Passport BMW told us that there was a recall on the engine of our X5 and asked if we had to add oil periodically; our answer was yes. We were told that the engine failed the oil consumption test performed by Passport BMW and the engine needed to be replaced. Passport then said that we had to pay for the replacement of the engine, $2,500. The engine has been replaced, however the engine still leaks oil and now also leaks antifreeze additionally, engine malfunction is displayed permanently on the dashboard.
2011 BMW X5: excessive oil consumption
5 of the 265 complaints about the 2011 BMW X5 describe excessive oil consumption.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- recalls
- 5
Is there a fix? There are 5 recalls and 107 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Excessive oil consumption by model year
- 20193
- 20171
- 20142
- 20132
- 20121
- 20115
- 20103
- 20091
- 20071
- 20063
- 20033
- 20022
- 20012
What owners say
Excessive oil consumption under normal driving conditions
Replacing the leaking turbo oil drain block and faulty valve seals which causes oil to drain and the vehicle to smoke and burn so you have to add at least 1/2 quart of oil within 2 weeks time while driving and check engine light comes on
Intake and exhaust valve seals went bad. Which this is a known problem for n63 engines. Bmw has a bulletin for it, but the extended warranty will not honor that because it's a known problem. And bmw won't honor it cause they won't do a recall on it either. When this happens, it consumes oil and you have blue smoke going out your tailpipe. I've been going back and forth with extended warranty, bmw dealer, and bmw corporation. They want me to pay over $9000 to fix this, cause you have to pull the motor out. And this gonna get worse if you gonna keep driving it
Since the n63 engine technical update (aka n63 customer care package) was performed on our 2011 x5, we noticed an increase in engine oil consumption evidenced by the onboard system alerting us to low engine oil condition requiring adding engine oil. In addition to this symptom the onboard system is alerting low coolant fluid and requiring coolant fluid top off. Prior to this n63 technical update performed on our x5, the vehicle did not require engine oil or coolant fluid top off as it does now and went even as far as between maintenance cycle without requiring oil or coolant top off. We have communicated this peculiar level of consumption on a number of occasions to the service advisor at the onset of the symptom and while during the warranty coverage period and we were told that this consumption by the n63 engine is normal and is to be expected and to top it off when low and as required. As such in its current state we are not confident with driving our x5 on long distance like a road trip from la to sf which we have enjoyed - the n63 is extremely needy for fluids between relatively short mileage intervals.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This bulletin outlines the Customer Care Package program that has been designed exclusively for...
- Engine will crank but not start
- Coolant is leaking from under the car which is equipped with the S63 engine
- This bulletin outlines the procedure for checking the engine timing chains for wear, and should be...
- Class action settlement: N54/N54T/N55 electric engine coolant pump .
- N63 class action settlement - battery service benefit - retrofits/ replacements
- N63: oil consumption class action settlement diagnosis/repairs (version 12.0).
- N63 engine vehicles: class action settlement for engine oilconsumption/batter.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
- Risk
- Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 23V707000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009-2013 X5 xDrive 35d diesel vehicles. The engine idler pulley bolt may loosen over time and break.
- Risk
- If the idler pulley bolt breaks, the vehicle may unexpectedly lose power-assisted steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the idler pulley bolt with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 18V336000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The electric auxiliary water pump may fail and cause the circuit board to overheat.
- Risk
- If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric auxiliary water pump, free of charge. Depending on the model, there are currently limited parts available, however not all parts are available at this time. Owners will be notified of the recall beginning June 11, 2018, and will receive a second notification when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at BMW 1‑800‑525‑7417, MINI at 1‑866‑825‑1525, or Rolls-Royce at 1‑877‑877‑3735. Note: BMW recommends that owners park their vehicle outdoors until the recall remedy has been performed.
Recall number 18V248000 · Recall details
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: other fuel types: turbo/supercharger
- What is wrong
- Bmw is recalling certain model year 2011 5-series, model year 2010-2011 5-series gran turismo, model year 2009-2011 7-series, model year 2010-2011 x5 sav, and model year 2008-2011 x6 sav vehicles equipped with 8- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat.
- Risk
- This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The safety recall began on december 19, 2011. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 11V521000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2011 BMW X5 oil consumption
Is excessive oil consumption a common problem on the 2011 BMW X5?
5 of 265 owner complaints about the 2011 BMW X5 (2%) mention excessive oil consumption. The model year with the most reports is 2011.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2011 BMW X5?
There are 5 recalls and 107 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2011 BMW X5
Loss of power 27Check engine light 25Overheating 19Stalling 17Fire or smoke 13Fuel pump 13Engine failure 11Won't start 7Fuel smell 6Won't shift 6Knocking 5Hesitation 5Jerking 5Power steering loss 5
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