Five problems related to engine failure have been reported for the 2013 BMW 328. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
After about 75k miles, the engine has started to make a "whining" noise at around 3-4 thousand rpm. Diagnosed as a timing chain tension issue that many similar cars with this engine (n20) have. This apparent defect seems to be quite common among owners of cars with this engine. Current course of action is to spend $4k in labor and parts to proactive replace the timing chain and plastic guides, or not do anything. The latter would surely result in engine failure and require replacement (roughly $20k).
Was driving my BMW 328i on a highway when a �check oil� light came on. A few minutes later, a �drivetrain failure� light came on. I took the next exit and within 3 minutes the engine failed. I was able to coast over to the breakdown lane. I had the car towed to the nearest BMW dealership. They checked out the vehicle and said there were �metal fragments� in the oil, but could not explain what caused that without disassembling the engine. They said the only way to repair the car would be to spend $15,000 to have the engine replaced. I did a google search and discovered that hundreds of BMW owners have had similar experiences, and the cause was a timing chain failure. I had my car serviced just 5 weeks earlier at my local BMW dealership, and they either didn't check the timing chain or didn't notice it was close to failure. I was lucky that I was able to get off the highway before my engine stalled, or I could have been injured or killed in high-speed traffic. Since this is a known problem, BMW should repair the defective timing chain in all the affected vehicles, and immediately notify owners about the danger.
Noted loud whirling/whiny sound from engine. Brought to mechanic and was told timing/oil mechanism is malfunctioning. If driven further engine might seize. Valve cover was removed and timing chain found with unacceptable slack. Upon investigation I discovered BMW na sent letters on extended warranty for my car. I have never received such letter. Contacted Bmwna and they deny coverage because the car was not repaired at a dealer. I had no way of knowing it has to be. Also at 34000 miles with proven maintenance record way ahead of any maintenance schedule published by BMW I should have have to repair timing mechanism at a cost ot $2800. What is more scary is that the engine might have failed on the highway with my kids in the car. Please look into n20/26 engine failure rates as BMW is obviously not acknowledging the danger "built in" in their fxx generation cars.
3 days after receiving an oil change and brake pad change, while driving on a city street at approximately 25mph my car spontaneously switched into neutral and I could no longer accelerate. My dashboard stated that I had a drivetrain malfunction and that maximum output was not available. I proceeded to take my car into BMW in order to get a diagnosis. When I received the diagnosis I was told that my engine was non operable and I would have to pay ten thousand to change engine. The technician stated it was because of an internal engine failure, and that the reason for the failure was unknown but it was more than likely a bad oil filter. My vehicle has had two recalls concerning oil and I am concerned that it is a manufacturing defect. Thank you.
On 2016 I was driving on a very busy parkway in the afternoon at about 45 mph (which is a legal speed limit) when my car started shuddering, shaking and slowing down and a message came on saying "drive train malfunction. " I immediately called my husband who told me to pull over and shut off the car for 5 minutes. He managed to calm me down. When I restarted the car, the car could not start I was very scared the car was tow to BMW and they state it was rhe starter that when bad. I had return the care several time to BMW for the same noise I was told the have a tech from the head quarter came out and the car is perfectly fine . The same hing happen 2 year later and I was on the highway during the incident. BMW service told me the engine fail and I need a new engine which would cost me $10,000 we were reading all the complaints and primarily they are about the drive train malfunction - it has a faulty plastic part, which since 2015 was replaced by a metal part. I was driving in the middle lane of a very busy highway and I could have been killed o). What does it take for BMW or NHTSA to issue a recall for this problem - a death or few? there is no way a 5 year old car engine should have fail with just 70,000 miles.