ok I’m getting a lot of questions about the N20 timing chain noise and replacement,,,,here are 2 short audio clips,,,,you can here a high pitched whine in both videos. one video is at 3000rpms,,,,and the other is reving the engine up and down,,,I sent both videos to BMW to get approval on the timing chain repairs.
Here I removed the valve cover and inspected from the top of the engine for any visual problem,,,I don’t know if you can see it in the picture,,,,on top of the chain you can see shiney marks,,,that is an indication the chain is rubbing on something,,,,those marks are not normally there.
Here the old timing chain and guide reins,,,the guide rails were broken.
Here you can see where they broke,,,,the two rails would normally be snapped together.
Here the old oil pump timing chain module,,,,this comes complete as you see it,,,,did not find anything wrong with this,,,but BMW wants us to replace it at the same time as the timing chain.
Here are the new timing chain guides and rails,,,the new ones are white in color and made of a better plastic we hope,,,,lol.
This is the new oil pump timing chain module complete just bolt in,,,,this job is not one of the best to do,,,,this was on a X3 so I had to deal with the front axles and front differential,,,,,this job only pays about 9.5 hours,,,so you pretty much have one day to complete the job to make any money.,,,I hope this helps some of you guys about the timing chain issues.
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Recent Comments
bmwtechnician 
2015 328i XDrive N26 just turned 90,000 miles
Wondering if I should hold out for just a little bit longer for the Recall?
Car is in phenomenal shape inside and out. All service done by BMW. No timing chain noise (yet)
Wait it out? Get rid of it before 100K?
Help
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It hard to say on what to do,,,BMW hasn’t said anything about the timing chain recall,,,,they told us to get ready in June for the recall,,,,now June has come and gone and still no news
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Hello – Today is the last day of June. Do you have any updates? Do you have confirmation that it is really going to happen as an actual recall? Just looking for a little assurance as my 2013 is up there in miles and I’m concerned. Thanks! I appreciate it.
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That’s funny we asked about it today at the meeting and they said there has been no up dates on the timing chain recall
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Is it safe to assume the recall is no longer happening and I can start driving my car?
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Yes,,,it looks like that,,,we brought up this subject at a meeting last week and BMW didn’t respond to the timing chain recall,,,,sorry
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Why would it happen at this point? They already settled their losses and made it hard to collect repair cost. BMW really ruined their reputation fighting it in the first place instead of doing the right thing and just making a recall or covering it out right. I remember the bullet proof reputation of their engine and transmissions growing Jo young.
Some vendor that supplied BMW with those timing chain plastic rails really screwed BMW, the specs must have not matched what was delivered, which is why they break inside the engine in random ones, mine went up to 161,000 before it blew up. I ended replacing the engine with a 0 mileage new upgraded one at 11k cost. In this market it made financial sense if I am keeping the car and using it.
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When is the refunds on already completed repairs coming in?
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I don’t know,,,,I haven’t heard anything about a settlement
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I am also waiting on my settlement money for completed repairs. I called the Class Counsel law firm, Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman, last week and spoke to a staff person in their office by the name of Liz who is handling questions regarding the class action settlement claims. Phone number of their law office in Montvale, NJ is 866-896-0935. Liz told me that payments for claims will begin going out within the next 2-3 weeks. She also provided an email address where you can send an inquiry about the status of your claim. That email address is info@timingchainmodulesettlement.com and you need to include your vehicle’s VIN in the subject line. I sent an email to that address last Wednesday but have not gotten a reply yet.
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I really appreciate your response and. Really informative and appropriate to the point.
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Hey, not problem. Glad that I could be of help. Good luck with your claim!
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I really appreciate your response for the informative and for keeping it appropriate to the point
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My X4 has been sitting at the dealer, now, for a month awaiting turbo replacement and timing chain recall. June’s has come and gone. Any updates on the N20 timing chain recall?
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Correction. My X3 is at the dealer.
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Hi BmwTech,
Thanks for taking the time to helping us out. Since the settlement on the N20 timing chain lawsuit last December, the claim date has just passed late last month. Do you think there is still a good chance that BMW would have a recall of affected models?
As someone who owns a used 2015 F36 (manufactured 12/14), this is stressing me out like crazy. I loved driving my car until I found out my engine could self-destruct spontaneously.. hope BMW does the right thing here.
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And as I finish writing this, I see the comments before me asking the same question hahah fingers crossed for all of us
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It’s really hard to say what BMW is going to do,,,they don’t want to lose money that’s for sure
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how would I know if my valves touched the pistons, without tearing down the engine?
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Maybe a bore scope and look inside the the cylinder head
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Please keep us updated on the recall. Thanks!
As an aside, I’m very leery as to why BMW would go ahead with a recall after years of litigation and settling the class action lawsuit. Would it not have been more logical and cost effective for BMW to have just done the recall from the beginning and avoided the class action?? Is that not what most other car mfts do when manufacturer flaws are present?
Another comment I saw via email notification but can’t find in the thread above was regarding the cause potentially due to the ethanol in the fuel. To me this is illogical as the fuel system is separate from the lubricating oil system. The ethanol should not be getting into the oil. Comments on this?
Thanks.
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You are correct fuel should not be getting into the oil,,,but we have seen sometimes the HPFP will leak into the engine causing fuel inside the oil.
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I mentioned that because I saw a comment stating that we have this issue in the USA due to the ethanol content in the fuel, which in turn is breaking down the plastic timing chain guide rails. I say BS and if true, then more frequent oil changes would help alleviate the issue.
Hoping that BMW does the right thing, and soon!
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My 2013 x1 has 80700 miles, and bmw service tech says timing belt is making whining noise- his advice is trade in the car?! What is normal Bmw charge to replace the timing chains, and what parts should also be replaced? I have read the settlement papers- and see the added part going out to February 2022. Will I have to wait for chain to fail to get partial reimbursement? Thanks for all of your great advice and keeping us up to date on this N20 chain issue!
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Your car has no coverage at this time,,the last extension was 7yr 70k miles,,,so the next thing would be the timing chain and rails,,,also the oil pump chain and rails need to be replaced,,,I don’t know the cost of part,,,but labor should be about 10 to 12 hours
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Thanks bmwtechnician- but I found this in the lawsuit settlement Final Order-
“D. As an additional benefit negotiated by Plaintiffs’ counsel, for one year from the
Effective Date of the Settlement, any class vehicle with less than 100,000 miles, regardless
of class vehicle age (e.g., years-in-service), that experiences timing chain module failure, oil
pump drive chain module failure, or engine damage, due to timing chain module or oil pump
drive chain module failure may go to an authorized BMW Center for repair, subject to the
above-referenced contribution schedule. This new 100K mileage limitation is a 42.86% increase over the 70K warranty extension BMW NA implemented in late 2017”
It seems we may have until Feb 16, 2022 regardless of age, as long as under 100k, if the chain actually fails, subject to the chart of % paid by BMW
. .
Still hoping for a recall- thanks again
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I was thinking of purchasing a 2016 bmw 528i 40000 miles built date in Germany 03/16 should I be concerned about the timing chain issue?
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No,,, you should be ok
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The CA settelment would cover you up to 100k miles, but you have to file with them. You might have just missed the deadline. Check if there is an extension.
An EU car specialist 150/hour quoted me $3,500 for the timing chain and close to $7,000 for the timing chain, oil pump chain, and rails + camshaft gears.
Curious, what value $ did you get for your trade-in? if you take care of the car and put a new timing chain, it might happen again 80k later, would you do it again then? would it make sense financially? The used car market now is insane for buyers/repair, only lease makes sense.
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My 2014 X1 is currently at 99k mile, there is no noise from the chain yet. Can I just take it to dealership and pay the 60% cost to change it as preventive maintenance? What or how should I tell the service advisor?
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I would talk to the dealer and see what they can help you with
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Hi we are thinking of buying a x1 2014 with 87k on the clock could we have a problem with the chain thanks.
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Yes,,, stay away from that car
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Any word on recalls yet for the N20 timing chain?
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My X1 2013 with 70k miles has just experienced fatal engine failure when the tension chain failed. It was regularly serviced by BMW main dealer, but they won’t go direct to BMW until we pay for a complete engine strip, costing thousands. What recourse would I have, it is a pile of scrap at the moment, but the dealership still went ahead with a health check giving us another list of things to be repaired coming to over £1000. I did tell them I did not want this to be done. It adds insult to injury. Help would be great.
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That’s crazy no need for a engine tear down when they already know the damage,,,,do you have another dealership you could go to,,,or call BMW directly and make a complaint about the dealership they don’t like that
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Thank you, will call them tomorrow. I will post the outcome.
Angela
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We are still trying to get this sorted, but they are now telling us that our particular VIN number would not qualify for any reimbursement, it simply is not ” according to their VIN selection” which was identified way back in 2015????
Please see copy of their email, looks like we will also have to pay out another £1500 for the other faults they found.
“Following our conversation yesterday regarding your vehicle and the current fault of failed timing chains.
We would like to assist you in approaching BMW for a goodwill contribution towards repairs. However we would need to confirm the extent of damage caused internally by this failure to submit for goodwill.
Once approval is granted, we will inspect the cylinder head to inspect valves, rocker arms, valve gears and pistons.
Your initial approval will be required for us to remove and install the cylinder head (please see attached estimate)
Goodwill claims are assessed by BMW group UK management, which they will assess if a form of contribution will be made and decide on percentage of contribution
We have also carried out a EVHC (electronic visual health check report) which has identified 3 tyres, Front brake discs condition report, Rear brake pipe condition report, Front & Rear wiper blades, OSR brake caliper retaining spring (Missing), NSF brake pads wear sensor (Incorrect) and stored fault code for Car access systems fault.
I will send you a separate email regarding these advisories, but wanted to advise road testing will not be carried out as tyres are required for the vehicle due to advisories noted, unless replaced”
Helpppp please
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Hello – Any updates on the recall? Some more questions;
Yesterday while driving, the dreaded “Powertrain Malfunction” message appeared. Feared that it might be the timing chain. Engine sounded normal. Inspected chain thru oil cap on engine and it appeared as normal. Restarted engine, message gone, and sounded normal. What action do you suggest? It appears that it could be many different things. What OBD scanner do you recommend as being the most cost effective yet accurate? Many units to choose from.
This really sucks as the car looks and drives as new. Thanks!
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Your best thing is to have it scanned by a bmw scanner to get the correct fault codes
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Check the ground strap- our 2013 did that , and it was a corroded engine grounding strap
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I have a 2015 528i with the n20 (build date 10/14) and it has 59k miles, does it have the timing chain problem?
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It might,,,your car is right on the boarder
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Gave up on BMW. I’ll pick up my 2014 X3 this week $8000 lighter in my wallet. That includes a new turbo. Much as I’ve enjoyed driving their cars (I’ve owned 3), probably cold day in hell before I buy another. Hoping for better things from my 2020 Volvo. Thanks for your updates, tho.
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First, the sequence of replies above are not in date sequence! Seems like they are all over the place!
Anyway, I could not reply directly to Simon above but was curious where he sourced the engine at cost, and if BMW subsidized the cost.
I’m also very curious as to why the cost of replacing the timing chain guides & chain is being reported at $7k or more. Why?? If the reported average BMW labor rate is $150/hour and the standard time to replace is 9.5 hours, the total labor should be $1,425.. The parts including the entire Timing chain kit is $599.17. Therefore the total cost should be around $2024..
So, I really question the logic of why BMW chose to settle a lawsuit and pay huge money to non-value added legal expenses instead of just doing a recall and fixing the issue. It would have been less expensive in the long run. Not to mention goodwill and the long term customers they have now lost to other brands.
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Engine ==> https://www.faulknerbmwpartssource.com/oem-parts/bmw-short-block-11002420311. it says short, but it’s the long block, its itemized in my bill as $7,500 and other parts and labor came up to 11k
The 7k estimate I got was for parts and labor to install not just timing chain kit, but also new oil pump drive kit, new inlet and exhaust camshaft gears, retime the motor, install new coils, spark plugs,etc …
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As I pointed out in my comment, my $8000 bill includes a new turbocharger (since wastegate actuator failed), plus I’m having them flush/replace trans oil which is $400. But, this cost is at a trusted local service shop. BMW dealer quote was twice this price.
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Great, thanks for your reply. So, they still charged you double what it should cost. A complete new BMW turbocharger replacement kit is $1539, so the total should be around $3563 for everything. Just crazy what these BMW repairs are costing or what people are convinced to pay.
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To be clear, my local mechanic is charging $8000 to do the timing chain and guides (with new VVT sprockets), turbo replacement, oil pump drive, various gaskets (oil filter housing, valve cover housing, oil pan, trans pan, etc.) and change the engine and transmission oil. Local BMW dealer wanted almost $16,000 to do all of that.
J
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The BMW dealership has become a mafia, they all set their own private pricing and don’t drop the fees, in light of how many people just buy this car for status.
This drives up the pricing at outside service centers too. Even OEM part vendors tend to charge more as supply and demand is limited.
A funny incident happened, when a glass tinting company asked me twice the cost for my BMW than my Prius. When I asked why is the same film double the cost for BMW, the lady said “for BMW, we have to do a perfect job.” I asked so for the Prius, would she not do a perfect job; she responded “you BMW owners pay more anyway, so why not take advantage of it?”
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Excellent point.
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I have 2016 x3 28i x with the n20 (build date 07/2015) and it has 123000 km, does it have the timing chain problem?
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No,,,it should be ok
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Hi Paul
Have you had any issues with your timing chain with the amount of klms you have on your car now? Is the chain loose checking it through the oil filler hole?
Thanks
Wilf
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It’s been a month and no news. Beginning to think this was all a big tease.
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Sorry to say but it was,,,BMW told us to hire more technicians and stock up on timing chain repair kits and now I have to many techs and no work,,,how do you think I feel,,,sorry I was trying to give good news
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Honestly with the new techs and stocked up TC repair kits, BMWNA should just issue a recall on all 2012-2013 N20/N26 and get it over with!
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Lol,,,, keep dreaming,,,, BMW won’t give anything away,,,,BMW like to cut back on are labor times all the time.
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I have a 2013 X3 X28i that I purchased a couple years back. It now has 107K miles on it. Service records indicate it was brought in with an engine wine and timing chain was replaced in Oct. 2015 at 40K miles. I see an orange chain guide through the oil cap. Does this mean I still can have a problem even if it was replaced at 40K miles?
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It was replaced at 40k
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Was it though? I thought that the original problem guide is orange in color and the newer replacement is white. Or does the new one get discolored over time? Or, did they just replace his chain and used the same old style guide or left the old guide in there? That’s my guess. The old guide is still there.
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The new ones get discolored overtime with the heat and the oil
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I don’t understand your answer. Are you saying that I shouldn’t have additional issues? The guide is orange like the original one shown on this site. New replacements are white.
Would a replacement in 2015 still have the defective guide?
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The new timing chain guide start off white and will discolor over time due to the oil and engine heat.,,,,I’m sorry that post was so old and was the first timing chain replacement done at are dealership and we don’t know what was going on,,,all we were told back then from BMW was that the timing chain and guide rails were being updated because the old parts were not strong enough.
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Can you help me with code 120308 New vacuum pump and boost solenoid 2013 x3 n20 engine No visible boost leaks i pressure tested it What port do you use to smoke the engine I would like to try that out Also what’s the procedure for low boost codes ?
Sent from my iPhone
>
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To smoke test I usually go though the oil cap with a special adapter or I remove the sensor on the intake pipe near the throttle body
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The other thing you can do is check the wastegate rod,,, make sure it’s not binding,,,,also smoke test the vacuum lines maybe one of them is cracked and leaking
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Hi there I have a 2013 bmw 320 D f30 eff with the n47t engine, does it have timing chain issues,if so will it be covered by a recall ,i live in Ireland.
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No the diesel don’t have a timing chain issue
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How much give/slack is acceptable for the chain when the engine is cold?
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There should only be a little slack in the chain
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Thanks for letting me know, how many mm vertical play would be acceptable while cold. I don’t have really much side to side play but a bit of vertical when I use a pick and pull on the chain. How many mm do you think would be in tolerance?
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About 5mm,,,the whole issue is the timing chain railing and guides come apart,,,and that’s something you can not see though the oil cap
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Thank you very much for your help it’s greatly appreciated! My chain seems to be good then currently, I think. Would you possibly take a listen to see how it sounds? YouTube link: https://youtu.be/jAP-lt9O7Rw
If so thank you very much.
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Thanks for the video,,,,the engine sounds normal,,,no timing chain whine
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Thank you so much for your great website! We have a 2014 X1 with the N20 with around 45k. I noticed some shiny spots on the timing chain.. would you mind taking a quick look and let me know your thoughts? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1deYmMkkINkY-TYDmicJo0WgfYDK9KQbc/view?usp=sharing and https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mo4SGXadCMhxgSMfBBvX-wpS5oHMhOGU/view?usp=sharing
The chain seems tight. Thank you!
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Look good,,,I like how clean your motor looks inside
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That’s exactly how my 2013 X3 with 125k miles looks. Frequent oil changes (every 5k miles) with high quality synthetics.
If only BMW used high quality plastics………ha
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Lol
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Your N20 looks exceptionally clean as compared to my 2013 N26 with 90k+ miles. Many of my TC links have shiny rub marks. The car will be sold soon for $20k, which is half of what I paid 9 years ago! The new buyer has experience with N20/N26 TC job, and he is confident he will get it done again in 12-15 hours.
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It has been over eight months now after the settlement submission date and I have not heard from any legal entity. Emails sent to the Claim’s administrator have not been responded to. Has anyone received a check in the mail for reimbursement or any luck with further communication?
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I have a 2015 f30 with the N20 manufactured in august of ’14. I am currently at 98k and have been watching the timing chain ever since I bought the car used at 86k. I checked the other day and pulled enough slack to pinch my index ginger underneath through the oil cap however, I started the car and listened for the whine and there is nothing. Immediately after shutting it off the chain is taut. I have checked several times since then and the chain is still when the engine is totally cold. Could there be a reason that the chain wasn’t tight but still healthy? Additionally I am starting to suspect that it has been changed before since it shows little signs of wear and the crankshaft bold in my engine looks brand new while the rest of the fastener heads inside look worn appropriately for the engines mileage. Any advice would be very helpful. Thanks so much!
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The timing chain tensioner could have lost pressure which would cause the slack
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Is that normal that the tensioner looses oil pressure?
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Yes it will loose pressure
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Hello! I have a 2012 528i with 108,000 miles on it and two days ago while driving I had a low oil pressure message pop up while driving at around 60mph. Not even 2 minutes later while trying to get off the road another message about drive terrain malfunction popped up then bam my car completely turned off. Engine just shut off and wouldn’t move an inch. After getting it checked out they thought it was oil pump that was wrong. But after finding out about this issue I feel like this might be the case? If the repair is too much I feel like I might as well sell it as is. And thoughts or suggestions?
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You might also need a timing chain issue with the oil pump,,,yes this would be a lot of money to repair
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Hello. What are your thoughts on a recurring trouble code and associated various warning lights, code P12A5 on a 2013 X3? Replaced the MAP sensor but still get the code from time to time. A few weeks back, also had a erroneous low oil warning, and the oil measurement was not functioning correctly. After cool down, and restart, it was able to confirm oil level was at 100%. Thoughts? Thanks.
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I would check the charge pipe might have a slight crack or not sealing properly
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Update: Couldn’t wait for BMW to do the right thing, any longer. And the X3 being a time bomb which could blow the timing chain guide, and engine in the process. Car became increasingly unreliable with random codes and warnings like powertrain malfunction, oil measurement issues etc.. Car was maintained extremely well too. Still looked new. Very unfortunate. Instead of BMW paying off attorneys to make this problem for them go away, they should have done a simple recall like all other manufacturers do when they have design defect or defectives parts used in manufacturing. Was lucky enough to be able to trade the car in and buy a reliable new 2022 Mazda CX5. Almost identical in size to the X3 and same tight sporty drive. Good luck to those that still have this POS N20 engine. Thanks for your assistance.
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