[Q888]

Slick_FThirty Thank you for the reply, let me try to step through your questions as best I can. I'm not a camera person so watchers beware you won't be seeing iMax stock footage.

Your first thought was for me to post a video of the engine compartment with the engine nicely warmed up, running 3k and 4k on the tach. Here's that blockbuster.

Second you'd like to see the chain movement, so here's that video. Please forgive any breathing I'm just getting a non-covid head cold and I wore a mask to protect the viewing audience.

Third was a question about the records. I'm the third owner of this F30 and BMW won't release previous records on the car to me. The service advisor I'm working with said they'd review the records and let me know if the service was performed. The answer I have is I don't know yet.

The previous owner of the vehicle is a friend and she is not a record friendly type person. I know the car was looked after but I also know some things were overlooked, like this issue as an example. The oil needs to be changed but I've put that on hold since I'd have to change it anyway to have this job completed. I'm really not looking forward to having to drop the money for this repair. I have a decent set of tools and BMW specific tools but I don't have a hoist. All the videos I've seen the oil pain has to come off and that's not something I could do on the ground even with the car on jacks. I'm tossed what to do at this point anyway I digress.

I did read through the post you pointed out but that is another 10 pages of doom and gloom about this issue. I'm glad that you said it occurs less in sedans but it's still not that warm and fuzzy feeling I'd like to have putting this MSport through it's paces.

Thank you for your thoughts and participation in this thread.

Best

[Slick_FThirty]

Originally Posted by Q888

Slick_FThirty Thank you for the reply, let me try to step through your questions as best I can. I'm not a camera person so watchers beware you won't be seeing iMax stock footage.

Your first thought was for me to post a video of the engine compartment with the engine nicely warmed up, running 3k and 4k on the tach. Here's that blockbuster.

Second you'd like to see the chain movement, so here's that video. Please forgive any breathing I'm just getting a non-covid head cold and I wore a mask to protect the viewing audience.

Third was a question about the records. I'm the third owner of this F30 and BMW won't release previous records on the car to me. The service advisor I'm working with said they'd review the records and let me know if the service was performed. The answer I have is I don't know yet.

The previous owner of the vehicle is a friend and she is not a record friendly type person. I know the car was looked after but I also know some things were overlooked, like this issue as an example. The oil needs to be changed but I've put that on hold since I'd have to change it anyway to have this job completed. I'm really not looking forward to having to drop the money for this repair. I have a decent set of tools and BMW specific tools but I don't have a hoist. All the videos I've seen the oil pain has to come off and that's not something I could do on the ground even with the car on jacks. I'm tossed what to do at this point anyway I digress.

I did read through the post you pointed out but that is another 10 pages of doom and gloom about this issue. I'm glad that you said it occurs less in sedans but it's still not that warm and fuzzy feeling I'd like to have putting this MSport through it's paces.

Thank you for your thoughts and participation in this thread.

Best

The sound of your engine is completely normal. The amount of slack is also normal, and can also vary on other factors. So The slack is definitely normal.

You don't necessarily have to worry about it. Your engine and chain is partially covered by BMW until February 2022 (assuming you are in the US). So if the chain is nearing failure or the engine blows, then it will be covered a certain percentage assuming you comply with the other requirements.

Changing the oil frequently every 5k miles, and checking the state of the engine (sound and slack) at each oil change is a valid option with reasonable probability that you will be fine.

Now anything can fail, and the surest option is to replace it.

[Q888]

Slick_FThirty Thank you for your response. The vehicle has a service appointment for an oil change coming up. I'll ask them to look at the timing chain and note any concerns they have so I can start documenting. Can I ask if your knowledge about the coverage until 2022 is documented somewhere that I can read? From everything I've read the service bulletin covered an additional 7 years and up to 70,000 miles or do I have that wrong?

I have a couple of other issues with the car that I'd like to sort out as well that I should probably put in another thread because one relates to the start stop not working (not sure I care about that) but I think it's because Triple AAA replaced the battery about a year ago. When I look at the battery information in the car's computer the start miles are blank which leads me to think the battery wasn't registered. After a year in service the battery is down to 77% life. Lastly the passenger mirror won't fold which I suspect is a motor since the reset procedure doesn't work and there's no noise or movement at all when the fold button is pushed.

Stay healthy and stay warm up north.

[Billfitz]

The timing chain extended warranty is 7 years/70,000 miles.

[Slick_FThirty]

Originally Posted by Q888

Slick_FThirty Thank you for your response. The vehicle has a service appointment for an oil change coming up. I'll ask them to look at the timing chain and note any concerns they have so I can start documenting. Can I ask if your knowledge about the coverage until 2022 is documented somewhere that I can read? From everything I've read the service bulletin covered an additional 7 years and up to 70,000 miles or do I have that wrong?

I have a couple of other issues with the car that I'd like to sort out as well that I should probably put in another thread because one relates to the start stop not working (not sure I care about that) but I think it's because Triple AAA replaced the battery about a year ago. When I look at the battery information in the car's computer the start miles are blank which leads me to think the battery wasn't registered. After a year in service the battery is down to 77% life. Lastly the passenger mirror won't fold which I suspect is a motor since the reset procedure doesn't work and there's no noise or movement at all when the fold button is pushed.

Stay healthy and stay warm up north.

The battery definitely needs to be programmed, otherwise it can cause damage to the battery. The charging rates and conditions are quite different for new vs old. Some new batteries have even exploded as a result of not programming the settings.

Start stop is not good for the timing chain. People program that out of the settings usually. Plus Start stop makes you go through the starter motor much faster, which costs a decent bit to replace.

The February 2022 is the result of the lawsuit. The new warranty extends the warranty to 8 years and 100,000 miles. However, all vehicles, regardless of age, will be given one year in conjunction with the 100,000 mile limit. The extension is expected to be signed and legislated in February 2021. Therefore, it would extend to February 2022, provided you are below the 100,000 limit. It is just a sliding percentage based on mileage.

This applies to the US and may also be applied to Canada at a later time, as another company has started a lawsuit in Canada.

[j.f.leonard]

Wait a minute, so the timing chain is now covered for 100,000 miles? My 2012 has 81k on the dash and is starting to whine... should I get this checked out??

[Q888]

Slick_FThirty Thank you for the information that's great news for sure. I wonder if I programmed the battery now what that would do. Any ideas?

[Slick_FThirty]

Originally Posted by j.f.leonard

Wait a minute, so the timing chain is now covered for 100,000 miles? My 2012 has 81k on the dash and is starting to whine... should I get this checked out??

Well, you will be reimbursed 50% if I recall correctly based on your mileage. Or it could be more or less not sure. You could take it to the dealer, and of course they would diagnose it and replace it, provided you pay the other part. You could also take it to an Indie. Make sure that you only use BMW OEM parts if you go the Indie route, have detailed receipts, and produce a running video indicating the engine whine. In that same tape, also make sure to include your VIN, as indentification. Maybe take some pictures of the guides, chain, new installation etc. The pictures and videos are not required but when you submit your receipts to BMW, and if they somehow end up asking for proof then at least you have solid evidence

After Feb 2021, you will only be allowed to take it to the dealer. However, between now and then, you can take it to an Indie and submit the receipts in February 2021

[Slick_FThirty]

Originally Posted by Q888

Slick_FThirty Thank you for the information that's great news for sure. I wonder if I programmed the battery now what that would do. Any ideas?

Any BMW indie or dealer would do it. If you want to do it yourself, you could use a Bluetooth OBDII and BimmerLink.

[Q888]

Originally Posted by Slick_FThirty

Any BMW indie or dealer would do it. If you want to do it yourself, you could use a Bluetooth OBDII and BimmerLink.

Just to verify the battery has been in the car about a year. That's why I was wondering if I could register it now and what problems it will cause if any. At some point this battery will fail because it's being charged incorrectly or the car thinks the old battery is still in it so it's not charging it enough to prevent overcharge.

If I could squeak some time out of the battery with just programming that would be ideal. When I checked the battery it said it was at 77% percent charge, no install mileage, but had the correct 90Ah setting. Since the battery is an actual OEM 61-21-7-575-327 which is what it was shipped with AAA probably just installed the new battery and walked away. That's all the information the Launch scanner I have could tell me about the battery.

Thanks again!

Q888

[Billfitz]

If the battery is a year old I doubt registering it now is worthwhile. As for the timing chain warranty I'm going by the notice I got from BMW three years ago. If and when the current policy changes they by law must issue notice of it.

[Slick_FThirty]

Originally Posted by Q888

Just to verify the battery has been in the car about a year. That's why I was wondering if I could register it now and what problems it will cause if any. At some point this battery will fail because it's being charged incorrectly or the car thinks the old battery is still in it so it's not charging it enough to prevent overcharge.

If I could squeak some time out of the battery with just programming that would be ideal. When I checked the battery it said it was at 77% percent charge, no install mileage, but had the correct 90Ah setting. Since the battery is an actual OEM 61-21-7-575-327 which is what it was shipped with AAA probably just installed the new battery and walked away. That's all the information the Launch scanner I have could tell me about the battery.

Thanks again!

Q888

It would be fine to set the battery as new. No damage would be done. The worst thing that would happen is that it would charge a little bit slower. But the car would "learn" the battery state eventually.

[Q888]

So after reading through the 08/26/2020 filing it appears, as Slick_FThirty mentioned, there will be some coverage for a few, albeit very small percentage of owners of the N20/N26 engine with a timing module failure.

From reading the proposed settlement here is how the coverage will be applied to all affected vehicles within the mileage and age caps.



It is anticipated that the agreed upon settlement should be effective by February 2021 but that is up to the judge and timing of the courts. Based on this preliminary information my 2013 F30 with an in-service date of July 2013 with a current reading of 61,325 miles will have an adjusted coverage of 75% paid by BMWNA and 25% paid by myself. The settlement also provides a cap of $3000 for the timing chain module replacement at an Indie with all the proper paperwork and documentation. It also includes a cap of $7500 for an engine replacement done by an Indie with all the proper paperwork and documentation. Both the Indie timing chain and engine must have occurred before the anticipated February effective date, after that a BMW Service Center must complete the work.

Here is a list of the effected vehicles that was in the filing.



*The information contained in this post is an attempt to centralize all the information found in various online sources. It is not a published service bulletin. The details of such a bulletin could change but as of this writing this is the best information I could find pertaining to BMW affected vehicles in the US.*




.

[KlaKla]

This is a very bad problem because it is too expensive to deal with

[sadjoe]

Hello,

So in the end no matter what year it is problems are not resolved.
For example you are buying something after 02/2015 and it's the same.
If these n20 has more problems than n55 I will go with n55.

[Billfitz]

Here's an interesting fact that doesn't seem to have been pointed out before: The N20 and N55 use the same timing chain. They have since 2004. They use the same slide rail as well. They don't use the same guide rails and tensioner. The N20 guide rail has not been changed since 2011. While the chain was superseded in 2015 it was superseded on both the N20 and N55 It may be more durable than the previous version, but since the N55 has used the same chain all along as the N20 and the N55 hasn't had timing chain problems I doubt that the chain is the problem, at least not in and of itself. The only component that would seem to check off all the boxes, not used in both the N20 and N55 and superseded after 2015, is the tensioner. The new tensioner is known to be different than the old tensioner. Putting two and two together to get four IMO the tensioner was the problem all along. Replacing the tensioner is a relatively easy and inexpensive job, which again IMO all N20 owners should consider having done or doing themselves.

[Aceway]

My 2014 X3 with the N20 was just in the dealership for recall/warranty work and I had them check the timing chain. They reported no issues. Car is a little above 90k miles and I've owned it since 50k. Never any whining sound and it was on a BMS stage 1 piggyback for around 10k miles. Oil changed every 5k miles. Personally, I'm going to stop worrying about the timing chain for my car. It's been really reliable with very little maintenance compared to other cars.

[klho222]

Read thru this forum and found it helpful. About to work on a AC job for a failed compressor when I remembered the timing letters I received a few years ago. Really tough pill to swallow to replace AC components then turn around and fork over 2K+ for timing kit replacement.

Anyway, no issues on my car. Timing chain feels tight. 2013 328XI with a 10/2012 build date. Car has 86K on it now and I have owned since Sept 2016 (bought with 28K). Change oil in the 5-7K range. Tried this past year and a half to make sure its LL01 oil (Pentosin) only to prove to myself that the past 4 years of pennzoil Euro has no difference. Do only drive in the summer and its mostly long commutes (40 mi daily)

[tonyec7]

How bad is the slack on this? 2014 228i w 109k miles https://youtube.com/shorts/GG6gZFOr-WA?feature=share

[mcjohnz5]

Originally Posted by tonyec7

How bad is the slack on this? 2014 228i w 109k miles https://youtube.com/shorts/GG6gZFOr-WA?feature=share

That is about how much slack I had on mine prior to replacement. How does the engine sound when idling and at higher RPM? I had a lot of chain noise and car was at 115k miles. I replaced with the FCP Euro kit.

[hsk1610]

My car is past the 8 year mark (8 years and 2 months) with only 65K. Based on the effective date of the settlement of June 30,2021, I still have till June 29, 2022 for my timing chain issue to be covered? And I assume dealers will not proactively repair this and charge it BMW. Wondering how easy it has been for people to deal with dealers this this stipulation.

Found this from another website:

The Class Action for the timing chains/oil pump drive module chains was finalized June 30th.

As determined by the vehicle’s original in-service date:

Up to one year after the Effective Date of the Settlement (June 30, 2021 to June 29, 2022):


Any Class Vehicle regardless of age (i.e., years in service) the Class Member’s Class Vehicle may be eligible for full or partial coverage of the costs of these same future repairs if the vehicle has 100,000 miles or less and is taken to an authorized BMW Center for the repair.
This repair coverage will be scaled to the vehicle mileage

[f30nick]

Originally Posted by hsk1610

My car is past the 8 year mark (8 years and 2 months) with only 65K. Based on the effective date of the settlement of June 30,2021, I still have till June 29, 2022 for my timing chain issue to be covered? And I assume dealers will not proactively repair this and charge it BMW. Wondering how easy it has been for people to deal with dealers this this stipulation.

Found this from another website:

The Class Action for the timing chains/oil pump drive module chains was finalized June 30th.

As determined by the vehicle’s original in-service date:

Up to one year after the Effective Date of the Settlement (June 30, 2021 to June 29, 2022):


Any Class Vehicle regardless of age (i.e., years in service) the Class Member’s Class Vehicle may be eligible for full or partial coverage of the costs of these same future repairs if the vehicle has 100,000 miles or less and is taken to an authorized BMW Center for the repair.
This repair coverage will be scaled to the vehicle mileage

over 8 years not covered