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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > Technical Forums > N20, N26, B46, B48 Turbo Engine / Drivetrain / Exhaust Modifications > N20/26 Timing Chain Class-Action
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      05-02-2021, 08:29 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Billfitz View Post
Receipts for the oil and filter purchases are sufficient. I'd still go to a dealer to inquire about a pre-emptive timing chain replacement. If a dealer concludes that the chain is likely to fail soon they can probably get approval for it. Chances of that with an Indy are slim to none.
Thanks for the reply. I will have them check it when I go in for recalls.
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      05-14-2021, 12:57 AM   #24
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Bump. anyone know what's happening with this? I should prob email our lawyer
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      07-14-2021, 02:46 PM   #25
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Anyone know when we will start to see reimbursements?
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      07-14-2021, 11:27 PM   #26
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After when the Lawyers get there 70% then divide what's left with how many N20 owners there is.
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      07-29-2021, 06:14 PM   #27
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Hello everyone,I have my car in the Indy shop and the guy told me that I have timing chain swap,I call the dealer and they quote me $6200 “which is ridiculous “
I found this information on the web about the lawsuit against BMW about the timing chain,
My question is
Did I qualify for reimbursement “BMW X1 2013 87000 miles
If I qualify do I have to bring the car to the dealer to confirm my timing problems or I can fix it in the Indy shop and send the invoice to BMW,
Thanks.
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      07-29-2021, 07:15 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by kokoboko View Post
Hello everyone,I have my car in the Indy shop and the guy told me that I have timing chain swap,I call the dealer and they quote me $6200 “which is ridiculous “
I found this information on the web about the lawsuit against BMW about the timing chain,
My question is
Did I qualify for reimbursement “BMW X1 2013 87000 miles
If I qualify do I have to bring the car to the dealer to confirm my timing problems or I can fix it in the Indy shop and send the invoice to BMW,
Thanks.
Tow the car to a different dealer and let them know you are aware of timing chain class action lawsuit result and NICELY request that they help you out with coverage.

A good dealer will want the warranty work and work with corporate to get you something. To be honest... at 87k I would not expect 100% coverage but I would be expecting 50% or better.

They will likely bring your car in for diagnosis (no, they wont take your indy's word). You'll be on the hook for an hour or two labor until they confirm its truly timing chain component failure.

Word to the wise, make sure indy has everything buttoned up properly under the hood... I wouldnt even mention someone else has messed with the car.
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      08-02-2021, 06:38 AM   #29
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Angry X3 Engine Failure

I need help! My 2013 X3 with less than 75.000 miles has been sitting at a BMW dealer in Idaho Falls for 2 months. After a lengthy process, I finally was able to show the service manager that my car qualified for the reimbursement from the class action lawsuit (the car has yet to be fixed- I wanted to make sure it qualified before spending $15,000 on a new engine). They agreed that the engine failure was due to the timing chain. Before proceeding with the repair they needed to run more diagnostics and submit to BMW who then said this engine failure was not due to timing chain but rather driver error! What good is a lawsuit if they can pick and choose what causes the failure? I am still fighting to get this resolved but would appreciate any help out there. Has anyone else had a similar experience? How was it resolved?I am sooo frustrated and HATE BMW for treating its customers this way. Thank you for any help!
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      08-02-2021, 07:23 AM   #30
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What are they saying you did wrong?

I hope you didn't miss any oil changes as indicated by the onboard computer. That would be an easy out for BMW… since you failed to properly maintain the vehicle.
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      08-15-2021, 02:49 PM   #31
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Model: 2015 328xi GT N26
Build: 11.2014
Mileage: 95k mi
Timing Chain Status: Before Loose, now tight
Oil Changes: Every 5k miles since 35k with Amsoil Euro
Stop/Start Status: Coded off at 36k
No whine noted

Took my car in to BMW Houston for service (battery,brake bleed, etc), ask them to check my timing chain as I was getting worried due to the miles. I never had any whine noise but when looking at the chain through the oil filler I can lift up the chain with my finger but not enough to lift above the cam. Got the car at 35k miles and it was always kinda was noisy but hey its a BMW.

When they checked they said that parts of the guide have failed and the chain needs replacement. At that time the service rep informed me that my VIN qualified for a BMW extended recall warranty. I though that it expired at 7/70 but he told me that my car is covered until 100k on a 60/40 program where I paid the 40% of the service. While they got it approved through BMW, I called a very good Indy BMW service shop and was quoted $2700 for the timing and oil pump chain replacement. When BMW got back to me they informed me that my part would be $1750 so I approved the work through them.

If you are over 70k but under 100k, call your local BMW service center and give them your VIN to see if you qualify for the program. As far as I knew, if you were over 70 but under 100, your part was 60%, not 40. He did tell me this extension was limited to a year.

Now the timing chain is tight and I cannot lift it with my finger, if you have this issue, see if it's loose. Because if it is then you are on borrowed time. The two things the happen are either the guide rails fail and clog the oil pump or the timing chain gets so loose that it jumps the cam sprocket on hard acceleration or deceleration. I would add that on rare occasions the chain actually breaks, but this is a rare cause. If it breaks its because the chain jumped off. The fragile guide rails are the weak point and after exposed to heat over thousands of miles they will become brittle and break.

Remember also I did not have any whine noise and changed the oil every 5k. Now with the new chain, the car is so much quieter at idle. I can't even hear it running from the inside which was not the case before.

If you have under 100k, check into this program. Could save you money, once you are over 100k then you are SOL and have to rely on an indie shop....if your chain doesn't break before then.

Good luck!!
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      12-19-2021, 10:53 PM   #32
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2013 BMW 328i – Twin power turbo, N26 Engine, F30 body style. Purchased 2018
Such a fun ride until the engine locks up at 73,000 miles and leaves me stranded and looking like an jerk because I’m not pushing my dead BMW to the side of the road, as state road signs instruct. Well, the transmission is programmed to lock into Park upon engine failure and leave you a sitting duck. Break down in the fast lane on a fwy? You will be parked in the fast lane with no hope of coasting the car out of the way of oncoming traffic. Your BMW paper weight will likely be smashed into by an innocent driver, killing you, them, and who knows what else. There is a term in Engineering called ‘Fail-Safe’. That means a device capable of harming the user, upon its operational failure, must fail into a malfunction mode that is ‘Safe’. The way these cars breakdown is hazardous and goes against traffic safety common sense.

That said, I’m talking to the dealer tomorrow, they’ve done their free preliminary analysis and said it doesn’t look like the timing chain was the culprit. However, an Indy shop I towed it to the day of the breakdown said the engine was locked up. They tried to turn the crank to roll the motor over, it would not budge; locked. I am going to mention the SULEV warranty, even though Arizona only signed up for 2012 models, ours is a 2013.

My questions are, was there a significant difference from the N26/F30 btwn 2012 and 2013?

Also, after an engine lock-up, what else could’ve caused it other than timing chain failure? I guess starved for oil would cause it, and the timing chain settlement appears to include the oil pump drive chain.

This is my wife’s car and she loved it when we bought it used in 2018, still under dealer warranty at that time. Hell, I loved it, I drive a 2002 Jaguar that has 160K miles on the clock, runs great, but this is now our shared car.

Conclusion so far: German Engineering shitz the bed and the Ultimate Driving machine becomes a nightmare.
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      12-20-2021, 12:01 AM   #33
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The reason I posted a pic of my wife and her Beemer, which she named Raven, is because this car is every thing I would have never bought for myself. When we talked about her getting a newer car, she wanted a BMW hands down bc she had a 3 Series in the late 90s and she loved it.

I would never buy a red sports car; it's already a Sports car, does it need to be red too? Also, I was hoping for the straight 6 cylinder motor BWM was famous for, but this is the 2.o Litre crap shoot motor (that performs similarly, if not better in some metrics).

So again, I would not have bought this car for myself. My last question is, How can BMW hold a straight face while sticking customers with cars that die at 70K miles?

This is not unlike a 4 Star hotel suite becoming back flooded with sewage.
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      01-08-2022, 12:19 AM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patterson View Post
The reason I posted a pic of my wife and her Beemer, which she named Raven, is because this car is every thing I would have never bought for myself. When we talked about her getting a newer car, she wanted a BMW hands down bc she had a 3 Series in the late 90s and she loved it.

I would never buy a red sports car; it's already a Sports car, does it need to be red too? Also, I was hoping for the straight 6 cylinder motor BWM was famous for, but this is the 2.o Litre crap shoot motor (that performs similarly, if not better in some metrics).

So again, I would not have bought this car for myself. My last question is, How can BMW hold a straight face while sticking customers with cars that die at 70K miles?

This is not unlike a 4 Star hotel suite becoming back flooded with sewage.
While i agree at the sentiment, the N20\N26 engines are produced in insane numbers, when you take into consideration failure rates vs numbers produced, it might be a smidge above the normal failure rate, not high enough for any govmnt agency to step in and investigate.

That is the cold hard fact, try to get the dealer to admit its TC related and hope BMW covers some of the cost of replacing the engine, otherwise a junkyard n20 + labor for swap is the next cheapest option.
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      01-28-2022, 03:41 PM   #35
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What the dealer did for free was put a boroscope camera down the oil fill port and inspect the timing chain, they said it was not likely the TC. To go further and drop the sub frame and oil pan to really find out what happened, they wanted $1,500, we paid it.

What they found is the connecting rod bearings failed, went to pieces and copper bits were found in the oil pan and filter. The tech took video and showed with the oil pan removed that the connecting rods were discolored (black) from excessive heat, and solely on their bottom sides. The connecting rod for the piston closest to the grill was not discolored, but the other three going to the firewall were cooked.

Next in the video, he shows the oil pump removed and a piece of copper stuck in the uptake tube. But, he never gave us a status on the oil pump assembly. The oil pump assembly is equally stated in the settlement. So, I plan to call the dealer and ask them to test the oil pump, and I don’t know what that test would look like. But, clearly the bottom of the motor cooked and I can only imagine there was an oil starvation situation. They pulled the car off the rack already and the Service Advisor guy probably wishes we would just go away. If I can’t get a straight answer on the oil pump, I guess I’ll ask him to put me in touch with the Claims Adjuster at BWM NA.
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      01-28-2022, 07:02 PM   #36
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In all honesty, we were late on the last oil change, it was done by the dealer in May of 2019 at 61,700 mls.

2020 being the pandemic year, and most of 2021, she didn't drive much. The engine died at 73,000 miles, so a span of 11,300 miles on its last oil change. I had been keeping it at about 7,000 miles btwn oil changes since we bought it August 2018 when it had 55,800 miles on it.

It not being my car, and her working from home, putting only about 4,500 miles on it per year, we went long on that last oil change. I don't think it's terribly long for synth oil, with new filters at every oil change of course.
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      01-29-2022, 11:28 AM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patterson View Post
In all honesty, we were late on the last oil change, it was done by the dealer in May of 2019 at 61,700 mls.

2020 being the pandemic year, and most of 2021, she didn't drive much. The engine died at 73,000 miles, so a span of 11,300 miles on its last oil change. I had been keeping it at about 7,000 miles btwn oil changes since we bought it August 2018 when it had 55,800 miles on it.

It not being my car, and her working from home, putting only about 4,500 miles on it per year, we went long on that last oil change. I don't think it's terribly long for synth oil, with new filters at every oil change of course.
Didn't the 2013 models have a 13k miles oil change interval? Mine with an N20 did. That didn't change when BMW changed it for later models. I personally do 10k intervals with a filter change every 5k, but it isn't required and they should not deny warranty because of it.
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      01-29-2022, 09:17 PM   #38
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would you be able to prevent oil starvation by checking on oil level on the engine periodically?
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      01-30-2022, 01:46 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patterson View Post
In all honesty, we were late on the last oil change, it was done by the dealer in May of 2019 at 61,700 mls.

2020 being the pandemic year, and most of 2021, she didn't drive much. The engine died at 73,000 miles, so a span of 11,300 miles on its last oil change. I had been keeping it at about 7,000 miles btwn oil changes since we bought it August 2018 when it had 55,800 miles on it.

It not being my car, and her working from home, putting only about 4,500 miles on it per year, we went long on that last oil change. I don't think it's terribly long for synth oil, with new filters at every oil change of course.
Did the idrive remind you for an oil change? If so, then you are clearly at fault here. I would change it if the system reminds it
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      01-31-2022, 03:00 AM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patterson View Post
2020 being the pandemic year, and most of 2021, she didn't drive much. The engine died at 73,000 miles, so a span of 11,300 miles on its last oil change. I had been keeping it at about 7,000 miles btwn oil changes since we bought it August 2018 when it had 55,800 miles on it.
FWIW, in Europe or at least in Finland the oil change interval of N20 is 30,000km or 2 years. That equals to roughly 18,600 miles so I don't think going 11,300 miles between changes is the reason for engine to blow up.

My car is 2014 and it has 130,000 miles on clock without any issues. Last 20,000 it has been tuned for BM3 stage 1. I never use engine start-stop and I don't rev the engine when it's still cold so it might help. Also I have tuned the AT to keep the the revs slightly higher so that it won't lug the engine. That can be done with XHP flashtool shift point editor.
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      01-31-2022, 07:14 AM   #41
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Quote:
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Did the idrive remind you for an oil change? If so, then you are clearly at fault here.
Being 1300 miles late on the oil change didn't cause damage. Being 13,000 miles late might.
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      01-31-2022, 03:15 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Billfitz View Post
Being 1300 miles late on the oil change didn't cause damage. Being 13,000 miles late might.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gameson View Post
Did the idrive remind you for an oil change? If so, then you are clearly at fault here. I would change it if the system reminds it
When I say we were late on the last oil change, I mean later than I would have planned on, not factory spec. late. I did quite a lot of reading on these forums when we first got the car, and oil changes was a long thread. After everything I read there I decided to be prudent and change it every 7,000 miles. But, no, we didn't get an alert from the iDrive.

I really do not like the fact that there's no dip stick on the N20/26; you can't smell the oil, or see it.

My car is a 2002 Jaguar X-Type with 165,000 miles on it. Runs great, I've kept oil changed on it to btwn 5K to 7K miles, Mobile 1 oil and filter every time.
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      01-31-2022, 03:31 PM   #43
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Hi fellas, I really appreciate the replies. If you have a few minutes, I've posted the video links the dealer sent. I'm going to talk to them today, I could use any insight you might be able to share after watching the videos. They're just a couple minutes each. Thanks!

http://www.mkvwa17.com/p/VLjXWw.html

http://www.mkvwa29.com/p/rq9xhq.html
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      01-31-2022, 04:51 PM   #44
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Since the timing chain and guides are OK it was not the fault. The oil pump chain is covered as well, but that also doesn't seem affected. It looks like there was a bearing failure that clogged the pump with debris, which then led to overheating and more bearing failures. What could have caused the initial bearing failure may never be known.
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