2011 BMW X3 Engine Problems

I own a 2011 BMW X3 with an N55 engine and am experiencing VANOS-related issues consistent with TSB SIB 11 02 13 and Recall 23V-707. While my VIN isn’t currently listed, my vehicle falls within the affected model years, and I’m seeing identical DME fault codes (130E11, 120408) and drivability symptoms. I’m concerned about potential engine damage and request an inspection and consideration for goodwill repair or inclusion in the recall.

In July 2022, the VANOS bolts in my 2011 BMW X3 xDrive28i failed, causing major internal engine damage. This is the exact defect later identified under BMW Recall 23V-707. The bolts sheared off while driving, disabling the vehicle. I paid $5,000 out of pocket for full repairs using OEM parts at Masny Motorwerks (BMW specialist in Rochester, NY). BMW did not issue the recall until more than two years later. At that time, there was no remedy available. A fix was not released until December 2024. I followed BMW’s reimbursement process: I visited BMW of Rochester in person on January 28, 2025 and submitted my invoice to the service advisor. I followed up by phone twice — no response. I submitted a full reimbursement claim to BMW North America on March 31, 2025 with all documentation. BMW replied on April 8 with a boilerplate response redirecting me back to the same dealership. I then followed up again with full documentation. BMW replied again, refusing to take responsibility and offering no support. I have submitted everything twice and followed the TREAD Act process in good faith. BMW has failed to reimburse me or process the claim properly.

In 2021, my car broke down due to the VANOS gear brackets; the bolts had snapped off. The only way I found out what was wrong was by taking the car to multiple places and paying for diagnostic services, but nobody could identify the issue. Eventually, I brought it to BMW, where they were the only ones who diagnosed the problem. However, they quoted me an exorbitant amount to fix it. I felt I had no choice but to take the car home and handle it myself. I discovered that three bolts were broken, and I suspect the other two had fallen into the oil pan. I managed to acquire both parts for the two VANOS gears and installed them myself since dealing with this issue. After reinstalling the gears, I encountered a problem with the valve cover; I wasn't sure if one of the broken bolts had hit the top of it, but I knew I needed to replace it as well. To get an update on the situation, I took my car to the first BMW dealership in Hartford. There were complications regarding the loaner car, a $200 deposit on my credit card, and coverage under my full insurance. I contacted BMW headquarters to file a complaint, and during that conversation, the BMW manager told me not to come back, to which I agreed. After filing the complaint and discussing the situation with BMW headquarters, I scheduled an appointment at the Waterbury location. When I took my car there yesterday, April 1, 2025, they refused to address the issue because they claimed they could not see the broken bolts. I explained that the bolts had already broken off and that I had previously brought the vehicle to BMW for a diagnosis, which confirmed that the problem involved the gear brackets and the bolts. I also mentioned that the broken bolts had damaged my valve cover, which I had to replace. However, all they did was inspect the car and dismissed the work I had done as if it were performed by them. My car hasn’t felt the same since, and I’ve been struggling with this ongoing issue. Damage that already a cured to my car

The car had all of the symptoms of the vanos bolt recall. It started in October of 2023. I received an email notice for the said recall. I called BMW for 9 months, as I was without a car. That's not a timely manner to fix anything. I finally called last month and saw a remedy was available. After taking it in to the dealership, I came home and my car is now shaking violently at speeds above 40 mph. Another person stated this same thing happened to their car after the recall fix.

The car started lurching and then the power went off. When turned back on and put in gear, the gas pedal did nothing. Then a few minutes later, it would kick back on. I finally got a letter from BMW about a recall. The symptoms matched. However, for the last 10 months, they offered no help. I understand there was no remedy until recently. However, we were out of a car since November 2023 and put $3,000 into engine work trying to fix the car, before the recall came. The recall said to report if the Manufacturer failed to remedy the recall in a timely manner. I'd say 10 months is way over a timely manner. Thanks for your time.

I purchased my vehicle less than three years ago for a large sum of money. It is a 2011 BMW X3 and shouldn’t have any engine problems especially at 130,000 miles. My engine is currently stalling and is a safety hazard to drive as it will stall while driving in high volume traffic. It has put me at risk for accidents and I have spent thousands trying to fix it. My mechanic found metal pieces that broke throughout the engine which he mentioned were the vanous bolts that hold the engine together. BMW has not issued a recall remedy and because of which, I currently have an undrivable vehicle that nobody will purchase. There are over 155,000 vehicles affected by this recall and BMW has not been helpful at all in prioritizing a solution as these are older vehicles and do not take “precedent” according to the BMW staff I have spoken with. Additionally they have not provided me with any sort of remedy in the interim stating that because it is an older car they cannot give me a loaner. They clearly do not treat all customers the same and prioritize remedies based on the newness of the car.

I have been stuck on the road twice due to the engine stalling and the car just does not accelerate. This last time I was stuck in between 2 lanes and could not get the car to start. I was in danger with my daughters. I was able to get the car towed to the dealer and they are saying it is not the recall but everything that happened was what the recall is for. I now have to pay the dealer for a diagnostic that clearly is what the recall is. They are giving me the run around every time I bring up the recall and this is clearly a safety issue.

We received a notice of the VANOS assembly bolts recall in December from BMW. We have checked back (with the dealer and BMW of No America) for the last 2 months and have been told there is no word when the parts will be in. On your website you say: "If the manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall for your vehicle in a timely manner, please contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at: 1-888-327-4236 or TTY: 1-800-424-9153 or file an online complaint with NHTSA." 2 months, with no end in sight is too long to have a vehicle that I am afraid to drive. Please help!

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the light changed, and the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and heard an abnormal sound coming from under the floorboard and the vehicle stalled. The contact observed that the shifter had shifted independently into neutral (N) and a warning light flashed on the instrument panel but the vehicle lost electrical power and stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle was unable to be restarted. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Mileage: 139,000

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X3. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the PCV. The local dealer was not contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V683000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

Went to have hesitation when accelerating checked with my mechanic. This problem called for ignition coil and spark plugs to be replaced. During final test drive -- check engine light illuminated. Vehicle was scanned for stored fault codes. During this scan it was found faults for intake vanos not controllable. Inspected camshaft gears via bore-scope. Found vanos securing bolts to be broken. This was a recall issue on this particular model except for the engine that is in my vehicle. Feel as though this issue should be addressed for all vehicles that are this model. The recall was faults stored in DME, Vanos and camshaft position. I realize that BMW is not responsible for my particular vehicle but feel that someone should be looking at why ONLY this specific engine was not included?? I did have my mechanic fix the issue which incurred an expense of $2499. If this problem could be looked into further, I would appreciate your help. (I do have invoice from mechanic, but I don't know how to upload file.

The bolts backed out of my camshaft (VANOS) adjustment units. The related "warranty (not a recall)" information is found here: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10135011-9999.pdf. I purchased a 2011 X3 28i last May (2022) with ~110k miles, and there was no open recall information attached to the vehicle. Inspecting prior service records the VANOS bolts were never replaced. After a few thousand miles the bolts backed out and sheared. BMW NA said it was out of warranty and would not be covered. There was no information found when searching the VIN for necessary repairs. I've seen 10+ reports in online forums in the past two years explaining they needed or got the repair and BMW NA told them it would not be covered. I don't understand how I was to know, or even the past owner (2nd owner, I'm the third), that this engine part failure would or could occur. If the "warranty (not a recall)" was recalled on other models it seems nefarious that a warning wouldn't be attached to the vehicles. The vehicle was inspected and passed, and then inspected by a indie BMW technician who used to work for BMW as well. The vehicle had repairs done, but even he did not suspect any engine issues. This issue is a matter of when and not if with the vehicles within the "warranty" time span. My request would be that BMW reopen the warranty or rightfully claim it a recall as it should have been in the beginning. I would appreciate any guidance on the matter. Thank you.

I parked my vehicle in front of my house for the night after driving for only about 15-20 minutes. Maybe less. Roughly 3-4 hours later, I was alerted to my car being completely up in flames by the sounds of fire trucks / police sirens. Flames were 20-30 feet in the air coming from the engine compartment area. Fire department / police worked to extinguish the flames, but the vehicle is totally destroyed.

Background •Per a letter sent out to the NHTSA on April 9, 2014 a recall was issued for several vehicles as the housing bolts for the vanos cams were deemed to be faulty and could loosen or shear off causing a stall. oNHTSA Campaign 14V176000 and all defect notices, recall acknowledgements, etc which are currently extant on the NHTSA website. Technical Service Bulletin SI B11 07 14 dated 10/14 oIncluded in this recall are X3 28i with engine type N52 manufactured between 1/2010 – 9/2011. oA 10-year extended warranty was issued for vehicles not specifically covered under the recall. oMy vehicle was manufactured and put into service 1/2011. oNo one to date has given a clear answer on why my VIN wasn’t listed as part of the recall. Incident •My wife and daughter were driving on the highway when the car stalled putting them in danger. They were able to pull off to the side without incident but were unable to start it again. •I had the car towed to BMW Fairfield where the team under Nate Sanchez diagnosed the issue. The was no check engine light, no drop in performance nor any indication at all that something was wrong before this happened. In fact, I had the car at Dave Parker’s Eurasian Autoworks for an AC diagnostic. They thoroughly checked the vehicle and could find no faults. oThe cause of failure was the bolts shearing off the Vanos cam, exactly as stated in the recall. oThe engine was inspected with an Otoscope and no additional engine damage was apparent. oTotal cost of the repair is estimated at $6100 Involving BMW NA Customer Service •Customer service was engaged to attempt to find a goodwill solution to the manufacturers defect. oCustomer service communication was spotty at best. When first I called, they told me that the car was covered under the extended warranty for the entirety of 2021. Upon the dealership calling, they were told that the warranty had expired. Throughout the process, deadlines for information were promised and then w

WHILE DRIVING ON A MOTORWAY AT MODERATE SPEEDS OF ABOUT 45 MPH, VEHICLE STARTED THROWING DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL DEACTIVATION WARNINGS AND STARTED CUTTING OUT POWER TO THE WHEELS ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO IDLE SMOOTHLY. STRANDED ON THE MOTORWAY FOR A WHILE AND THEN AFTER SWITCHING OFF AND SWITCHING ON THE IGNITION COUPLE OF TIMES, VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIVE FORWARD IN LIMP MODE. HAD TO PULL OVER FOR SAFETY AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP. THEY SAID THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FAILED AND STOPPED SENDING ANY SIGNALS TO ENGINE CONTROL UNIT. THEY REPLACED THE GAS PEDAL AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE BACK TO NORMAL.

Mileage: 81,000

THE ERROR "CHASSIS STABILIZATION" POPPED UP WITH MULTIPLE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER. STEERING, ACCELERATION, AND BRAKING WERE EFFECTED. AFTER BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN AND WARNINGS APPEARED. THEY ALSO HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY DURING DRIVING, MOST OFTEN IN THE FIRST 2 MINUTES OF DRIVING.

Mileage: 60,000

WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT HAVE FAILED AT 63,000 MILES. THAT IS AN EXTREMELY SHORT LIFE SPAN FOR THOSE ITEMS AND FROM GENERAL RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES.

Mileage: 63,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED WHEN SWITCHING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED SEVERELY. DURING THE FAILURE, THE CHECK ENGINE AND POWER TRAIN MALFUNCTION INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO EDISON OPEN ROAD BMW (731 US HIGHWAY 1, EDISON, NJ) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,222.

Mileage: 96,222

EXPERIENCED DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING ALONG WITH SHAKING AND LIMP MODE NUMEROUS TIMES WHICH RESULTED IN 2 REPAIRS LAST YEAR IN THE THOUSANDS ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WAS DUE TO THE CAM SHAFT BOLTS RECALL AT THE ROOT OF THE INITIAL CAUSE OF THE FAILURES THAT RESULTED. BMW WAS HESITANT TO PAY INITIALLY BUT MY HUSBAND IS A LITIGATION ATTORNEY AND ONCE HE GOT INVOLVED, THEY WERE QUICK IN DOING THE RIGHT THING. I AM CURRENTLY HAVING ISSUES WITH THE NO WARNING LIGHT SHOWING TO WARN ME OF A LOW COOLANT LEVEL. IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND A BURNING SMELL THAT THE WARNING FINALLY APPEARED. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND WAITED FOR IT COOL OFF & HAD COOLANT PUT IN, WARNING LIGHT DISAPPEARED. CURRENTLY SMELLING A BURNING SMELL AND HEARING A SQUEAKING NOISE SO HAVE A SERVICE SCHEDULED TOMORROW FOR THE VALVE HEATER RECALL AND HOPE BMW WILL ADDRESS ANY ISSUES STEMMING FROM THAT THAT MAY BE CAUSING OTHER ISSUES. ALSO TO REPORT, RARELY EVER USE THE GLOVE BOX YET THE CORNER OF THE GLOVE BOX HAS COME APART AND WILL NOT REATTACH. I SAW THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE REPORTED BY MANY BMW X-3 OWNERS AND I WILL BE EXPECTING BMW TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND PAY TO FIX THIS KNOWN DEFECT.

Mileage: 96,750

IT HAS FIRST CAUSED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OWN WITH A FAULT CODE, THEN DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS STARTED AFFECTING INCLUDING LIGHTS, BRAKES , ACCELERATION, PICKUP, SPEED CONTROL WHILE DRIVING . I ALREADY REPAIRED TWICE OUT OF POCKET AS IT WAS A PICKUP AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON ISSUE WITH CODE P2096 WHICH INVOLVES PCV COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE COMPONENT I'VE ALREADY SPENT 4000+ IN REPAIRS AND STILL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND I'M DRIVING UNSAFELY AS I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO REPAIR FURTHER. I ALSO HAD TO PUT MY FAMILY ON RISK WITH 2 SMALL KIDS AS THIS SUV WE USE AS A FAMILY CAR. SINCE THE ISSUE IS REPORTED A YEAR AGO AND BMW STILL DIDN'T OFFER ANY FIX INTO PURCHASE A NEW CAR TO SAFEGUARD OURSELVES. I DEMAND BMW TO REFUND ME 100K DUE TO ALL THESE ISSUES CAUSED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND OFFERING NO TIMELY FIXES AND CAUSING STRESS AND FINANCIAL FRUSTRATION.

Mileage: 95,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2017. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE RECALL NOTICE STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE PARKED AWAY FROM THE HOME. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT UPDATED 8/15/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF CONCORD AT (925) 682-3577 (LOCATED AT 1967 MARKET ST, CONCORD, CA 94520) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ONLY WOULD REPAIR WHAT WAS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,246.

Mileage: 59,246

WATERPUMP SHUTDOWN. CAR SHUT DOWN ON HIGHWAY.

Mileage: 77,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF THE TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. DREYER & REINBOLD BMW (9375 WHITLEY DRIVE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46240, 317-573-4421) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL-CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3 . VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT USED LAST YEAR. CONTACT WENT ONLINE AND SAW TWO RECALLS ON VEHICLE. CONTACT CALLED BMW AND BMW DEALERSHIP STATED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A PREVIOUS RECALL. CONTACT HAD A VACCUM OIL LEAK IN CAR DUE TO PCV VALVE LEAK. BMW DEALERSHIP STATED PCV VALVE WAS ALREADY REPLACED ON VEHICLE. RECALL STATES REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE. CONTACT GIVEN NUMBER TO BMW . 2 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN MAY 19,2016 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER NA NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 16V333 RECALL STATUS RECALL INCOMPLETE SUMMARY ISOFIX BRACKET: VEHICLES HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH LOWER ANCHOR BARS FOR USE IN ATTACHING CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS WHICH, IF SPECIFICALLY USED WITH EUROPEAN-ISOFIX-TYPE RIGID-STYLE CONNECTOR CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, COULD BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. SAFETY RISK IF THE LOWER ANCHOR BAR(S) BECOME DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THIS WOULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO A CHILD IN A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS IN A CRASH. REMEDY THE REMEDY IS AVAILABLE. A REINFORCING BRACKET WILL BE WELDED TO THE LOWER ANCHOR BARS AND THE VEHICLE BODY. OCT 30,2017 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER NA NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 17V683 RECALL STATUS RECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE SUMMARY POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) VALVE HEATER : THIS RECALL INVOLVES AN ENGINE COMPONENT KNOWN AS THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) VALVE HEATER. THE PCV VALVE HEATER MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED TO SPECIFICATIONS. OVER TIME, IT COULD DETERIORATE AND, IN RARE CASES, COULD LEAD TO OVERHEATING. SAFETY RISK IF OVERHEATING OCCURS, THEN IN RARE CASES, THIS COULD LEAD TO MELTING OF THE PCV VALVE. IN EXTREMELY RARE CASES, THIS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Mileage: 60,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND THE FOLLOWING WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED: "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION NOT RUNNING AT FULL CAPACITY, REDUCE AND DRIVE MODERATELY". THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND THE VANOS MALFUNCTIONED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE BATTERY AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL A LOCAL BMW DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START AND DUE TO BAD WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

Mileage: 72,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SQUEALING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,000.

Mileage: 109,000

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS CALLED BACK BY THE AUTO PLACE AND WAS TOLD THAT, WHILE THEY WERE TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT HAD A MAJOR ENGINE FALIURE, RESULTING IN THEM HAVING TO TOW THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND THERE WAS MASSIVE DAMAGE INTERNALLY TO THE ENGINE, VALVES HAD BEEN BENT DUE TO FAILURE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO BMW BUT HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY RELIEF. IT IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT THIS CAR ONLY HAS 65,000 MILES ON IT. THIS FALIURE IS INSANE AND BMW IS NOT WILLING TO HONOR ANYTHING. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMX X3. WHILE PARKED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, A MESSAGE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THE MAXIMUM DRIVE TRAIN OUTPUT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

Mileage: 52,000

A QUICK ACCELERATION FROM ZERO, AT ABOUT 25 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. IT SOUNDED LIKE A SPRING BEING UNWOUND. NO LIGHTS CAME ON, HOWEVER I CALLED SERVICE CENTER AT DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. I WAS TOLD IF NO WARNING LIGHTS ON, THEN EVERYTHING MUST BE OK. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN: "DRIVE MODERATELY. MAXIMUM DRIVETRAIN OUTPUT NOT AVAILABLE. HAVE YOUR SYSTEM CHECKED AT YOUR SERVICE CENTER." I CALLED BACK TO SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE HOME AS IT WAS IN LIMP MODE. CALLED BMW ASSIST AND THEY CAME AND GOT VEHICLE. ONCE AT SERVICE CENTER THEY STATED THE CLAMP HOLDING THE AIR INTAKE FOR THE TURBO HAD COME OFF. THEY PUT CLAMP BACK ON. *JS

Mileage: 26,907