Abnormal vibrations or unstable idle on BMW: causes by model

• Critical severityFrequency: Very frequentBMW B47EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fireYes: the EGR valve cooler can suffer internal coolant leaks which, mixed with soot and oil, can reach combustion temperatures; BMW has launched several technical campaigns since 2018 to inspect and replace it because of the risk of engine fire.Repair (garage): €500–€1,500

In Serie 1 F20, Serie 2 F22, Serie 2 Active Tourer F45, Serie 3 F30, Serie 4 F32 and Serie 5 F10 and 4 more models

• Critical severityFrequency: Very frequentBMW N47Rear timing chain stretch and breakageYes: the N47 has its timing chain at the rear of the engine, next to the gearbox, and on a very high proportion of units, especially those built between 2007 and 2009, it stretches or breaks prematurely because of an inadequate tensioner, with a risk of destroying the engine.Repair (garage): €1,590–€3,000Appears at around 50,000 km

In Serie 1 E87, Serie 1 F20, Serie 3 E90, Serie 3 F30, Serie 5 E60 and Serie 5 F10 and 3 more models

• Critical severityFrequency: Very frequentBMW M47Intake swirl flap breakage (swirl flaps)Yes: the common rail versions of the M47 (built since 2001) have flaps in the intake manifold that, with diesel soot and heat cycles, can break and be sucked into the cylinder, with a risk of serious damage to the piston, cylinder head and valves.

In Serie 1 E87, Serie 3 E46, Serie 3 E90, Serie 5 E60 and X3 E83

• Critical severityFrequency: CommonBMW N57Rear timing chain wearThe N57 inherits from the N47 the timing chain at the rear of the block, next to the gearbox, which complicates any repair. Unlike the N47, there is no documented campaign or wave of mass claims, and cases of serious wear appear mainly above 200,000 km.

In Serie 3 E90, Serie 3 F30, Serie 5 F10, Serie 7 F01, X3 F25 and X4 F26 and 4 more models

• Critical severityFrequency: CommonBMW N47Broken intake manifold swirl flapsYes: the N47's intake manifold has plastic swirl flaps that, with diesel soot and the passing years, can crack, come loose and be sucked into the cylinder, with a risk of seriously damaging the piston, cylinder head and valves.

In Serie 1 E87, Serie 1 F20, Serie 3 E90, Serie 3 F30, Serie 5 E60 and Serie 5 F10 and 3 more models

• Critical severityFrequency: CommonBMW N20Timing chain guide and tensioner wear (2011-2015)Yes: on BMW N20s built mainly between 2011 and 2015, the timing chain guides and tensioner wear out early; if the chain jumps teeth it can put pistons and valves out of sync and cause catastrophic damage. BMW revised the design in 2015, without a formal recall.Appears at around 129,000 km

In Serie 1 F20, Serie 2 F22, Serie 3 F30, Serie 4 F32, Serie 5 F10 and X1 E84 and 2 more models

• High severityFrequency: CommonBMW X3 E83Fragile xDrive transfer case, with jerking under accelerationThe xDrive transfer case on the X3 E83 has gears that are not very robust and can fail if mismatched tyres, uneven pressures between axles or old oil are combined, causing jerking under acceleration; fiches-auto.fr lists around 43 cases among its owner testimonies.

• High severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW B47Timing chain wear (improved, but is it really at the front?)BMW improved the chain's tensioner, guides and oil supply compared with the N47, and failures take much longer to appear. But a specialist workshop insists the chain is still at the rear of the block, not at the front as is often claimed, so repairing it still means removing the engine or the gearbox.

In Serie 1 F20, Serie 1 F40, Serie 2 F22, Serie 2 Active Tourer F45, Serie 2 Active Tourer U06 and Serie 3 F30 and 10 more models

• Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW N57Crankshaft pulley vibration damper wearThe N57's crankshaft vibration damper (pulley) wears with use and, according to a technical guide to the engine, usually needs replacing between 80,000 and 120,000 km, giving warning with abnormal noises before failing completely.Appears at around 80,000 km

In Serie 3 E90, Serie 3 F30, Serie 5 F10, Serie 7 F01, X3 F25 and X4 F26 and 4 more models

• Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW N47Dual-mass flywheel wear (manual gearbox versions)Yes: on manual-gearbox BMW N47s, the dual-mass flywheel can wear, especially after a lot of town mileage or driving in high gears at low revs; the typical symptoms are vibrations, a metallic rattle at idle and jerking when pulling away.Appears at around 150,000 km

In Serie 1 E87, Serie 1 F20, Serie 3 E90, Serie 3 F30, Serie 5 E60 and Serie 5 F10 and 3 more models

• Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW M47Dual-mass flywheel wear (manual gearbox versions)On BMWs with the M47 engine and a manual gearbox, the dual-mass flywheel can wear with mileage, especially with a lot of urban use or long spells in high gears at low revs; typical symptoms are vibrations, a metallic rattle at idle and jerking when pulling away.Appears at around 150,000 km

In Serie 1 E87, Serie 3 E46, Serie 3 E90, Serie 5 E60 and X3 E83

• Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW N43/N46Wear of the Valvetronic and the VANOS solenoid valvesOver the years, the eccentric shaft or the actuator motor of the Valvetronic can wear and cause heavy idle fluctuations; the VANOS solenoid valves also fail over time, with similar symptoms and a loss of power. According to English-language Wikipedia, the 1.6-litre N43B16 does not have Valvetronic.

In Serie 1 E87, Serie 3 E90, Serie 5 E60, X1 E84 and Z4 E85/E86

• Medium severityFrequency: CommonZF 6HPJerking and harsh shifts from converter wear and ageing oilYes: on BMW, Audi and Land Rover models with the ZF 6HP there are reports of jerking, hesitation and harsh shifts from 80,000-150,000 km, especially if the gearbox oil has never been changed. The converter locks up in all six gears to save fuel, which speeds up its wear over the years.Repair (garage): €150–€400Appears at around 80,000 km

In Serie 3 E90, Serie 5 E60, X3 E83, X5 E53 and X5 E70

• Medium severityFrequency: CommonBMW Serie 3 E46Wear of the suspension bushes, ball joints and bushingsWith mileage, the suspension arm bushes, ball joints and bushings wear and cause vibrations, noises and less precise steering; fiches-auto.fr describes it as very recurrent between 60,000 and 180,000 km.Repair (garage): €300–€600Appears at around 60,000 km

• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW Serie 2 Active Tourer F45Worn front bushes and tyres/brake pads that wear out sooner than expectedfiches-auto.fr gathers several testimonies of worn front bushes and engine mounts with vibrations, along with front tyres and brake pads that wear out sooner than expected, in some cases from as early as 17,000-20,000 km.

• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW Serie 5 E39Premature wear of the front arm bushes on the BMW 5 Series E39According to the owner reports collected by fiches-auto.fr (317 for the 1995-2003 5 Series), there are 16 cases of front arm bushes with play, vibrations and vague steering, and 8 of ball joints.

• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW X5 E53Wear of the bushes, ball joints and suspension arms on the X5 E53According to the owner reports collected by fiches-auto.fr (206 for the 2000-2007 X5), there are 12 cases of bushes, 3 of ball joints and play in a suspension arm at around 100,000 km, with vibrations.

• High severityFrequency: RareBMW X6 E71Broken front propshaft on the X6 E71According to testimonies on fiches-auto.fr, the X6 E71's front propshaft has broken in several cases (at 100,000 and 142,000 km), with clunking on acceleration and vibration under the floor; the breakage can damage the transfer case and the differential.Appears at around 100,000 km

• Low severityFrequency: CommonBMW B48 / B38Carbon build-up on the intake valves (direct injection)Yes, as on most direct-injection engines: because they are not washed by fuel, the intake valves on the B48/B38 build up carbon over the years, especially in urban use, with a loss of smoothness and a less stable idle.

In Serie 1 F20, Serie 1 F40, Serie 2 F22, Serie 2 Active Tourer F45, Serie 2 Active Tourer U06 and Serie 3 F30 and 8 more models

• Medium severityFrequency: RareBMW Serie 2 F22Rear axle and damper replacement on the 240iAccording to the testimonials collected by fiches-auto.fr, one 240i owner (340 hp) had the rear axle and dampers replaced under warranty. It is an isolated case and no official campaign is on record.

• Medium severityFrequency: RareBMW Serie 5 F10Flexible disc failure on the propshaft of the 2010-2011 5 SeriesGebrauchtwagenberater.de reports a recall for a possible failure of the flexible disc on the propshaft of F10/F11s built from December 2010 to June 2011, with a risk of the car being immobilised.

• Medium severityFrequency: RareBMW X1 E84Driveshaft flex disc failure on the 2010-2011 X1Gebrauchtwagenberater.de records a campaign for a possible break in the driveshaft's flexible disc on X1 E84s built from December 2010 to June 2011, with a risk of being left stranded.