I have a 2014 428i with 105K miles. I launch at almost every red light and do oil changes once every 18K miles. Only issue I've had was my thermostat, it went out at 89K miles. Good luck I guess, let me knock on wood.
I had a 428i with the N20. I bought it at 87k miles and never had an issue. I changed the oil every 5k. I'd say whoever had it before me took good care of it. I got hit by some teenage girl that was texting and the insurance totalled it. I was heartbroken. I went out and bought me an M4 lol
thats good to hear, recently been freaking out about this issue again. i change my every 6-8 months, which is about 3k miles for me. i'm at 54k miles atm.
I experienced the exact same thing, stranded. Car is being checked out by the mechanic. N20 is a total fail. Once fixed, I’m planning on selling the car and exposing BMW every opportunity I get!
My N20 is pretty reliable then again its a 2015 so most of the issues were with earlier models with these plastic parts. Highly recommend 5k oil changes NOT 10,000 miles oil changes way to long for this motor which may contribute to these issues.
Same with my VW. They want 10k/1 year oil changes for the first 2 free services, so I secretly change the oil myself with VW filters and VW 508 oil at 5000 miles lol. Then they can do the next change, then I do 15k, then they do 20k. Oil is changed often and Input some service history with them
@@MikeMDs can you confirm this issue was addressed after 2015 or have you seen it happen on newer n20’s as well. Thank you for the video and keep up the good work!
2016 BMW series 3 always did oil change at the BMW dealer. Went for an oil change at 76,600 mile at the dealer. They said the oil casket was leaking and needed to be replaced. I didn't see any oil leakage but agreed to do it for $1,230. Came home in a loaner vehicle and got a phone call from BMW that my timing chain is "loose." Loose at 76,000 miles. Both timing chain and oil casket leakage will cost around $7,000. I told them this is too expensive for me and just do the oil casket repair for $1,230. After the oil casket repair I sold this 2016 BMW series 3 for $15,600 at a local dealer (used cars are gold now!). Went out and bought a brand new Honda Accord EX-L. I will never buy a BMW again.
Who takes BMW to dealership? Most likely, they lied about timing chain. 2015+ N20s have updated timing chain which doesn’t have these problems. Don’t buy BMW if you cant DIY.
7k for new timing chain and sump gasket lol they are scamming people, i had a Honda Accord and had problems with it, the harmonic balancer craped out at only 40,000k aircon at around 90,000, alternator at 130,000k and motor at 230,000, door locks also craped out, back window motor, yeah Hondas are not what they used to be.
If you didn't see any leaks you shouldn't have agreed to gasket change. Makes you wonder if they even changed the gasket at all or simply detailed the engine. How did they confirm timing chain was loose? Were any sensors going off? The dealer job is to rip you off. You need to ask the right questions and learn things the along the way yourself if you want to drive BMWs.
regular oil changes are a must with the N20. I have a 2013 328i xDrive and change oil every 5000km to 6000km. I wonder what the oil change interval was for that car, the engine bay looked dirty as hell.
Completely agree. It's a very reliable engine, especially once the timing chain fixes are carried out. Our 2013 328i with N20 receives oil changes between 5000 - 10000 km, and our car doesn't make excessive noise even at 155,000km (96,000 miles). I'm currently in the process of changing the timing chain & guides and oil pump drive sprockets/chain/tensioners.
I understand with 2 car engines ruined while you were testing them would make you dislike the engine for sure, however did you miss the sound that a stretched timing chain makes? It is supposed to be easy to hear.
Initial start you hear the chain slap around and the sound is different from the injectors. He should jave checked seeing the car was high milage and seemed unkept.
It seems like most of the issues with the N20/N26 timing chains are with cars used in the USA. This would lead you to believe that fuel issues are a contributing cause. I wonder how many of these cars used 'cheap' gas--ie 87 octane versus the minimum recommended?
The key point with N20 is, SERVICE! Every 6000-8000 miles do the oil and filter change.Stick with Bmw LL01 spec 5W40 Full syntetic oil, Mann or Hengst oil filters(They are OEM) and you are good to go.
I have 125k on my 2015 528i with the updated N20. Build date 07/2014. The only “problem” I have ever had with this car is the wastegate actuator making a slight rattle sound, which doesn’t affect the performance or fuel economy, just an annoying noise lol But if you have an N20 with a build date from February 2013 or sooner, you’re fucked! 😂
@@hellswindstaff91 get it. I own a 2015 428i and the engine has been remarkable. The best sports gas saver engine on the planet 100%. I can run with mustangs and I can then get 34 mpg with eco mode or even normal mode after running it hard. Please use synthetic oil that meets the BMW LongLife-01 Spec. Castrol, Liqui Moly are among the best for them!!!!!!! I run AMSOIL which is prolly the best oil on the planet with their European Formula series of oil with full SAPs which is what the Longlife-01 spec sets the baseline standard for in an oil.
@@DuckMcDuckinsonhey man I see ur comments a lot and you seem to know a good bit about the n20s. I’m looking to get a 428i here soon could I maybe dm you about some stuff? If not could I ask some questions here?
N20 is awesome engine. I have 2 one on 120.000 miles, one on 70.000 miles. no issues so far. 120k miles will got timing chain replaced. Normal wear. No oil leak on both cars. Super reliable compared to competitors. The worst BMW engine is definitely N47D20A and N54 :)
N54 is the solenoids and injectors. The engine itself has forged internals, same engine as the M series. Once the electronic side is addressed, it is bullet proof highly tuneable engine.
There was a revised timing chain and guides on the 2016+ N20/N26 engines. N26 SULEV engines also are covered under the emissions warranty for up to 150K miles or 15 years.
Ha ha nice. We see a lot of volume for these cars. I guess 1 out of 20 will encounter this problem if they keep their car long enough. It's still a lot though.
This guy is 100% correct but at 5:21 you can clearly see the oil color and minor sludge. Owners don't properly maintain their bmws based of my expereincne
Thanks for your comment. You are correct as well. I can't tell you how many times we see new customers overdue by thousands of miles on their oil services. It's just so painful to see!
We had our timing chain guide break apart recently, had to have it towed home but did the repair ourselves in our apartment parking lot for $750 (parts and tools). Shop quoted minimum $6,200 w/ 35 mile tow bill to them.
Hi from Colombia 🇨🇴 I have a 520i 2012 n20 engine , my engine has 78000 kilometers about 48.000 miles . Is there any advertising before the timing chain get broken.?
Thank you so much for this information. I am noticing noise from the engine bay. Also I hear a wind type of noise when the AC on ans it doesn't sound the same. I am very concerned. I have a comprehensive warranty I hope they cover this jesus. I knew I should brought the inline 6.
I have the same exact noise it scares me all the time lol, it whines like a broken timing chain plastic guide... I think it's no big deal, but let me know !
Well so far the engine is okay from what I was told. I do change my oil alot honestly more than what recommended. I dont wait until 12k miles to change it. I literally change my oil every 3 to 4 months depends on my driving habits. I think that what saving mines. I have a 2014 328i xdrive. Fingers cross this engine can last me one more year by 2022 I will upgrade to something more stronger.
@@MikeMDs for sure. I don't think I've read about any failure with the updated parts, but time will tell. I specifically purchased our X3 SDrive28i as a 2017 model to hopefully avoid timing chain issues on earlier N20's.
i have the n20 engine too in a 2012 f30 Rwd .about 130,000km now. I change the oil about every 5 -7 K km . hope I don't get this issue. it would be great if bmw had a recall to change the chain's and guide's with the new types.
Obviously BMW wants these to fail and couldnt care less about their customers lol. Its a shame that BMW adopted the "pre mature fail" strategy, theyre not even trying to hide the fact that they earn more money on repairs and spare parts than actually selling the car. If only laws for car makers where stricter... BMW CAN make much more reliable engines, but why would they when there are so few customer protection laws.
@@MikeMDs That is scary for me. Mine still under 70K miles. If it does not fail at 70K, I am going to replace the chain and oil pump chain as preventive maintenance.
the more i hear about the n20 the more i see this pattern: either you have a good engine, which runs without problems or you constantly have issues, chains, gaskets, oil pump and so on i hope i got option A
Driving habit wont kill the N20 engine, unless you go high rpm on an cold one. Low grade 5w30 as well as these ridicolous high oil change intervals kill it. Use 0w 40 or 5w40 in the winter and 5w 50 in the summer and keep the oil level always above mid. (Vanos usally dies on low oil levels) My n20s are running now 120.000Miles and 95.000miles and i had not a single issue. (One is from 2014 and one 2015
I had a 2013 328i sedan with the n20 engine. Got rid of it a month ago despite having the timing chain guides replaced under that extended warranty. 59k miles and I was getting an intermittent low oil pressure light. Loved the car but that occasional warning light scared me too much.
I currently own a beautiful 2012 328i boat anchor. Everything you described..from replacing the oil line to replacing the turbo to replacing the timing chain guide, has been done to my car. Then, after all that, just like you, the motor took a big dump while the mechanic took it for post-repair a test drive.(It was also running fine when I took it in). Oh! I forgot the time there was a tiny oil leak that(unknown to me..as there was never oil under the car), saturated the serpentine belt..causing it to deteriorate and break then wrap around the crank... ripping out the front oil seal .(Sounds crazy I know, but It gets better). Then remains of shredded belt were sucked/drawn into the oil pan..clogging the oil pickup tube. I even had that repaired. Now, I’m finally ready to cut my losses and move on. I hate that engine with a purple passion. Unless I’m forced at gunpoint, I will NEVER own another one...and even then, I’d have to think about it.
@@nattawatausc6973 I already had the chain and guide replaced. So, I don’t know why it happened. My only theory is that after the whole shredded belt incident(see story in my original post), when they went in and attempted to clear the oil pickup tube and oil pan of shredded belt remnants, they must not have gotten it all. Which possibly re-clogged the pickup tube and/or oil filter. Maybe one day, if I tear into the engine I’ll find out definitively.
@@smittysmat7826 Much much appreciate your reply, sir. What a horrible story. Tbh I was thinking about getting one, with n20 made after 2/2015. Fine, love the car tho.
@@nattawatausc6973 This was only my experience. Others in this video’s comments have had no issues with the same engine. I loved the car. That’s why I kept putting $ into it. It’s unfortunate because it still looks almost new. If I can obtain a low-miles replacement motor at a decent price, I will get it. But until then I just had to break away from it and get something more dependable. Who knows why everything happened. Maybe mine was just a lemon. Who knows?
@@CookiesUnleashed hmm not so sure about less powerful. Most tuners are not pushing them but some reached 320whp on stock turbo, stock internals. Few people claiming 375whp.
shane hosein ive heard from people that it feels a lot less peppy than the 328 maybe its just the way they are set up from factory and not the engine itself
@@MikeMDs you only had issues because whoever has owned it was speeding. I have owned a 2013 528i x drive had the timing chain replaced under warranty because I noticed it was a complaint.
I have a 2013 bmw 328i with with 70k miles now running great but I went to my bmw dealer many times to get the tire recall treatment but they say no ??? It has been 7 years they said ?
That oil look like it has never been changed. Depending on how i drive, I change oil every 5-7000km with 5w40... Have 2012 328i, did timing chain at 140km and still going without issue.
100% agree. We work on all euros. I've seen two motors locked up. It's good practice at every oil change stick a pick in the oil fill hole and slightly wiggle the chain. Any kind of movement get the 75k warranty done for free. I've sold two chain jobs and sent two to the dealer for the warranty. One customer just came from the dealer and they were shocked I found it and they didn't. Dealer just tried to sell them a valve cover. All four of those cars had no running problems or noises. I used FCP EURO for timing kit. Check ya chains boys and girls!!!!
Right on! I've worked at the BMW dealer for 12 years. They can only fix what the customer complained about. The dealer gets dinged and audited for any add-on repair lines. We are told to look the other way unless its safety related. It's a sad reality.
I’ve got 90k on mine. No problems so far. Been awesome. Going to change the timing chain and guide, dealership to pay 60% and the remainder 40% since the class action settlement.
Problem is people buy them on lease purchase. kick there heads on cheap fuel without maintenance then take them back after 3 year's. So the new owner gets a low mileage 1 owner car that's trash
I buy only N20 bmw's from auction because i know how to fix them, and guess what, i buy them under 100K miles with blown timing chains. in my opinion, this engines will never make it to 200K with original timing chain.
Get a well kept M54 like the one on my 2002 325i E46. Those straight sixes will run to the moon if you change the oil every 5k miles or 12 months if you drive less than 5k miles in a year. And change the cooling system every 5-10 years. It'll run forever. Sad part about the N20 is it shares similar issues to the old BMW M62/M62tu V8 engine for the timing guides failing from being made from plastic. Only way to keep those engines from failing is changing the oil sooner like 5k miles or every 12 months if you drive less than 5k miles. Wish bmw kept an updated version of the M54 or the N52 straight six. Those motors are better made than the N20. Great video.
Check out how old that oil is , it’s black . Anyone who knows cars would not be running with oil that dirty regardless of make or model. The cheapest extended warranty ?frequent oil changes
theres some website you can look the vin up on or call a dealer and see if your vin/ man date is under the extended warranty. If it isnt under the warranty you should be good
Thankfully, BMW is having luck with their B series engines. Its a shame that you have to treat the n20 chain like its a timing belt, and replace it at belt like service intervals
hello my friend i have a 2013 320i x drive m sport, 85k mileage and timing chain and gaskets and pumps were all done 15k miles ago, the car makes that whining noise you mentioned when accelerating, could the chain be failing again or is it the turbo
Bought a 2013 F34 with n20b20 after owning a E39 m54b22 car for 8 years with no major engine problems. Rust killed that car. Did not find out the issues surrounding the turbo, oil draining pipe before after buying the car. In Europe, or at least Norway where I am from - there are no information or "known" issues regarding this when I checked multiple garages and BMW directly. So now I just live in slightly worried, with a buffer on the account in case this blow up. Next car will probably be electric. Wonder if that will give less worries or more. :D Drive the car very little, but see a small "puff" of white smoke occationally when we have left the car for a couple of days with no driving.
When BMW screwed up from 2011 to 2017 than they said hmmmmmm lets fuck up even more and lets move the timing chain to the back of the engine, so when timing chain goes out, than people have to spend a double the amount of money vs N20 engine, so if you have 2017 to present and your timing chain goes out, than you really screwed :))
I have a 2011 bmw 328ixi n51 engine with 200k miles and it's the best. I take care of it and do all the work on it myself. I used to own a 2007 bmw 328i n52. Only difference I'd the n51 have a 3 system manifold with disa valves.
i have a 13 328i n26. Just hit 100k this weekend, and its been nothing but good to me. As long as you do oil changes at least every 5k, and never drive with auto start/stop, you'll be fine unless youre a 1%er
I feel bad for the owners who have to foot the bill. Coming from a world of Lexus/Toyota, seeing how fragile BMWs are is unbelievable. Expected failures with plastic coolant pipes, starters, ignition coils, electric water pumps, hood cables/locks amongst many other under-engineered components that normally last over 200k miles on Toyota’s/Honda’s. There is definitely some things that I appreciate from BMW, but for the most part, it seems these cars are best to own within the first 10 years/150,000 miles.
As someone who has owned / had in the family Nissan's (GTR's); Toyotas (SC's, Supras); Hyundai's and BMW's, I wouldn't exactly say this is true - without proper context. A friend summed up Toyota's perfectly - over-engineered and under-powered (from factory). Toyota's are great daily cars, but the down side for most of them is they're also relatively life-less (in terms of handling; engine performance etc.). BMW's tend to be a little bit more on the spirited side. BMW's can be very reliable, but also unreliable - depending on the model you get. From personal experience, our N20 powered cars have been *very* reliable, as we service them often (oil changes etc.). On the other hand my 335i with N54 has been more or less the opposite - everything bolted to the outside of the engine (ie. the NON-bmw parts) tend to fail. This isn't entirely BMW's fault - the N54 engine is an exceptional engine that brought many technologies early to market in mass-production (eg. gasoline direct injection), circa 2005/2006. Most car manufactures didn't do this for several years after. The downside of this, is that like most early tech adopters, there will be issues/premature failures/lessons learned. It's the price we pay to have the latest and greatest. Coupled with the fact that the 335i (w/ N54) is considered amongst the car modding community to be Europe's modern answer to the Supra, everyone wants to mod the heck out of them and squeeze more power from them. The result of this is that an engine that's several years old is now being pushed well beyond it's design constraints, and things start failing (fuel injectors; high pressure fuel pumps; turbo wastegates etc). Is this entirely BMW's fault? I'd say they're not entirely to blame for this. 100,000 miles from an electric water pump isn't exactly bad, especially given most are seeing increased temperatures from modified engines. Leaky injectors? I'd say BMW/Siemens are partly to blame for that one (12 revisions!). Having said that, mine have done 120,000 miles (1st revision), and don't leak.... maybe it's a fuel quality issue for certain regions. I've had 2 plastic coolant pipes fail on a BMW - the notorious "drinking straw" pipe that runs above the radiator; and one plastic elbow failed that connects directly to the cylinder head. Again, this actually doesn't surprise me - it's a modified car, that's 15 years old, being driven around in hot Australian summers (eg. 110 F). Plastics/rubbers will get brittle, regardless of manufacture - our Nissan's and Toyota's were no difference in that regard. Now - as for ease of maintenance - that's a whole other story... Toyota wins that hands down :)
I always thought of Toyota / Lexus as boring , limp handling , underpowered , bland looking cars for people don’t care about performance. Kind of like food that lacks flavor, but you won’t get sick
One of the reasons for brake down in my opinion is that it appears on earliest models with vaccum actuator. Combination of hig oil temperature when cruising ( for lower emissions ) and start stop system in the city help to kill the plastic guides. Also i noticed BMW released new part for the timing chain, but the guides are the same from the beginning. Probably the problem start from a worn timing chain which somehow destroy the guides. Also some models has very high oil change intervals 25.000-30.000km this is also an issue...
The B58 is badass! It is built more solid. I have a X3 M4.0i with that engine and it has balls! My suggestion is keep up with any oil leaks. This engine hase modular components, lots of plastic in a tight package. So any oil leaks will get in to all that and compromise things.
5 years of use and 81.000 km in my BMW N20 motor... All the oil changes and maintenance job done at BMW autorized dealer and at the specified time by the IDrive... Zero problems until now... ZERO... Just don't know how people come to have so many issues as mentioned in the vídeo...🙄
Lack of maintenance. It’s the most used engine in the BMWs and that has a wide variety on types of customers for em from ones that do great maintenance DIY to ones that don’t care about maintenance or don’t even know how to or care to know how to and beat the crap out of them.
Not helpful, just saying N20 can fail. Yes, it can. But it can happen to any engine (let's talk about N55?). Just never buy a car with a BMW engine without a clear oil change history (preferably at a BMW dealer).
My M54 has 185000 miles on it. I change the oil once a year weather it needs it or not.. why do you folks insist that oil changes are the cure all for a plastic degradation issue that is heat cycle related?
Brother my n20 428i just hit 100k. Absolutely no issues so far beyond a fuel pump malfunction , got it replaced under warranty, and I change my oil every 4000 miles.
I purchased my 2013 328i with 18k miles. I've done all the services required and change the oil every 5,000 miles. I've always taken really good care this car and I've never abuse it at all. This month I reach 80k miles on it and guess what.. It started smoking due a crack in the plastic valve cover and faulty oil delivery line for the turbo which cause a crack on it and slugge buit up all over the valves 🙄. Now all is will cost me $4,000 in repairs at an indy shop 😑. As soon as this is fixed it's going away. No more BMWs for me.
I would’ve done an engine flush every other oil change. These motors always have issues with sludge forming because they get very warm when cruising. Let the car idle for a minute or two that’s good for the turbo.
I have a 2013 BMW 328i that I bought in 2016. It now has 81,000 km and the rod bearings packed it in. Warranty ran out in 2017 and the extended warranty ran out 4 months ago. BMW told me that they will not help as the warranty has expired. The cost her in Canada for BMW to install is $ 24,000 CND. Thats about $ 10,000.000 US dollars. LOL. I liked this car but hate it now cause BMW knows it's an issue and will not do a darn thing to help me. It went from The Ultimate Driving Experience to The Ultimate Pain IN The Ass faster than it does 0-60!!! I'm stuck with now. I can say I will never buy another BMW again because I don't trust the company . So if you plan to buy one these pay close attention this video and what this gentlemen just said. Good luck.
@@AfroCycle I beat the crap out of mine.. properly maintained tho and that goes a long way. I have a tune and full host of bolt on’s.. now I’m at 112,000 no issues.
Mike MDs - Not my first Bmw with timing issue. E92 had a similar issue. BMW said they would have covered it if I had full Bmw service history. Clearly personally changing castrol edge every 10k isn’t good enough! Not to worried. Tesla next time, no timing chains there! Thanks for the video!
I just picked up a 2015 XI 28I, that was previously a commuter car--with a good vehicle service report with the prior owner doing schedule maintenance, it does have 158k miles,, should I go ahead and replace the timing chain and other belts out of an abundance of caution? It looks like on the reports belts were replaced, no mention of timing chains.
Doesn’t help bmw with their long service interval and the dealer using crappy natural gas refined “BMW Twin Power” motor oil and let’s not forget later on MSA being equipped
Can anyone tell me if I have to worry about this in a 2018 x5 xDrive 40e? 2.0L 4-Cylinder Turbo Hybrid Gas/Electric Engine. I was hoping to buy a Certified Pre-Owned. Advice?
Would love to know what you think about the B46 2.0 Just picked up a CPO 2018 430i couple with only 14K miles... anything to look out for on these.... I hope they fixed the issues you noted
@@MikeMDs Thanks! Appreciate you taking the time to reply. Looking forward to learning more about B46... really not much out there on the internet other than oil changes.
It seems like if you have x drive or N26 SULEV a lot of those bad parts could be metal instead such as little pieces like even the drain bolt. Maybe the N20 RWD experience most of those issues?
Yes it depends what BMW will allow them to get away with. We haven't had such lick over here. Im personal friends with the local dealerships Foreman, and Warranty administrator. Their hands are tied right now.
@@MikeMDs sucks to hear that man. I'm actively keeping my OCIs frequent (5k) and hopefully that'll keep my n26 ticking. 95k miles later with heavily scrutinized maintenance and she runs like new lol.
I can vouch for this, 2012 X3, timing chain broke at 71K, BMW replaced the engine, but now I'm getting smoke from the under the hood with "increased battery discharge" warning light. Who knows if it's just the battery or something else?!
The smoke may be from a leaking valve cover or vacuum pump squirting oil onto the exhaust manifold ( very common ). The increased battery discharge is likely just an aged battery. But keep in mine when the battery is replaced it will need to get registered to the vehicle. That tells the vehicle's alternator not to over charge the new battery.
This video saved me from buying a second hand BMW 320i ... There are extended warranties available on the car but who wants to purchase a car waiting for it to break... any advice on the B48?
I like this motor because they are easy to work on, I bought a few at auction with timing issues and since I do the work myself it pretty cheap to fix. Also they perform way better and save more gas then the n52 in my opinion, so just do your oil changes every 3k miles and they should last longer the ones I buy at the auction with timing failure I can tell the owners didn't change their oil
Had my 2012 328i serviced at the dealership FREQUENTLY with all factory parts and fully synthetic oil. Timing chain broke and ruined the motor at 100k miles. Bought a new motor...it was a nightmare. But otherwise I still love it.
I have a 2013 328i with 110,000 every part on the engine is original except the oil and oil filter so far no issues runs perfect.
So happy to hear that! Keep doing what you're doing.
Just like mine!! Zero issues until now... 81.000 km... 5 years of intense use...
I have a 2014 428i with 105K miles. I launch at almost every red light and do oil changes once every 18K miles. Only issue I've had was my thermostat, it went out at 89K miles. Good luck I guess, let me knock on wood.
@@dylanaguirre8242 Christ all mighty! that poor machine. change the effing oil more often
javy0820 will do!
I had a 428i with the N20. I bought it at 87k miles and never had an issue. I changed the oil every 5k. I'd say whoever had it before me took good care of it. I got hit by some teenage girl that was texting and the insurance totalled it. I was heartbroken. I went out and bought me an M4 lol
115,000 miles on my n20 with original timing guides, dontr trust the oil change intervals bmw says to do. I change my oil every 3,000 miles
Same here and that's one of the best ways to prevent this issue
Nice to hear someone besides me that changes oil every 3000 miles. I have n52 e90 I do everything I can and still money n time
thats good to hear, recently been freaking out about this issue again. i change my every 6-8 months, which is about 3k miles for me. i'm at 54k miles atm.
@@BrandonLeTran that is around $4,500 - $5,000 . It's a huge job .
@BMW F25 X3 R Spec
400hp on the n20/n26?! how many miles you got on it?
I experienced the exact same thing, stranded. Car is being checked out by the mechanic. N20 is a total fail. Once fixed, I’m planning on selling the car and exposing BMW every opportunity I get!
They already tried to fix the problem in 2015 and passed that your engine would be fine what year was your car?
My N20 is pretty reliable then again its a 2015 so most of the issues were with earlier models with these plastic parts. Highly recommend 5k oil changes NOT 10,000 miles oil changes way to long for this motor which may contribute to these issues.
Your input is pure Gold. I wish everyone realized the importance of doing oil changes every 5000 mi.
Same with my VW. They want 10k/1 year oil changes for the first 2 free services, so I secretly change the oil myself with VW filters and VW 508 oil at 5000 miles lol. Then they can do the next change, then I do 15k, then they do 20k. Oil is changed often and Input some service history with them
@@MikeMDs can you confirm this issue was addressed after 2015 or have you seen it happen on newer n20’s as well. Thank you for the video and keep up the good work!
2016 BMW series 3 always did oil change at the BMW dealer. Went for an oil change at 76,600 mile at the dealer. They said the oil casket was leaking and needed to be replaced. I didn't see any oil leakage but agreed to do it for $1,230. Came home in a loaner vehicle and got a phone call from BMW that my timing chain is "loose." Loose at 76,000 miles. Both timing chain and oil casket leakage will cost around $7,000. I told them this is too expensive for me and just do the oil casket repair for $1,230. After the oil casket repair I sold this 2016 BMW series 3 for $15,600 at a local dealer (used cars are gold now!). Went out and bought a brand new Honda Accord EX-L. I will never buy a BMW again.
Who takes BMW to dealership? Most likely, they lied about timing chain. 2015+ N20s have updated timing chain which doesn’t have these problems. Don’t buy BMW if you cant DIY.
7k for new timing chain and sump gasket lol they are scamming people, i had a Honda Accord and had problems with it, the harmonic balancer craped out at only 40,000k aircon at around 90,000, alternator at 130,000k and motor at 230,000, door locks also craped out, back window motor, yeah Hondas are not what they used to be.
Lol bro everything you said sounded like the stealership tryna scam the absolute mess out of you.
If you didn't see any leaks you shouldn't have agreed to gasket change. Makes you wonder if they even changed the gasket at all or simply detailed the engine. How did they confirm timing chain was loose? Were any sensors going off? The dealer job is to rip you off. You need to ask the right questions and learn things the along the way yourself if you want to drive BMWs.
Quitter 😂
regular oil changes are a must with the N20. I have a 2013 328i xDrive and change oil every 5000km to 6000km. I wonder what the oil change interval was for that car, the engine bay looked dirty as hell.
The engine oil was super blacl aswell
Completely agree. It's a very reliable engine, especially once the timing chain fixes are carried out. Our 2013 328i with N20 receives oil changes between 5000 - 10000 km, and our car doesn't make excessive noise even at 155,000km (96,000 miles). I'm currently in the process of changing the timing chain & guides and oil pump drive sprockets/chain/tensioners.
I understand with 2 car engines ruined while you were testing them would make you dislike the engine for sure, however did you miss the sound that a stretched timing chain makes? It is supposed to be easy to hear.
These engines' injectors are so loud you could get mistaken easily.
Initial start you hear the chain slap around and the sound is different from the injectors. He should jave checked seeing the car was high milage and seemed unkept.
It seems like most of the issues with the N20/N26 timing chains are with cars used in the USA. This would lead you to believe that fuel issues are a contributing cause. I wonder how many of these cars used 'cheap' gas--ie 87 octane versus the minimum recommended?
The fuel type comes down to a molecular level. This motor just had cheap timing guides and a terrible quality chain.
@@alisakran7063 nah it’s just the guides. They aren’t really that good.
The key point with N20 is, SERVICE! Every 6000-8000 miles do the oil and filter change.Stick with Bmw LL01 spec 5W40 Full syntetic oil, Mann or Hengst oil filters(They are OEM) and you are good to go.
How much is this service
@@tywilliams3138 Do it yourself your looking at 40 bucks
@@tywilliams3138 literally like 50 ish 55 bucks
Every 3k miles dipshit
I have 125k on my 2015 528i with the updated N20. Build date 07/2014. The only “problem” I have ever had with this car is the wastegate actuator making a slight rattle sound, which doesn’t affect the performance or fuel economy, just an annoying noise lol
But if you have an N20 with a build date from February 2013 or sooner, you’re fucked! 😂
hows it running now man? i looked at a 2016 5 series with that engine to buy but i am kind of hesitant.
@@hellswindstaff91 get it. I own a 2015 428i and the engine has been remarkable. The best sports gas saver engine on the planet 100%. I can run with mustangs and I can then get 34 mpg with eco mode or even normal mode after running it hard. Please use synthetic oil that meets the BMW LongLife-01 Spec. Castrol, Liqui Moly are among the best for them!!!!!!! I run AMSOIL which is prolly the best oil on the planet with their European Formula series of oil with full SAPs which is what the Longlife-01 spec sets the baseline standard for in an oil.
Hi, is that the build date of the vehicle on the VIN plate or the build date on the engine?
@@DuckMcDuckinsonhey man I see ur comments a lot and you seem to know a good bit about the n20s. I’m looking to get a 428i here soon could I maybe dm you about some stuff? If not could I ask some questions here?
@@AlvinBiju you can make a few paragraphs worth of questions for me right here regarding the N20
N20 is awesome engine. I have 2 one on 120.000 miles, one on 70.000 miles. no issues so far. 120k miles will got timing chain replaced. Normal wear. No oil leak on both cars. Super reliable compared to competitors. The worst BMW engine is definitely N47D20A and N54 :)
Thanks for sharing
N54 is the solenoids and injectors. The engine itself has forged internals, same engine as the M series. Once the electronic side is addressed, it is bullet proof highly tuneable engine.
@@osanshouo1684 yeah it’s just plastic on plastic on plastic with all these BMW motors. That reason is why they’re more prone to electronics failing.
What about the n13 engine, does it have similar issues?
I have the 2013 n26 same engine almost, 92,000 miles stage 2 tune, downpipe and everything else is stock, no issues yet
Do you still have original timing chain guids?
How's it holding up now?
There was a revised timing chain and guides on the 2016+ N20/N26 engines. N26 SULEV engines also are covered under the emissions warranty for up to 150K miles or 15 years.
that's sweet i have a 2016 328i so I shouldn't have that issue
When I learned this, I was amazed, wonder if anyone has any expirience with this.
2014
How do we convince bmw of this
is a 2016 n20 with 60k miles reliable?
Maybe worst bmw owner 😂 I have 94k miles and I race mine almost every day no issues
But I do have performance parts
Ha ha nice. We see a lot of volume for these cars. I guess 1 out of 20 will encounter this problem if they keep their car long enough. It's still a lot though.
@@MikeMDs I know eventually I’ll have to get it done but I hope it’s not Soo soon
This guy is 100% correct but at 5:21 you can clearly see the oil color and minor sludge. Owners don't properly maintain their bmws based of my expereincne
Thanks for your comment. You are correct as well. I can't tell you how many times we see new customers overdue by thousands of miles on their oil services. It's just so painful to see!
2012 N20 with 100K miles running 300HP. Oil changes every 5k. Take care of your engine and it will take care of you.
We had our timing chain guide break apart recently, had to have it towed home but did the repair ourselves in our apartment parking lot for $750 (parts and tools). Shop quoted minimum $6,200 w/ 35 mile tow bill to them.
You did the whole job with all the guides, gaskets and oil pump for $750 in your apartment Parking lot ?
@@bilalahmed2123 Sure did, we shopped around for parts so we didn’t get stuck over paying on them which helped keep that cost down.
@@m-s.t.l9386 Cool, I had my share of N20 engines. Good experience with most of them but now I would just get one with the updated B48 motor.
Great job. I'm sure you learned a lot. I applaud you.
Thanks for posting. I've got a 2012 328i n20 with 73km no issues yet.
That's what I like to hear!
Hi from Colombia 🇨🇴
I have a 520i 2012 n20 engine , my engine has 78000 kilometers about 48.000 miles . Is there any advertising before the timing chain get broken.?
It will start making a whining noise when revving the engine. It wounds like a super charger whine.
The inline 6 is actually less reliable more power tho talking 335i category
Yes, the N54 is a high maintenance B.
Thank you so much for this information. I am noticing noise from the engine bay. Also I hear a wind type of noise when the AC on ans it doesn't sound the same. I am very concerned. I have a comprehensive warranty I hope they cover this jesus. I knew I should brought the inline 6.
I have the same exact noise it scares me all the time lol, it whines like a broken timing chain plastic guide... I think it's no big deal, but let me know !
Well so far the engine is okay from what I was told. I do change my oil alot honestly more than what recommended. I dont wait until 12k miles to change it. I literally change my oil every 3 to 4 months depends on my driving habits. I think that what saving mines. I have a 2014 328i xdrive. Fingers cross this engine can last me one more year by 2022 I will upgrade to something more stronger.
Great video going to put my f30 for sale now😭
I just bought one last week for a good deal and good condition and to find out this issue is pretty upsetting too.
shibidi lmao buying used luxury cars is never a good deal.
@@af330 So buying new ones for 4 times the price is :)
2012 f10 with N20 engine, value cover replaced.. 200k kilometres.
Not great engine but not to bad
i have an N20 and my mileage is 180,000+. dont have a lot of issues tho only the oil pan hehe. hopefully nothing bad happens ✌🏻
Km or Mi?
Km or Mi?
You didn't mention that the timing chain was revised for cars built after 1/2015.
Thank you for that. I will add that in.
@@MikeMDs for sure. I don't think I've read about any failure with the updated parts, but time will tell. I specifically purchased our X3 SDrive28i as a 2017 model to hopefully avoid timing chain issues on earlier N20's.
Actually it was 11/2014
i have the n20 engine too in a 2012 f30 Rwd .about 130,000km now. I change the oil about every 5 -7 K km . hope I don't get this issue. it would be great if bmw had a recall to change the chain's and guide's with the new types.
no recall just extended warranty to 7yrs/70k miles, aka, when it does go out youre paying out of pocket
Obviously BMW wants these to fail and couldnt care less about their customers lol. Its a shame that BMW adopted the "pre mature fail" strategy, theyre not even trying to hide the fact that they earn more money on repairs and spare parts than actually selling the car. If only laws for car makers where stricter... BMW CAN make much more reliable engines, but why would they when there are so few customer protection laws.
@@TheGamingNorwegian it’s bmw itself but the engineers are cool.
So, before that engine chain/oil pump failed and at the time of the drive test, did not have the whining noise in the engine?
This one did not make the noise, but most do before failing.
@@MikeMDs That is scary for me. Mine still under 70K miles. If it does not fail at 70K, I am going to replace the chain and oil pump chain as preventive maintenance.
the more i hear about the n20 the more i see this pattern:
either you have a good engine, which runs without problems
or
you constantly have issues, chains, gaskets, oil pump and so on
i hope i got option A
Driving habit wont kill the N20 engine, unless you go high rpm on an cold one. Low grade 5w30 as well as these ridicolous high oil change intervals kill it. Use 0w 40 or 5w40 in the winter and 5w 50 in the summer and keep the oil level always above mid. (Vanos usally dies on low oil levels) My n20s are running now 120.000Miles and 95.000miles and i had not a single issue. (One is from 2014 and one 2015
Thanks for sharing. Glad your getting the performance and longevity you're expecting.
I had a 2013 328i sedan with the n20 engine. Got rid of it a month ago despite having the timing chain guides replaced under that extended warranty. 59k miles and I was getting an intermittent low oil pressure light. Loved the car but that occasional warning light scared me too much.
They didn’t install the oil pump chain or guide right.
I currently own a beautiful 2012 328i boat anchor.
Everything you described..from replacing the oil line to replacing the turbo to replacing the timing chain guide, has been done to my car. Then, after all that, just like you, the motor took a big dump while the mechanic took it for post-repair a test drive.(It was also running fine when I took it in).
Oh! I forgot the time there was a tiny oil leak that(unknown to me..as there was never oil under the car), saturated the serpentine belt..causing it to deteriorate and break then wrap around the crank... ripping out the front oil seal .(Sounds crazy I know, but It gets better). Then remains of shredded belt were sucked/drawn into the oil pan..clogging the oil pickup tube. I even had that repaired.
Now, I’m finally ready to cut my losses and move on. I hate that engine with a purple passion. Unless I’m forced at gunpoint, I will NEVER own another one...and even then, I’d have to think about it.
damn dude my heart is crushed now :( no fast beamer for me :(
How did it happen if it's not the chain guide? Thank you.
@@nattawatausc6973 I already had the chain and guide replaced. So, I don’t know why it happened. My only theory is that after the whole shredded belt incident(see story in my original post), when they went in and attempted to clear the oil pickup tube and oil pan of shredded belt remnants, they must not have gotten it all. Which possibly re-clogged the pickup tube and/or oil filter.
Maybe one day, if I tear into the engine I’ll find out definitively.
@@smittysmat7826 Much much appreciate your reply, sir. What a horrible story. Tbh I was thinking about getting one, with n20 made after 2/2015.
Fine, love the car tho.
@@nattawatausc6973 This was only my experience. Others in this video’s comments have had no issues with the same engine. I loved the car. That’s why I kept putting $ into it. It’s unfortunate because it still looks almost new. If I can obtain a low-miles replacement motor at a decent price, I will get it. But until then I just had to break away from it and get something more dependable. Who knows why everything happened. Maybe mine was just a lemon. Who knows?
Would love to see a B48 engine review from you.
Its Slightly less powerful than n20’s but I’d imagine much more reliable
@@CookiesUnleashed hmm not so sure about less powerful. Most tuners are not pushing them but some reached 320whp on stock turbo, stock internals. Few people claiming 375whp.
shane hosein ive heard from people that it feels a lot less peppy than the 328 maybe its just the way they are set up from factory and not the engine itself
I have both my I’ll say the n20 more peppy at lower speed but the b48 has a smoother feeling power band
I own a 2013 bmw 320i xdrive with 91k miles, runs fantastic! No issues so far.
I like to hear that! Best too you Igor
@@MikeMDs you only had issues because whoever has owned it was speeding. I have owned a 2013 528i x drive had the timing chain replaced under warranty because I noticed it was a complaint.
The best measure to prevent that is DONT buy a BMW
I have a 2013 bmw 328i with with 70k miles now running great but I went to my bmw dealer many times to get the tire recall treatment but they say no ??? It has been 7 years they said ?
That oil look like it has never been changed. Depending on how i drive, I change oil every 5-7000km with 5w40... Have 2012 328i, did timing chain at 140km and still going without issue.
100% agree. We work on all euros. I've seen two motors locked up. It's good practice at every oil change stick a pick in the oil fill hole and slightly wiggle the chain. Any kind of movement get the 75k warranty done for free. I've sold two chain jobs and sent two to the dealer for the warranty. One customer just came from the dealer and they were shocked I found it and they didn't. Dealer just tried to sell them a valve cover. All four of those cars had no running problems or noises. I used FCP EURO for timing kit. Check ya chains boys and girls!!!!
Right on! I've worked at the BMW dealer for 12 years. They can only fix what the customer complained about. The dealer gets dinged and audited for any add-on repair lines. We are told to look the other way unless its safety related. It's a sad reality.
@@MikeMDs damn that sucks. Glad I don't work for a dealership then
Yes. One of the reasons I opened my own shop. We really need to look out for the best interest of the customer. Thanks for watching Michael.
For all the N20s you hear about going bad I wonder what percentage of cars with that engine are still running absolutely fine.
Most will make it to 200k.
I’ve got 90k on mine. No problems so far. Been awesome. Going to change the timing chain and guide, dealership to pay 60% and the remainder 40% since the class action settlement.
Problem is people buy them on lease purchase. kick there heads on cheap fuel without maintenance then take them back after 3 year's. So the new owner gets a low mileage 1 owner car that's trash
@@justso1823 fair point.
76k on mine and 0 dramas so far 😁
I buy only N20 bmw's from auction because i know how to fix them, and guess what, i buy them under 100K miles with blown timing chains. in my opinion, this engines will never make it to 200K with original timing chain.
Damn wish i saw this a week ago. Daughter just bought a 2013 328
they're not bad, just keep up proper maintenance. idk wtf this guy is on about
actually make sure the timing chain recall has been done
Mines bmw f30 stage 1 remap 66k no issues all Europiean version N20 engine are better timing chain gides tensor been updated from 2013 and no issues
Get a well kept M54 like the one on my 2002 325i E46. Those straight sixes will run to the moon if you change the oil every 5k miles or 12 months if you drive less than 5k miles in a year. And change the cooling system every 5-10 years. It'll run forever.
Sad part about the N20 is it shares similar issues to the old BMW M62/M62tu V8 engine for the timing guides failing from being made from plastic. Only way to keep those engines from failing is changing the oil sooner like 5k miles or every 12 months if you drive less than 5k miles. Wish bmw kept an updated version of the M54 or the N52 straight six. Those motors are better made than the N20. Great video.
Yeah they will go to the moon so long as you don’t overheat it.
Check out how old that oil is , it’s black . Anyone who knows cars would not be running with oil that dirty regardless of make or model. The cheapest extended warranty ?frequent oil changes
Like the presentation. Great guy.
How can i know by vin number that my engine had that manufacture update already ? By vin no my car production is 5.2015
theres some website you can look the vin up on or call a dealer and see if your vin/ man date is under the extended warranty. If it isnt under the warranty you should be good
What about the b48 engine...? Are most of the issues from the n20 engine solved on the b48?
I'm trying to find the same answer , good question !
No issues with mines or any one i know its just your luck
Thankfully, BMW is having luck with their B series engines.
Its a shame that you have to treat the n20 chain like its a timing belt, and replace it at belt like service intervals
hello my friend i have a 2013 320i x drive m sport, 85k mileage and timing chain and gaskets and pumps were all done 15k miles ago, the car makes that whining noise you mentioned when accelerating, could the chain be failing again or is it the turbo
What did you tell the customer and how did they reacted
Bought a 2013 F34 with n20b20 after owning a E39 m54b22 car for 8 years with no major engine problems. Rust killed that car. Did not find out the issues surrounding the turbo, oil draining pipe before after buying the car. In Europe, or at least Norway where I am from - there are no information or "known" issues regarding this when I checked multiple garages and BMW directly. So now I just live in slightly worried, with a buffer on the account in case this blow up. Next car will probably be electric. Wonder if that will give less worries or more. :D Drive the car very little, but see a small "puff" of white smoke occationally when we have left the car for a couple of days with no driving.
No n20 is far from worst n52 was the worst engine I’ve ever had
What are the BMW engineering thinking. The engine has more plastic than metal go back to M52 tu M54 Engines.
When BMW screwed up from 2011 to 2017 than they said hmmmmmm lets fuck up even more and lets move the timing chain to the back of the engine, so when timing chain goes out, than people have to spend a double the amount of money vs N20 engine, so if you have 2017 to present and your timing chain goes out, than you really screwed :))
I have a 2011 bmw 328ixi n51 engine with 200k miles and it's the best. I take care of it and do all the work on it myself. I used to own a 2007 bmw 328i n52. Only difference I'd the n51 have a 3 system manifold with disa valves.
Right on!
The latest BMW 4-cylinder engine is based on the B58.
The major cause of the problems is the Catalytic convertors..remove it for sheer driving pleasure :)
LOL
@@MikeMDs A big thank you for taking the time to help ..the information i priceless..God bless
i have a 13 328i n26. Just hit 100k this weekend, and its been nothing but good to me. As long as you do oil changes at least every 5k, and never drive with auto start/stop, you'll be fine unless youre a 1%er
On point!
I feel bad for the owners who have to foot the bill. Coming from a world of Lexus/Toyota, seeing how fragile BMWs are is unbelievable. Expected failures with plastic coolant pipes, starters, ignition coils, electric water pumps, hood cables/locks amongst many other under-engineered components that normally last over 200k miles on Toyota’s/Honda’s. There is definitely some things that I appreciate from BMW, but for the most part, it seems these cars are best to own within the first 10 years/150,000 miles.
As someone who has owned / had in the family Nissan's (GTR's); Toyotas (SC's, Supras); Hyundai's and BMW's, I wouldn't exactly say this is true - without proper context. A friend summed up Toyota's perfectly - over-engineered and under-powered (from factory). Toyota's are great daily cars, but the down side for most of them is they're also relatively life-less (in terms of handling; engine performance etc.). BMW's tend to be a little bit more on the spirited side.
BMW's can be very reliable, but also unreliable - depending on the model you get. From personal experience, our N20 powered cars have been *very* reliable, as we service them often (oil changes etc.). On the other hand my 335i with N54 has been more or less the opposite - everything bolted to the outside of the engine (ie. the NON-bmw parts) tend to fail. This isn't entirely BMW's fault - the N54 engine is an exceptional engine that brought many technologies early to market in mass-production (eg. gasoline direct injection), circa 2005/2006. Most car manufactures didn't do this for several years after. The downside of this, is that like most early tech adopters, there will be issues/premature failures/lessons learned. It's the price we pay to have the latest and greatest.
Coupled with the fact that the 335i (w/ N54) is considered amongst the car modding community to be Europe's modern answer to the Supra, everyone wants to mod the heck out of them and squeeze more power from them. The result of this is that an engine that's several years old is now being pushed well beyond it's design constraints, and things start failing (fuel injectors; high pressure fuel pumps; turbo wastegates etc). Is this entirely BMW's fault? I'd say they're not entirely to blame for this.
100,000 miles from an electric water pump isn't exactly bad, especially given most are seeing increased temperatures from modified engines.
Leaky injectors? I'd say BMW/Siemens are partly to blame for that one (12 revisions!). Having said that, mine have done 120,000 miles (1st revision), and don't leak.... maybe it's a fuel quality issue for certain regions.
I've had 2 plastic coolant pipes fail on a BMW - the notorious "drinking straw" pipe that runs above the radiator; and one plastic elbow failed that connects directly to the cylinder head. Again, this actually doesn't surprise me - it's a modified car, that's 15 years old, being driven around in hot Australian summers (eg. 110 F). Plastics/rubbers will get brittle, regardless of manufacture - our Nissan's and Toyota's were no difference in that regard.
Now - as for ease of maintenance - that's a whole other story... Toyota wins that hands down :)
I always thought of Toyota / Lexus as boring , limp handling , underpowered , bland looking cars for people don’t care about performance. Kind of like food that lacks flavor, but you won’t get sick
Crappy engine pre 2015 . I have 2 N20 one Z4 and X1. Rubbish.
Mine had 200,000km on it and runs like the day I bought it..
I change my oil every 10,000km, and run 0w-30
Thank you Brother! You have saved me a ton of aggravation on a 328GT I was looking at.
Glad I could help
If the Motoroil is black in a bmw gasoline engine, do not buy it. So easy..
Hey, can you do a N20 timing chain DIY video? Would be really nice. Thanks
Arbor Harbor fcp euro just released a 2 part DIY
not really a DIY project. its a ~15 hour job for a mechanic with all the tools, experience, and lift.
@@javy0820 FCP Euro made the vid... it is detailed... and worth it to save 5500 bucks
@@javy0820 Yeah sorry but almost anything is diyable these days. Definitely not going to pay stealership prices.
@@arborharbor7408 oof best of luck then. you do not have to go to a dealership can go to a BMW specialist mechanic.
One of the reasons for brake down in my opinion is that it appears on earliest models with vaccum actuator. Combination of hig oil temperature when cruising ( for lower emissions ) and start stop system in the city help to kill the plastic guides. Also i noticed BMW released new part for the timing chain, but the guides are the same from the beginning. Probably the problem start from a worn timing chain which somehow destroy the guides. Also some models has very high oil change intervals 25.000-30.000km this is also an issue...
Good information Asen, Thanks for sharing.
I do change oil at 5k km, very very max at 7k 😂 what the heck... 30k? 😮
@@br0mley597 Factory interval in europe is 23.000km
@@rnd2k Dunno, in my country its not that expensive, i use 0w40 bmw longlife and its not that expensive… Saves engine greater
How do you feel about the b58? Thinking about getting a 2016 340i
The B58 is badass! It is built more solid. I have a X3 M4.0i with that engine and it has balls! My suggestion is keep up with any oil leaks. This engine hase modular components, lots of plastic in a tight package. So any oil leaks will get in to all that and compromise things.
5 years of use and 81.000 km in my BMW N20 motor... All the oil changes and maintenance job done at BMW autorized dealer and at the specified time by the IDrive... Zero problems until now... ZERO... Just don't know how people come to have so many issues as mentioned in the vídeo...🙄
Lack of maintenance. It’s the most used engine in the BMWs and that has a wide variety on types of customers for em from ones that do great maintenance DIY to ones that don’t care about maintenance or don’t even know how to or care to know how to and beat the crap out of them.
all today's cars have plastic oil pan, valve cover etc
Almost no one uses plastic oil pan. Or valve cover...
@@sentoneYYC not true - check ie vags
@@sentoneYYC Valve covers are not plastic. They are magnesium and sometimes appear as plastic.
you would serve yourself better if you discussed the bad years and upgraded years Also, liqi moly has failed in oil test from common oil brands
Not helpful, just saying N20 can fail. Yes, it can. But it can happen to any engine (let's talk about N55?). Just never buy a car with a BMW engine without a clear oil change history (preferably at a BMW dealer).
My M54 has 185000 miles on it. I change the oil once a year weather it needs it or not.. why do you folks insist that oil changes are the cure all for a plastic degradation issue that is heat cycle related?
Brother my n20 428i just hit 100k. Absolutely no issues so far beyond a fuel pump malfunction , got it replaced under warranty, and I change my oil every 4000 miles.
I love hearing this! Thanks for watching.
I purchased my 2013 328i with 18k miles. I've done all the services required and change the oil every 5,000 miles. I've always taken really good care this car and I've never abuse it at all. This month I reach 80k miles on it and guess what.. It started smoking due a crack in the plastic valve cover and faulty oil delivery line for the turbo which cause a crack on it and slugge buit up all over the valves 🙄. Now all is will cost me $4,000 in repairs at an indy shop 😑. As soon as this is fixed it's going away. No more BMWs for me.
I would’ve done an engine flush every other oil change. These motors always have issues with sludge forming because they get very warm when cruising. Let the car idle for a minute or two that’s good for the turbo.
I have a 2013 BMW 328i that I bought in 2016. It now has 81,000 km and the rod bearings packed it in. Warranty ran out in 2017 and the extended warranty ran out 4 months ago. BMW told me that they will not help as the warranty has expired. The cost her in Canada for BMW to install is $ 24,000 CND. Thats about $ 10,000.000 US dollars. LOL. I liked this car but hate it now cause BMW knows it's an issue and will not do a darn thing to help me. It went from The Ultimate Driving Experience to The Ultimate Pain IN The Ass faster than it does 0-60!!! I'm stuck with now. I can say I will never buy another BMW again because I don't trust the company . So if you plan to buy one these pay close attention this video and what this gentlemen just said. Good luck.
That sucks. I believe bmw will eventually have to take responsibility for it due to safety. This issue can easily put someone in an unsafe situation.
109,000 with a tune, catless down pipe and bolt on’s . Zero issues..
You got to really baby those cars
@@AfroCycle I beat the crap out of mine.. properly maintained tho and that goes a long way. I have a tune and full host of bolt on’s.. now I’m at 112,000 no issues.
@@victormaholik594 that's good to hear man I hope mine is the same way I just hate how BMW uses plastic parts for the most vital parts of the engine
@@AfroCycle who’s not using plastic parts lol?! Maintenance is key!
I just bouth a 2018 bmw 320i xdrive with 28xxx miles still in warantie, do you think i should be worry?
No you're good. Enjoy it !
81k 428i. £2700 repair bill BMW refused to cover it.
yikes! Sorry to hear that.
Mike MDs - Not my first Bmw with timing issue. E92 had a similar issue. BMW said they would have covered it if I had full Bmw service history. Clearly personally changing castrol edge every 10k isn’t good enough! Not to worried. Tesla next time, no timing chains there! Thanks for the video!
200,000 KM on my 528i N20 still runs like a bullet with no timing chain replacements.
Thats what I like to hear!
I just picked up a 2015 XI 28I, that was previously a commuter car--with a good vehicle service report with the prior owner doing schedule maintenance, it does have 158k miles,, should I go ahead and replace the timing chain and other belts out of an abundance of caution? It looks like on the reports belts were replaced, no mention of timing chains.
Being a 2015 you should be fine. The failure rate is less. Just do oil services in half intervals or every 5-6000 miles.
Doesn’t help bmw with their long service interval and the dealer using crappy natural gas refined “BMW Twin Power” motor oil and let’s not forget later on MSA being equipped
You said it man!
Ours is a lightly driven 2014 328xi with the turbo4 and was purchased in early 2016. Has almost 67k miles and no issues.
Sell it before the motor plan expires
Can anyone tell me if I have to worry about this in a 2018 x5 xDrive 40e? 2.0L 4-Cylinder Turbo Hybrid Gas/Electric Engine. I was hoping to buy a Certified Pre-Owned. Advice?
If It is a Hybrid then the engine won't be working as hard, or as often. So you will be fine. Once the CPO expires, dump it.
Would love to know what you think about the B46 2.0 Just picked up a CPO 2018 430i couple with only 14K miles... anything to look out for on these.... I hope they fixed the issues you noted
The B46 is a well made engine. We are seeing less issues such as oil leaks and mechanical failure with higher mileage engines so far.
@@MikeMDs Thanks! Appreciate you taking the time to reply. Looking forward to learning more about B46... really not much out there on the internet other than oil changes.
@@MikeMDs I am getting ready to buy a 2017 330i wagon w/ 63k miles. Do you still think the B46 engine is reliable in the long term? Great videos BTW!
oh damn it
i wanna hear something good about the n20!
It has great power for the size and is very fuel efficient !
I’ve had no problems
2013 528xi. Pray for me lol
Joined this www.siskinds.com/class-action/bmw-engine/
It seems like if you have x drive or N26 SULEV a lot of those bad parts could be metal instead such as little pieces like even the drain bolt. Maybe the N20 RWD experience most of those issues?
I also heard some dealerships goodwill the timing chain replacement up to 100k miles since its not the customer’s fault
Yes it depends what BMW will allow them to get away with. We haven't had such lick over here. Im personal friends with the local dealerships Foreman, and Warranty administrator. Their hands are tied right now.
I had forgot to mention, that the oil pans for the X vehicles are metal. I'll fix that.
@@MikeMDs sucks to hear that man. I'm actively keeping my OCIs frequent (5k) and hopefully that'll keep my n26 ticking. 95k miles later with heavily scrutinized maintenance and she runs like new lol.
Good to know! I have an 16 xdrive N26 SULEV and getting ready to do an oil change soon. Preventive maintenance for my cars is a line I live by.
I can vouch for this, 2012 X3, timing chain broke at 71K, BMW replaced the engine, but now I'm getting smoke from the under the hood with "increased battery discharge" warning light. Who knows if it's just the battery or something else?!
The smoke may be from a leaking valve cover or vacuum pump squirting oil onto the exhaust manifold ( very common ). The increased battery discharge is likely just an aged battery. But keep in mine when the battery is replaced it will need to get registered to the vehicle. That tells the vehicle's alternator not to over charge the new battery.
Those mitsubishi turbos lmaoooooo
This video saved me from buying a second hand BMW 320i ... There are extended warranties available on the car but who wants to purchase a car waiting for it to break... any advice on the B48?
there is no guarantee that they will honor extended warranty.
they always come up with bs excuse to not pay.
Anyone has dealt with the SULEV BMW warranty when it comes to either the timing chain or oil pump?
The extended warranty for the chain is the same for both.
Does this apply to 2014 N26 Motors with SULEV as well?
We have also seen 2014 n26 with this issue. Even after the update. But not as many.
Good thing I own a B48. The most reliable modern BMW motor.
That is a great engine!
I like this motor because they are easy to work on, I bought a few at auction with timing issues and since I do the work myself it pretty cheap to fix.
Also they perform way better and save more gas then the n52 in my opinion, so just do your oil changes every 3k miles and they should last longer the ones I buy at the auction with timing failure I can tell the owners didn't change their oil
Thanks for commenting
so buying a properly maintained 2013 328 is not a total suicide? I need answers :D
arround 80 000 miles
all bmw are junk
In south africa this motor are worse
Had my 2012 328i serviced at the dealership FREQUENTLY with all factory parts and fully synthetic oil. Timing chain broke and ruined the motor at 100k miles. Bought a new motor...it was a nightmare. But otherwise I still love it.
How about N26 engine? Is it a problematic like N20?
Yes the same issues.
That car is filthy in the engine bay, doesn't look maintained to me
Ha Ha no joke