2013 BMW 528I engine problems

Filed Sep 13, 2025 · Engine · CA

On [XXX], Century West BMW in North Hollywood, CA performed recall 20E-A01 B120921 (DME reprogram/connector update) on my 2013 BMW 528i. Within 30 minutes of leaving the dealership, the car displayed a red “engine overheating – stop immediately” warning while I was in a crowded intersection with my child in the vehicle. This created an immediate danger to us and to surrounding traffic. Prior to the recall, the vehicle had no history of overheating. When I returned the next morning ([XXX]), the service advisor admitted they had no timestamp or documentation of the coolant bleed procedure. Instead of proving the recall was performed correctly, the dealership attempted to shift blame onto unrelated issues such as the thermostat or an oil leak, even sending me a video of the oil leak but providing no proof of proper recall completion or verification. This negligence placed me, my child, and the public at serious risk of injury and could have caused catastrophic engine damage. The fact that the vehicle overheated almost immediately after recall work indicates the recall was not properly completed or verified, and the car was returned to me in an unsafe condition. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 14, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · 107,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528I. The contact stated that after driving and parking the vehicle, the contact smelled an abnormal burning odor. The contact stated the burning odor occurred frequently. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was purchased. The contact was aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The contact was unaware that the vehicle needed to be taken to an authorized BMW dealer for the recall repair. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact was referred to a BMW dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

Filed Feb 18, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · 87,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump and plug connector had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Jan 2, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · 60,000 miles · MA

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine and entering the cabin through the vents. The engine warning light was illuminated. There were unknown messages displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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 failure mileage was approximately 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Dec 26, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · 108,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528i. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000(Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Dec 4, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · 98,000 miles · SC

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the engine overheated and there was white smoke coming from under the hood. The messages low coolant and engine overheating were displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road to allow the engine to cool down before continuing to drive. The contact stated that while checking the coolant level, the coolant level was in the normal range. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 98,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Nov 13, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · 127,000 miles · SC

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528i. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed the contact noticed a smoke-like smell coming from the vehicle with no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Oct 25, 2024 · Engine · FL

The electrical connector of the engine coolanta pump could become damaged. Small drops of liquid from the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system could drip down onto the electrical connector of the pump.

Filed Oct 22, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · 119,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528i. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the contact stated that the headlights failed to illuminate while it was raining or while washing the vehicle. The indicators failed to operate while attempting to make a turn. The warning light indicating an electrical failure was illuminated. The failure was intermittent. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Sep 4, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · NY

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.