Engine failure a 59k miles

[rossgn]

Start off by saying this is my wife's car......has puttered around for the last 3 years. 2013 528I with 4cyl. Took it to BMW 2 1/2 weeks ago for a light tick noise. They diagnosed as timing chain and it would be covered under the extended warranty. Called today to say car was ready but has a "rod knock". Stated they didn't hear it until the timing chain noise was gone? I see two big issues here:

1) There should be now serious internal engine problems at 59k miles. Car has not been driven hard nor overheated. Oil changes per schedule.

2) What do you do when car develops a different problem than diagnosed while in shop? I'm wondering if something from the timing chain replacement caused the damage, clogged oil passage etc?

Service manage states there is no help on this. I haven't heard the car yet as this has all been phone conversation to his point.

If car is engine is making a noise hat was not existent when we dropped off, should we pick the car up or leave it there and contact BMW? Never had to deal with an issue like this before.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[niko084]

Get a copy of your warranty details and review them, I suspect if the timing chain is covered by it so is the rod, bearing, etc.. Odds of the timing chain/guide causing this is zero tbmk.

Always always bring your BMW to a dealer or reputable (often Euro specific) indy, most shops won't align a BMW correctly.

[rossgn]

Called BMW Customer Relations. They were very helpful. She told me I needed them to do a full diagnostic before they could really be of help. Called the dealer and requested the diagnostic and he stated he would have to check on cost and when they could get to it ( they have had the car 17 days). An hour later they call and say the "rod knock" is gone. Maybe it just took new oil a while to get to the system. He suggested we pick it up and drive it 100-200 miles then bring it back to let their tech listen to it. Called BMW to document the dealers request and they did, agreeing that it seemed odd.

My wife picked up car and it has the same light tick it had that we took it in for, in the first place. Geesh.

[White94RX]

The N20 is a very noisy engine. The light ticking is probably the injectors. If so, then it's totally normal.

[jclausen]

BMW has really built some crappy engines lately. I would talk with the service manager, forget the service advisor, he or she as no power at all. And now you will wait and see.

[Critter7r]

Do oil changes every 8-10k miles MAX. And you (OP) wouldn't have known this, but having done the "oil changes per schedule" is what caused this whole N20 timing chain extended warranty situation to begin with. 15,000 miles is simply TOO LONG to let ANY engine go between oil changes. That amount of driving on the same oil allows too much crap to build up in the oil (particularly this 0w20 garbage that is being used) and it accelerates the wear of internal components.

Recap : Do oil changes at 8-10k miles. Use 5w30.

[rossgn]

Never exceeded 10k between changes.

[Critter7r]

Never exceeded 10k between changes.

Do you know if that's the case for the first 3-4 years of its life? (It's a 2013, and you said you've been puttering around with it for 3 years, so I'm assuming that you bought it used). Because the oil change schedule for 2013 N20 motors was set at 15k miles. I think it wasn't until the 2016 or 2017 model year when they lowered it to 10k.