Attention! Owners Of N51 Sulev Engines!

MINIz guy · 05-08-2019, 10:12 AM

Does anybody know if BMW dealers will "goodwill" the SULEV warranty for cars slightly out of the warranty period?

Bought my '08 128i at 150k miles, so it is technically out of warranty. It rolled over 150k during my test drive and now has about 150,100 miles on it. I have a pesky EAC sensor CEL.

Gweeper64 · 05-19-2019, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MINIz guy

Does anybody know if BMW dealers will "goodwill" the SULEV warranty for cars slightly out of the warranty period?

Bought my '08 128i at 150k miles, so it is technically out of warranty. It rolled over 150k during my test drive and now has about 150,100 miles on it. I have a pesky EAC sensor CEL.

I didn't think they even had the SULEV N51 in 2008.. ?

MINIz guy · 05-20-2019, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gweeper64

I didn't think they even had the SULEV N51 in 2008.. ?

It's definitely an SULEV car.

stacyleigh · 06-20-2019, 10:39 AM

Been fighting this thing for quite some time now. Service Engine Soon light every time I turn around. Rough idle, engine shaking bad when engine is screaming, misfires, etc. I have already replaced plugs & wires, both VANOS cylinoids, valve cover, new battery. I have gotten rid of the engine scream & most of the rough idling & the car seems to be driving great but Service Engine Soon light just cam on again & now I'm getting codes 2A7A (cold start/VANOS outlet) & 2A87 (Exhaust VANOS code). Dealership is stating that there is no SULEV warranty bc Virginia does not participate in Emissions but i just found out that Northern Virginia does. Not sure where to go from here. Dealership is going to bust me wide open if I take it there. Any other suggestions from anyone out there?

jmciver · 06-20-2019, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stacyleigh

Been fighting this thing for quite some time now. Service Engine Soon light every time I turn around. Rough idle, engine shaking bad when engine is screaming, misfires, etc. I have already replaced plugs & wires, both VANOS cylinoids, valve cover, new battery. I have gotten rid of the engine scream & most of the rough idling & the car seems to be driving great but Service Engine Soon light just cam on again & now I'm getting codes 2A7A (cold start/VANOS outlet) & 2A87 (Exhaust VANOS code). Dealership is stating that there is no SULEV warranty bc Virginia does not participate in Emissions but i just found out that Northern Virginia does. Not sure where to go from here. Dealership is going to bust me wide open if I take it there. Any other suggestions from anyone out there?

It sounds like your issue is one or both of your VANOS solenoids. The good news is that replacing these solenoids is a pretty easy DIY and the cost of the solenoids is not that bad (just stay away from the cheap Chinese knockoffs on eBay). Other good news is that the VANOS solenoids are covered by the SULEV warranty.

However, the SULEV warranty period is different for different SULEV states - a fact that my dealer that did SULEV work initially missed in the fine print. Some SULEV states have the full 15yr/150k mile warranty - like CA. Others, like MD have less (7yrs/70k miles).

See attached pic for some of the "fine print" my dealer found after the fact...

m_thompson · 06-21-2019, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmciver

See attached pic for some of the "fine print" my dealer found after the fact...

Thanks for the printout. I am getting periodic Secondary Air System and Lambda Probe codes, so I can use the printout as proof that I have the 15/150,000 coverage.

chris82 · 01-02-2020, 01:41 PM

Hey guys, just want to give an update about this warranty. I've had great luck so far. Dealerships in both NJ (Bloomfield) and NYC (BMW Manhattan) have honored it without me even mentioning the warranty, they usually call to say which parts will be covered. My car was purchased and is currently registered in PA and I believe it's originally from CA.

Anyways, really happy with my experiences so far. I had my VCG replaced and now getting all the coils done under the warranty.

blackberryq10android · 01-05-2020, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris82

Hey guys, just want to give an update about this warranty. I've had great luck so far. Dealerships in both NJ (Bloomfield) and NYC (BMW Manhattan) have honored it without me even mentioning the warranty, they usually call to say which parts will be covered. My car was purchased and is currently registered in PA and I believe it's originally from CA.

Anyways, really happy with my experiences so far. I had my VCG replaced and now getting all the coils done under the warranty.

They are willing to replace all of your coils even if they don't show that they are broken or defective? Rallye on Long Island only replaces a coil for the warranty if it is defective or broken

Majestic128i · 01-06-2020, 10:01 PM

For me, they replaced all spark plugs and coil packs. They also replaced the valve cover gasket and eccentric shaft seals etc. The last time my car had issues I traced it down to the crankshaft sensor and saw that it was under SULEV warranty and brought it in and it was done for free under warranty. Never had to fight about the SULEV warranty, in fact they usually point it out before I have a chance to bring it up. Take advantage of it!!

chris82 · 01-08-2020, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackberryq10android

They are willing to replace all of your coils even if they don't show that they are broken or defective? Rallye on Long Island only replaces a coil for the warranty if it is defective or broken

One coil was confirmed misfiring and causing rough idle, so instead of replacing 1, they did all 6.

m_thompson · 01-09-2020, 02:52 PM

Just got a call from the dealer about the misfiring. They replaced all six coils and spark plugs. They said replacing all of the coils and plugs was BMW's policy. No charge at all, and even got an X1 for a loaner. Runs great now!

Philip12 · 01-12-2020, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowsdower

I recently spoke to a local dealer about getting my valve cover replaced as my PCV has failed and whistles. My car is a 2011 N51, originally purchased in PA, then I bought it as a CPO and registered it in NJ for a few years, now I live in TX. My local dealer was extremely helpful and actually was trying their hardest to make this work, but it turned out that my car could not be covered under the SULEV warranty. The service advisor explained that since I'm in TX which does not offer any sort of warranty, they look to the original registration state to determine eligibility for the warranty (for me, that is PA though I never lived there).

In the PDF above, there is a section on states that have partially adopted the SULEV warranty, but not fully. These states are Oregon, Washington, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. It even varies by year and by state - for example, PA adopted the warranty for 2009 and 2010, but not for 2011. If my car were 1 model year earlier, I would have the warranty.

If you're currently registered in a SULEV state, I'm not sure how this changes things. What I mean is if I were still living in NJ, and bought the car in PA, I'm not sure which state would apply - the current registration state or the original registration state. It could be that since I'm in TX they look to original, but if you're in a SULEV state, they honor it - that's something worth checking into.

Unfortunately this means some of us have the lower performance and higher complexity, and higher repair costs, of the N51 without the warranty. I would advise any N51 owners to fully read the document and be aware of whether the warranty applies to you or not.

BTW, I was able to confirm that my local dealer has done multiple SULEV warranty jobs in the past, so if you are in TX with a California car, for example, and the dealer says they can't do the work - they can. Call up Autobahn BMW in Fort Worth if you need assistance.

I’m in the same boat right now, but do you think it’ll work if mines was initially registered in California?

Artdnj · 03-11-2020, 03:42 PM

I just had a great experience with Circle BMW in Eatontown. Service Mgr Robert Datri knew all about the warranty and I had all plugs,coils, and valve cover replaced (crack i didn't even know about) after scheduling an appointment for a service engine soon light, code being Cyl 4 mis-fire with no noticeable symptoms.I couldn't be happier with their service and zero up-sell tactics.

krispykreme · 03-14-2020, 03:55 AM

Does this mean if I have a 2007 E93 with N51 would get a new engine of compression is failing?

Gweeper64 · 03-14-2020, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krispykreme

Does this mean if I have a 2007 E93 with N51 would get a new engine of compression is failing?

still under 150k? I think depends where you are and if that is on the "covered" list

05-08-2019, 10:12 AM	#45
MINIz guy Enlisted Member 22 Rep 48 Posts Drives: BMW 328i STX Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	Does anybody know if BMW dealers will "goodwill" the SULEV warranty for cars slightly out of the warranty period? Bought my '08 128i at 150k miles, so it is technically out of warranty. It rolled over 150k during my test drive and now has about 150,100 miles on it. I have a pesky EAC sensor CEL.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-20-2019, 10:39 AM	#48
stacyleigh Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: BMW 328i Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	2011 N51 SULEV issues Been fighting this thing for quite some time now. Service Engine Soon light every time I turn around. Rough idle, engine shaking bad when engine is screaming, misfires, etc. I have already replaced plugs & wires, both VANOS cylinoids, valve cover, new battery. I have gotten rid of the engine scream & most of the rough idling & the car seems to be driving great but Service Engine Soon light just cam on again & now I'm getting codes 2A7A (cold start/VANOS outlet) & 2A87 (Exhaust VANOS code). Dealership is stating that there is no SULEV warranty bc Virginia does not participate in Emissions but i just found out that Northern Virginia does. Not sure where to go from here. Dealership is going to bust me wide open if I take it there. Any other suggestions from anyone out there? Last edited by stacyleigh; 06-20-2019 at 10:48 AM..
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01-02-2020, 01:41 PM	#51
chris82 Brigadier General 827 Rep 3,856 Posts Drives: 128i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NY NY iTrader: (8) Garage List 2009 BMW 128i [9.80]	Hey guys, just want to give an update about this warranty. I've had great luck so far. Dealerships in both NJ (Bloomfield) and NYC (BMW Manhattan) have honored it without me even mentioning the warranty, they usually call to say which parts will be covered. My car was purchased and is currently registered in PA and I believe it's originally from CA. Anyways, really happy with my experiences so far. I had my VCG replaced and now getting all the coils done under the warranty.
	Appreciate 2 Dackelone10525.50 Gweeper6423.00 Quote

01-06-2020, 10:01 PM	#53
Majestic128i New Member 3 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 128i Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (0)	For me, they replaced all spark plugs and coil packs. They also replaced the valve cover gasket and eccentric shaft seals etc. The last time my car had issues I traced it down to the crankshaft sensor and saw that it was under SULEV warranty and brought it in and it was done for free under warranty. Never had to fight about the SULEV warranty, in fact they usually point it out before I have a chance to bring it up. Take advantage of it!!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-09-2020, 02:52 PM	#55
m_thompson Major 133 Rep 1,416 Posts Drives: M-Sport 128i, 328xi, 3.0CS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New England, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 128i [0.00] 1972 3.0CS [10.00]	Just got a call from the dealer about the misfiring. They replaced all six coils and spark plugs. They said replacing all of the coils and plugs was BMW's policy. No charge at all, and even got an X1 for a loaner. Runs great now! __________________ '09 128i - Black Sapphire Metallic\Coral Red\Glacier Silver\N51 DISA\6MT\Navigation\Premium\M-Sport\Heated seats\Xenon\Headlights\iPod\Smartphone\Euro Delivery Last edited by m_thompson; 01-11-2020 at 08:02 PM..
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03-11-2020, 03:42 PM	#57
Artdnj Captain 394 Rep 706 Posts Drives: 2023 X3 X30i Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Garden State iTrader: (0)	Circle BMW I just had a great experience with Circle BMW in Eatontown. Service Mgr Robert Datri knew all about the warranty and I had all plugs,coils, and valve cover replaced (crack i didn't even know about) after scheduling an appointment for a service engine soon light, code being Cyl 4 mis-fire with no noticeable symptoms.I couldn't be happier with their service and zero up-sell tactics.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-14-2020, 03:55 AM	#58
krispykreme First Lieutenant 46 Rep 339 Posts Drives: e90 328i Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Mission SJ CA iTrader: (0)	Does this mean if I have a 2007 E93 with N51 would get a new engine of compression is failing?
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