2011 BMW X3 Power Train Problems

The contact owns a 2011 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into neutral. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was linked to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the engine and redesigned the timing gear assembly. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed the parts were not yet available. The contact called another local dealer, BMW of Northwest Arkansas (2500 SE Moberly Ln, Bentonville, AR 72712, (479)286-3012); but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Mileage: 8,000

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.

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

I AM CONSTANTLY GETTING DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION ERROR MESSAGES. THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE IS REALLY BAD. NOT GETTING FULL POWER. CAR HAS STARTED SHAKING A LITTLE. ALSO EXHAUST SOUNDS LOUDER THAN IT SHOULD.

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

BMW X3 XDRVIE35I POWER TRAIN MALFUNCTION SHOWED UP VERY FREQUENTLY WHILE I DROVE ON HIGHWAY, SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY AND I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM BECAME A SERIOUS ISSUE LATELY THAT I COULD NO LONGER DRIVE MY X3 ANYMORE. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT A LOCAL BNW DEALERSHIP AND HOPE THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT.

Mileage: 52,000

POWER TRAIN MALFUNCTION NOTE APPEARED. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND BATTERY WAS REPLACED. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ONE WEEK LATER. THEY REPLACED THE COILS. THE WARNING APPEARED AGAIN.

WATERPUMP SHUTDOWN. CAR SHUT DOWN ON HIGHWAY.

Mileage: 77,000

SUA. I WAS IN A FRIGHTENING ACCIDENT ATTEMPTING TO PARK MY CAR ON THE ROOFTOP OF MY 4 STORY OFFICE BUILDING. I PULLED INTO A SPACE ON THE EDGE OF THE LOT AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, I WAS ABOUT TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK WHEN THE ENGINE LOUDLY AND SUDDENLY REVVED AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD UP ONTO A CONCRETE CURB AND RAMMED INTO A 4 FT HIGH CONCRETE RETAINING WALL. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT TORE THE WALL APART FROM THE ROOF - MY CAR WAS STILL ACCELERATING, WHEELS SPINNING. THE BROKE WALL STOPPED BY CAR FROM COMPLETELY GOING OVER AND I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND GET OUT. THERE WERE WITNESSES WHO CAN VERIFY THAT I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, BRAKE LIGHTS ON AND IT ALL HAPPENED IN A FEW SECONDS. IT WAS SO SHOCKING THAT I WILL NEVER DRIVE A BMW AGAIN.

Mileage: 110,000

RECALL 16V311000,DRIVE SHIFT, MY CAR HAS DEVELOP THE SAME ISSUE THE OTHER MODELS OF THE SAME YEAR WHEN THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED,HOWEVER MY MODEL X3 IS NOT ON THIS RECALL.IF DRIVE SHIFTS BRAKES IN MY CAR DOES THIS MEAN IT COULDN'T CAUSE ME TO HAVE A ACCIDENT? THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.PLEASE ADVISE.

Mileage: 85,000

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

WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE CAR JERKS VIOLENTLY FORWARD WITH NO WARNING, WHILE MOVING SLOW IT DOES THE SAME, TO THE POINT WHERE IT NOW HURTS TO DRIVE IT. I GET AN ERROR THAT SAYS TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR SHIFTS TO A LOWER GEAR, I HAVE TO STOP, THEN TURN THE CAR OFF, WHEN IT IS TURNED BACK THE ERROR GOES AWAY, THEN IT REAPPEARS ONCE AGAIN A DAY OR TWO LATER. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT CORRECT IN TIME, AND IT SLIDES ON TURNS FOR A SECOND, THEN OVER CORRECTS, I HAVE BROUGHT IT IN TO BMW DEALERSHIP, THEY HAVE REPLICATED THE ISSUE, BUT DO NOT WANT TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY, THIS HAS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS WELL WHICH IS VERY SCARY, I AM NOT SURE WHERE TO TURN AT THIS POINT, SO I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA DOES AN INVESTIGATION, AS I'VE SEEN OTHER USERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, AND IT JUST ONE DEATH AWAY FROM A RECALL, THANK YOU. *TR

Mileage: 51,000

WHILE DRIVING ON A TX STATE HIGHWAY ON 13AUG2016 THE BMW X3 35I SUDDENLY STARTED SHIFTING ROUGH AND WOULD DROP IN AND OUT OF OD WITHOUT PROMPTING. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY WE GOT A MESSAGE ON THE DISPLAY, DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, DRIVE MODERATELY.

Mileage: 77,000

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 26,000

I PULLED MY CAR INTO MY FLAT GARAGE, PLACED IT IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. 1 HOUR LATER IT HAD ROLLED OUT INTO THE YARD. IT WAS OFF AND IN PARK. IT WAS TOWED AND EVALUATED BY A BMW "EXPERT" WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THEY SAID THE CAR COULD NOT HAVE BEEN LEFT IN NEUTRAL AND COULD NOT HAVE BEEN LEFT ON AND THEN GONE OFF. THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURE TO HOLD THE PARK POSITION AND THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE!!! MY INSURANCE COVERED THE $3200 DAMAGE AND CAR RENTAL. IN THIS REGARD I MADE PROBABLY 200 PHONE CALLS BETWEEN THE INSURANCE , DEALER, BMW CORPORATE, ETC. IT TOOK 9 WEEKS TO RESOLVE AND REPAIR. *TR

Mileage: 8,000

WE LEASED THE ABOVE BMW X3DRIVE 35I (SHIPPED ON 3.30.2011) FROM HUSKER AUTO GROUP, BMW OF LINCOLN, NE ON MARCH 30, 2011 FOR A 3-YEAR PERIOD. IN MID APRIL I NOTICED A VERY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF. THE CAR HAD 567 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO BMW OF LINCOLN FOR REPAIRS ON APRIL 26, 2011. WE WERE TOLD THE MAIN CRANKCASE SEAL WAS CAUSING HIGH PRESSURES AND WAS THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY REPLACING THE VALVE COVERS WOULD RESULT IN IT BEING FIXED. WITHIN A WEEK, I NOTED THE EXACT SAME NOISE. THE CAR NOW HAD 1391 MILES ON THE ODOMETER WAS AGAIN RETURNED TO BMW OF LINCOLN ON MAY 12, 2011. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THE MASTER SEAL WAS BROKEN. BMW OF LINCOLN REMOVED THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED THE REAR MAIN CRANKCASE SEAL. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2011, WE WERE DRIVING AT 25 MILES/HOUR WHEN THE DASH LIT UP WITH A DRIVE TRANSMISSION ALERT. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, WE HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CAR HAD BROKEN IN HALF AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD FALLEN OUT. THE DASH THEN DISPLAYED A CHASSIS ALERT FOLLOWED BY A TRANSMISSION ALERT. THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS DESPITE BEING PUT IN PARK. BARON BMW'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS THERE HAS BEEN A TOTAL DISRUPTION OF ALL THE DRIVESHAFT AND THE TRANSMISSION, FLANGES AND EBOW VALVE (?) AS WELL AS OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS. SOME REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE TO BE ORDERED FROM GERMANY. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT SUCH A LOW SPEED AND THAT IF IT HAD OCCURRED AT 70MPH IT COULD HAVE HAD FATAL CONSEQUENCES. *TR

Mileage: 500

CAR VEERING TO THE RIGHT, INCREASED ON SUDDEN STOPS; HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE PROMINENT AND DANGEROUS CONDITION IS LAG IN ACCELERATION. SENT THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL TO DEALER& BMW ALONG WITH 3 SERVICE REPORTS FROM DEALER ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS: "THIS X3 3.5I WITH ALL IT IS ELECTRONIC ENGINE/DRIVE TRAIN CONTROLS IS A NIGHTMARE. IT?S A HUGE DESIGN FLAW THAT IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE EVENTUALLY. YET AGAIN, YESTERDAY, I FELT UNSAFE DUE TO THE HESITATION. THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE FOR ABOUT A SECOND OR TWO WHEN I TRIED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN IN AN INTERSECTION AND THEN AGAIN WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY CHANGING LANES. THERE WERE CARS HEADING TOWARDS ME BUT THE INITIAL DISTANCE WAS QUITE COMFORTABLE AND SAFE. WITH THE HESITATION OF THE X3, I WAS ACTUALLY IN A PANIC AND STEPPED REALLY HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL TO AVOID A POTENTIAL COLLISION. AND SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL MUCH HARDER, GUZZLING GAS, NOT TO MENTION ROUGH STARTS OFF OF A FULL STOP. I HAVE SEEN COUNTLESS INTERNET THREADS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING WITH THE X3 MODEL, BOTH VERSIONS, HOWEVER EQUIPPED. I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST SOMEONE LOOK AT HOW THIS CAR?S SOFTWARE IS FAILING TO FUNCTION AND FIX THIS THING. I WILL REPORT THE PROBLEM TO THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. THE VEERING IS STILL THERE AND EVENTUALLY I WILL COME TO PASS THE ISSUE WITH THE LOW TREAD LIFE RUN-FLATS BMW'S 2-23-11 VISIT, DEALER ALIGNED VEHICLE, KEPT CAR ONE DAY DUE TO FACTORY SPECS NOT YET BEING LOADED ON NEW VEHICLE MODEL; ON 7-13-11, DEALER NOTED CAR LEFT IN TRANSPORT MODE, REMOVED CODES FROM COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND CAR DROVE OK FOR 4 DAYS; 7-23-11 TOOK IT BACK FOR SAME ISSUE AS NOTED ABOVE WITH LAG IN ACCELERATION BECOMING DANGEROUS AND STILL VEERING, THIS TIME DEALER NOTED NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR AFTER TEST DRIVE COMPARISON. GAVE CAR BACK, STILL HAVE ISSUES WHICH PROMPTED E-MAIL.

Mileage: 193

2011 BMW X3. CONSUMER STATES MULTIPLE DRIVE TRAIN FAILURES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON A RURAL TWO LANE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLES COMPUTER SYSTEM FLASHED A WARNING SIGNAL WITH A HALF ENGINE ICON STATING: DRIVE MODERATELY. MAXIMUM DRIVE TRAIN OUTPUT NOT AVAILABLE. HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY YOUR SERVICE CENTER. THE DEALER HAD ISOLATED THE PROBLEM AND STATED A VACUUM TUBE SUPPLYING AIR TO THE ENGINE WAS CRIMPED. HOWEVER, THE NEXT WEEKEND, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR THOUGH LESS EXTREME LOSS OF POWER AND THE SAME DRIVE TRAIN WARNING APPEARED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AGAIN, WHERE THEY STATED A POSSIBLE CAUSE WAS A FAULTY GASKET, BUT WAS NOT SURE IF IT WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB

THE VEHICLE IS HESITATING WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, CAUSING A LAG IN ACCELERATION, PARTICULARLY ON HILLS OR WHEN STARTING OUT FROM A STOP.

Mileage: 100