2013 BMW X3 Complaints

WHILE BMW X3 WAS UNDER WARRANTY, WE HAD DRIVETRAIN FAILURE COME ON AND REPEATEDLY TOOK TO BMW SLUGGISH BUT BARELY DRIVEABLE . THE DEALER SERVICE NEVER MADE SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. FINALLY MY WIFE HAD A SHUTDOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF I-90 AND WE INSISTED THEY TAKE A CLOSER LOOK FOR WHICH THEY CHARGED US $3000 JUST OUT OF WARRANTY TO GET IT BACK, CLAIMING THERE WAS A CAM DEFICIENCY. 6 MONTHS LATER, THE X3 HAD A CATASTROPHIC SHUTDOWN AGAIN IN MIDDLE OF I-90 HIGHWAY OUTSIDE ROCKFORD IL. GOING 65 MPH AND NEARLY CREATED AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO ROADSIDE AND TOWED TO BMW DEALER . BMW DECLARE IT UNREPAIRABLE AND OUT OF 75,0000 MILE EXTENSION FOR BREAKAGE OF TIMING BELT CHAIN . SERVICE MANAGER ADMITTED TIMING BELT ISSUE WAS EVIDENT DURING THE 75,0000 PERIOD, HOWEVER THE DEALER SERVICE INDICATED THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO WARN CONSUMERS. BMW NOAM CHARGES US $6900 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. BMWS HANDLING OF A DANGEROUS PROBLEM IS FRAUDULENT AT BEST. THEY HIDE BEHIND PERIPHERAL PROBLEMS TO ADDRESS THE BIG PROBLEM THAT CAUSES CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE SO AS MANY 2013 X3 MODELS MAY AGE PAST THE 75,0000 TIMING BELT CHAIN LIMIT AND THEY WON'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 100% OF THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THEY ARE CREATING A GREAT RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2019, WE ([XXX]) WERE TRAVELING SOUTHWEST ON FM2322 (PACE BEND ROAD), WHICH IS WELL TRAVELLED, AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR IN OUR 2013 BMW X3. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND POWER STEERING BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THIS ROAD (FM2322) LEADS TO LAKE TRAVIS AND WAS WELL TRAVELED, IT BEING ON A HOT WEEKEND DAY. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT, BMW KNEW THAT THE BMW X3'S N20 ENGINE (SEE MULTIPLE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS STARTING IN 2017) WAS PRONE TO SUFFER CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY MATERIALS USED TO MANUFACTURE THE BMW'S X3 N20 ENGINE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE WE DID NOT RECEIVE A NOTICE OR RECALL FOR THE CORRECTION OF THE N20 ENGINE DEFECTS. REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC

I WAS DRIVING MY 2013 BMW X3 ON I-280 FREEWAY SOUTHBOUND AROUND 11AM 6/10/2020, ALL OF SUDDEN MY CAR SHOWS BATTERY DISCHARGE RESULTED IN LOST OF POWER,WHEN THE SUV WAS AT 104,000 MILES. WITHIN 30 SECONDS, THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION WARNING ENGAGED. THE CAR BEGAN SHUTTING DOWN WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY NAVIGATE ACROSS TWO LANES OF MERGING TRAFFIC TO GET OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE GONE VERY DIFFERENTLY WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS, SO I QUICKLY MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER ON THE EMERGENCY PARKING LINE ON THE FREEWAY

ON 6/23/20, AT APPROX., 6:15 AM, MY 2013 BMW X3 VEHICLE (APPROX. 68,000 MILES) LOST ENGINE POWER AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT FROM A BUSY AND CONGESTED N/B 215 FREEWAY (NEAR THE W/B 10 FREEWAY EXCHANGE) IN COLTON, CALIFORNIA. PRIOR TO LOSING ENGINE POWER, AND AT ABOUT LESS THAN ONE MINUTES BEFORE, MY VEHICLE'S LOW OIL LIGHT SENSOR HAD COME ON, THEN QUICKLY CHANGED TO A DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION SENSOR -- WARNING ME TO DRIVE MODERATELY, BUT THAT WAS MEANINGLESS BECAUSE MY VEHICLE HAD ALREADY BEGAN TO LOSE ENGINE POWER. I SLID TO A SLOW STOP INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE OF THE FREEWAY AFTER CUTTING OFF NUMEROUS VEHICLES BEHIND ME IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE IT OFF THE FREEWAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HIS WIFE ARRIVED HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PACIFIC BMW (800 S. BRAND BLVD, GLENDALE, CA 91204, 8182-46-5600) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91,450.

ENGINE SEIZED AT ONLY 58K MILES RIGHT AT THE AIRPORT, WOULD NOT START AGAIN. IT WAS LATER TOWED TO THE DEALER AND A NEW ENGINE WAS REPLACED. 6 MONTHS LATER AT 61K MILES, HUGE PLUMES OF WHITE SMOKES IS COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST. DROVE TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TURBOCHARGER IS BROKEN. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE. THE MALFUNCTION TRANS LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND WAS TOLD I HAD A OIL LEAK AND THE AIR TUBE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE PROGRAMMING UPDATE. THE NEXT DAY BMW SERVICE ADVISOR, [XXX] CALLED TO TELL ME MY TIMING CHAIN NEED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WOULD COST OVER 7000$. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE GAVE ME HIS ADVICE OR TWO OPTIONS I HAD, I COULD PAY FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS AND HAVE A VEHICLE OR JUST FIX WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AND TRY TO SELL MY VEHICLE TO SOMEONE ELSE. I ASKED HIM TO HELP ME AND PUT ME INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, HE SAID OH NO WE CAN'T DO THAT. I ASKED WHY, IT'S YOUR CAR YOU SOLD IT TO ME. [XXX] TOLD ME BMW KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING FOR IT, YET HE WANTED ME TO SELL IT TO ANOTHER FAMILY AND ENDANGER THEIR LIVES. I WASN'T GOING TO HEAR FROM HIM AGAIN, VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. IT MADE ME SICK. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH CUSTOMER RELATIONS A WOMAN BY THE NAME OF [XXX] AND WAS TOLD AFTER 4 DAYS OF INVESTIGATION, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. I TOLD THEM THEY COULD HAVE THE VEHICLE, I'M NOT PAYING FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE DEFECT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. BMW IS ENDANGERING LIVES BY ALLOWING CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE VEHICLES WITH KNOWN DEFECTS. I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED MY 2013 BMW X3 28I IN MARCH 2017 IF I HAD KNOWN I WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS @ 80,000 MILES. THIS IS CRAZY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TIMING-CHAIN BREAK DUE TO TIMING GUARD WHICH IS MADE FOR A PLASTIC BREAK AND ENGINE FAILURE, ITS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH BMW N20 ENGINE, THEY UPGRADE THE EFFECTED PART IN 2015 TO FIX IT BUT CARS THAT HAVE THESE N20 MODEL EARLIER GETTING THIS FAILURE AND BMW NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP IF ITS AFTER 7 YEARS OR 70000 MILES. *TR

ON 11/12/2019, ON MY WAY TO WORK DRIVING AT 40-44 MPH ON CITY ROAD, THE ACCELERATION SUDDENLY DROPPED, A SCREEN MESSAGE READ, "INCREASED ENGINE PRESSURE," AND ADVISED ME TO, "STOP ENGINE IMMEDIATELY," WHICH I HAD NO CHANCE TO DO BECAUSE THE SUV CAME TO A COMPLETE HALT. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY OF A BUSINESS, BUT UNABLE TO PARK. THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF AND "LOCKED." A BMW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DIAGNOSED THE SUV'S TIME-CHAIN NEEDED REPLACEMENT (MILEAGE WAS 95515. BMW STATED THAT THE WARRANTY FOR THIS MODEL'S TIME-CHAIN WAS 7 YEARS/70,000 MILES. IN REPLACING THE TIME-CHAIN, THE MOTOR WAS RUINED WITH METAL SHAVINGS. COMPLAINTS LISTED AT HTTPS://DRIVING-TESTS.ORG/VIN-DECODER/ REPORT CONSUMERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THE BMW USED WITH 95899 MILES AND DROVE IT FEWER THAN 3,000 MILES BEFORE THE TIMING CHAIN AND ENGINE WERE RUINED. BMW NORTH AMERICA, LLC, DOES NOT WANT TO HELP CUSTOMERS WITH THE BAD TIMING CHAIN ISSUE. THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE USED BMW IS BENZ & BEEMER IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ, WHOM ORIGINALLY BELIEVED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD "LIFETIME WARRANTY," BUT BMW SCOTTSDALE CORRECTED THEM. BENZ & BEEMER REFUSES TO NOW REPLACE THE BMW'S MOTOR AT THEIR EXPENSE, OF COURSE. ESSENTIALLY, THE BMW SUV IS AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE, EVEN AS USED, TO NOT HAVE A "LIFETIME WARRANTY" ON THE TIMING CHAIN. IN ADDITION, THE FAULTY TIMING CHAIN POSES A GREAT ACCIDENT RISK, IF NOT DEATH, TO THE DRIVER BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HALTS TO A COMPLETE STOP, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO MOVE TO SAFETY, DIRE IF THE DRIVER IS IN THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC. IF THE MANUFACTURER CANNOT CHANGE THE WARRANTY ON THE TIMING CHAIN, THEN YOU MUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO PUT THIS VEHICLE OUT OF SERVICE BEGINNING AT 90,000 MILES. DIAGNOSE AT BMW SCOTTS 480-538-3991. THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR

THE NIGHT OF 11/9/2019, I WAS DRIVING MY 2013 BMW X3 WHEN MY ENGINE PRESSURE LOW LIGHT CAME ON THEN FOLLOWED BY DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHTS AND INSTANTLY MY SUV DIED/LOST ALL POWER AND I HAD TO DANGEROUSLY PULL TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WHILE AVOIDING OTHER CARS. THIS IS EXTREMELY UPSETTING SINCE MY LITTLE ONES WERE IN THE CAR WITH ME AND WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY A FEW MINUTES EARLIER. THE SUV LOCKED UP AND WAS UNABLE TO START BACK UP. I HAD THE SUV TOWED TO THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE (MADE OF PLASTIC) HAD BROKEN AND THE BROKEN PIECES BLOCK THE OIL PUMP. IT TOOK OUT THE OIL PUMP AND STARVED THE ENGINE OF OIL AND NOW I HAVE A DEAD ENGINE. MY SUV HAVE ONLY 75K MILES ON IT WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED BY BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS QUOTED $17,437.02 TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. BMW SERVICE DEPT CONTACTED BMW AMERICA TO FILE A CLAIM AND GET THE REPAIRS COVERED. BMW REFUSED THE CLAIM STATING THAT IT WAS PAST THEIR 7 YEARS /70K MILES TIMING CHAIN WARRANTY. I HAD PURCHASE THE BMW PLATINUM EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT COVERS 7 YEARS/ 100K MILES, BUT IT EXPIRED 2 MONTHS AFTER THIS INCIDENT. IT'S A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN/BRACKET THAT CAN RESULT TO TOTAL ENGINE DAMAGE. BMW NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 10 YEARS/ 150K MILES WARRANTY OR ISSUE A RECALL. PEOPLE CAN LOSE THEIR LIFE WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND THE CAR LOSE POWER. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE FOR BMW N20 TIMING CHAIN FAILURE, IT IS QUITE COMMON ON THE N20 AND THE N26 ENGINES. BMW KNOWS THIS AND ARE REFUSING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFECTIVE PARTS.FOR THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS, PLEASE HAVE BMW NORTH AMERICA HELD RESPONSIBLE. ALSO, ITS NOT FAIR FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO BE LIABLE FOR REPAIRS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IS ENOUGH TO PURCHASE A NEW CARS. THAT'S LUDICROUS AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! *TR