BMW of North America, LLC: Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
BMW of North America, LLC reported this defect to federal regulators on Oct 20, 2023 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 157,796. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
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 risk
Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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.
14 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 BMW 1 Series | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 BMW 3 Series | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 BMW 1 Series | 33 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 BMW 3 Series | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 BMW 5 Series | 81 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 BMW X3 | 113 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 2011 BMW X5 | 263 | 14 | 15 | 5 |
| 2011 BMW Z4 | 46 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 BMW 1 Series | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 BMW 3 Series | 30 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2010 BMW 5 Series | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 BMW X3 | 32 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2010 BMW X5 | 124 | 14 | 5 | 2 |
| 2010 BMW Z4 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 23V707000.
Full record for the 2012 BMW 1 Series → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →