2011 BMW X3 XDRIVE28I engine problems

“I had my car towed into bmw dealership for a vanos recall repair,it went in for the repair the repair was "done" but before picking it up they told me they were unable to qc/start my engine to verify the repair claiming that because my camshaft position sensor was removed (it was removed to ultimately figure out it was the vanos system that failed)and that my car had no battery at the time of the repair they could and would not start my engine to verify the repair and that they turned it over by hand only,upon them releasing the car back to me I brought a battery and started my car and left the dealership within ten miles my engine failed and locked up due to oil starvation,I had it towed back immediately and explained what happened,and they refuse to take any responsibility for my car failing on the road while driving cause my engine to smoke and push the smoke into the cab mid traffic,this happened In July of 2025 and I am still going back and forth trying to get them to take responsibility and replace my engine,they did not follow proper procedures to ensure my vehicle was safe for pickup violating safety standards”

“I own a 2011 BMW X3 with an N55 engine and am experiencing VANOS-related issues consistent with TSB SIB 11 02 13 and Recall 23V-707. While my VIN isn’t currently listed, my vehicle falls within the affected model years, and I’m seeing identical DME fault codes (130E11, 120408) and drivability symptoms. I’m concerned about potential engine damage and request an inspection and consideration for goodwill repair or inclusion in the recall.”

“In July 2022, the VANOS bolts in my 2011 BMW X3 xDrive28i failed, causing major internal engine damage. This is the exact defect later identified under BMW Recall 23V-707. The bolts sheared off while driving, disabling the vehicle. I paid $5,000 out of pocket for full repairs using OEM parts at Masny Motorwerks (BMW specialist in Rochester, NY). BMW did not issue the recall until more than two years later. At that time, there was no remedy available. A fix was not released until December 2024. I followed BMW’s reimbursement process: I visited BMW of Rochester in person on January 28, 2025 and submitted my invoice to the service advisor. I followed up by phone twice — no response. I submitted a full reimbursement claim to BMW North America on March 31, 2025 with all documentation. BMW replied on April 8 with a boilerplate response redirecting me back to the same dealership. I then followed up again with full documentation. BMW replied again, refusing to take responsibility and offering no support. I have submitted everything twice and followed the TREAD Act process in good faith. BMW has failed to reimburse me or process the claim properly.”

“In 2021, my car broke down due to the VANOS gear brackets; the bolts had snapped off. The only way I found out what was wrong was by taking the car to multiple places and paying for diagnostic services, but nobody could identify the issue. Eventually, I brought it to BMW, where they were the only ones who diagnosed the problem. However, they quoted me an exorbitant amount to fix it. I felt I had no choice but to take the car home and handle it myself. I discovered that three bolts were broken, and I suspect the other two had fallen into the oil pan. I managed to acquire both parts for the two VANOS gears and installed them myself since dealing with this issue. After reinstalling the gears, I encountered a problem with the valve cover; I wasn't sure if one of the broken bolts had hit the top of it, but I knew I needed to replace it as well. To get an update on the situation, I took my car to the first BMW dealership in Hartford. There were complications regarding the loaner car, a $200 deposit on my credit card, and coverage under my full insurance. I contacted BMW headquarters to file a complaint, and during that conversation, the BMW manager told me not to…”

“The car had all of the symptoms of the vanos bolt recall. It started in October of 2023. I received an email notice for the said recall. I called BMW for 9 months, as I was without a car. That's not a timely manner to fix anything. I finally called last month and saw a remedy was available. After taking it in to the dealership, I came home and my car is now shaking violently at speeds above 40 mph. Another person stated this same thing happened to their car after the recall fix.”

“The car started lurching and then the power went off. When turned back on and put in gear, the gas pedal did nothing. Then a few minutes later, it would kick back on. I finally got a letter from BMW about a recall. The symptoms matched. However, for the last 10 months, they offered no help. I understand there was no remedy until recently. However, we were out of a car since November 2023 and put $3,000 into engine work trying to fix the car, before the recall came. The recall said to report if the Manufacturer failed to remedy the recall in a timely manner. I'd say 10 months is way over a timely manner. Thanks for your time.”