So.. My car blew up

[BMW Fanatic]

So yesterday around 7pm last night I head out to the car wash, wash her up and start the journey home. About a few hundred meters before my exit was due on the highway BANG I hear an extremely loud crank sound and white smoke was everywhere, I was surrounded and couldn't even see out of the windows. Immediately I started slowing down and when things started to become a tiny bit clearer I pulled over to the left hard shoulder, straight away I click SOS and go outside to check the car out, not only is the smoke at this still coming out thickly from the engine bay I look down and all the cars oil supply is covering the floor and I look behind the car and my trail from when the bang happened and there was a huge trail of oil. Now I'm no expert but if I'm traveling at the posted limit of 100 while my oil is pouring out everywhere is it possible the engines blown?

Also, there is no possible way to put the car into neutral without it being physically ON, ignition running etc.. So I'm sure somebody over at BMW for the next generation of cars, at least, should give the M3 it's very own handbook, not one that shares features with the WHOLE 3-Series range because once the flatbed came out he realised there's no manual way to override the parking brake and thus had to go back to base and get dollies for the car to be put on.

The car is at Calgary BMW right now and I'm going to be calling the shortly to see what the F$%@*^% problem is and if I should be calling my lawyer. I'll be updating this main post when I have news.

Quick summary -

SOS call time; 30 minutes
Wait time to get home; 4 hours
Time without the ///M; PRICELESS.

BMW Fanatic

UPDATE 1 - So the engine is in fact blown but they have no way of determining what actually happened. The dealership has contacted BMW Canada to see if the repair will be covered under warranty (don't see why it shouldn't) and then if so there'll be a 7-10 day wait to get the engine in from Germany, luckily they have it in stock, and then 30 hours of labour to get it put in.

My question; even if BMW do warranty the work, should I still have my lawyer file a complaint for damages? Like another poster has stated if I was driving on a more busy highway here in Calgary then the smoke that came out from the engine could have had serious consequences for other drivers around me including myself, also no matter where it happened if they cannot find the cause of the problem then at any given time my brakes could have failed and the situation in theory could have been much worse. I'm not looking to extort the company but they should be held completely liable in all aspects.

Further updates when I hear something, probably in the next day or two.

Thanks for all the support and positive comments from you all.

BMW Fanatic

UPDATE 2 - I should have updated this a few hours after update 1. BMW is going to validate the warranty and I will be getting my engine replaced. The engine will take 7-10 days to arrive from Germany and then about 30 hours of labour/install time, So I should have it back the first week of September.

I was interested in talking to the Dinan specialist over at Calgary BMW about the stroker and just my luck when they figured BMW will be replacing the engine I was also in the dealership just getting a few items from my car, so in turn I sat down to discuss Dinan options too. Now this is how it works for everyone who tries to speculate but doesn't know the real answer; Dinan needs a completely working engine that has no irregularities, they will take the entire core out and then rebore and replace it completely with the Dinan parts needed to get the engine up to 4.6L thus giving an extra 80HP/85TRQ. They will send the core back to Dinan and receive a credit, now I can't remember how much it costs to get a Dinan engine without a core being sent back but with one you're still looking at $24998 + provincial taxes. In this scenario install would be covered by BMW even if it is a Dinan product, but typically it runs about $4000/5000!

Last note; I do have a meeting with the head sales manager on Monday, I will be talking to him about it a complete replacement vehicle. I know many of you have stated just take the engine under warranty and keep the car but I am NOT comfortable with doing so. ///M's have a huge premium in Canada over America's pricing and considering I have brought this with no lease, hoping in fact to keep the car forever, I won't be at ease knowing how much I spent on the car just for it to get an engine replacement 6 weeks in.

Thanks for all the support guys. As for the negativity from certain posters about me getting a lawyer involved, any actions or decisions I make are of my own prerogative, I will obviously do everything in due time not just rush and call in a lawyer when BMW are already taking care of me.

BMW Fanatic

[Gkap]

wow thats no good, keep us posted I would like to know what caused this.
Best of luck.

[Seattle S65B40]

Yikes! Sorry to hear. Keep us posted. Any mods? how many miles?

[Malakas]

This happened to a 2011 car?!?!? WTF?! I thought I was back on the Porsche forums reading about intermediate shaft bearing failures...

Good luck.

[stefan]

Woah from a fellow Calgarian, sorry to hear that. Good thing it wasn't winter. You have PM.


edit: could you tell if your oil trail was longer than the point at which it blew up? Wondering if the blow out caused the oil hemmorage or if oil starvation caused your engine to go.

[Echo M3]

There is a park override switch, you have to remove the plastic covering the center console (where the shifter is). I believe it says so in the manual, too.

[BMW Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Gkap

wow thats no good, keep us posted I would like to know what caused this.
Best of luck.

Will do. Thank you

Originally Posted by Seattle S65B40

Yikes! Sorry to hear. Keep us posted. Any mods? how many miles?

Just the cosmetic package and a BMC Air Filter. Car has 9900kms on it. Will do!

Originally Posted by Malakas

This happened to a 2011 car?!?!? WTF?! I thought I was back on the Porsche forums reading about intermediate shaft bearing failures...

Good luck.

It sure did , thank you!

Originally Posted by stefan

Woah from a fellow Calgarian, sorry to hear that. You have PM.

Thanks for that I'll be sure to check the PM!

Originally Posted by pman10

There is a park override switch, you have to remove the plastic covering the center console (where the shifter is). I believe it says so in the manual, too.

It actually doesn't exist in the ///M, we removed that piece and couldn't find it. That override switch only concerns 'regular' 3 series models .. Or maybe if the ///M had a 6MT it would be there but sadly not for the DCT.

[Grail05]

curious is to what happen... sounds like you have a DCT so over revved is out of the question... now im curious to what mods to you have...

Edit: ok no mods but BMC filter... now im curious...

[Cybertronic]

Originally Posted by BMW Fanatic

Or maybe if the ///M had a 6MT it would be there but sadly not for the DCT.

Why would a 6MT have an override switch....??
I dont have a DCT, but I am pretty sure there is a way to put it into N without starting the car. Here is the page from the M supplemental manual. http://cybertronic.com/dct-park.jpg

[sameh]

When you say smoke was "everywhere" and you couldn't see, do yo mean there was smoke inside too??

[sameh]

Originally Posted by Cybertronic

Why would a 6MT have an override switch....??
I dont have a DCT, but I am pretty sure there is a way to put it into N without starting the car.

One would think, but there isn't..we talked about that before when a guy wanted to put the car in N without starting them up to shuffle cars in the garage without turning on the engine only for a minute..

[JulieDriving]

Wow, sucks!

Hope it turns out to be something totally repairable, with no long-term damage to your car.

Thank-you for posting and keeping us updated.

[Cybertronic]

Originally Posted by sameh

One would think, but there isn't..we talked about that before when a guy wanted to put the car in N without starting them up to shuffle cars in the garage without turning on the engine only for a minute..

Added page from manual to my post... seems like you *can*
Thats from the M manual, not the standard 3 series one.

[Grail05]

sounds like a new engine to me... LOL hope its covered...

[lve2xlr8]

Originally Posted by Sean05

sounds like a new engine to me... LOL hope its covered...

1, you can definitely put dct in neutral manually.

Sorry to hear man, looks like you'll be getting a new motor though!

[Grail05]

Originally Posted by lve2xlr8

1, you can definitely put dct in neutral manually.

Sorry to hear man, looks like you'll be getting a new motor though!

not my car but hoping the OP gets what i want.. LOL

[stefan]

Wow M3post skeptics are out in force already. Does anyone actually believe this car was dropped into neutral, over-revved, causing the damage? geez..

I think what's important to discover is point at which the engine blew. Wasn't there an issue regarding oil starvation earlier on this forum?

[Cybertronic]

Originally Posted by stefan

Wow M3post skeptics are out in force already. Does anyone actually believe this car was dropped into neutral, over-revved, causing the damage? geez..

I think what's important to discover is point at which the engine blew. Wasn't there an issue regarding oil starvation earlier on this forum?

Im not talking about putting it into neutral while driving... OP was saying there was no way to unlock the parking lock manualy to tow....but there is.
No skeptic here...

[sameh]

OP, it's a little premature to say that but if it will be a new engine,remember that you can get the Dinan stroker instead of OEM M3 engine..Just a reminder

[Grail05]

Originally Posted by sameh

OP, it's a little premature to say that but if it will be a new engine,remember that you can get the Dinan stroker instead of OEM M3 engine..Just a reminder

doubt it.... if its covered under warranty they will just replaced it with a new engine...

[kmarei]

well you definitely have the best thread title of 2011

[Grail05]

Originally Posted by stefan

Wow M3post skeptics are out in force already. Does anyone actually believe this car was dropped into neutral, over-revved, causing the damage? geez..

I think what's important to discover is point at which the engine blew. Wasn't there an issue regarding oil starvation earlier on this forum?

WTH are you talking about... LOL did you even read the entire thread...

NO SKEPTICS HERE... WAS JUST A MERELY SUGGESTION OR TRYING TO FIND OUT WEATHER IT IS POSSIBLE TO PUT THE CAR NEUTRAL WHILE ENGINE NOT ON. THATS ALL. .