Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected
740,561
Reported to NHTSA
2017-10-30
Owners notified
2018-06-18
Defect description
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Safety risk
An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Manufacturer remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 528i, 535i, 550i, and M5 passenger cars manufactured from March 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009. Over time, increased resistance at the taillight electrical contact points may cause damage to the ground terminal and housing of the connector resulting in an intermittent or permanent loss of functionality of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, turn-signal, reverse).
Safety risk
Intermittent light operation reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear lamp bulb carriers free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Electrical system
31
95,000 mi
Exterior lighting
31
61,500 mi
Engine
20
113,000 mi
Power train
15
71,000 mi
Air bags
14
90,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
14
85,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
13
107,000 mi
Seat belts
8
90,000 mi
Unknown or other
7
80,000 mi
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
4
119,000 mi
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger
4
119,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)
4
100,000 mi
Seats
4
136,298 mi
Exterior lighting: headlights
3
124,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline
2
155,745 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
140,000 mi
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
68,000 mi
Exterior lighting: brake lights
1
170,000 mi
Exterior lighting: turn signal
1
170,000 mi
Seat belts: rear/other: buckle assembly
1
111,000 mi
Seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler
1
59,000 mi
Service brakes
1
57,000 mi
Steering
1
124,000 mi
Structure: body
1
80,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
1
82,000 mi
The 2007 model has 184 times as many complaints as this one. The 2009 model has 5 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.