Howdy folks,

We just picked up an 08 clubman S last month, everything sounded lovely when we first got it, but last week my fiance noticed the rattle. Sure enough, it sounds like the timing chain to my ears. It's not bad yet, goes away within 2-3 minutes of driving, but it's definitely an issue.

Did some research, found the class action settlement BMW is agreeing to at http://www.timingchaintensionersettlement.com/

but that raises questions. Do I have to get the chain fixed at the dealer before July 1st, or can I wait until the warranty goes into effect and then take it to the dealer? It seems like the latter is ideal, as long as the rattle doesn't get much worse. And I'm worried that this will be troublesome to get done, if the dealer will submit a claim to BMW and we may or may not get reimbursement (the car was a canadian import, so I'm unsure if I qualify) I might as well just do the damn thing myself in that situation. Since I've never had to take part in a settlement like this (recalls sure are easier) I'd love some guidance as to what I should do - wait for the warranty period to start, or get the chain fixed ASAP at mini and then file the claim (car is 7-10 years old has 78k miles, so it appears we're only eligible for a 5% return if I do it at the dealer. is that correct? If so, bollocks to that, I'll do it myself at home)

my last questions are this - has BMW finally fixed the design fault with the tensioner? Will putting a new one in actually be reliable and last an expected 80-100k miles like a timing chain should last at the MINIMUM? If the upper guide is not broken, should I go ahead and replace the whole cassette anyways? Not sure how tough that tensioner is to get at without making the whole timing chain worth removing anyways. I understand I will need the camshaft lock tool, but I don't really have problems with vehicle specific tools, I like to loan them out to people on enthusiast forums anyways.

*edit* also, if the upper chain guide isn't broken and looks pretty good otherwise, can I get away with trying to replace the tensioner alone? Car isn't losing/burning oil.

 

So I took the valve cover off when the fiance got home and the upper chain guide is completely intact. no chips, cracks, or broken pieces. The chain has solid tension with the motor cooled about 4 hours, so would it be reasonable to simply replace the tensioner?

 

Ill PM you. I recently had this happen to me. I'll share what I did.

 

We have a 2010 S with 110k and have had no issues with the timing chain, guides or tensioner.

 

Not exactly helpful, but I am glad that your car has been trouble free

 

So I just called BMW North America. They told me that because the car was originally a canadian vehicle (imported to US) that they are unable to even look into helping me. What a bunch of *******s. There's no difference in the engines between us and Canadian spec vehicles and it's easy to see that the entire warranty work history of the car was performed in Canada.

Since I'm in Seattle, I tried calling MINI Canada, and they were much more inclined to help until they heard the car was in the US. I was told "you'd have to bring the car to Canada," I'm assuming as a method of telling me to go away, but when I said that I'd be willing to take the car up to B.C. (It's only 3 hours away) they said that they might be willing to help. So I spoke with MINI langley, and they seem to be willing to look into at the very least waiving the cost of the diagnosis and then moving forward with helping us do the work. Waiting to hear for a callback now. Moral of the story, screw BMW North America.

 

My reply was specifically to your question "has BMW finally fixed the design fault with the tensioner" The 2010 is not part of the suit and we have had no issues with 110k.

 

ah, I understand now, thanks for that

 

No response from MINI Langley. Fantastic. Looks like the world wants me on my own for this goddamn ordeal. So I ordered the tensioner itself from detroit tuned (if there's one silver lining here, it's that the guys there are ludicrously knowledgeable and helpful) and pulled the valve cover off one more time to RTV the cam housing corners. Out of curiosity I pulled the upper guide rail off and lo, it was missing a small piece from the inside edge of the guide. ****. very careful inspection showed no chunks bouncing around on top of the upper chain sprocket, so hopefully it's not going to grenade. I checked the oil and noticed it was about 1mm below the minimum line, so I added a quart of 5w30 I had sitting in the garage and started it briefly to listen and move it out of the drive so I can work on the miata. Sound is practically gone with a quart of oil added, it's inaudible with the hood down. Pulled out my stethoscope and on the intake cam side I can hear the rattle, but nothing on the exhaust side. I'm really hoping that replacing it with one of detroit tuned's cryogenically hardened tensioners will fix that sound too (along with an oil change of course) Because I really don't want to spend three days and another $400 on parts and tools. I hate major maintenance on FWD cars.

Absolutely appalling customer service from BMW. It's a friggin timing chain, a part that should last at least 200,000 miles, and mine lasted less than 80k, and they're not willing to help? This is even worse than the Z3 trunk floor/diff mount failure issue that BMW refuses to even acknowledge.

Out of spite, I called BMW again and got the same canned "canadian car, nope" response, so I've since asked to speak with a supervisor and await a callback by end of business tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll keep barking up the chain until I get as high as is physically possible, because this is not an issue unique to US spec cars and there is zero reason they can't work on a clubman whose only difference is the KM/h speedometer.

 

Pretty sure if you read the actual warranty of any vehicle it's going to say something like "valid in the USA only"' or whatever country it is sold in. Laws and liabilities are different. Frustrating but understandable.

 

I'm also aware that my car is out of warranty entirely and calling BMW at all for help is, objectively speaking, legally fruitless due to my warranty being out (and the same would apply to a US spec vehicle.) How is that helpful?

This entire discussion has been about coaxing a company to extend goodwill because of its own defective design. I was essentially sold a lemon, not due to anyone's fault but BMW's. I'm not insulting the people I speak with at BMW north america, I'm being polite, reasonable and courteous. But I'm not getting results. The part is defective, the car was well maintained, this is not an isolated issue, and timing chains are generally a 200,000-400,000 mile wear item. There's no reason they shouldn't extend the same out of warranty gesture that they have to other people, because once a car is out of warranty, unless it's being handled through the lawsuit or a recall, BMW legally has no obligation to the consumer, but there are numerous examples of people getting it taken care of.

 

Well, while I agree should be BMWs responsibility it is not a BMW design. The engine is a Peugeot engine, and they suffer the same crappy engine problems. You need a 3rd Gen Mini if you want a BMW designed engine. If it hasn't already been done, go ahead and do the Detroit Tuned Super kit for the turbo oil lines. That requires a coolant and oil change assuming you replace the oil filter housing gasket as part of it.

 

So after taking it in to a dealer to be inspected (BMW NA and canada both told me to **** right off) the dealer negotiated with BMW for 25% coverage. Not unreasonable, brought the job under 1000 with tax (including the cost of the inspection, so the job itself was about $750.) That includes pulling the oil drain pan to remove any bits of guide and replacing my front main seal (which was leaking slightly) Would have cost me about $450 to do myself, so I'm willing to pay the difference.

Overall, I'm happy with the dealer service, and pretty ambivalent about BMW's service. I've dealt with their famously mean customer service before when my M Coupe's differential ear started to tear (again, a BMW design flaw, not a problem caused by any ownership error) and was left completely high and dry there.

 

Mini Canada does not respond to many people. The campaigns and recalls in the US are rarely covered here. More than frustrating. There is a campaign for footwell modules in us, but here we are out $1000.

 

Well, for $300 in Labor, for a replace front seal, plus I assume they used the better DT tensioner, and replaced the guides, thats a bargain! My '08S Clubman got the cold start death rattle for a second or two at about 40k miles, in early 2014, and by maybe 46k it was up to 30-40 seconds. About the time I started looking at the costmof doingnit myself, the Campaign came out, and my dealer replaced everything, cassette with chain and tensioner for free. Ticket showed about $2500 billed to BMW. Spoke with the Service Manger, whom I have known for over 15 years there, and he told me the latest design after 2010/11 or so, has only seen tensioner issues if the car regularly gets low on oil, which they judge by the guide wear and miles. These cars use oil and the level must be kept solidly in the full range as often as possible. His opinion, based on the many cars they see (and I have to personally agree based on my experience) is that too many people don't check the oil regularly until they heard an engine noise, and by then, its too late. Since then, I check the oil every 3-500 miles or so. It uses about a quart every 5000 miles, which I top off gradually, as needed, and then finally change once a year which has been well under 6000 miles a year. Oil is still a nice brown at that time, not jet black.

 

They did reuse my brand new DT tensioner at my request. Overall, the labor was quite reasonable, seeing as it includes the $200 diagnosis of the timing chain itself. Northwest MINI in Tacoma has definitely taken care of me.