BMW VANOS

BOLT RECALL

It has been reported that the bolts that hold the vanos
component (an automotive variable valve timing made by BMW),
comes off loose and in some cases it breaks off completely.

The unit itself would not affect the integrity of the camshaft, but
could significantly affect its position, causing timing issues

Models affected: 1,3 and 5 series along with the X1, X2, X3 and
Z4 from 2010-2012. This has affected about 156 173 vehicles in
the US alone and about 489 000 worldwide.

Although this issue is unlikely to lead to any safety concerns,

drivers may end up stuck on the side of the road and have to
wait for repairs due to a lack of preventative maintenance.

Causes of the Issue:

Lack of locking mechanism resulting of metal fatigue

Often fatigue failure is a result of the bolt self-loosening which

reduces the clamp force acting on the joint. Joint slip then occurs
which leads the bolt being subjected to bending loads and
subsequently failing by fatigue.

Cause of Issue:

Improper torque

A bolt tensioned properly works at its optimum efficiency and will

resist coming undone. However, if the tension is too low, the nut
could vibrate or work loose. If the tension is too high
(overstretched), the bolt could break.

When threaded fasteners are utilized, the amount of tightening

or bolt torque is often important

Solution:

BMW decided to recall all the vehicles affected by this issue.

To fix this problem, BMW will replace the four bolts suspected of
causing the problem on each unit.

The system resides under the valve cover, but the repair is fairly
simple, in most cases only requiring tightening, and rarely,
thread repair, replacement or a thread compound like Loctite.

How will it affect customers:

BMW is considered one of the greatest manufacturers in the

world, but an issue like this may cause unhappy customers, who
have spent alot on these cars, to question that statement.

Conducting a recall may be a smart move currently financially,

but could lead to disgruntled customers who will not buy again,
especially as BMW is a well-known, quality manufacturer.

On the other hand, by doing an early recall, it will give BMW a

good impression from their customers for dealing with the issue
before it cause more problems.