Timing chain failure on BMW 120d, is this common?

I have a 2007 plate BMW 120d SE, which I bought from a dealership 15 months ago. It has 67,000 on the clock and always been in the dealer network for work and servicing. However, the timing chain has snapped. It's done less than 10,000 since its last service and, in case it's relevant, it still has some BMW finance on the car (about £3400).

The dealership service manager has been very friendly so far and he has spoken to BMW customer services direct and they will contribute to the cost although it's unclear how much. Is this a common problem with this model of BMW?

Asked on 13 July 2013 by Rich_uk

Answered by Honest John

This is the N47 engine problem, caused by insufficiently frequent oil and filter changes. The engine needs fresh oil and filter at least every 10,000 miles or every year whichever comes first, but BMW variable servicing allows much longer oil change intervals.

Tags: technical issues timing chain

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