The contact owns a 2011 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the "Loss of Engine Power" warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he was unable to restart the vehicle and had the vehicle towed back to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
2011 BMW 528I: sudden loss of power
5 of the 118 complaints about the 2011 BMW 528I describe sudden loss of power.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 4%
- recalls
- 2
Sudden loss of power by model year
What owners say
I have a 2011 SIX-cylinder BMW 528i. I was driving down the road and had a yellow engine light come on and my car lost all power and I coasted into a parking area and then had my vehicle towed to the BMW Service Center. They determined the problem was that the VANOS UNIT BOLTS had broken off and they repaired the vehicle charging me $6678.11. I found out about a recall for 2010-2012 5 series BMW’s and my service advisor told me that I didn’t qualify for is because the recall had expired in 2021. I called BMW North America and they referred me to NHITSA. I have a video sent to me from the service technician showing me where the bolts had sheared off. I feel that this should have been repaired by BMW at no charge to me.
The vehicle slips when accelerating (especially uphill). It lost power twice and I reset the modules by turning on the electrical and stepping on the accelerator for 30 seconds. But it continues to slip
My vehicle loss power while driving babies to daycare. The care started shaking and would not gain power in cold weather. The vehicle took about 20 minutes to warm then the indicator light went of and no problems. The indicator light was a yellow engine light followed by drivetrain malfunction. The car jerks now. I have done research on this issue and I see several people with the same issue to who. Has this model car. Also the parts are on back order in germany meaning there are aware of issue. This needs a major recall because in some of the cases the car cut off while driving on the road in traffic. I parked my car until some one could say what the actual case is and fix. I see most people have taking there vehicles in more than 3 times with no resolution. I also research drivetrain in bmw and another model was recalled and fixed. So I'm thinking all models need to be recalled.
Purchased a brand new 528i bmw and within months I had a coolant signal indicating low coolant. Subsequently, the coolant signal came on every six weeks, despite having it topped off at dealership. Car had inadequate power and felt like it dragged. Bmw service center repeatedly failed to identify a problem. Eventually, the signal came on and an intolerable fuel odor emerged upon turning on the car. Fuel and chemical odors remain. I have read of other similar complaints online and believe there is a manufacturing defect that makes the car unsafe. The exposure to carcinogenic coolant fumes and the gas fumes are dangerous. Coolant may be leaking into the engine. Other mechanical issues may be causing the drag and continued loss of power. In one instance I left the vehicle at the bmw service center with a full tank and when it was returned to me, the fuel level had dropped significantly despite having been driven a very small amount of miles by the service people. I am very concerned that these problems pose a safety hazard to not only myself, but the general public and other bmw owners who may be unaware of these issues. I feel the car is compromised by the manufacturing defects and that efforts to repair the problems continue to exist. I feel the car is unsafe and poses a safety and health hazard and that bmw is unwilling to investigate how pervasive the problem may be. I want an investigation and feel the vehicle is unsafe to drive. This is not "the ultimate driving machine." please investigate these problems and help prevent others from being unnecessarily subjected to toxic fumes and chemicals which may compromise the public's health and the safety of people on the road.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Engine will crank but not start
- Component specific limited warranty extension
- This bulletin outlines the procedure for checking the engine timing chains for wear, and should be...
- Limited warranty extensionto 10 years/120000 miles
- N52T / N55 with 8HP45: Delay in Engine Response
- N63 Engine: Oil Consumption and/or Rough Running Complaints
- Diagnostic hint: catalytic converter inspection after loss of crankshaft signal.
- N63 engine: oil consumption class action settlement diagnosis and repair procedures.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 17V683000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i Convertible, 528i Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535i xDrive Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, and X3 xDrive 35i, 2010 X3 xDrive 30i, and X5 xDrive 30i, 2012 640i Coupe, and 640i Convertible and 2010-2012 535i Gran Turismo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and may possibly break.
- Risk
- If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2012 BMW vehicles equipped with inline 6 cylinder engines not covered by this recall, will receive an extended warranty to address this condition. The recall began on September 24, 2014. Owners may contact BMW at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 14V176000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2011 BMW 528I loss of power
Is sudden loss of power a common problem on the 2011 BMW 528I?
5 of 118 owner complaints about the 2011 BMW 528I (4%) mention sudden loss of power. The model year with the most reports is 2012.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2011 BMW 528I?
There are 2 recalls and 71 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2011 BMW 528I
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