Took my 2020 BMW 7 Series into BMW San Diego because there was fluid leaking. Upon diagnosis at the dealership, I was notified I needed to replace the front differential as it was coming apart. The leaking fluid was identified as differential fluid. The vehicle has 54,308 miles on it. My research indicates front differentials should not need replacement until nearly 150,000 miles. A broken front differential is considered to be very bad and makes a car unsafe to drive as it causes severe handling issues, loss of control and potential damage to the transmission. A broken differential can cause the vehicle to lock up or lose steering control. Me and my family have been at risk as it is unclear how long this issue has been happening. The problem has been confirmed by BMW San Diego. The cost to replace was quoted as about $10,251. There are no warning lamps, and there are no messages indicating there is a problem with the vehicle. Not sure when the issue started. Apparently, due to my research I’ve learning many 2020 BMW’s seem to need to have the front differential replaced with mileage between 38,000 and 55,000.
NHTSA ODI 11714334