BEAUMONT (1855, I-10, BEAUMONT, TX 77701, (409) 840-3585) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 128,000.
WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY CAR STOPPED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT ON NEUTRAL I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED BY SEVERAL CARS HAD TO BE TOWED CAR STILL DOESNT START
THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ON THE STATE HIGHWAY AND WILL NOT START AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP ON 09/08/2018 ON FOR MAJOR REPAIRS INCLUDING OIL CHANGE AND ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE WERE UP TO DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND REPORTED THAT ENGINE IS JAMMED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER DID ALL THE MAINTENANCES AND I HAVE THE INVOICES TO DOCUMENT THE RECENT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE. THE CAR HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN THE PAST, STOPPING SUDDENLY ON THE HIGHWAY. I THINK THE BMW ENGINE HAS PROBLEMS AND THE DEALER WHO DID THE LAST MAINTENANCE ALSO DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB. I REQUEST TO TAKE THIS ISSUE WITH THE BMW CORPORATION AND HAVE THEM COVER THE DAMAGES.
FAULTY TIMING CHAIN GUIDE BROKE ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED, COMPLETELY RUINING THE ENGINE. WIFE WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO SAFELY MERGE OUT OF TRAFFIC.
IN JULY 2017 WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CABIN COMPLETELY FILLED UP WITH SMOKE AND I INHALED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT , AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM THE HOOD AREA. MY MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE SMOKE FILLING THE CABIN. AT NO POINT DID I RECEIVE ANY FORM OF NOTICE THROUGH THE MAIL, EMAIL, OR PHONE INFORMING ME OF SUCH A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO TOWNE BMW IN WILLIAMSVILLE, NY AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST 2017. AFTER RECEIVING THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND THE VEHICLE WAS 'SAFE TO DRIVE'. HOWEVER ON THE DRIVE HOME AT NIGHT, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED. I HAD NO LIGHTS, NO HORN, NO BRAKES, NO POWER WHATSOEVER. THIS APPARENTLY IS WHAT BMW CONSIDERS 'SAFE'. I HAD TO PAY TO TOW THE CAR BACK TO TOWNE BMW, AS THE SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT SEEM TO CARE THAT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. A FEW DAYS LATER TOWNE BMW INDICATED THE VEHICLE WAS ONCE AGAIN 'SAFE TO DRIVE'. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AGAIN AND SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE CABIN, IN ADDITION TO NOISES BEING EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. I CALLED TOWNE BMW ON AVERAGE TWICE A DAY LEAVING VOICEMAILS AS WELL AS MY CONTACT INFORMATION, AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER. AFTER MY SECOND CALL TO BMW CORPORATE TO COMPLAIN I FINALLY RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM BMW AFTER NEARLY A WEEK OF PHONE CALLS. I SUPPOSE THE SAFETY OF VEHICLES OR PROPER SERVICE ARE NOT BMW CORE VALUES. IT IS NOW DECEMBER AND BMW REFUSES TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS, DESPITE NOT SENDING ME ANY RECALL NOTICE FOR SUCH A SUBSTANTIAL ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 5 MONTHS NOW.
AUGUST 6, 2016 - CAR STALLED AT ABOUT 50MPH, JUST WHEN ABOUT TO GO UPHILL. I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER LEAVING THE CAR BLOCKING TRAFFIC WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER IN IT. ONCE IT STOPS, IT PUTS ITSELF IN PARK, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH ASIDE. WE CREATED A TRAFFIC JAM AND POLICE BARRICADED WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO MOVE THE CAR. EVENTUALLY, IN ABOUT 30 MINS, THE CAR TURNS ON. HAPPENED AFTER AN HOUR OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. CAR SEEMED FINE AFTER THAT. AUGUST 17, 2016 - ON ANOTHER LONG TRIP, THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. WOULD CRANK BUT NOT TURN ON. ALMOST EXHAUSTED THE BATTERY. CALLED A TOW TRUCK BUT BY THE TIME IT GOT THERE, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE CAR RESTARTED. HAD MY ODB-II SCANNER WITH ME AND GOT CODE USED MY OBDII READER AND GOT CODE P142E - PRESSURE TOO LOW IN HIGH-PRESSURE SYSTEM, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH NOT STARTING AND THE AND THE FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION MESSAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOGERMANA SERVICE CENTER, THAT SAME DAY. SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 - STALLED ON A MAIN ROAD, WITH MY DAUGHTER, ON THE WAY TO THE PEDIATRICIAN. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND PARK ON A GAS STATION. AMBIENT TEMP WAS 94F. WAITED ABOUT 30MINS AND THE CAR RE-STARTED. THE DEALESHIP WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE FAILURE. SENT EMAIL TO BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS BUT THEY REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP.
CAME OUT OF THE PARKING LOT INTO A BUSY MAIN ROAD AND ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO INDICATION BEFORE ENGINE STOPPED. TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE (THE CAR HAS KEYLESS PUSH BUTTON START) BUT DID NOT START. WHEN TRIED TO RESTART, THE DASHBOARD MESSAGE SAID SOMETHING LIKE "ENGINE WILL NOT START". THERE WAS NO INDICATION BEFORE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. I WAS ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY IN CHICAGO AREA AN HOUR BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE CAR WAS SERVICED IN MARYLAND DEALERSHIP TWO DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND DROVE TO CHICAGO FROM MARYLAND AND THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN CHICAGO. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP IN CHICAGO AND AFTER TWO DAYS THEY SAID THE FUEL PUMP BROKE/BURNED OUT AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND WILL TAKE 3-4 DAYS TO FIX IT. NOTE THAT THE CAR IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD, UNDER FULL WARRANTY AND AT AROUND 30800 MILES. ALSO NOTE THAT THE SCHEDULED 30,000 MILE SERVICE WAS DONE THE DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AND THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AND CLEARED FOR ANY ISSUES/PROBLEMS. AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS IF THE VEHICLE STOPS LIKE THAT ON A HIGHWAY OR A BUSY ROAD WITH NO APPARENT SIGNS. AFTER THIS INCIDENT I LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE AND ALSO DO NOT WANT SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE. I WOULD LIKE THE COMPANY/MANUFACTURER TO TAKE SERIOUS NOTE OF THIS INCIDENT SO THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE. I WAS ALSO STRANDED IN CHICAGO FOR 3-4 DAYS WITH FAMILY AND THREE SMALL KIDS. AS THE PART WAS BACK-ORDERED THE DEALER IN CHICAGO WAS NOT SURE WHEN IT WILL BE READY AND I AND MY WIFE HAD TO GET BACK TO MARYLAND FOR WORK AND SCHOOL FOR KIDS. SO I RENTED A CAR AND DROVE BACK TO MARYLAND. THE CAR IS NOW IN CHICAGO AND HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IT BACK TO MARYLAND. BMW IS SAYING THAT THEY CAN ONLY HAUL IT FOR 250 MILES. *JS
IN MARCH, 2013 SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WOULD GO ON AND OFF AND ENGINE IDLE WOULD SUDDENLY SURGE. MADE SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A FAULTY SECONDARY AIR VALVE, FC 2A00, DC D1170-000 07-001, AND SECONDARY AIR VALVE WAS REPLACED. PARTS REPLACED: 11-72-7-506-214 AND 11-72-7-557-909. CAR WAS PURCHASED ON 10/8/2012 AND HAD 5,333 MILES WHEN IT REQUIRED REPAIR. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS DONE, THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON, BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE IDLE SURGES, BUT THEY WERE NOT AS ABRUPT AND SIGNIFICANT AS BEFORE THE REPAIR AND A LOT LESS FREQUENT. HOWEVER, IN JULY, 2014 THE CAR STARTED TO EXPERIENCE ISSUES RELATING TO THE ENGINE OVERHEATING, AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO HAVE FREQUENT AND SUDDEN SURGES BOTH WHILE AT IDLE AND WHILE DRIVING. IN ADDITION, THE CAR'S A/C WAS NO LONGER PROVIDING COLD AIR, AND THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE WAS ERRATIC. WHEN MAX COOL WAS ENGAGED, THE CAR'S ENGINE WOULD SURGE LOUDLY UNTIL THE A/C WAS TURNED OFF. THE CAR BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND DRIVE. DURING THE TIME THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING THESE ISSUES, NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE ON BOARD SYSTEM CHECK INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE CAR. AT THIS POINT THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN14,000 MILES (APPROX). SERVICE APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED AND ACCORDING TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THE A/C SYSTEM WAS LEAKING AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE REFRIGERANT LEFT, AND THE A/C COMPRESSOR WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED NO OTHER ISSUES WERE FOUND WITH THE CAR AND WHEN THE SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE THE CAR IT PERFORMED WITHOUT ANY ISSUES AND THEY DID NOT OBSERVE ANY SUDDEN SURGES WITH THE ENGINE. *TR