NHTSA Complaint #11377538 — 2013 BMW X3

I BOUGHT THIS PRE-OWNED VEHICLE (A) BECAUSE IT WAS A BMW THAT WAS KNOWN TO BE OF SUPERIOR WORKMANSHIP AND MECHANICAL EXPERTISE, AS HERALDED BY BMW MEDIA, AND (B) BECAUSE IT WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH SUPERIOR SERVICE RECORDS ' CARFAX NOTED 'NO ISSUES REPORTED' DURING ITS ENTIRE LIFE ON NEW MEXICO ROADWAYS: 105,508 MILES. MY VEHICLE DROVE PERFECTLY, WITH NO ISSUES, UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 4:00 PM ON OCTOBER 14, 2020, WHEN, AT 110,839 MILES, WITH NO WARNING OF AN ISSUE OF ANY KIND, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, CAUSING ME TO QUICKLY SEARCH FOR A PLACE TO PULL OVER IN A CONGESTED AREA. I HAD BEEN TAKING MY GRANDSON TO A LESSON AND WAS LUCKY WE WEREN'T INJURED OR WORSE. IRONICALLY, ALTHOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING MASSIVE FAILURE, THE MESSAGE ON THE COMMUNICATIONS MODULE SAID, 'CONTINUE TO DRIVE CAREFULLY.' I HAD THE CAR DELIVERED AN TO A LONG-TIME, AWARD-WINNING, HIGHLY RESPECTED BMW MECHANIC. HIS ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO REPAIR AVAILABLE FOR MY CAR, AS THE PLASTIC GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR THE PRIMARY TIMING CHAIN WAS MADE OF A DEFECTIVE POLYCARBONATE MATERIAL THAT BECAME BRITTLE AND BROKE APART, CREATING DEBRIS THAT LODGED IN THE CRANKSHAFT DRIVE SPROCKETS. THIS DEBRIS CAUSED THE PRIMARY CHAIN TO SKIP, LETTING THE CAMSHAFTS AND CRANKSHAFT FALL OUT OF SYNC, WHICH DESTROYED THE ENGINE. BOTTOM LINE: I WOULD HAVE TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE N20 ENGINE TO THE TUNE OF $11,163.81 (AT BMW $15K OR MORE). THERE IS A LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION: AN ENGINE WITH AT LEAST 70K MILES. PROBLEM IS, IT HAS A 70K MILE TIMING CHAIN. SO, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND ONLY HAS A ONE YEAR OPTION, AS OPPOSED TO TWO YEARS. BMW AMERICA WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE SINCE 2012, WHICH IS FRAUDULENT, BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM CLAIMANTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE!