[popvictorcosmin]

Originally Posted by 328dX

It has to be the chain, or a pulley, alternator or belt etc. If the sound is increasing with revs 9/10 times it's one of those.

I don't see why they would deny the issue if the sound is very audible and you cannot argue with that.

They are either lying, or being cheap and don't want to do the work. Escalate the situation to your corporate offices or managers. It almost sounds like a supercharger and they say it's normal? hahaha what a joke. Best of luck.

Right after I posted the topic here I sent an email to the main BMW Headquarters in Bucharest and, after detailing the whole chronology and giving a thorough explanation of what's wrong, I told them that I'm also ready to pursue legal actions if the timing chain snaps and breaks my entire engine since not 2 months ago the very same service said it's perfectly fine (with the papers to prove it!). I've also sent them the recording... My guess is that I'll get an answer by the end of the week, hopefully admitting something is wrong and taking my car in.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by popvictorcosmin

I'm guessing to do the procedure from underneath the car. Like a prostate exam right? Haha.

Check out the videos and audios of the following articles:
https://bmwtechnician.com/2016/08/07...g-chain-issue/
https://bmwtechnician.com/2017/12/22...-coming-apart/

The easiest way is to open the engine oil filler cap and take pictures with your phone.

I don't think any of these can be inspected from underneath.

[sspade]

Originally Posted by popvictorcosmin

I'm guessing to do the procedure from underneath the car. Like a prostate exam right? Haha.

Check from top where you would add oil.

Right on top of engine cover.

[popvictorcosmin]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Check out the videos and audios of the following articles:
https://bmwtechnician.com/2016/08/07...g-chain-issue/
https://bmwtechnician.com/2017/12/22...-coming-apart/

The easiest way is to open the engine oil filler cap and take pictures with your phone.

I don't think any of these can be inspected from underneath.

You are a life saver. It just blows my mind that an unknown on the internet can point me in the right direction and a service inspection leaves me clueless.

You were right. I checked and not only is the chain "wobbly" but also it has like skid marks on the surface. Couldn't take a picture but will do tomorrow after they take off the timing chain...

[popvictorcosmin]

Problem solved (50%).

Sent another email to BMW, this time to headquarters, explaining the whole thing and threatening with a lawsuit against BMW if the timing chain just blows up my engine after the same BMW said it's perfectly fine just 1 month ago.

This morning I got a phone call from the mechanical department and invited me tomorrow morning for another emergency inspection after hearing the recording (even though 1 month ago for the same sound they said it's ok) and told me that if anything is wrong with the timing chain, given that my car only has 80k km, they will most likely get an extended warranty so I don't have to pay anything.

Fingers crossed they don't ruin it even worse than it already is.

[sspade]

popvictorcosmin

So the chain was indeed loose?

Had a feeling that would be the case.

At least youll be getting a new chain and components for few. Consider yourself lucky that it happened under warranty!

Keep us posted on exactly what they tell you and do for repair.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by popvictorcosmin

You are a life saver. It just blows my mind that an unknown on the internet can point me in the right direction and a service inspection leaves me clueless.

You were right. I checked and not only is the chain "wobbly" but also it has like skid marks on the surface. Couldn't take a picture but will do tomorrow after they take off the timing chain...

No problem, hopefully it helps.

[popvictorcosmin]

It was the timing chain.

After 6 months of reading, writing and checking the car, finally the big fish gave up and admitted it was the timing chain. BMW foreman called me right now, confirming the timing chain was elongated, thus there was a high risk of it snapping at any moment, causing a catastrophic engine failure.

Even though my car was manufactured in September 2014, they said they will change it under extended warranty due to the fact that I have only driven 81.000 km with the vehicle.

They will change the timing chain, oil pump, oil pump chain, tensioner and guide rails. They even confirmed that they always change the oil pump AND chain when they fix the timing chain.

So yeah, problem solved thanks to you guys.

[sspade]

Great news and congrats on the new engine!

Glad it worked out in your favor.

Let us know if any more details / photos arise from this situation.

[n00bkiller944]

Very nice! Congratulations on your persistence paying off!

[bavarianride]

To OP, that's a great outcome!

Can you share any tidbit about the failure, e.g. oil change interval, what oil is used, any towing heavy load, any track event, any cold start below freezing point, etc, etc?

My 2013 N26 is 55k miles, or 88000 km, so it is about similar mileage as yours.

[sspade]

Ya, now that your out of the woods... spill the beans!

Did you beat the piss outta this thing or what?

We all would really appreciate any info you could share.

[bavarianride]

The good news is that OP noticed the issue 6 months ago, and there is no catastrophic engine failure, yet. So if caught early the fix may not be too bad.

[amw896]

your dealer sounds about as knowledgeable as my local one. This is why my car has not been to bmw in about 40k.....A good indy is priceless.

[popvictorcosmin]

Update: Given that my car was built in late 2014 and it's been out of warranty coverage since 2016, BMW has agreed to cover 80% of the total cost of the pieces and 20% of labor. How they came to these percentages I have no idea and it's really not fair that they only cover so much that I still have to pay around 700 euros for the repair. It's like their purpose is for me to pay just as much as the pieces would cost them to make so we are all even.

The fact that my car has mechanical damage because of bad factory design is a totally different aspect they will not discuss. Because reasons.

Just a heads up.

[Billfitz]

That's BS, since if you were in the US your warranty would be 7 years/70,000 miles. I don't know if you have a Consumer Protection agency where you live, but if you do that should be your next stop, and tell BMW that's what you intend to do.

[popvictorcosmin]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

That's BS, since if you were in the US your warranty would be 7 years/70,000 miles. I don't know if you have a Consumer Protection agency where you live, but if you do that should be your next stop, and tell BMW that's what you intend to do.

In Romania we like to joke that US is not the land of all possibilities but Romania, since anything can happen. With that being said I'm glad I don't have to pay for the whole repair bill, which would have probably been north of 4000 euros. Sure, I could have called the Consumer Protection agency which would have notified them about their practice being unethical but then again...

I only want my car fixed up and ready for a spring detailing. 700 euros isn't an absurd amount of money since I've given the car some beans during our time together...

[Billfitz]

In the US lawyers would be falling over each other for the opportunity to sue BMW, and not for 700 Euro, but for millions of dollars.

[jsouth]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

That's BS, since if you were in the US your warranty would be 7 years/70,000 miles. I don't know if you have a Consumer Protection agency where you live, but if you do that should be your next stop, and tell BMW that's what you intend to do.

I'm pretty sure my warranty on a 2013 F30 328i was 5 yrs/50,000 miles. Doesn't really matter as it's at 110,000 miles now, but I've worried about this failure since the warranty was up.

[Billfitz]

It's been very well covered here that BMW/USA issued an extended warranty for 7 years/70,000 miles for the timing/oil chain on affected vehicles, which is pretty much all N20 manufactured before Jan 2015.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by popvictorcosmin

Update: Given that my car was built in late 2014 and it's been out of warranty coverage since 2016, BMW has agreed to cover 80% of the total cost of the pieces and 20% of labor. How they came to these percentages I have no idea and it's really not fair that they only cover so much that I still have to pay around 700 euros for the repair. It's like their purpose is for me to pay just as much as the pieces would cost them to make so we are all even.

The fact that my car has mechanical damage because of bad factory design is a totally different aspect they will not discuss. Because reasons.

Just a heads up.

So what is the cost breakdown of parts and labor?

Is there a list of parts that will be replaced?

20% of parts and 80% of labor@700 euros sucks but can be a lot worse than that.

[jsouth]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

It's been very well covered here that BMW/USA issued an extended warranty for 7 years/70,000 miles for the timing/oil chain on affected vehicles, which is pretty much all N20 manufactured before Jan 2015.

Ah, yes. Thanks for the clarification. I was just past 70,000 when that happened. I was thinking the general warranty period. Apologies.