[Aducille]

Gents,
YES, I expect BMW to stand behind their product, and NO, I shouldn't have to buy an extended warranty in this age of 100,000 mile powertrain warranties from manufacturers like Chevrolet, Hyundai, and KIA. It is completely unacceptable that a less than 2 year old car with 57,000 gently driven highway miles should be experiencing catastrophic engine problems (YES, It's 'catastrophic' when I'm on the highway & lose power). Furthermore, I'm not "fortunate" that they covered the injectors - that's the LEAST they could do. I INVESTED in this car, thinking I'd have a quality product that would last for several years & 200k+ miles with proper maintenance & sane driving. I've kept up my end of the bargain with proper maintenance & sane driving. What's BMW's excuse? A word to the wise: If you have to buy an "Extended Warranty" in order to feel good about your NEW CAR purchase, you're being HOSED. Good luck.
Side note: The same issue happened today for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, so YES, I'm PISSED, and DONE with BMW forever. Happy Motoring!

[DunkinV]

Originally Posted by Aducille

Gents,
YES, I expect BMW to stand behind their product... It is completely unacceptable that a less than 2 year old car with 57,000 gently driven highway miles should be experiencing catastrophic engine problems (YES, It's 'catastrophic' when I'm on the highway & lose power).

I'm with you Aducille, and at 57,000 miles I experienced the exact same problem you did: I put it in DS mode, accelerated from 0-60 to merge onto a motorway, black smoke came out the tailpipe, red indicators lit up the dash, I lost engine power and had to swerve out of traffic onto an ice-covered shoulder to avoid an accident.

I'm fine with driving my 335d like I'm The Stig all the time, but BMW never suggested that. I bought my 2010 335d new: 13 miles on the odometer. I followed their recommendations for break-in, for fuel, for maintenance. And shortly after my factory warranty expired parts started failing.

Is my vehicle defective or are their recommendations incorrect? Is my vehicle an isolated case or are others having these issues? Are these BMW’s standards?

I’m not trying to be controversial, but I’m frustrated like Aducille. I expected this thing to turn 100,000 miles in a stable state, ready to go another 100,000. That is not the case, and BMW has not stood behind the product.

[GreekboyD]

Hey Dunkinvenn. What problem was your D diagnosed with? That sounded intense.

[DunkinV]

Originally Posted by GreekboyD

Hey Dunkinvenn. What problem was your D diagnosed with? That sounded intense.

Yeah, it was not my favorite moment. There was a narrow shoulder with a snow berm left by the plows. I had a fraction of a second to decide whether to go on to the ice with risk of hitting the snow bank or stay put and get hit by a truck.

My dealer found a stored fault 4B81: Exhaust-Gas-Recirculation-Rate Control, Control Deviation. They could not reproduce it and sent me on my way. But that's just the start of the story.

I saw your thread on the reduced power faults you've had. I'll post the whole history tonight or tomorrow so we can compare notes.

[GreekboyD]

Sounds good man.

[doc5339]

Originally Posted by 35mphgolf

I'm about to buy a 2011 335d - all these head rebuilds/engine failures due to carbon buildup is having me worried. Is there a DIY written on cleaning up your intake system and how to prevent additional buildup (oil catch can etc..)? Should I even be worried?

I would not worry as long as you are under 50,000 miles. Our 2009 335d had the Engine Head replaced after taking it in for a Check Engine light came on. It has had the Glow Plug Wiring Harness, and the Glow Plugs replaced as well.

I am strongly considering buying the Platinum Extended Warranty 6 year/100k miles, as well as the Extended Maintenance 6 year/100k miles.

We really have zero drivability issues in the past 6 months; it was purchased used CPO, but we got the price dropped having CPO pulled from the deal.

I second driving it hard once in awhile!

[DunkinV]

Originally Posted by doc5339

I am strongly considering buying the Platinum Extended Warranty 6 year/100k miles, as well as the Extended Maintenance 6 year/100k miles.

We really have zero drivability issues in the past 6 months; it was purchased used CPO, but we got the price dropped having CPO pulled from the deal.

It's always a gamble that you'll get value out of it. In my case, I gambled and won: I bought the 100,000 warranty. My injector & carbon issues started at 57,000 miles and cost $8000 last year. All but about $1000 were covered. I have NO buyers remorse about buying the extra warranty.

[Clgar1]

The main problem is generated by the poor quality fuel we put in our cars, if you look at European diesels which have been running for 200K+ don't have the same deposits as North Americans engines do as European Brent fuels are higher in octanes (European premium 98 octane, NA premium 91 to 93 octane) plus they have additives in there to help clean this ever advanced motors. Going back to our diesels, euro diesel has a higher level of cetane in it to prevent carbon deposit by cleaning valves and combustion chambers, luckily in Canada shell has introduced the V-Power diesel which has the same values as the European diesels (higher level of cetane, de icer, and other additives). This is the only diesel I use for my 335d and 320Cdi, I can tell the difference from a period where I was using cheap discounted diesel for my 320Cdi (daily driver) and after a few months the check engine came on, it was the computer putting the engine on safe mode (reduced power) for improper fuel injection, cleared the problem went back to V-Power diesel with no problems ever since. I'm not sure why shell does not offer this quality diesel in the US but the regular highway diesel sold there is really bad for our 335d and Im not surprised to see all these carbon problems you guys are talkin about. The other way to solve the problem is to use Liqui Moly additives every once in a while to correct the cetane level in your tank. So the reality is that the 335d engine has no faulty design (heads, injectors or EGR), the main issue has to do with the poor quality fuel and the DPF does worsen the situation so removal won't be a bad idea, plus methanol injection would be ideal if someone has come up with kits for our cars

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by Clgar1

The main problem is generated by the poor quality fuel we put in our cars, if you look at European diesels which have been running for 200K+ don't have the same deposits as North Americans engines do as European Brent fuels are higher in octanes (European premium 98 octane, NA premium 91 to 93 octane)

This statement is based upon a false premise. EU gasolines publish RON (Research Octane Number), which is higher than MON (Motor). US publishes AKI, which is the average of MON/RON. EU 98 premium is the same octane that US 93 is, and similarly EU91=US87, EU95=US89. Wikipedia has a nice article.

[Socom]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

This statement is based upon a false premise. EU gasolines publish RON (Research Octane Number), which is higher than MON (Motor). US publishes AKI, which is the average of MON/RON. EU 98 premium is the same octane that US 93 is, and similarly EU91=US87, EU95=US89. Wikipedia has a nice article.

In addition diesel is not rated by octane but by cetane. Euro diesel has a cetane of 50 and lubricity wear scar of less than 480um. US diesel has min cetane of 40 and min wear scar of 520.

[Pierre Louis]

My nephew in France says that you can drive a modern common rail Peugeot diesel around town a lot and get it full of intake manifold crud fast if you don't run it hard at least once in a while. Its a myth about the fuel being better in this regard in Europe.

I had my CDI spew black smoke when I pushed the throttle in enough to downshift - it would only do it once until I tried it again after another tankful or so. Tried it on the 335d yesterday and the warning light came on saying my urea tank was starting to get low. Wonder if it needs this "Italian tune-up" to clean out the intake crud routinely?

Wouldn't surprise me if the black soot coming out of my old CDI was just the intake crud getting a cleaning when I floor it....

PL

[Puerto Rican 335d]

Like Aducille stated we need not buy and extended warranty for our cars since there are MANY other cars with LOWER price range than ours and are working fine. BMW should stand behind us that we FORKED OUT over $50k a piece for our vehicles, i for one have never used and extended warranty, our issue is the CARB regs that have put our vehicles on the limelight , I dont believe the Euro guys are having the same BS issues we have, BMWoA stand behind us or we will eventually JUMP SHIP to AUDI and mercedes!!!!!!!

[kbsilver]

Remember our carbon issues are due to the extreme pollution controls now required in the US for Diesel engines, not so much the fuel (I think that's more performance related). Europe does not have these controls... yet. But they very soon will. The US has been debugging the modern diesel pollution control systems for the rest of the world.

And yes I did purchase and extended warranty, but more for all the electronics in the car than the engine.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by kbsilver

Remember our carbon issues are due to the extreme pollution controls now required in the US for Diesel engines, ...). Europe does not have these controls... yet. But they very soon will. The US has been debugging the modern diesel pollution control systems for the rest of the world....

While true that the electronic controls are different, EU has had everything but the SCR system for many years - the EGR, DPF & Oxidation Catalyst that is part of the DPF cannister.

For that reason, I find it very hard to believe that the carbon buildup being seen in some engines is due solely to the presence of EGR.

[joe_planet]

Originally Posted by Puerto Rican 335d

Like Aducille stated we need not buy and extended warranty for our cars since there are MANY other cars with LOWER price range than ours and are working fine. BMW should stand behind us that we FORKED OUT over $50k a piece for our vehicles, i for one have never used and extended warranty, our issue is the CARB regs that have put our vehicles on the limelight , I dont believe the Euro guys are having the same BS issues we have, BMWoA stand behind us or we will eventually JUMP SHIP to AUDI and mercedes!!!!!!!

Audi has the same crap 4yr/50k warranty, mb i'm not sure

i mean its downright shameful imo if you can get a 10yr/100k on a hyundai and a 5yr/100k on a chevy powertrain and a luxury car maker gives 50k miles.. how is that better?

[Mark M]

In reply to the above debates on warranty longevity......just my 2 cents....

German cars are always technology leaders...they have the newest tech on board before the other global manufacturers. As such, new tech is expensive and has its growing pains. It is easy for Hyundai and others to offer 10 year waranties when their tech is 10 year old tried and true engineering.

With BMW we are paying for that cutting edge tech.

Even further, over 60% of new BMWs are leased. So the original owner will never have to deal with expiration of warranty.

CPO used BMWs are the 2nd tier, you have the warranty 6 year or 100k miles.

A factory 100k mile warranty would up the sticker price of the car and would pretty much kill BMW's lucrative CPO buisiness.

The old addage....Lease a new BMW. Purchase a CPO BMW.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

Mark it makes sense to me now, my neighbor got a CPO 2006 325i that only had 20k on the odometer oh well. Yes BMW is one of the leaders in tech but our issues are with exhaust system for which I beleive AFTER 3 yrs in the USoA this ISSUE should be resolved!!!!!

[Clgar1]

Originally Posted by joe_planet

Audi has the same crap 4yr/50k warranty, mb i'm not sure

i mean its downright shameful imo if you can get a 10yr/100k on a hyundai and a 5yr/100k on a chevy powertrain and a luxury car maker gives 50k miles.. how is that better?

Checked my CDI manual and it says Diesel powertrain warranty 5yr/160km (100mi)
I took the extended warranty on my 335D so it's covered up to 140Km but the sales men told me to come in before the original factory warranty runs out to have the engine head removed, cleaned and put back together, I was a bit stunned but didn't stop me buying the car, he even told me of another 335D that came in with 80K where they had to remove the head and address all sorts of things! Go figure!

[Socom]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

While true that the electronic controls are different, EU has had everything but the SCR system for many years - the EGR, DPF & Oxidation Catalyst that is part of the DPF cannister.

For that reason, I find it very hard to believe that the carbon buildup being seen in some engines is due solely to the presence of EGR.

+1. I suspect US cars have lower avg mph. Perhaps this is why BMW is releasing lower powered diesels.

[JonDiesel@ColemanAutobody]

I worked for a BMW dealer for years, my techs used to tell me the 335d needs to be driven hard here and there... this engine is too powerful for this light of a car and driving 'normal' the engine simply isn't getting worked hard enough. Diesel engines are made to WORK not just putz around. This in turn supposedly avoids carbon build-up.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

Jon very correct gassers go thru same issues but DIESELS need to be stripped down like two cent whore and beaten, the harder i drive my 335d the better she drives If i pamper her then she goes soft on me, so treat your car like a corner whore , all the guys from Europe beat down their cars and have very little issues with their DIESELS