Car shaking after Vanos bolts replacement

[Ferdi14]

Hello all, I made a post about a week ago regarding a vanos bolts recall.
My car was in for service and they told me that there is a recall for the vanos bolts, I declined and said that I didn't want the service done because I was afraid they would somehow mess up my engine. Well so bmw north america said I should do it and so did my wife so I went ahead and let them replace the bolts. Well now after I picked up my car I notice that at each and every start up, the car is slightly shaking side to side even MORE than it did before the vanos bolt replacement. Now a while back I made a few post about intermittent shaking every once and a while ONLY at warm start up. This shaking has gotten WORSE after the vanos bolts replacement. I told them over and over again not to touch my engine because it was fine, and what do you know, the issues have gotten worse, and another kicker, in about 3 weeks my warranty ENDS!
After I brought my loaner back I was basically shooed away and never talked to a service tech regarding my car.


A while back the service tech told me they couldn't help me because they shaking issue wasn't throwing any codes so in his words 'the problem has to get worse before we can do anything'.

So Monday morning I am calling BMW north america about this.

What do you all think I should do ?

[Dackelone]

Sounds like a bad coil pack. How old are your spark plugs?

[Ferdi14]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Sounds like a bad coil pack. How old are your spark plugs?

2011 128i, 43,xxx miles (now). the intermittent shaking has been occurring since 15,xxx miles.

[DSSG]

Try a couple of other BMW dealers and document the problem. About all you can do is bug them until they respond.

There are problems that won't throw a codes, so the tech was just trying to get rid of you. However, don't associate the Vanos repair with your current problem. It may be but more likely just coincidence.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Ferdi14

2011 128i, 43,xxx miles (now). the intermittent shaking has been occurring since 15,xxx miles.

The vanos recall is only for N55's (single turbo) cars. I was not aware that the N52's were being part of this recall. ?
Only 135i's (N55's) from 2011 to 2012 were effected(I believe).

N52 spark plugs are good for 100k. IF it were my car I would replace them around 50K miles.

I think you have one(or more) bad coil packs. You could remove your engine cover and spray down each coil with a water sprayer. IF you see any arching... that coil is bad. IF you have a way to check for codes(ie Torque App or BMwhat app) with a bluetooth dongle(can/bus) thats the way to go.

On our cars when you experience a misfire it feels like your driving on square tires and not round ones! It really shakes the car.

Dackel

[DSSG]

To be sure if there are any recalls, just plug your vin into:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/Recalls+&+Defects

[Bimmer-Bob]

Look, you state yourself that the "shaking" has been occurring since ~15K miles, well before you had the VANOS bolts replaced. The fact that the shaking has gotten worse, to me, doesn't indicate that the VANOS repair is to blame - merely that whatever the pre-existing issue was has continued to get worse. This is logical if the pre-existing issue was never addressed. The timing of the VANOS repair is merely coincidence, IMO. Since you have a documented complaint of the shaking occurring during the warranty period, it should continue to be covered even after the warranty expiration date. You may have convince BMWNA, of course. So take it up with them, and be sure to provide supporting documentation showing that you took the car in under warranty for the shaking. You might have a bit of a fight on your hands, but I think it would be better to argue that you've had a long-standing problem with your engine that was never satisfactorily addressed while in the warranty period, than to claim that simply swapping VANOS bolts somehow screwed up your engine. Good luck.

[128Convertibleguy]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The vanos recall is only for N55's (single turbo) cars. I was not aware that the N52's were being part of this recall.
Dackel

Some N52s were listed in BMW's original announcement, and I believe some N52s have been recalled.

i have yet to see anything credible and convincing about why some cars are being recalled, and some not.

[DSSG]

Why worry about it? Just check it out with the NHTSA website.

But for your information, makers have been warned by the government of severe penalties about not coming clean about problems with their vehicles especially safety related. Remember the One Billion dollar fine Toyota got?

The Takata Airbag problem is starting to spread to nearly all makes, and it isn't clear exactly how many cars are affected. It keeps growing everyday. Even Takata isn't sure.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by DSSG

The Takata Airbag problem is starting to spread to nearly all makes, and it isn't clear exactly how many cars are affected. It keeps growing everyday. Even Takata isn't sure.

Don't remind me. Getting real sick of replacing Acura airbags. There are currently 5 different recalls on the 1.7EL's, and two new ones just announced. One of the new recalls now includes all first gen MDXs and TL's.

I feel like a bomb disposal tech some days.

[Tuxedo]

I have complained to BMW about the shaking. Heres the thing when I took my 1er it in and got a loaner 14' x1 3k on the odom with a different engine it did the same damn shake/shudder. So for whatever reason it seems to be designed to do this at start-up.

Now 2things to note
1) DME updated 7mo ago to SI B 12 09 12 because of a poor idle issue and the shake/shudder was not there before that update. So imo this can be fixed thru software. I feel it traded one issue for another as I'd rather have the shake/shudder then stall issue.
2) I have N52 and VANOS notice came but not the official parts are in recall letter please fulfill.

This is not a issue while driving or after warm up, only at startup and sitting in the garage or driveway. My car wobbles, shakes and shudders if not driven everyday. leave it sit for 30-48hrs and at start it up it feels like something is wrong with the engine.