BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe

Oct 20, 2023 — Recall Campaign #23V707000

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 157,796 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

23V707000

Manufacturer:	BMW of North America, LLC
Recall date:	October 20, 2023
NHTSA Campaign #:	23V707000
Units affected:	157,796

Description:: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Consequeces:: Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective action:: Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Notes:: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Affects the following:

2011 BMW 5 SERIES Complaints
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 5 Series. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed as a camshaft failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number- 14V176000 ( Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,000. The VIN was not available.;
2011 BMW X3 Complaints
Electronic power control issue caused the vehicle to loose power steering. After starting and driving the vehicle an alert message showed up saying chassis malfunction and power steering issues. Vehicle was stopped and re-started but the issue didn't go away. BMW confirmed there was a malfunction with the EPS similar to the NHTSA bulletin 11V341000. Vehicle was manufactured during the period the recall covers and experience the same issues. BMW advised to contact NHTSA to have the VIN added to the recall so they can complete the repair, as otherwise it will not be covered.;
2011 BMW X5 Complaints
There's currently an open recall for a number of BMW engines involving aluminum bolts in the vanos assembly that shear, strip, and break off completely. The open recall is somehow excluding some vehicles with the same exact problem like my 2011 BMW X5 xdrive35i N55 E70 with the inline 6. Currently my vanos bolts are already sheared off and sitting in my oil pan. My vehicle started misfiring and acting strange while I was traveling at 75mph, luckily I made it into a gas station and had to have it towed from there because it wouldn't start again and hasn't since. BMW knows about these hazardous bolts and chose to not repair some of them directly endangering drivers and their families. My local BMW dealership won't even confirm that the bolts in my oil pan are the vanos bolts even after I showed them photographic evidence which I still have. I've spoken with BMW North America and they said I need to get it confirmed by my local dealership, so where dies that leave me? Here...over $8,000 in damage/loss from an obvious manufacturer error that THEY ARE AWARE OF!;
2011 BMW Z4 Complaints
ON 3 APRIL 2026 I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 BMW Z4 SDRIVE 30I E89 N52K (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) THAT HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT, SUDDENLY A STEERING ASSISTANCE MALFUNCTION TROUBLE LIGHT APPEARED AND I LOST ALL ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT!! THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING CONTROL RETURNED. ON APRIL 4 I LOST THE STEERING CONTROL AGAIN AND TOOK IT TO A BMW REPAIR SHOP. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE EPS (ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CONTROL). UPON INVESTIGATION, A SPECIFIC RECALL EXISTS FOR 2012 BMW Z4 REGARDING THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) SYSTEM. (NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN #12V302000: ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE.) THE RECALL CAMPAIGN NOTES THAT, AFTER THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED, THE EPS MODULE MAY FUNCTION PROPERLY. IN THAT CASE, THE WARNING SYMBOL IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL NO LONGER APPEAR, AND THE AUDIBLE WARNING WILL NOT ACTIVATE. HOWEVER THE CONDITION MAY OCCUR AGAIN. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IS OCCURRING WITH MY CAR AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL OCCUR. THE CAMPAIGN COVERS 2012 Z4'S AND COVERED SOME CARS MANUFACTURED IN LATE 2011. HOWEVER, THE VIN FOR MY 2011 BMW Z4 SDRIVE 30I E89 N52K (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) IS WBALM5C58BE162421 AND IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 04/2010. THE EPS IN MY 2011 BMW Z4 IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE EPS THAT IS COVERED IN THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN #12V302000: ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE.) CLEARLY MY 2011 BMW Z4 SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WHICH REQUIRES A 4 HR REPAIR BY A CERTIFIED BMW DEALER AND REPLACEMENT OF THE EPS UNIT. FOR Z4 MODELS THE TECHNICIANS ARE TO REFER TO REPAIR INSTRUCTION 32 13 370, "REMOVING AND INSTALLING (REPLACING) ELECTRIC STEERING BOX (EPS)." E89 STEERING GEAR PART # 32 10 6 855 888. PLUS FOLLOWING PARTS: ASA BOLT (#32 10 6 773 068); HEX NUT (#33 32 6 768 884); TORX BOLT (#32 30 6 778 609); COMBINATION NUT (#33 30 6 787 062). ALL ABOVE REFERENCED PARTS WERE LISTED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. !;