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
Engine and engine cooling
18
124,000 mi
Engine
17
105,298 mi
Electrical system
13
77,000 mi
Power train
9
105,298 mi
Air bags
7
56,600 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
6
98,629 mi
Exterior lighting
3
95,680 mi
Seat belts
3
100,650 mi
Unknown or other
3
120,000 mi
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification
2
100,650 mi
Seats
2
68,000 mi
Service brakes
2
69,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
98,629 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)
1
180,000 mi
Exterior lighting: brake lights
1
60,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline
1
—
Steering
1
—
Structure
1
7,200 mi
Vehicle speed control
1
66,000 mi
The 2009 model has 3 times as many complaints as this one. The 2011 model has about half 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.