What Are Some Common Issues With The BMW N55?

[@roberta.6295]

Maintenance is cheaper than repair! Dont go replacing a bunch of parts unless the car actually needs it. The only parts I recommend to BMW owners to replace before they fail are the common oil leaks like valve cover gasket and oil housing seals. I also recommend older BMW owners to replace cooling system items like the expansion tank (always cracking) and hoses, especially when doing any repairs and you will be there anyways, so change out what you can access at the same time. I watched this video and its very helpful for those who are learning. I've worked on Benz and BMW for 42 years before retiring due to health issues. Take care of your car and it will take care of you! Find an experienced tech who can do your work for you at home and save tons of money compared to shops and the dealer. Get your software updated if your car is 7 years or older. The update usually adds what feels like 20 HP! It also resolves many issues from happening in the future too, due to the updated data especially in the engine and trans. If you are a tech yourself get the laptop and do it all yourself! Diagnose first, get your head wrapped around the system and the repair second and lastly do it when you are feeling good and not in a hurry. Work clean and have confidence in your work and all will be fine. Peace to all, happy driving!

[@Jwdude123]

Robert Amat naaa drive it till it breaks

[@hummzs3740]

Cheers brother

[@nocleansox]

thanks brother !!

[@Dragon228833]

Charge pipe is a must. My friend bought a 135i that was babied by an old guy and the charge pipe exploded the second he pushed it a little hard

[@nocleansox]

@@Dragon228833 Can you recommend a good charge pipe or store that has one to a new n55 owner?? 🙏🏽🙏🏽😅

[@tomtom255]

I've been at a dealer for over 7 years, I'd say the oil filter housing/cooler gasket and water pump are the only more common issues. The charge pipe is rarely an issue in stock form, the vanos solenoids aren't a common problem unless you don't change your oil. One way or another you have to pay to play when it comes to going fast or owning a car that delivers a premium driving experience.

[@senioraxys3947]

tomtom255 what about rod bearing issues ?

[@tomtom255]

@@senioraxys3947 I have seen a few lock up completely, certainly wouldn't keep me up at night or keep me from buying an N55 powered car. Lots of people have ideas/speculate about it but I'm not convinced. The N55 and S55 have the same rod bearing part numbers, although the S55 is much less common and far more likely to be owned and maintained by an enthusiast. I think what kills rod bearings is a few things, infrequent oil changes, short trips in cold weather causing excessive crankcase moisture, and driving too aggressive when the engine is cold. I know at least two people with big turbo or full bolt on's with over 100k with no issues. I would love to see what those bearings look like after all of those miles though, that's my take anyways.

[@senioraxys3947]

Do you think a low mileage n55, like 20 to 25k miles, 2015 and more would be a good idea to buy with no warranty ? i plan on doing oil change every 4500miles with only bmw recommand oil and fix all the other issues myself.

[@tomtom255]

@@senioraxys3947 If the car has a solid record of being serviced properly and no signs of abuse then I wouldn't hesitate. Depending on the in service date it should have had at least 3-5 oil changes. Service intervals are usually every 10k or once per year.

[@SAABguyMD]

I hope they are feeding you and letting you visit your family from time to time lol jk good information

[@jeffhaley9494]

2013 335i xdrive...charge pipe just blew on the highway...cracked and disconnected from throttle body (no tune just AWE exhaust)....90k miles on the odometer....took 4 hrs to remove old charge pipe and replace due to location and space....very cramped....but highly recommend replacing this asap if you haven't already. Cost of the part is not bad....went with VRSF and was happy with the quality. Thanks for posting, great advice!

[@nullpointer1984]

N55 is the first turbo charged BMW engine which features Valvetronic, not to be confused with VANOS. The system seems to become broke fairly often, if you are lucky the ECU just disables it and you can drive just fine. On my car it became disable for the previous owner like 3 years ago. I only detected it disabled by scanning the system with a scantool. Main features of the system is to decrease fuel usage up to 10% any time you are not flooring the throttle and to give a little bit faster throttle response. If the ECU is not able to disable the system correctly the car won't start at all and you have an expensive and difficult repair to look forward to.

[@abhimanyugoyal944]

180k on my 535i n55 and none of these have happened... lucky me. I also rag on the thing very hard

[@HsusnatThk]

Abhimanyu Goyal what year is it

[@mytube9314]

Thats awesome, i just got a cpo 535i as my daily. Planning on putting in at least 250k miles on it. The car looks to be more promising than I expected. Do you put mostly highway miles or city?

[@volf4o]

Lucky you indeed. My 335i has 92k kilometers on the odometer however, I have already replaced the valve cover gasket (once), the High Pressure Fuel Pump (once) and I'm now going to get the valvetronic motor as well as the eccentric camshaft replaced (in this engine repair the valve cover gasket is gonna get replaced as well for 2nd time). Turns out this engine is not as great...

[@generalcke]

@@volf4o how much did the valve cover gasket cost you if you don't mind me asking

[@mosesdiaz6331]

85k miles n my 335i no issues at all

[@MrRoni123456789]

Not likely on stock, but the LPFP, low pressure fuel pump, is known for going bad as well especially on bolt on n55s

[@RobboElRobbo]

2011 6 speed xdrive (2010/10 build date). Mine's been: 105,000km oil filter housing gasket ($325 canadian), 128,000km waterpump/thermostat ($1550, $150 tow truck). Both done at indy shop. When I bought the car at 84,000km I replaced the spark plugs, transmission fluid, serpentine belt and pulleys, and charge pipe (ebay, stainless steel), all DIY. I also flashed it with MHD that day. My valve cover has always leaked but not enough to address yet. I also learned manual on this car and the clutch still seems fine. Car was surprisingly cheap to own and it's at 130,000km. I'm not really afraid of high mileage and will probably own the car for a long time. Driven it from BC coast to Alberta many times without issue. There is a notable issue with early build cars, look up rod bearing issues. There's supposed to be a recall for it but for some reason mine isn't applicable. I know others in Canada who have had the recall done.

[@MrLaloman18]

2011 BMW 535i M-Sport n55 engine after 178k miles (95% highway miles) parts finally being replaced/fixed: * Valve cover + Valvetronic Actuator Seal + Engine Oil Filler cap Serpentine Belt + Belt Tensioner pulley + 2 Idle Pulleys Coolant Reservoir Expansion Tank Spark plugs Eldor Ignition Coils Engine Oil Filter Housing Gasket kit * Transmission Oil + Trans Oil Pan w/filter + Mechatronic Sealing Sleeve + Transmission support mount * Rear EDC Shocks Full Intake Valve Walnut Blasting cleaning + Intake Manifold Gaskets * Replaced all plastic to All Aluminum Intake Charge Pipes, Lower Charge Pipe + Intercooler to Upper Intake Charge Pipe * Bigger all Aluminum Turbo Intercooler GoFast Bits DV+ T9356 Diverter Both Engine Mounts Upper Coolant Hose + All Coolant O-Rings from coolant hoses * High Pressure Fuel Pump + High Pressure Fuel sensor + Low Pressure Fuel sensor Trunk Left & Right Tension Springs Front Windshield Cowl Cover Blower Housing Cover (easy fix) Bonus: Interior M-Performance Carbon Fiber Trim Panels All pure White LED lights LED Fog Lights 3D Maxpider Floor Mats Upgraded 10.23" HD Android 10 Touch Screen w/iDrive Full Speaker Upgrade to German ETON Hi-Fi Speakers + German Audio System Underseat Sub-woofers + BAVSOUND Revenant DSP 1300w Amp Like a Brand New car! *** All work and fixes were done by me professionally with the proper tools and torque specifications!

[@abdulfooligan1395]

New to the N55 community, and new to BMW overall lol. Gotta say I fell in love with my car after the first drive from the dealership.

[@SimplyCarThings]

glad to hear that man! congrats on the purchase!

[@ramd6934]

Hi abdul, you got a 535i? How do you like it ? Im thinking to buy a 2013 535i, do you know any idea about reliability of this car? Let me know, appreciate your comments.

[@abdulfooligan1395]

@@ramd6934 I have a 335. It's a 2011 so it's actually the e90 body style. As far as the engine, it's pretty solid, but if you want more specific detail on the 535, I'd just look on YT and the bimmer forums.

[@ramd6934]

@K Jhnsn Thanks for the reply. How many miles on your car? How long you had it?

[@elnoel1220]

Mine’s recently had to have: radiator replaced, oil filter housing, gearbox gasket (DCT model), water pump, thermostat. All under warranty thankfully otherwise would’ve been £3k+ at an authorised service centre. Glad to see your video states many of these are likely to go as it’s got 63k on the clock so lots of life still left on the old boy now I have had the parts replaced. Rocking a 2012 e93 and I love it!

[@dyo228]

Coolant expansion tank on my 2013 E92 335i cracked from the side @ 45k, it's plastic like the chargepipe and common issue as well.

[@tommywan3713]

mine eefed up too.

[@efthimios]

I own a 2011 335 msport I purchased woth 9k miles I’m 2015. Mybwater pump went at 20k miles but other than that nothing else 42k miles so far Oil filter gasket leaked and also fixed under warranty -

[@SimplyCarThings]

awesome bro!

[@RickSancHezFDurMOM]

You listing to shoreline threw me off🤣

[@totophandhamaly9944]

Same😂

[@MfCraze]

Simply car things OTX lmao

[@bengtholmberg8590]

Thanks! I drive a pretty highmilage X3 35i, so this helps me much! I feel pretty comfident still. No problems after 3 months. Car has only 2 owners except me and always serviced at BMW dealership. Now I know what to look out for. Will start to change oil/filter more often than requiered though, as many People say its a good start. I hope to enjoy the car for atleast 3 years.

[@GodKing804]

Charge pipe is plastic on the n55. I got a aluminum replacement. No oil leaks...yet. No water pump failure..yet (you can't replace under warranty before it fails..only after) VANOS no issues... yet. 60k on my n55

[@anthony50ae71]

I haven't had any issues either man. I have 54k miles on it

[@RE_Blues]

Issues will likely occur at 70k-75k. My car had the water pump, oil filter housing gasket, radiator, and valve cover gasket all go out between 65k-75k miles. About $4500 worth of dealer expenses in the last 1.5 years.

[@GodKing804]

@@RE_Blues really depends on the year. If it's been on an f10 and after the LCI it shouldn't have any issues

[@lemfaj4367]

Currently have 56k miles on my n55.. no issues yet..all stock.. never thought of changing the charge pipe to aluminum.. this video helps me a lot.. 👍🏻

[@SimbaTheGreat]

GodKing804 my vanos solenoids went around 114k miles. Super easy replacement but it’s indicative of the engines life and oil consumption. I’m the second owner so I’m assuming the guy before me used the longer oil change intervals

[@luisfernandomartinez4508]

Shoreline mafia, you know what’s up Omar! Congrats on 20k man!

[@SimplyCarThings]

you know how we do it! Thanks brotha!

[@pepper0912]

N55, 2011 335xi. Excellent vehicle but all the maintenance failures that are "common" issues are a serious pain.

[@blxzing1201]

what kind of issues have you ran into at how many miles?

[@tommywan3713]

my n55 water pump failed around 70k, gasket and coolant hosting tank failed at 72k, starter failed at 73k, front wheel bearing fail at 71k due to its a bloody xdrive it was a pain from behind. coils for spark plugs failed when I did a tune up. battery was garbage failed like 50kish. Hate it and love it at the same time. smoked a lot of Audi S4 though which is worth the money I put in the car. The bottom line is n54 and n55 are way better than the competitors. But all those years i've learnt on the n55 is BMW made their car fall a part easily on purpose for job security reasons. If you are good with cars and have extra 2k to put in the car every year. nothing get close to BMWs.

[@RE_Blues]

Everything but the starter and wheel bearing went out at the exact same mileage. I'm convinced there is some engineered failure in play by BMW, as you eluded to. It's just more than coincidence that nearly every bmw has the same issues occur within the same 20k mile band (60k-80k miles)

[@Jim007baker]

Welcome to BMW lol

[@kurkin23]

@@RE_Blues Yeah did you just find that out B-Bring M-Money W- With you. We all know this

[@billb9062]

Awesome video! Only thing i can add are plastic coolant pipes, and vacuum lines like the one that controls the exhaust flap in the back get brittle and crack causing low boost (low vac) issues or coolant leaks.

[@Mitchdrum29]

Guess I'm not lucky... Just had what I think is a connecting rod slip which apparently requires a new engine. Been very diligent on oil changes and top ups but hey, sometimes bad things happen.

[@yungkaos3500]

was it really that?

[@jaimehernandez4039]

Any vehicle that is not maintained will have issues. The 1st owner of my E90 took shit care of the car, why buy a $55K vehicle if you're not going to take care of it? After investing a bit of money and time, I had the water pump, thermostat, injectors, ignition coils, & spark plugs replaced as well as a walnut blast completed. She's as good as new. My N54 is still stock, I've seen too many guys in our group fuck up their engines doing too many bs modifications without first taking care of the critical issues that arise with the N54.

[@matreyia]

Timing Actuator is a very expensive part that also sometimes fails...gotta take the engine top off to change it. Also known as Vanos Actuator...not the vanos solenoids but the actuator inside the engine.

[@illsuspect]

You can apply most of this list to almost all years and models of BMW.

[@Trump-The-GREATEST]

You forgot to mention the failure of the HPFP (High Pressure Fuel Pump $600) and the MUST replace old designed brass color Low Pressure Fuel Sensor that will fail and you will smell gas, have a Drivetrain Malfunction, cold start rough shakes, low PSI from the HPFP, onced the car warms up if you reve it up you will get multiple misfires and make u think ur HPFP is the cause of the problem when all along it was just the damn Low Pressure Fuel Sensor ($45)! Replace it with the newest latest designed and its upgraded short fuel line it comes with ($180)! You will be getting a strong healthy 87 psi from the sensor after replacement instead of the old model's 70 psi! And one last thing, replace the "Engine Coolant Hose Flange" from the stock plastic to a aluminum version ($17) as this part will break and leave you stranded!

[@bkkhd7401]

i got dizzy watching this vid..

[@brianplum1825]

Yeah, I had to give a thumb down for that. I understand KZbin is full of amateurs, but this is the worst.

[@Acostajavie]

@@brianplum1825 fucken haters 😂

[@shaunbailey4922]

@@brianplum1825 lol what a vagina

[@shaunbailey4922]

@@brianplum1825 you not him

[@jamals6270]

IMO e92s were the best looking BMWs made so far. Such a shame that they were the most unreliable though. It was a bittersweet moment getting rid of my N54.

[@SimplyCarThings]

yea man i definitely agree!

[@michaelaulds9571]

I’ve put 90k miles on my e92n55 and all I’ve had to replace is that plastic charge pipe. Literally the most reliable car I’ve owned believe it or not lol.

[@SBFRuggedYou]

@@michaelaulds9571 *knock on wood* lol

[@michaelaulds9571]

StrugglePuff yeah it’s probably a waiting game at this point lol

[@SimbaTheGreat]

Jamal S what? The most unreliable bmw made is by far the Chris bangle 745i. The E92s are by far some of the most reliable bimmers. I’ve put 50k miles on mine within the last 2 years and now have 120k miles on it. It’s been dead reliable and has never left me stranded.

[@51madmitch]

The first and most important thing on an engine like this is to change engine oil and filter (like blood in our body, without it, it dies !!!) regularly, so many engine parts run on oil, turbo very important.

[@Jonny789321]

Hey how are you guys I own a BMW f30 335i m sport package. My car has 68,000 miles and one of the rod bearings went out so I had to get a new Engine it's a common issue with f30,N54 engins,e92,f80,M4. make sure you guys are always checking your oil and changing your oil accordingly this is another big maintenance item everyone should do before 70,000 miles because it's a time bomb for bmw rod bearing to go out and if they go out you will have to replace the engine like me. OEM rods are garbage so I highly recommend changing the rods it's a expensive maintenance but you will safe so much money on the long run!

[@matthewsandstrom7116]

Eccentric shaft bearings and valvetronic motors also very common

[@nicktuned8666]

Matthew Sandstrom just did this job on mine, costed me $2800. Hopefully whoever else that has to do it, has a warranty. Apparently it’s been a common issue for the earlier N55’s

[@mannyd1994]

I think mime is bad and its running off the throttle body, car runs fine but i hope i doesn't get worse, im at 115k

[@milanrotar8176]

Incidentally what drew me to mine was the 6 speed manual and the carbon fiber bits in the interior and the the m-sport pkg also the grill has the tricolor& blacked out !

[@Darkeiser.7]

Sounds like this entire list is what is needed to be replaced on my 11' 335i n55. With 100k miles.

[@BradTech.]

I notice nobody mention sticky valve damage which was always a problem for most if not all BMW engines since wayy back when; leading valves to get bent upon hammeing by the cylinder if they get stuck too long in the wrong time. I mention this because I'm afraid most people that have such issue either fall off of the face of the earth and give up BMW or stay in denial trying to excuse its symptoms in finding workarounds smoothing operation. The reason why I bring this up is to determine the impact of flashtune burble effects being simulated through drastic ignition delay according to MHD.

[@BradTech.]

wow, so sorry; I've been watching for so long and literally forgetting to subscribe n such, but I got it this time!

[@reyiiteleco]

Have you had the issue that the case jerks or surge when coming to a stop on a traffic light or on low speeds for example, only present when the A/C is ON. When A/C is Off all works great. This issue is driving me crazy, I've done all possible to fix it (even upgrade the DME in the BMW dealership.) The only thing that is left for me to do it reset all the adaptations with BimmerGeaks K+DCAM cable that i bought 2 days ago... waiting to receive it. Thanks for sharing. I have a E88, N55 135i 2013 with 60K miles. I've checked :: - MAF and MAP Sensors. - Solenoids - Spark plugs - DME upgraded - Engine Oil leaks - cylinders misfires (all OK) - No a single fault code popping up with Bavarian Tool cable scans

[@senioraxys3947]

What about the rod bearings issues ? Or the crank hub issues on the s55 ?

[@xkukubax]

How about rod bearings? I heard they can fail prematurely.

[@mattg.3355]

I bought my 335i like 3 weeks ago and the water pump already went i just got the car back from the shop and am taking it back next week because of an oil leak 😭 at least I’m under warranty

[@EnjinTale]

how’s it been for you after 2 years?

[@ericmeyer1373]

Congrats on 20k bro!

[@SimplyCarThings]

thanks so much Eric!

[@georgehenwood4909]

I have a n55 in my M135i it’s a great engine sounds insane and is good on power drinks through oil tho

[@igotaction]

You had VC gasket but not internal PCV or PCV cap leaks/failure causing that crazy squealing sound when braking on auto start/stop mode

[@tommyvercetti1264]

I was in the market for a f30 335i n55, but I been watching vids and they been making me iffy on them like the rod bearing problem, are they a reliable car? The vids been making me rethink

[@EnjinTale]

not sure if you still looking to buy one, but it’s important to keep in mind that you’re actively searching for these issues. people that don’t have problems with their N55 won’t be posting anything on forums or youtube for example, but people who do have problems tend to go on forums and make it known. realistically it’s a very small percentage of the people who have bearing issues, and the ones that do, 90% are due to poor maintenance. Generally yes they’re reliable, just make sure you change oil every 10k kms (6k miles) ATLEAST, and always have your oil topped up.

[@jschauer31]

Great content. Really appreciate your stuff and your vids and commentary are top notch. I just bought a beautiful 2016 535i M Sport and am looking to do a few mods. There are numerous videos and channels out there but yours is among the best. And plan next steps. Thank you!

[@BMWI-gk9wh]

Take my word and check your alternator pulley by the upper radiator hose it rubs on the under side somtimes if you need a hose replacement it swells

[@FutureGameLight]

the n55 of the f generation is much more robust in many ways then the first two years of the n55 e9x generation

[@neebs1ag1]

Congrats on the 20k

[@SimplyCarThings]

thank you!

[@Vbanwarie]

I have had hpfp issues also all the above leakages and now my transmission is slipping....

[@BMWI-gk9wh]

Any fix

[@Malolalo95]

I have an opportunity to buy a 2011 BMW 335i Coupe with M sport with 39K miles for $18,000 from a BMW dealership. No warranties though. I work at the dealership and have talked to the techs and they say there’s no issues with it but I’m scared of owning it out of warranty. Any thoughts?

[@Article_170]

Eduardo Bautista You can ALWAYS get a third party warranty so long as the title is clean. Just be sure to read the fine print and make sure the warranty will cover what you need it to cover. I’d get the price of that car down to 16k though.

[@S58PSHIFTING]

is threr a particular year of an N55 thats worse than others?

[@axs7689]

I'm not a car person but looking to buy myself this car. Can I do some preventative maintenance besides the pipe? Or would you just recommend a 320/328? Also are the awd bmw reliable?

[@vatow7502]

Hey did you ever find anything? I’m in your position now and was just curious what you did

[@AaronL11]

I’m 17 and have a 2013 335i n55 with 65k miles I pay for car shield but I want to put some mods on mh car car should I just cancel carshielr?

[@bassgee2938]

Yeh, I've had to change the charge pipe on my 135is and M2. Both failed under hard acceleration.

[@SimplyCarThings]

ive seen it happen on so many N55’s haha

[@vespasian1695]

2012 n55 335, charge pipe I replaced before it popped, spent 500 fixing all oil leaks, 1300 on my water pump breaking, now I gotta change my radiator and intercooler

[@chrisdoyle2218]

Should try to DIY some of this, cause it will save you a lot of money and there are plenty of tutorials online that show or tell you how to do it

[@jeanhernandez4453]

I’m still undecided between n54 and n55 platform. My friends all have n54 but most of them run into problems often also heard n55 are a bit more reliable but like you said after market is limited. It’s hard to find a clean 335i n54 around my area

[@SimplyCarThings]

yea its a tough choice!

[@SimbaTheGreat]

Jean Hernandez I have a 2011 E92 with the N52. With the shotty reliability of the N54 I’ve decided for the N55 simply because it’s newer, more reliable, and I’m not trying to pull crazy numbers out of it.

[@MrRoni123456789]

Congrats on the 20k subs my man! Before 35k miles my water pump and CP failed all while my car was stock. Let’s see how long it takes for my oil to start leaking 😂

[@SimplyCarThings]

thanks man! Haha im sure youll be good!

[@jmt0728]

What about the crank hub issue? I thought the n55 has that same issue as the s55

[@LCI335]

2011 BMW 335i X-Drive e90 N55 here... 42k on the clock. replacements?? OEM plastic charge pipe 25k Water pump & thermostat 27k (WATER PUMP IS A TICKING BOMB) Coolant expansion tank 28k oil filter housing gasket 31k Aftermarket aluminum charge pipe 37k ANOTHER expansion tank (level sensor failure) 41k SELF REPLACED ALL OF THIS... All in parts was around $1k in 2 years of ownership Prob around 4-5k at dealership if not more!

[@andrxw1716]

Would u recommend buying a 2011 335i with 80k miles

[@jrock702]

bought my 435i with 36k miles. Have had it one year... Within that year had to replace water pump, oil filter housing gasket and have had multiple drive-train error issues in the hot summer recently. Oh, and last night I think I blew the engine... Yup... Not happy. At least I bought the extended warranty. Car currently has 44k miles Runs very rough like not on all cylinders, Has no exhaust coming out of 1 tip and lots of white smoke out the other.... It's at the dealer right now and still haven't heard what all is wrong with it... I'm a youtuber as well. Video should be up by this morning... Let me know what you think it could be.... Ugh!

[@senioraxys3947]

Inline 6 from bmw are very good !

[@Anthony-qh1xv]

can the rod bearing still happen on a 2015? did they fix? thanks!

[@extinguisher_ek9556]

HELPP I GOT THESE CODES!!!! 2C58Charging pressure control: switch off Consequential reaction/2DAO/2DA2 intake Camshaft angle deviation With respect to Crankshaft outside tolerance!! Exhaust camshaft angle deviation with respect to crankshaft outside tolerance !!!!!!!!

[@Jay-xp1df]

So I might as well get an n54

[@jsallerson]

Jay n55 way more reliable

[@jlongshort4045]

Hpfp so far.. and its not broken yet but hesitations .. so will replace before something goes wrong.

[@racingguy11]

great video...can you give rough estimates on how much each of those repairs would cost?? parts and labor if possible

[@husseinabboud3677]

Gascket failure of the oil filter housing causing coolant and oil mixure

[@keithbailie3014]

So should I get a 328i N20 Or a 335i N55? What’s more reliable?

[@DiscoR53]

I’ve had all of the issues happen before 95k miles and had the starter replaced on my 2011 135i

[@lorenzobaruch8409]

Recommended aftermarket water pump to use?

[@adamtrokich8605]

You forgott the Valvetronicsensor failure and eccentric shaft.

[@SimplyCarThings]

Adam Trokich yea that’s a very common one i forgot to mention

[@Eweyouhew]

My Valvetronic Actuator was “Relearning” at least monthly resulting from a binding Eccentric Shaft apparently since I purchased (2013 535i) in July 2016. Mileage: 42000 miles. The sound it would make (always with the car off) reminded me of a ratchet wrench coming from area of valve cover (relearning). At the time I thought the ratchet sound was normal. Eventually the extra load the Actuator was experiencing caused it to short on Labor Day 2019. Car had a Drivetrain Malfunction and Limp Mode afterwards and had to be towed. It stayed at the BMW Service Dept. a month. The Actuator and Eccentric Shaft were replaced separately, since repair was covered under extended warranty. Total: $5200 USD. Not a common failure mode with the N55. If you have the “Relearning” (ratchet sound) more than once a week, expect Actuator problems eventually.

[@Orientalmentor]

I have N55 from 2011 at 80k miles. Leaking from all holes, dealer visit monthly, 15,000 dollars of repairing bill already. Feeling disappointed and going to buy Lexus next car.

[@kingevanek]

I’m at 52k miles on my 2011 manual 335, have done the water pump, ofg and the charge pipe is stock still and I am mhd stage 1.

[@vonarxstefan]

Hey there thanks for that awesome video. Helped me a lot with my BMW M135i xDrive that has also the N55 Engine. My BMW has currently around 140'000 Km on the Clock and started to have some issues from time to time with the notification "decreased engine performance" (freely translated from German). I will switch next week the Vanos an see what happens. On my M135i I had already all the common issues like exploding air intake pipe or a bit of Oil leaking around the valve gasket cover. But apart from that is a really good car and in Switzerland also very common since it's a small but very powerful car. Greetings from Switzerland on the other side of the small lake :) Stefan

[@santostuner]

On my n54 335i I was gonna change the charge pipe, down pipe, cold air intakes, and coil packs and spark plugs then do a stage 2 cobb I think this sounds pretty set for me on what I wanna do is there any advice you recommend?

[@roblesinline6642]

Santos Tuner do it recommend an intercooler tho

[@micraw714]

Sounds good minus the Cobb tune, mhd is better and WAY cheaper 😊

[@tighematthew]

Yeah index 12 injectors makes a big difference

[@santostuner]

Mic Raw thanks I searched it up I’m definitely going to consider mhd

[@micraw714]

Santos Tuner for sure! It's got so many features, easy to install, and is so smooth. You'll love it!

[@philscott9405]

where did you find charge pipe for 150.00?

[@TheRacer221]

Phil Scott Ebay $80

[@rvbzero7]

Wow. Great info. Thanks for simplfying.

[@sslum]

Now that most n55s are nearing the 60-100k mark. Let’s say I had to replace most of these common problems. Still worth the higher price for n55 or go cheaper n54 models?

[@kurkin23]

Get the B series engines. Yes, the N55 is great but the new B series they are putting in their cars is co-designed by Toyota. Probably the best thing BMW could have done for their cars

[@sslum]

Kurkin 23 I think that’s what I might do. Wanting something newer and reliable. I’ve done a fixer project before, ended up selling because too many problems

[@kurkin23]

​@@sslum​ if its reliability you are for then maybe a BMW isn't for you. there are tons of other cars out there that are more reliable for a little longer. though you will run into things falling apart in almost all vehicles. it just cost more for the brand you are with. B series is a good start but they are also in their infancy and there is no telling what issues they will have in the coming future. Hope to hear what you ended up getting and let me know if you need some help I have tore all these engines apart.

[@sslum]

I’m willing to do my own work, I wouldn’t look at BMWs if I wasn’t. Just don’t want to hop right into a fixer upper like my e30 was. Would like a few years of hard driving without worry

[@gregthompson4153]

Can you place links to were we could purchase the replacement items you mentioned?

[@rajaie14]

I’ve had all those issues besides vanos solenoids😂.

[@drohernandez1709]

Congrats on 20k subs! Only thing I’ve had to do so far is oil filter housing gasket and did the oil cooler gasket with it since it was right there, then just did a coolant flush just in case there was any contamination, caught it very early on in the leak. currently at 82k and have owned for just 2k miles

[@SimplyCarThings]

thank you Isidro! Glad to see you caught that early

[@in54ne82]

N55s are garbage! I work on both platforms n54s and n55s. N55s have same problems as an n54 BUT the n55's valvetronic system, eccentric shaft and dme fails on top of that. I've replaced lots of n55 engines so far and complete valvetronic systems or new heads. The n55 in the m2 and s55 have problems with the crank bolt getting loose. Injectors and high pressure pumps still fail on these.

[@kurkin23]

N55 are not garbage, now the M54 motors were garbage, these are pretty much the same as the M54 but way better.

[@jimmerriman6920]

I would suggest sitting down and being stationary when making videos. I thought you were trying to hypnotize me with your movements back and forth. Otherwise, great content and suggestions as I'm shopping for a N55 powered engine and your subject matter helped confirm my thoughts. I adding a N55 powered vehicle to my E66 4.8l N62 engine. I'm hoping to take the N55 engine to 400+ Hp with a tune and maybe better cooling and bigger turbos if needed. What are your thoughts on extracting more HP and TQ from the N55 engine, and how would you do it?

[@SimplyCarThings]

thanks man, if you watch a lot of my later videos I resolved that and have much better production quality. Extracting 400+hp out of an N55 is pretty easy with basic bolt ons and a tune. My M235i has been flawless, and has served me well over the past year and couple months

[@natedean2689]

High pressure fuel pump failed after 62k and i just broke 81k and its showing signs of failing again. feels bad man.

[@ltdasilva93]

I bought this one and it fired right up, no problems, can't beat the price. Forget OEM. If you can install it yourself you're golden. I did and saved myself $$$$ Cheers www.ebay.com/itm/OSIAS-High-pressure-fuel-pump-for-BMW-N54-N55-Engine335i-535i-535i/302322560569?hash=item4663d42e39:g:bH4AAOSwvK9ba51s:rk:1:pf:1&vxp=mtr&frcectupt=true

[@Teknique51]

Good way to avoid this is don’t let the fuel get down to less than a quarter, fuel pump has to work harder to pump that fuel

[@DadUsed2Skate]

On my n55 I had one coil go out at 45k miles. Covered under warranty other then that things have been great. Currently mine has 61k miles. Planning on keeping it literally forever until it don’t work lol then upgrade to an M

[@SimplyCarThings]

hell yea man that's the way to do it!

[@tommywan3713]

70k problems will start like crazy. You should replace some parts or save for those parts. Or get another low mileage BMW. After my n55 hit 70k i pour 12000 dollars on fixing it.

[@paulpateman3968]

Another great video informative congratulations on your 20k subscribers been with you from the beginning bro 👊

[@SimplyCarThings]

thanks so much Paul means a lot!

[@Latinblood59]

Awesome vid, man! Any more plans for the 335?

[@SimplyCarThings]

thanks man, as for now really happy with the way my car sits. But i do have some plans in store

[@lizzyancey2919]

Seriously , what’s car is that at 1:15 ?🔥

[@Mazda6B6]

I've had N54 and N55. N55 runs like a champ, Stock CP with mild turbo tune and bolt ons. N55 just broke all the time. But I only keep my rides until warranty runs out and sell.

[@williamdejesus4481]

Where can I get the aluminum charge pipe? ? ? Great video !!

[@kurkin23]

Google is your friend.....

[@kurkin23]

try ECS tuning

[@milanrotar8176]

Lol liked the music cut off, like they do at an awards show 👍

[@WhoisFredward]

I was looking at a 535i xdrive with like 70k on it. It is the N55 I believe(I could be incorrect tho). I come from majority an LS/ Coyote background, so any tips or things to look for would be greatly appreciated! Btw thanks so much for this vid

[@alexal2716]

What about the turbos!!!

[@soldierviejo8224]

The only problem when you make a video like this is that you have N54 fanboys that come here just to measure their little N54 engine/penis against the N55 to brag how much better theirs supposedly is. Most of the N54 guys are cool but then you get these certain ones who act like total douches as though they're driving around in a McLaren 720s or something. FYI, guys who drive N55s can afford to drive an N54 but chose it over the N54 for reasons that have zero to do with power and speed.

[@CarsonBock7]

I got an aluminum charge pipe for $60 on ebay

[@SergeyG386]

Can I still get my N55 to 900?? I have 3 x N54 for sale in Florida :)

[@NourHummadi]

Congrats you handsome devil :)

[@Ryan_Evers]

Cool vids bro!

[@anthonygutierrez2103]

@simplycarthings 2 questions, 1 is there a different type of water pump you can put on that isn’t so bad? And bring you were back at the beginning broke college kid like me just minus the college and working full time lol do you wish you had the n55 or glad you had the n54

[@SimplyCarThings]

honestly both engines are amazing, but im glad i got an N54 its a n absolute beast of a motor when everything is running up to par. As far as water pumps unfortunately there arent any good aftermarket solutions. your best bet is to replace with an oem spec one

[@hoagiewhap1006]

I heard shoreline mafia and like and subbed😤😂😂 vibes

[@camman4316]

Just hit 100k miles on my 335i and the oil leaks have finally hit me lmao

[@caloFi]

how much it cost u to fix?

[@TheNazo32]

Fuel injunction also for n54

[@demorippa]

my country has no bmw dealerships so i guess if i endeavor down this path i will have to hire a mechanic to learn the car together with me as time goes along (or just buy a corrolla and stay unhappy forever)