We recently purchased a 2012 x5 diesel with the knowledge of the open recall. We were not concerned because we still think it is a great car and love all it has to offer. Well, on Thanksgiving morning we traveled from our home town of Las Vegas to San Luis Obispo in California where our idler pulley promptly fell off the alternator. Friday we take it to the dealership in San Luis Obispo where we were told it would take $1800 out of pocket to fix because there is not a final remedy for the recall and we could be reimbursed from BMWNA once the remedy was found. I called BMWNA and they verified this was correct and basically told me though luck and until they come up with a solution I would be out $1800.
The $1800 comes from 9 hours of labor to remove the radiator and alternator in order to replace the bolt and with a mechanic as a husband, he and I both know it doesn't take 9 hrs (especially because I've removed the radiator myself in 45 min) but of course it's a dealership and they up charge and we have to do it at the dealership because of the recall. We leave the car there to be repaired and take a rental car home (they wouldnt let is take the loaner car back to Vegas) and Wednesday we called to check in and see if we could pick it up the next weekend and they said no because they had to wait for a bolt removal specials to remove the bolt from the engine block.
As of this posting it has now been 2.5 weeks of my car being at the dealership still waiting for a bolt removal specialist to remove the bolt from the engine block. I have received no calls or emails with any info about my car regardless of my numerous attempts to get in contact with the dealership. And I am confused as to why there is a bolt stuck in my engine block when the bolt that failed goes in the alternator.
Does anyone have any suggestions of how to handle this dealership and their complete lack of communication? And I am confused as to why there is not a bolt stuck in the engine block when the idler pulley bolt that failed is attached to the alternator and is only about 3 inch long (that I can see from the replacement part). I can do minor repairs on a car but I am by no means a mechanic.
Any suggestions or info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
I'm a little late seeing this thread, but hopefully this info helps.
I've done several of these. The repair IS available from BMW at no charge to you. The parts department will submit an "IDS" ticket, with a picture of the broken bolt. BMW will send them the new bolt. The issue with removing the old bolt is that the original replacement bolt (yes, this is the second go-around with this particular issue) has Loctite on the threads. It will absolutely not ever come out with ANY extraction method. Believe me, I have tried every way possible. The only method that I can get to work is to punch the bolt through and out the back. It's not easy, but it does work. The nut that it threads into is press fitted into the back of the alternator and will come out. Then, the tech will take a small air saw or similar, and cut off the end of the bolt, thus allowing the alternator to be removed. Then, the nut can be clamped in a vice, the bolt drilled down the center to relieve the tension, and removed with an extractor. Stick the nut back into the alternator, reinstall with the new bolt, and reassemble the vehicle.
ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician
Curious as to what the update here is. I’m looking at purchasing a 2012 X5 Diesel as well and think it still has this recall open and not repaired yet.
Did your car make it out of the dealer in CA?
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