What 198 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 528i

I am filing a complaint regarding the recall work performed on my 2011 BMW 528i for the VANOS bolt safety recall. The recall notice stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive until repaired. I arranged towing to Jackie Cooper BMW in Edmond, Oklahoma because of this safety warning. The dealership performed the recall repair and released the vehicle back to me. Immediately after picking it up, the vehicle experienced a failure and became inoperable. The vehicle had to be towed again. This time, the dealership covered the towing cost and had the vehicle returned to my residence. Staff present at the time included a technician named Luke and the Service Drive Manager, Tayler Hawkins. Staff statements indicated that diagnostic charges would have applied if issues outside the recall were found, but no diagnostics were ultimately billed. There were also inconsistencies regarding the availability of the service manager. I am filing this complaint because the vehicle failed immediately after recall service and required towing. I am concerned that the recall work may not have been performed correctly or that the vehicle was released in a condition that was not suitable for operation. I am requesting that this incident be documented as part of the recall and safety record for this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11699975

Again I write about 2011 bmw 528i, the vanos bolts were recalled and when bmw was fixing them they showed a video , there was belt and metal pieces in the engine oil. Whoever had this car before me did fix the belt and other issues but they said they didn't take off the bottom of the engine pan for the oil to get out .. the vanos bolt recall when I looked it up was June 1st . I had bmw fix the missing bolts June 7th it had to be towed there and back to my house. They said they made a decision that it did not happen because of the recall . Which it stated in the recall paperwork that it can affect the engine and to not drive it ! So as of today I have a bmw that was recalled and I do believe other recalls on this car as well had everything to do with me not having a car now because the engine misfiring and stalls and brake light and sensors are all no good. Does not add up . They refused to give a new engine because the car is worth way less than a new engine.

NHTSA ODI 11601328

Driving on highway car engine died no warning light nothing There is recall for engine but bmw waiting for part they are denying its over 2 months to fix recall

NHTSA ODI 11599186

I had my car repaired under a recall for VANOS bolts shearing/breaking off causing the engine to stop running. Issue has returned and car is unsafe to drive.

NHTSA ODI 11593301

I was driving on a windy road and my car started making noise from the engine. The car stalled and would not start again, so I had to get a shop to tow my car. BMW has not fixed my car and it’s been broken for 4 1/2 months.

NHTSA ODI 11579400

As I was driving, my car started making a loud clicky noise and then stalled in the middle of the road and I had to call a shop to come and get it into neutral so it could be moved. My car has been broken since November because the engine bolts are unavailable. BMW has taken too long to get this easily fixed.

NHTSA ODI 11573435

The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11572071

I have a 2011 SIX-cylinder BMW 528i. I was driving down the road and had a yellow engine light come on and my car lost all power and I coasted into a parking area and then had my vehicle towed to the BMW Service Center. They determined the problem was that the VANOS UNIT BOLTS had broken off and they repaired the vehicle charging me $6678.11. I found out about a recall for 2010-2012 5 series BMW’s and my service advisor told me that I didn’t qualify for is because the recall had expired in 2021. I called BMW North America and they referred me to NHITSA. I have a video sent to me from the service technician showing me where the bolts had sheared off. I feel that this should have been repaired by BMW at no charge to me.

NHTSA ODI 11505458

SUBJECT: Recall Campaign 14V-176: N51, N52K and N52T Engine – Replace VANOS Gear Bolts, (This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B11 07 14 dated September 2014). My 2011 BMW 528i has around 279000KM and Vanos Gear bolts are broken that Could Lead to Engine Stall and although NHTSA has issued recall campaign but BMW dealers are refusing the repair by saying that no such recall is showing against my vin [XXX]. As per online research this is a known issue in my car model and NHTSA has already issued a recall campaign#14V-176 as showing at the top of this statement. I had this issue with VANOS for almost 3 yrs as car was throwing error message once in a while and engine hesitates and bogs at lower RPM. Rough idling/ increase in engine misfires, Increase in fuel consumption. I changed several parts to troubleshoot but could not figure out the actual root cause of this problem, until recently an independent shop opened the engine to change the Engine valve cover/PCV valve, when they noticed that 2 VANOS Gear bolts are broken. That mechanic advised me to contact BMW immediately and stop driving the car as this can lead to permanent serious damage to my engine and car will stall immediately that may cause an accident or a crash. I have always taken good care of this car and hoping BMW to cover the parts/labor cost under recall campaign. I would really appreciate your help is getting this matter resolved with BMW Canada. [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11463701

The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528i. The contact stated that the driver’s side headlight housing had an excessive amount of moisture inside. The vehicle failed to start. The daytime and parking light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11421045

I HAVE A F10 2011. I HAVE BEEN WAITING ON SOME REIMBURSEMENT FROM BMW SINCE 2017! NOW I CAN'T FIND ANY RECORD OF THEIR PROMISES M. I BOUGHT MY 528I IN 2015. REPLACES WATER PUMP TWICE, PULLY, TENCH-NOR, MORE THAN 5 TIMES, AND SOME BELTS. IT LAGGED ON THE FWY AND OTHER TIMES IT ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. EVERY TIME I DROVE IT, IT SMELLED LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE. OH, LET'S NOT FORGET THE FAULTY CRANK SHAFT AND THE AIRBAG ARE BOTH BROKEN. AND NOW, SINCE 2018 IT SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY LOOKING BRAND NEW. STUCK PAYING MY NOTE @ $700. AND HAVE TO RENT FROM AVIS $1,000 A MONTH. THIS IS NOT FAIR. THE LAST TIME I HAVE HEARD FROM BMW NORTH WAS OVER A YEAR AGO.

NHTSA ODI 11405485

WAS AT MY FIANC GRANDADS FUNERAL SATURDAY 02/06/2021 AND THE CAR STARTED ACTING STRANGE IMMEDIATELY I HEARD STRANGE NOICE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE GOT A DIAGNOSIS AND MECHANIC TOLD ME VVT ISSUES GOT IF FIXED AT A CERTIFIED BMW TECH AND ON HIS BULLETIN I SEEN THE RECALL AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS RECALL AND THAT HE GETS MANY CARS EVERY WEEK FOR THIS JOB HE TOLD ME I WOULD BE REIMBURSED FROM BMW OF NORTH AMERICA I HAVE ALL THE RECITES FOR THE LABOR AND PARTS AND I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP IN GETTING THIS RESOLVED

NHTSA ODI 11396026

THE VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON EVERYTIME THE ENGINE HEATS UP TO NORMAL OPERATION. TEMPARETURE AND THE REVS UP TEMPORARILY MAKING IT DIFFICULT EVERY YEAR TO DO EMISSIONS TESTING

NHTSA ODI 11318898

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 528I. WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE WAS OPENED AND HE NOTICED WATER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE WATER WAS SIPHONED FROM THE TRUNK WITH A PUMP. BMW OF COLUMBIA (LOCATED AT 250 KILLIAN COMMONS PARKWAY, COLUMBIA, SC 29203, (803) 404-5400) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.

NHTSA ODI 11297388

CAR STALLS, AND A BUNCH OF MALFUNCTIONS ARISE, ULTIMATELY LEAVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON

NHTSA ODI 11242402

WHILE MAKE TURNS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AXEL MAKES POPPING NOISE AND STEERING WHEEL JERKS VIOLENTLY. TOOK TO SHOP THEY SAID NOTHING FOUND WRONG WITH CAR. CV AXEL REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.ALSO NOT EVEN 10K MILES THE CAR WENT THRU 2 BELT TENSIONER CAUSING THE DRIVE BELT TO SNAP/TEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11155399

RECALL IN REGARDS TO THE PCV HEATER(BLOW-BY-HEATER) WHICH ALSO CAUSED MY ENGINE TO MALFUNCTION. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE DEC 2017, THE RECALL DIDN'T GET REPLACED UNTIL ALMOST MAY OF 2018. DURING THIS TIME I HAD TO STORE MY OWN VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT DOWN THE DAY OF THE VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE HAS NOW EXPERIENCE WHISTLING, SHAKING/VIBRATION OF THE CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS CAME ON. THE RECALLED FAILED MY CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP INITIALLY AGREED TO THIS OVER PHONE BUT THEN RETRACTED THEIR STATEMENTS IN TEXT MESSAGES. I HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT A LOYAL CUSTOMER AND TO BE TREATED AS SUCH IS A DISGRACE. THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW CORRELATES WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11091218

PVC POSSIBLE OVERHEATING CAUSING A FIRE , RECALLED BUT BMW SAY THEY DON'T HAVE A FIX SINCE OCTOBER 2017

NHTSA ODI 11084228

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF STERLING AT (571) 434-1944 (21710 AUTO WORLD CIR, STERLING, VA 20166) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11074245

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. GLOBAL IMPORTS BMW (500 INTERSTATE N PKWY, ATLANTA, GA) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11065995

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED (MOMENTUM BMW AT 855-645-6452 (10002 SOUTHWEST FWY, HOUSTON, TX) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11057091

POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION PCV VALVE HEATER THIS IS A RECALL BMW STATES REMEDY NOT AVAILABLE YET.

NHTSA ODI 11043208

THE THROTTLE BODY OF THE 2011 MODEL OF THE BMW 528I HAS BEEN FAULTY SINCE DAY 1. THE CAR JERKS AT LOW RPM MAKING IT DANGEROUS DURING DRIVING SITUATIONS. THE SLOW RESPONSE TIME OF THE THROTTLE CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS. THERE IS ABOUT THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS THAT BMW RECEIVED OVER THE YEARS AND THEY STILL ARE NOT ISSUING A RECALL ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 10991998

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 5-SERIES. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V746000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

NHTSA ODI 10938827

THIS MALFUNCTION LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE. IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE EVERY TIME I HAVE THAT THIS CAR SERVICED THEY HAVE NEVER TRULY FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT MAY STOP FOR A MOMENT AND THEN ANY RANDOM DAY IT WILL GIVE ME THIS WARNING AS YOU SE IN THE PICTURE PROVIDED. A BIGGER PROBLEM THAT IS UNEXCEPTABLE IS THAT THE CAR KEEPS FLASHING A WARNING ABOUT THE COOLENT IS NEEDED AND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR THERE COULD BE ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS WARNING HAS BEEN THE MAIN CONCER. I HAVE HAD THE COOLENT GO INTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO SHUT DOWN ON A BUSY HWY 3 SEPERATE TIMES, RISKING A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I HAVE NOT HEARD A WORD FROM BMW OF NORTH AMERICA THAT THEY CARE ABOUT MY CONCERNS AND I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS LITERALLY AFFECTED MY HEALTH AND WELL BEING. I HAVE HUGE ANXIETY ISSUES BECAUSE OF THIS CAR. I HOPE MY LETTER IS HEARD SO THAT I MAY HAVE JUSTICE FOR THIS CAR. I AM OVERWHELMED WITH NERVOUSNES EVERYTIME I DRIVE IT. I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO ME ORCSOME ELSE. PLEASE HELP THIS MATTER BECOME RES OLVED!

NHTSA ODI 10882502